Yet the sound increased—and what could I do? It was a low, dull, quick sound -- much such a sound as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I gasped for breath -- and yet the officers heard it not. I talked more quickly --more vehemently -- but the noise steadily increased. I arose and argued about trifles, in a high key and with violent gesticulations; but the noise steadily increased. Why would they not be gone? I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to fury by the observations of the men -- but the noise steadily increased. Oh, God. What can I do about this? I foamed --I raved --I swore! I swung the chair upon which I had been sitting, and grated it upon the boards, but the noise arose over all and continually increased. It grew louder --louder --louder! And still the men chatted, and smiled. Was it possible they didn't hear? Almighty God! Thank you for sharing! No, no, no, no! They heard a lot about it! they suspected - they suspected! they knew. they knew! they were making a mockery of my horror! This I thought, and this I think. But nothing was better than this agony! Anything is more tolerable than this derision! I could bear those hypocritical smiles no longer! I felt like I must scream or die! and now again – again! i.e. a hark! louder than the snare! louder than the snare! louder than the snare! louder than the snare! –”. The
Yet the sound increased—and what could I do? It was a low, dull, quick sound -- much such a sound as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I gasped for breath -- and yet the officers heard it not. I talked more quickly --more vehemently -- but the noise steadily increased. I arose and argued about trifles, in a high key and with violent gesticulations; but the noise steadily increased. Why would they not be gone? I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to fury by the observations of the men -- but the noise steadily increased. Oh, God. What can I do about this? I foamed --I raved --I swore! I swung the chair upon which I had been sitting, and grated it upon the boards, but the noise arose over all and continually increased. It grew louder --louder --louder! And still the men chatted, and smiled. Was it possible they didn't hear? Almighty God! Thank you for sharing! No, no, no, no! They heard a lot about it! they suspected - they suspected! they knew. they knew! they were making a mockery of my horror! This I thought, and this I think. But nothing was better than this agony! Anything is more tolerable than this derision! I could bear those hypocritical smiles no longer! I felt like I must scream or die! and now again – again! i.e. a hark! louder than the snare! louder than the snare! louder than the snare! louder than the snare! –”. The