But, ere long, all thought was again suspended by the sight of
the murderous canopy moving once more. After it had remained on
the bed--as nearly as I could guess--about ten minutes, it began
to move up again. The villains who worked it from above evidently
believed that their purpose was now accomplished. Slowly and
silently, as it had descended, that horrible bed-top rose towards
its former place. When it reached the upper extremities of the
four posts, it reached the ceiling, too. Neither hole nor screw
could be seen; the bed became in appearance an ordinary bed
again--the canopy an ordinary canopy--even to the most suspicious
eyes.
Now, for the first time, I was able to move--to rise from my
knees--to dress myself in my upper clothing--and to consider of
how I should escape. If I betrayed by the smallest noise that the
attempt to suffocate me had failed, I was certain to be murdered.
Had I made any noise already? I listened intently, looking
towards the door.
No! no footsteps in the passage outside--no sound of a tread,
light or heavy, in the room above--absolute silence everywhere.
Besides locking and bolting my door, I had moved an old wooden
chest against it, which I had found under the bed. To remove this
chest (my blood ran cold as I thought of what its contents
_might_ be!) without making some disturbance was impossible; and,
moreover, to think of escaping through the house, now barred up
for the night, was sheer insanity.
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