spersed, with the exception of Mr. Budd, who had
joined them after dinner, and appeared disposed to stay drinking a little
longer. Janet began to hope that he would stay long enough for Dempster
to become heavy and stupid, and so to fall asleep down-stairs, which was
a rare but occasional ending of his nights. She told the servants to sit
up no longer, and she herself undressed and went to bed, trying to cheat
her imagination into the belief that the day was ended for her. But when
she lay down, she became more intensely awake than ever. Everything she
had taken this evening seemed only to stimulate her senses and her
apprehensions to new vividness. Her heart beat violently, and she heard
every sound in the house.

At last, when it was twelve, she heard Mr. Budd go out; she heard the
door slam. Dempster had not moved. Was he asleep? Would he forget? The
minute seemed long, while, with a quickening pulse, she was on the
stretch to catch every sound.

'Janet!' The loud jarring voice seemed to strike her like a hurled
weapon.

'Janet!' he called again, moving out of the dining-room to the foot of
the stairs.

There was a pause of a minute.

'If you don't come, I'll kill you.'

Another pause, and she heard him turn back into the dining-room. He was
gone for a light--perhaps for a weapon. Perhaps he _would_ kill her. Let
him. Life was as hideous as death. For years she had been rushing on to
some unknown but certain horror; and now she was close upon it. She was
almost glad. She was in a state of flushed feverish defiance that
neutralized her woman's terrors.

She heard his heavy step on the stairs; she saw the slowly advancing
light. Then she saw the tall massive figure, and the heavy face, now
fierce with drunken rage. He had nothing but the candle in his hand. He
set it down on the table, and advanced close to the bed.

'So you think you'll defy me, do you? We'll see how long that will last.
Get up, madam; out of bed this instant!'

In the close presence of the dreadful man--of this huge crushing force,
armed with savage will--poor Janet's desperate defiance all forsook her,
and her terrors came back. Trembling she got up, and stood helpless in
her night-dress before her husband.

He seized her with his heavy grasp by the shoulder, and pushed her before
him.

'I'll cool your hot spirit for you! I'll teach you to brave me!'

Slowly he pushed her along before him, down stairs and through the
passage, where a