In mortal terror of people forcing an entrance at such an hour, and in such a manner as to leave no doubt of their purpose, I would have turned to fly when first I heard the noise, only that I feared by any quick motion to catch their attention, as I also ran the danger of doing by opening the door, which was all but closed, and to whose handlings I was unaccustomed.

The secret of Man's Being is still like the Sphinx's secret: a riddle that he cannot rede.

Rash man!' she said;like Actæon, thou hast had thy will; be careful lest, like Actæon, thou too dost perish miserably, torn to pieces by the ban-hounds of thine own passions.'

For reasons that will become clear shortly, this limitation of sound laws to a specific time is an important trait.