you know the noise of their wings--alone, at night, in the dark?
But you don't know--there is nothing to make the dark dreadful to you----" The words, flashing back on Gerty's last hours, struck from her a faint derisive murmur; but Lily, in the blaze of her own misery, was blinded to everything outside it.
"You'll let me stay?
I shan't mind when daylight comes--Is it late?
Is the night nearly over?
It must be awful to be sleepless--everything stands by the bed and stares----" Miss Farish caught her straying hands.

"Lily, look at me! Something has happened--an accident?
You have been frightened--what has frightened you?
Tell me if you can--a word or two--so that I can help you." Lily shook her head.
"I am not frightened: that's not the word.

Can you imagine looking into your glass some morning and seeing a disfigurement--some hideous change that has come to you while you slept?
Well, I seem to myself like that--I can't bear to see myself in my own thoughts--I hate ugliness, you know--I've always turned from it--but I can't explain to you--you wouldn't understand." She lifted her head and her eyes fell on the clock.
"How long the night is! And I know I shan't sleep tomorrow.

Some one told me my father used to lie sleepless and think of horrors.

And he was not wicked, only unfortunate--and I see now how he must have suffered, lying alone with his thoughts! But I am bad--a bad girl--all my thoughts are bad--I have always had bad people about me.