To Donal's wonder--and dismay as well, it was the earl.

His dismay arose from his appearance: he was deadly pale, and his eyes more like those of a corpse than a man among his living fellows.

Donal started to his feet.
The apparition turned its head towards him; but in its look was no atom of recognition, no acknowledgment or even perception of his presence; the sound of his rising had had merely a half-mechanical influence upon its brain.

It turned away immediately, and went on to the window.

There it stood, much as Donal had stood a little while before--looking out, but with the attitude of one listening rather than one trying to see.
There was indeed nothing but the blackness to be seen--and nothing to be heard but the roaring of the wind, with the roaring of the great billows rolled along in it.