Поворот гвинта

           IrepeatedlysatuptillIdidn’tknowwhen;Iselectedmomentswhenmyroommateunmistakablyslept,and,stealingout,tooknoiselessturnsinthepassageandevenpushedasfarastowhereIhadlastmetQuint.ButInevermethimthereagain;andImayaswellsayatoncethatIonnootheroccasionsawhiminthehouse.Ijustmissed,onthestaircase,ontheotherhand,adifferentadventure.LookingdownitfromthetopIoncerecognizedthepresenceofawomanseatedononeofthelowerstepswithherbackpresentedtome,herbodyhalf-bowedandherhead,inanattitudeofwoe,inherhands.Ihadbeentherebutaninstant,however,whenshevanishedwithoutlookingroundatme.Iknew,nonetheless,exactlywhatdreadfulfaceshehadtoshow;andIwonderedwhether,ifinsteadofbeingaboveIhadbeenbelow,Ishouldhavehad,forgoingup,thesamenerveIhadlatelyshownQuint.Well,therecontinuedtobeplentyofchancefornerve.Ontheeleventhnightaftermylatestencounterwiththatgentleman—theywereallnumberednow—Ihadanalarmthatperilouslyskirteditandthatindeed,fromtheparticularqualityofitsunexpectedness,provedquitemysharpestshock.Itwaspreciselythefirstnightduringthisseriesthat,wearywithwatching,IhadfeltthatImightagainwithoutlaxitylaymyselfdownatmyoldhour.Isleptimmediatelyand,asIafterwardknew,tillaboutoneo’clock;butwhenIwokeitwastositstraightup,ascompletelyrousedasifahandhadshookme.