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awful whisper。
〃I won't；〃 replied Emma。
That afternoon the three sisters were in the study； the large front
room on the ground floor across the hall from the south parlor；
when the dusk deepened。
Mrs。 Brigham was hemming some black material。 She sat close to the
west window for the waning light。 At last she laid her work on her
lap。
〃It's no use； I cannot see to sew another stitch until we have a
light；〃 said she。
Caroline； who was writing some letters at the table； turned to
Rebecca； in her usual place on the sofa。
〃Rebecca； you had better get a lamp；〃 she said。
Rebecca started up； even in the dusk her face showed her agitation。
〃It doesn't seem to me that we need a lamp quite yet；〃 she said in
a piteous； pleading voice like a child's。
〃Yes； we do；〃 returned Mrs。 Brigham peremptorily。 〃We must have a
light。 I must finish this to…night or I can't go to the funeral；
and I can't see to sew another stitch。〃
〃Caroline can see to write letters； and she is farther from the
window than you are；〃 said Rebecca。
〃Are you trying to save kerosene or are you lazy； Rebecca Glynn？〃
cried Mrs。 Brigham。 〃I can go and get the light myself； but I have
this work all in my lap。〃
Caroline's pen stopped scratching。
〃Rebecca； we must have the light；〃 said she。
〃Had we better have it in here？〃 asked Rebecca weakly。
〃Of course！ Why not？〃 cried Caroline sternly。
〃I am sure I don't want to take my sewing into the other room； when
it is all cleaned up for to…morrow；〃 said Mrs。 Brigham。
〃Why； I never heard such a to…do about lighting a lamp。〃
Rebecca rose and left the room。 Presently she entered with a lamp
a large one with a white porcelain shade。 She set it on a table；
an old…fashioned card…table which was placed against the opposite
wall from the window。 That wall was clear of bookcases and books；
which were only on three sides of the room。 That opposite wall was
taken up with three doors； the one small space being occupied by
the table。 Above the table on the old…fashioned paper； of a white
satin gloss； traversed by an indeterminate green scroll； hung quite
high a small gilt and black…framed ivory miniature taken in her
girlhood of the mother of the family。 When the lamp was set on the
table beneath it； the tiny pretty face painted on the ivory seemed
to gleam out with a look of intelligence。
〃What have you put that lamp over there for？〃 asked Mrs。 Brigham；
with more of impatience than her voice usually revealed。 〃Why
didn't you set it in the hall and have done with it。 Neither
Caroline nor I can see if it is on that table。〃
〃I thought perhaps you would move；〃 replied Rebecca hoarsely。
〃If I do move； we can't both sit at that table。 Caroline has her
paper all spread around。 Why don't you set the lamp on the study
table in the middle of the room； then we can both see？〃
Rebecca hesitated。 Her face was very pale。 She looked with an
appeal that was fairly agonizing at her sister Caroline。
〃Why don't you put the lamp on this table； as she says？〃 asked
Caroline； almost fiercely。 〃Why do you act so； Rebecca？〃
〃I should think you WOULD ask her that；〃 said Mrs。 Brigham。 〃She
doesn't act like herself at all。〃
Rebecca took the lamp and set it on the table in the middle of the
room without another word。 Then she turned her back upon it
quickly and seated herself on the sofa； and placed a hand over her
eyes as if to shade them； and remained so。
〃Does the light hurt your eyes； and is that the reason why you
didn't want the lamp？〃 asked Mrs。 Brigham kindly。
〃I always like to sit in the dark；〃 replied Rebecca chokingly。 Then
she snatched her handkerchief hastily from her pocket and began to
weep。 Caroline continued to write； Mrs。 Brigham to sew。
Suddenly Mrs。 Brigham as she sewed glanced at the opposite wall。
The glance became a steady stare。 She looked intently； her work
suspended in her hands。 Then she looked away again and took a few
more stitches； then she looked again； and again turned to her task。
At last she laid her work in her lap and stared concentratedly。 She
looked from the wall around the room； taking note of the various
objects； she looked at the wall long and intently。 Then she turned
to her sisters。
〃What IS that？〃 said she。
〃What？〃 asked Caroline harshly； her pen scratched loudly across the
paper。
Rebecca gave one of her convulsive gasps。
〃That strange shadow on the wall；〃 replied Mrs。 Brigham。
Rebecca sat with her face hidden： Caroline dipped her pen in the
inkstand。
〃Why don't you turn around and look？〃 asked Mrs。 Brigham in a
wondering and somewhat aggrieved way。
〃I am in a hurry to finish this letter； if Mrs。 Wilson Ebbit is
going to get word in time to come to the funeral；〃 replied Caroline
shortly。
Mrs。 Brigham rose； her work slipping to the floor； and she began
walking around the room； moving various articles of furniture； with
her eyes on the shadow。
Then suddenly she shrieked out：
〃Look at this awful shadow！ What is it？ Caroline； look； look！
Rebecca； look！ WHAT IS IT？〃
All Mrs。 Brigham's triumphant placidity was gone。 Her handsome
face was livid with horror。 She stood stiffly pointing at the
shadow。
〃Look！〃 said she； pointing her finger at it。 〃Look！ What is it？〃
Then Rebecca burst out in a wild wail after a shuddering glance at
the wall：
〃Oh； Caroline； there it is again！ There it is again！〃
〃Caroline Glynn； you look！〃 said Mrs。 Brigham。 〃Look！ What is
that dreadful shadow？〃
Caroline rose； turned； and stood confronting the wall。
〃How should I know？〃 she said。
〃It has been there every night since he died；〃 cried Rebecca。
〃Every night？〃
〃Yes。 He died Thursday and this is Saturday； that makes three
nights；〃 said Caroline rigidly。 She stood as if holding herself
calm with a vise of concentrated will。
〃Itit looks likelike〃 stammered Mrs。 Brigham in a tone of
intense horror。
〃I know what it looks like well enough；〃 said Caroline。 〃I've got
eyes in my head。〃
〃It looks like Edward；〃 burst out Rebecca in a sort of frenzy of
fear。 〃Only〃
〃Yes； it does；〃 assented Mrs。 Brigham； whose horror…stricken tone
matched her sister's； 〃only Oh； it is awful！ What is it；
Caroline？〃
〃I ask you again； how should I know？〃 replied Caroline。 〃I see it
there like you。 How should I know any more than you？〃
〃It MUST be something in the room；〃 said Mrs。 Brigham； staring
wildly around。
〃We moved everything in the room the first night it came；〃 said
Rebecca； 〃it is not anything in the room。〃
Caroline turned upon her with a sort of fury。 〃Of course it is
something in the room；〃 said she。 〃How you act！ What do you mean
by talking so？ Of course it is something in the room。〃
〃Of course； it is；〃 agreed Mrs。 Brigham； looking at Caroline
suspi