She called to know who was there, and receiving no answer, repeated the call; but a chilling silence followed.
It occurred to her--for, at this moment, she could not reason on the probability of circumstances--that some one of the strangers, lately arrived at the castle, had discovered her apartment, and was come with such intent, as their looks rendered too possible--to rob, perhaps to murder, her.

The moment she admitted this possibility, terror supplied the place of conviction, and a kind of instinctive remembrance of her remote situation from the family heightened it to a degree, that almost overcame her senses.

She looked at the door, which led to the staircase, expecting to see it open, and listening, in fearful silence, for a return of the noise, till she began to think it had proceeded from this door, and a wish of escaping through the opposite one rushed upon her mind.

She went to the gallery door, and then, fearing to open it, lest some person might be silently lurking for her without, she stopped, but with her eyes fixed in expectation upon the opposite door of the stair-case.

As thus she stood, she heard a faint breathing near her, and became convinced, that some person was on the other side of the door, which was already locked.