My faculties were still too confused, and the darkness too intense, to allow me immediately to find my way up the steep.

I sat down, therefore, to recover myself, and to reflect upon my situation.
This was no sooner done, than a low voice was heard from behind the lattice, on the side where I sat.

Between the rock and the lattice was a chasm not wide enough to admit a human body; yet, in this chasm he that spoke appeared to be stationed.

"Attend! attend! but be not terrified." I started and exclaimed, "Good heavens! what is that?
Who are you ?" "A friend; one come, not to injure, but to save you; fear nothing." This voice was immediately recognized to be the same with one of those which I had heard in the closet; it was the voice of him who had proposed to shoot, rather than to strangle, his victim.

My terror made me, at once, mute and motionless.