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and though my theorizing for your welfare may be true enough； yet；
I cannot help it； Evie；it would go terribly hard with me if
anything were to happen to you。〃
His voice trembled as he finished。 My fear had gone with his
return to his natural manner； but my bewilderment remained。
〃Why SHOULD there anything happen to me？〃 I asked。
〃That is just it；〃 he answered； after a pause； looking straight in
front of him and drawing his hand wearily over his brow。 〃I know
of no reason why there should。〃 Then giving a sigh； as if finally
to dismiss from his mind a worrying subject〃I have acted for the
best；〃 he said； 〃and may God forgive me if I have done wrong。〃
There was a little silence after that； and then he began to talk
again； steadily and quietly。 The subject was deep enough still； as
deep as any that we had touched upon； but both voice and sentiment
were calm； bringing peace to my spirit； and soon making me forget
the wonder and fear of a few moments before。 Very openly did he
talk as we passed on across the long trunk shadows and through the
glades of silver light； and I saw farther then into the most sacred
recesses of his soul than I have ever done before or since。
When we reached home the moon had already set； but some of her
beams seemed to have been left behind within my heart； so pure and
peaceful was the light which filled it。
The same feeling continued with me all through that evening。 After
dinner some of the party played and sang。 As it was Sunday； and
Lucy was rigid in her views； the music was of a sacred character。
I sat in a low armchair in a dark corner of the room； my mind too
dreamy to think； and too passive to dream。 I hardly interchanged
three words with Alan； who remained in a still darker spot；
invisible and silent the whole time。 Only as we left the room to
go to bed； I heard Lucy ask him if he had a headache。 I did not
hear his answer； and before I could see his face he had turned back
again into the drawing…room。
V
It was early； and when first I got to my room I felt little
inclined for sleep。 I wandered to the window； and drawing aside
the curtains； looked out upon the still； starlit sky。 At least I
should rest quiet to…night。 The air was very clear； and the sky
seemed full of stars。 As I stood there scraps of schoolroom
learning came back to my mind。 That the stars were all suns；
surrounded perhaps in their turn by worlds as large or larger than
our own。 Worlds beyond worlds； and others farther still； which no
man might number or even descry。 And about the distance of those
wonderful suns too；that one； for instance； at which I was
looking；what was it that I had been told？ That our world was not
yet peopled； perhaps not yet formed； when the actual spot of light
which now struck my sight first started from the star's surface！
While it flashed along； itself the very symbol of speed； the whole
of mankind had had time to be born； and live； and die！
My gaze dropped； and fell upon the dim； half…seen outline of the
Dead Stone。 That woman too。 While that one ray speeded towards me
her life had been lived and ended； and her body had rotted away
into the ground。 How close together we all were！ Her life and
mine； our joys； sufferings； deathsall crowded together into the
space of one flash of light！ And yet there was nothing there but a
horrible skeleton of dead bones； while I！
I stopped with a shudder； and turned back into the room。 I wished
that Alan had not told me what lay under the stone； I wished that I
had never asked him。 It was a ghastly thing to think about； and
spoilt all the beauty of the night to me。
I got quickly into bed； and soon dropped asleep。 I do not know how
long I slept； but when I woke it was with the consciousness again
of that haunting wind。
It was worse than ever。 The world seemed filled with its din。
Hurling itself passionately against the house； it gathered strength
with every gust； till it seemed as if the old walls must soon crash
in ruins round me。 Gust upon gust； blow upon blow； swelling；
lessening； never ceasing。 The noise surrounded me； it penetrated
my inmost being； as all…pervading as silence itself； and wrapping
me in a solitude even more complete。 There was nothing left in the
world but the wind and I； and then a weird intangible doubt as to
my own identity seized me。 The wind was real； the wind with its
echoes of passion and misery from the eternal abyss； but was there
anything else？ What was； and what had been； the world of sense and
of knowledge； my own consciousness； my very self；all seemed
gathered up and swept away in that one sole…existent fury of sound。
I pulled myself together； and getting out of bed； groped my way to
the table which stood between the bed and the fireplace。 The
matches were there； and my half…burnt candle； which I lit。 The
wind penetrating the rattling casement circled round the room； and
the flame of my candle bent and flared and shrank before it；
throwing strange moving lights and shadows in every corner。 I
stood there shivering in my thin nightdress； half stunned by the
cataract of noise beating on the walls outside； and peered
anxiously around me。 The room was not the same。 Something was
changed。 What was it？ How the shadows leaped and fell； dancing in
time to the wind's music。 Everything seemed alive。 I turned my
head slowly to the left； and then to the right； and then roundand
stopped with a sudden gasp of fear。
The cabinet was open！
I looked away； and back； and again。 There was no room for doubt。
The doors were thrown back； and were waving gently in the draught。
One of the lower drawers was pulled out； and in a sudden flare of
the candle…light I could see something glistening at its bottom。
Then the light dwindled again； the candle was almost out； and the
cabinet showed a dim black mass in the darkness。 Up and down went
the flame； and each returning brightness flashed back at me from
the thing inside the drawer。 I stood fascinated； my eyes fixed
upon the spot； waiting for the fitful glitter as it came and went。
What was there there？ I knew that I must go and see； but I did not
want to。 If only the cabinet would close again before I looked；
before I knew what was inside it。 But it stood open； and the
glittering thing lay there； dragging me towards itself。
Slowly at last； and with infinite reluctance； I went。 The drawer
was lined with soft white satin； and upon the satin lay a long；
slender knife； hilted and sheathed in antique silver； richly set
with jewels。 I took it up and turned back to the table to examine
it。 It was Italian in workmanship； and I knew that the carving and
chasing of the silver were more precious even than the jewels which
studded it； and whose rough setting gave so firm a grasp to my
hand。 Was the blade as fair as the covering； I wondered？ A little
resistance at first； and then the long thin steel slid easily out。
Sharp； and bright； and finely tempered it looked with its deadly；
tapering point。 Stains； dull and irregular； crossed the fine
engraving on its surface and dimmed its polish。 I bent to examine
them more closely； and as I did so a sudden stronger gust of wind
blew out the candle。 I shuddered a little at the darkness and
looked up。 But it did not matter： the curtain was still drawn away
from the window opposite my bedside； and through it a flood of
moonlight was pouring in upon floor and bed。
Putting the sheath down upon the table； I walked to the window to
examine the knife more closely by that pale light。 How gloriously
brilliant it was！ darkened now and again by the quickly passing
shadows of wind…driven clouds。 At least so I thought； and I
glanced up and out of the window to see them。 A black world met my
gaze。 Neither moon was there nor moonlight： the broad silver beam
in which I stood stretched no farther than the window。 I caught my
breath； and my limbs stiffened as I looked。 No moon； no cloud； no
movement in the clear； calm； starlit sky； while still the ghastly
light stretched round me； and the spectral shadows drifted across
the room。
But it was not all dark outside： one spot caught my eye； bright
with a livid unearthly brightnessthe Dead Stone shining out into
the night like an ember from hell's furnace！ There was a horrid
semblance of life in the light；a palpitating； breathing glow；
and my pulses beat in time to it； till I seemed to be drawing it
into my veins。 It had no warmth； and as it entered my blood my
heart grew colder； and my muscles more rigid。 My fingers clutched
the dagger…hilt till its jeweled roughness pressed painfully into
my palm。 All the strength of my strained powers seemed gathered in
that grasp； and the more tightly I held the more vividly did the
rock gleam and quiver with infernal life。 The dead woman！ The
dead woman！ What had I to do with her？ Let her bones rest in the
filth of their own decay；out there under the accursed stone。
And now the noise of the wind lessens in my ears。 Let it go on；
yes； louder and wilder； drowning my senses in its tumult。 What is
there with me in the roomthe great empty room behind me？
Nothing； only the cabinet with it