orunclosed;onelookedoutandanotherlookedout;thegalleryfilled.Gentlemenandladiesalikehadquittedtheirbeds;and“Oh!whatisit?”—“Whoishurt?”—“Whathashappened?”—“Fetchalight!”—“Isitfire?”—“Arethererobbers?”—“Whereshallwerun?”wasdemandedfusedlyonallhands.Butforthemoonlighttheywouldhavebeeninpletedarkheyrantoandfro;theycrowdedtogether:somesobbed,somestumbled:thefusionwasiricable.

    “WherethedevilisRochester?”criedelDent.“Iotfindhiminhisbed.”

    “Here!here!”wasshoutediurn.“Beposed,allofyou:I’ming.”

    Andthedoorattheendofthegalleryopened,andMr.Rochesteradvahadle:hehadjustdesdedfromtheupperstorey.Oheladiesrantohimdirectly;sheseizedhisarm:itwasMissIngram.

    “Whatawfuleventhastakenplace?”saidshe.“Speak!letusknowtheworstatonce!”

    “Butdon’tpullmedownleme,”hereplied:fortheMissesEshtonweregingabouthimnow;awodowagers,invastwhiteers,werebearingdownonhimlikeshipsinfullsail.

    “All’sright!—all’sright!”hecried.“It’samererehearsalofMuchAdoaboutNothing.Ladies,keepoff,orIshallwaxdangerous.”

    Anddangeroushelooked:hisblackeyesdartedsparks.Calminghimselfbyaneffort,headded—

    “Aservanthashadthenightmare;thatisall.She’saable,nervousperson:shestruedherdreamintoanapparition,orsomethingofthatsort,nodoubt;andhastakenafitwithfright.Now,then,Imustseeyouallbatoyourrooms;for,tillthehouseissettled,sheotbelookedafter.Gentlemen,havethegoodosettheladiestheexample.MissIngram,Iamsureyouwillnotfailinevingsuperioritytoidleterrors.AmyandLouisa,returntoyourslikeapairofdoves,asyouare.M