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have had any attempts to break in yet； but it's always as well to
be on the safe side。 When nobody is sleeping here； I am the only
man in the house。 My wife and daughter are timid； and the servant
girl takes after her missuses。 Another glass of ale； before you
turn in？No！Well； how such a sober man as you comes to be out of
a place is more than I can understand for one。Here's where you're
to sleep。 You're the only lodger to…night； and I think you'll say
my missus has done her best to make you comfortable。 You're quite
sure you won't have another glass of ale？Very well。 Good night。〃
It was half…past eleven by the clock in the passage as we went
upstairs to the bedroom。 The window looked out on the wood at the
back of the house。
I locked my door； set my candle on the chest of drawers； and
wearily got me ready for bed。 The bleak wind was still blowing；
and the solemn； surging moan of it in the wood was very dreary to
hear through the night silence。 Feeling strangely wakeful； I
resolved to keep the candle alight until I began to grow sleepy。
The truth is； I was not quite myself。 I was depressed in mind by
my disappointment of the morning； and I was worn out in body by my
long walk。 Between the two； I own I couldn't face the prospect of
lying awake in the darkness； listening to the dismal moan of the
wind in the wood。
Sleep stole on me before I was aware of it； my eyes closed； and I
fell off to rest； without having so much as thought of
extinguishing the candle。
The next thing that I remember was a faint shivering that ran
through me from head to foot； and a dreadful sinking pain at my
heart； such as I had never felt before。 The shivering only
disturbed my slumbersthe pain woke me instantly。 In one moment I
passed from a state of sleep to a state of wakefulnessmy eyes
wide openmy mind clear on a sudden as if by a miracle。 The
candle had burned down nearly to the last morsel of tallow； but the
unsnuffed wick had just fallen off； and the light was； for the
moment； fair and full。
Between the foot of the bed and the closet door； I saw a person in
my room。 The person was a woman； standing looking at me； with a
knife in her hand。 It does no credit to my courage to confess it
but the truth IS the truth。 I was struck speechless with terror。
There I lay with my eyes on the woman； there the woman stood （with
the knife in her hand） with HER eyes on ME。
She said not a word as we stared each other in the face； but she
moved after a littlemoved slowly toward the left…hand side of the
bed。
The light fell full on her face。 A fair； fine woman； with
yellowish flaxen hair； and light gray eyes； with a droop in the
left eyelid。 I noticed these things and fixed them in my mind；
before she was quite round at the side of the bed。 Without saying
a word； without any change in the stony stillness of her face；
without any noise following her footfall； she came closer and
closer； stopped at the bed…head； and lifted the knife to stab me。
I laid my arm over my throat to save it； but； as I saw the blow
coming； I threw my hand across the bed to the right side； and
jerked my body over that way； just as the knife came down； like
lightning； within a hair's breadth of my shoulder。
My eyes fixed on her arm and her handshe gave me time to look at
them as she slowly drew the knife out of the bed。 A white； well…
shaped arm； with a pretty down lying lightly over the fair skin。 A
delicate lady's hand； with a pink flush round the finger nails。
She drew the knife out； and passed back again slowly to the foot of
the bed； she stopped there for a moment looking at me； then she
came on without saying a word； without any change in the stony
stillness of her face； without any noise following her footfall
came on to the side of the bed where I now lay。
Getting near me； she lifted the knife again； and I drew myself away
to the left side。 She struck； as before right into the mattress；
with a swift downward action of her arm； and she missed me； as
before； by a hair's breadth。 This time my eyes wandered from HER
to the knife。 It was like the large clasp knives which laboring
men use to cut their bread and bacon with。 Her delicate little
fingers did not hide more than two thirds of the handle； I noticed
that it was made of buckhorn； clean and shining as the blade was；
and looking like new。
For the second time she drew the knife out of the bed； and suddenly
hid it away in the wide sleeve of her gown。 That done； she stopped
by the bedside watching me。 For an instant I saw her standing in
that positionthen the wick of the spent candle fell over into the
socket。 The flame dwindled to a little blue point； and the room
grew dark。
A moment； or less； if possible； passed soand then the wick flared
up； smokily； for the last time。 My eyes were still looking for her
over the right…hand side of the bed when the last flash of light
came。 Look as I might； I could see nothing。 The woman with the
knife was gone。
I began to get back to myself again。 I could feel my heart
beating； I could hear the woeful moaning of the wind in the wood； I
could leap up in bed； and give the alarm before she escaped from
the house。 〃Murder！ Wake up there！ Murder！〃
Nobody answered to the alarm。 I rose and groped my way through the
darkness to the door of the room。 By that way she must have got
in。 By that way she must have gone out。
The door of the room was fast locked； exactly as I had left it on
going to bed！ I looked at the window。 Fast locked too！
Hearing a voice outside； I opened the door。 There was the
landlord； coming toward me along the passage； with his burning
candle in one hand； and his gun in the other。
〃What is it？〃 he says； looking at me in no very friendly way。
I could only answer in a whisper； 〃A woman； with a knife in her
hand。 In my room。 A fair； yellow…haired woman。 She jabbed at me
with the knife； twice over。〃
He lifted his candle； and looked at me steadily from head to foot。
〃She seems to have missed youtwice over。〃
〃I dodged the knife as it came down。 It struck the bed each time。
Go in； and see。〃
The landlord took his candle into the bedroom immediately。 In less
than a minute he came out again into the passage in a violent
passion。
〃The devil fly away with you and your woman with the knife！ There
isn't a mark in the bedclothes anywhere。 What do you mean by
coming into a man's place and frightening his family out of their
wits by a dream？〃
A dream？ The woman who had tried to stab me； not a living human
being like myself？ I began to shake and shiver。 The horrors got
hold of me at the bare thought of it。
〃I'll leave the house；〃 I said。 〃Better be out on the road in the
rain and dark； than back in that room； after what I've seen in it。
Lend me the light to get my clothes by； and tell me what I'm to
pay。〃
The landlord