She could not lie there.

She sprang out of bed, and hurried across towards the window.

She had not stopped to light her candle and she held her hands outstretched in front of her.
Suddenly, as she was half-way across the room, her hands touched something soft.
She drew them back with a gasp of fright and stood stone-still, stone-cold.

She had touched a human face.

Already the thief was in the room.