Поворот гвинта

           Ihadleftalightburning,butitwasnowout,andIfeltaninstantcertaintythatFlorahadextinguishedit.Thisbroughtmetomyfeetandstraight,inthedarkness,toherbed,whichIfoundshehadleft.Aglanceatthewindowenlightenedmefurther,andthestrikingofamatchcompletedthepicture.

           Thechildhadagaingotup—thistimeblowingoutthetaper,andhadagain,forsomepurposeofobservationorresponse,squeezedinbehindtheblindandwaspeeringoutintothenight.Thatshenowsaw—asshehadnot,Ihadsatisfiedmyself,theprevioustime—wasprovedtomebythefactthatshewasdisturbedneitherbymyreilluminationnorbythehasteImadetogetintoslippersandintoawrap.Hidden,protected,absorbed,sheevidentlyrestedonthesill—thecasementopenedforward—andgaveherselfup.Therewasagreatstillmoontohelpher,andthisfacthadcountedinmyquickdecision.Shewasfacetofacewiththeapparitionwehadmetatthelake,andcouldnowcommunicatewithitasshehadnotthenbeenabletodo.WhatI,onmyside,hadtocareforwas,withoutdisturbingher,toreach,fromthecorridor,someotherwindowinthesamequarter.Igottothedoorwithoutherhearingme;Igotoutofit,closedit,andlistened,fromtheotherside,forsomesoundfromher.WhileIstoodinthepassageIhadmyeyesonherbrother’sdoor,whichwasbuttenstepsoffandwhich,indescribably,producedinmearenewalofthestrangeimpulsethatIlatelyspokeofasmytemptation.