My tranquillity on this occasion
was quickly retrieved. The whisper evidently proceeded from one
who was posted at my bedside. The first idea that suggested itself
was that it was uttered by the girl who lived with me as a servant.
Perhaps somewhat had alarmed her, or she was sick, and had come to
request my assistance. By whispering in my ear she intended to
rouse without alarming me.
Full of this persuasion, I called, "Judith, is it you? What do you
want? Is there anything the matter with you?" No answer was
returned. I repeated my inquiry, but equally in vain. Cloudy as
was the atmosphere, and curtained as my bed was, nothing was
visible. I withdrew the curtain, and, leaning my head on my elbow,
I listened with the deepest attention to catch some new sound.
Meanwhile, I ran over in my thoughts every circumstance that could
assist my conjectures.
My habitation was a wooden edifice, consisting of two stories. In
each story were two rooms, separated by an entry, or middle
passage, with which they communicated by opposite doors. The
passage on the lower story had doors at the two ends, and a
staircase.
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