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           Ammiwasnowtheonlypersonwhoevervisitedtheplace,andhisvisitswerebecomingfewerandfewer.WhenschoolclosedtheGardnerswerevirtuallycutofffromtheworld,andsometimesletAmmidotheirerrandsintown.Theywerefailingcuriouslybothphysicallyandmentally,andnoonewassurprisedwhenthenewsofMrs.Gardner’smadnessstolearound.

           IthappenedinJune,abouttheanniversaryofthemeteor’sfall,andthepoorwomanscreamedaboutthingsintheairwhichshecouldnotdescribe.Inherravingtherewasnotasinglespecificnoun,butonlyverbsandpronouns.Thingsmovedandchangedandfluttered,andearstingledtoimpulseswhichwerenotwhollysounds.Somethingwastakenaway—shewasbeingdrainedofsomething—somethingwasfasteningitselfonherthatoughtnottobe—someonemustmakeitkeepoff—nothingwaseverstillinthenight—thewallsandwindowsshifted.Nahumdidnotsendhertothecountyasylum,butletherwanderaboutthehouseaslongasshewasharmlesstoherselfandothers.Evenwhenherexpressionchangedhedidnothing.Butwhentheboysgrewafraidofher,andThaddeusnearlyfaintedatthewayshemadefacesathim,hedecidedtokeepherlockedintheattic.ByJulyshehadceasedtospeakandcrawledonallfours,andbeforethatmonthwasoverNahumgotthemadnotionthatshewasslightlyluminousinthedark,ashenowclearlysawwasthecasewiththenearbyvegetation.

           Itwasalittlebeforethisthatthehorseshadstampeded.Somethinghadarousedtheminthenight,andtheirneighingandkickingintheirstallshadbeenterrible.