I made a wise resolve to walk twice round the room quietly and settle my nerves, and then I returned into the deep gulf of the huge armchair.
"Now I'll read it," I cried, after having well distended my lungs with air.
I leaned over the table; I laid my finger successively upon every letter; and without a pause, without one moment's hesitation, I read off the whole sentence aloud.
Stupefaction! terror! I sat overwhelmed as if with a sudden deadly blow.

What! that which I read had actually, really been done! A mortal man had had the audacity to penetrate!.

.

.
"Ah!" I cried, springing up.

"But no! no! My uncle shall never know it.