solicitous and importunate. A subject so hateful to Melissa
sometimes provoked her to tears; at others her keen resentment.
1811ff more solicitous and impertinent ...
1851 at other
Melissa sat up until a late hour, expecting her; she then went to the
gate
1811 hour in the night 1851/70 hour of the night
1811ff ... she went to the gate
"I had forgotten," said her aunt, "that my rents became due this
week."
1851/70 ... that my rents become due this week
she heard a noise as of several people trampling in the yard below
1870 she heard a noise of several people ...
It was extremely dark, she could discern nothing. All was still and
she thought she might have been deceived
1811ff It was extremely dark; she thought she might have been
discovered
to collect some debts of those to whom she had rented lands
1870 ... rented some lands
and in the day time, in walking around the yard and garden
1811ff and in the day, in walking ...
She stepped softly to the window, suddenly raised it, and held out
the candle. She fancied she saw the glimpse of two or three dark forms
pass swiftly along, but so indistinctly that it was impossible to
determine whether they were real, or only shadows produced by objects
intervening the light of the candle. She listened and gazed
1811/51/70 She stepped softly to the window, suddenly raised it, and
held out the candle. She listened and gazed
All was still; she shut the window, and in a short time went to bed.
1811ff All was silent ...
she heard loud noises in the rooms below
1870 she heard noises in the rooms below
a cold chilly sweat ran down her face
1811ff ... run down her face
grasped her arm which lay on the outside of the bed clothes
1870 grasped her arm which lay outside of the bed clothes
no visible being was in the room except herself. She sat down,
pondering these strange events. Was it not possible that she was right
1870 no visible being was in the room except herself; how then could
she account for these events? Was ...
1811ff probable
Might not this be the effect of a terrified and heated imagination?
Or if false keys had been made use of to enter the rooms below, might
they not be also used to enter her chamber? But could her room
1870 ... imagination? But could her room
She knew she could not sleep
1811ff She knew she could not go to sleep
The