He went on proving his claim to be favored with some of the wonderful remedy.
"And as for being troubled in my mind," he said, "you haven't a notion how bad I am sometimes.

If I'm kept away from Mistress for a whole day--when I say or do something wrong, you know--I tell you this, I'm fit to hang myself! If you were to see me, I do think your heart would be touched; I do indeed!" Instead of answering him, she rose abruptly, and hurried to the door.
"Surely there's somebody outside," she exclaimed--"somebody wanting to speak to me!" "I don't hear it," said Jack; "and mine are the quickest ears in the house." "Wait a minute, and let me see." She opened the door: closed it again behind her; and hurried along the lonely corridor.

Throwing up the window at the end, she put her head out into the keen wintry air, with a wild sense of relief.

She was almost beside herself, without knowing why.

Poor Jack's innocent attempts to persuade her to his destruction had, in their pitiable simplicity, laid a hold on that complex and terrible nature which shook it to its center.
The woman stood face to face with her own contemplated crime, and trembled at the diabolical treachery of it.