Ihadfottentodrawmycurtain,whichIusuallydid,andalsotoletdownmywindow-blind.Thesequencewas,thatwhenthemoon,whichwasfullandbright(forthenightwasfine),cameinhercoursetothatspatheskyoppositemycasement,andlookedihroughtheunveiledpanes,hergloriousgazerousedme.Awakinginthedeadofnight,Iopenedmyeyesonherdisk—silver-whiteandcrystalclear.Itwasbeautiful,buttoosolemn;Ihalfrose,andstretchedmyarmtodrawthecurtain.

    GoodGod!Whatacry!

    Thenight—itssilesrest,wasrentintwainbyasavage,asharp,ashrillysoundthatranfromendtoendofThornfieldHall.

    Mypulsestopped:myheartstoodstill;mystretchedarmaralysed.Thecrydied,andwasnotrenewed.Indeed,whateverbeingutteredthatfearfulshriekcouldnotsoo:notthewidest-wingeddorontheAndescould,twisuccession,sendoutsuchayellfromthecloudshroudinghiseyrie.Thethingdeliveringsuchutterarestereitcouldrepeattheeffort.

    Itcameoutofthethirdstorey;foritpassedoverhead.Andoverhead—yes,intheroomjustabovemychamber-ceiling—Inowheardastruggle:adeadlyoseemedfromthenoise;andahalf-smotheredvoiceshouted—

    “Help!help!help!”threetimesrapidly.

    “Willnoonee?”itcried;andthen,whilethestaggeringandstampionwildly,Idistinguishedthroughplankandplaster:—

    “Rochester!Rochester!fod’ssake,e!”

    Achamber-dooropened:someoneran,orrushed,alongthegallery.Aepstampedontheflaboveandsomethingfell;andtherewassilence.

    Ihadputohes,thoughhorrorshookallmylimbs;Iissuedfrommyapartment.Thesleeperswereallaroused:ejaculations,terrifiedmurmurssoundedineveryroom;doorafterdo