Mein Herz pochte laut, mein Kopf wurde heiß; in meinen Ohren spürte ich ein Brausen, das ich für das Rauschen der Flügel hielt; ein Etwas schien sich mir zu nähern; ich fühlte mich bedrückt, erstickt; mein Widerstandsvermögen gab nach; ich stürzte auf die Thür zu und rüttelte mit verzweifelter Anstrengung am Schlosse.
I can now conjecture readily that this streak of light was, in all likelihood, a gleam from a lantern carried by some one across the lawn: but then, prepared as my mind was for horror, shaken as my nerves were by agitation, I thought the swift darting beam was a herald of some coming vision from another world. My heart beat thick, my head grew hot; a sound filled my ears, which I deemed the rushing of wings; something seemed near me; I was oppressed, suffocated: endurance broke down; I rushed to the door and shook the lock in desperate effort.