'smind."Hehasquiteenoughtherealreadytoupsethim," :
"Mydearmadam, Ihadadistinctpurposeinit!Iwantedtodrawhisattentiontothebellrope, , andhasbeenstudyingtoomuch, althoughIamboundtosaythatheseemsassoundandhealthyayoungman, mentallyandbodily, aseverIsaw—butthentherats—andthatsuggestionofthedevil." Thedoctorshookhisheadandwenton.";, ."
"Oh, Doctor, whatdoyoumean?Whatdoyoumean?"
"Imeanthis;thatpossibly—nay, moreprobably—weshallhearthegreatalarmbellfromtheJudge'sHousetonight," andthedoctormadeaboutaseffectiveanexitascouldbethoughtof.
WhenMalcolmsonarrivedhomehefoundthatitwasalittleafterhisusualtime, —therulesofGreenhow', ;, forhefeltoncemorethefeelingofcompanionshipintheirnoise, andhismindranbacktothestrangefactthattheyonlyceasedtomanifestthemselveswhenthatother—thegreatratwiththebalefuleyes——lamponlywaslitanditsgreenshadekepttheceilingandtheupperpartoftheroomindarkness, , determinednottoletanythingdisturbhim, forherememberedhispromisetothedoctor, andmadeuphismindtomakethebestofthetimeathisdisposal.
Foranhourorsoheworkedallright, , thecallsonhisphysicalattention, , , solidthoughitwas, seemedtoshaketoitsfoundations, andthestormroaredandragedthroughitsmanychimneysanditsqueeroldgables, producingstrange, , fortheroperoseandfellslightly, asthoughthebellweremovedalittlefromtimetotime, andthelimberropefellontheoakfloorwithahardandhollowsound.
AsMalcolmsonlistenedtoithebethoughthimselfofthedoctor'swords, "ItistheropewhichthehangmanusedforthevictimsoftheJudge'sjudicialrancour," , andashestoodtherehelosthimselfforamomentinspeculationastowhothesevictimswere, ;butpresentlytherecameanewsensation—asortoftremorintherope, asthoughsomethingwasmovingalongit.
LookingupinstinctivelyMalcolmsonsawthegreatratcomingslowlydowntowardshim, , andtheratturningranuptheropeagainanddisappeared, andatthesameinstantMalcolmsonbecameconsciousthatthenoiseoftherats, whichhadceasedforawhile, beganagain.
Allthissethimthinking, anditoccurredtohimthathehadnotinvestigatedthelairoftheratorlookedatthepictures, , and, holdingitupwentandstoodoppositethethirdpicturefromthefireplaceontheright-handsidewherehehadseentheratdisappearonthepreviousnight.
Atthefirstglancehestartedbacksosuddenlythathealmostdroppedthelamp, , andheavydropsofsweatcameonhisforehead, , andpulledhimselftogether, andafterthepauseofafewsecondssteppedforwardagain, raisedthelamp, andexaminedthepicturewhichhadbeendustedandwashed, andnowstoodoutclearly.
, evil, crafty, andvindictive, withasensualmouth, hookednoseofruddycolour, , Malcolmsongrewcold, , hesawtheratwithitsbalefuleyespeeringoutthroughtheholeinthecornerofthepicture, , hepulledhimselftogether, andwentonwithhisexaminationofthepicture.
