Her mind again recurred to him whose
counsel had indirectly prompted her rash step, and to whose
aid in her infinite hopelessness she had appealed. The woman
who had all this time been only standing on the landing-place
without the door, now re-entered with a puzzled and curious
air, saying, "I cannot make it out; some one has arrived."
"Some one has arrived." Simple yet agitating words. "Is it
unusual," enquired Sybil in a trembling tone, "for persons to
arrive at this hour?"
"Yes," said the wife of the inspector. "They never bring them
from the stations until the office opens. I cannot make it
out. Hush!" and at this moment some one tapped at the door.
The woman returned to the door and reopened it, and some words
were spoken which did not reach Sybil, whose heart beat
violently as a wild thought rushed over her mind. The
suspense was so intolerable, her agitation so great, that she
was on the point of advancing and asking if--when the door was
shut and she was again left alone. She threw herself on the
bed. It seemed to her that she had lost all control over her
intelligence. All thought and feeling merged in that deep
suspense when the order of our being seems to stop and quiver
as it were upon its axis.
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