"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.
TheJudgewasseatedinagreathigh-backedcarvedoakchair, ontheright-handsideofagreatstonefireplacewhere, inthecorner, aropehungdownfromtheceiling, , Malcolmsonrecognizedthesceneoftheroomasitstood, —andwithaloudcryheletthelampfallfromhishand.
There, intheJudge' sarm-chair, withtheropehangingbehind, sattheratwiththeJudge' sbalefuleyes, .
