perceivedthatithadgrowntoapallortrulyfearful。Isaytomyastonishment。Glendinninghadbeenrepresentedtomyeagerinquiriesasimmeasurablywealthy；andthesumswhichhehadasyetlost，althoughinthemselvesvast，couldnot，Isupposed，veryseriouslyannoy，muchlesssoviolentlyaffecthim。Thathewasovercomebythewinejustswallowed，wastheideawhichmostreadilypresenteditself；and，ratherwithaviewtothepreservationofmyowncharacterintheeyesofmyassociates，thanfromanylessinterestedmotive，Iwasabouttoinsist，peremptorily，uponadiscontinuanceoftheplay，whensomeexpressionsatmyelbowfromamongthecompany，andanejaculationevincingutterdespaironthepartofGlendinning，gavemetounderstandthatIhadeffectedhistotalruinundercircumstanceswhich，renderinghimanobjectforthepityofall，shouldhaveprotectedhimfromtheillofficesevenofafiend。
Whatnowmighthavebeenmyconductitisdifficulttosay。Thepitiableconditionofmydupehadthrownanairofembarrassedgloomoverall；and，forsomemoments，aprofoundsilencewasmaintained，duringwhichIcouldnothelpfeelingmycheekstinglewiththemanyburningglancesofscornorreproachcastuponmebythelessabandonedoftheparty。Iwillevenownthatanintolerableweightofanxietywasforabriefinstantliftedfrommybosombythesuddenandextraordinaryinterruptionwhichensued。Thewide，heavyfoldingdoorsoftheapartmentwereallatoncethrownopen，totheirfullextent，withavigorousandrushingimpetuositythatextinguished，asifbymagic，everycandleintheroom。Theirlight，indying，enabledusjusttoperceivethatastrangerhadentered，aboutmyownheight，andcloselymuffledinacloak。Thedarkness，however，wasnowtotal；
andwecouldonlyfeelthathewasstandinginourmidst。Beforeanyoneofuscouldrecoverfromtheextremeastonishmentintowhichthisrudenesshadthrownall，weheardthevoiceoftheintruder。
“Gentlemen。”hesaid，inalow，distinct，andnever-to-be-forgottenwhisperwhichthrilledtotheverymarrowofmybones，“Gentlemen，I
makenoapologyforthisbehaviour，becauseinthusbehaving，Iambutfulfillingaduty。Youare，beyonddoubt，uninformedofthetruecharacterofthepersonwhohasto-nightwonatecartealargesumofmoneyfromLordGlendinning。Iwillthereforeputyouuponanexpeditiousanddecisiveplanofobtainingthisverynecessaryinformation。Pleasetoexamine，atyourleisure，theinnerliningsofthecuffofhisleftsleeve，andtheseverallittlepackageswhichmaybefoundinthesomewhatcapaciouspocketsofhisembroideredmorningwrapper。”
Whilehespoke，soprofoundwasthestillnessthatonemighthaveheardapindropuponthefloor。Inceasing，hedepartedatonce，andasabruptlyashehadentered。CanIshallIdescribemysensations？mustIsaythatIfeltallthehorrorsofthedamned？
MostassuredlyIhadlittletimegivenforreflection。Manyhandsroughlyseizedmeuponthespot，andlightswereimmediatelyreprocured。Asearchensued。Intheliningofmysleevewerefoundallthecourtcardsessentialinecarte，and，inthepocketsofmywrapper，anumberofpacks，facsimilesofthoseusedatoursittings，withthesingleexceptionthatminewereofthespeciescalled，technically，arrondees；thehonoursbeingslightlyconvexattheends，thelowercardsslightlyconvexatthesides。Inthisdisposition，thedupewhocuts，ascustomary，atthelengthofthepack，willinvariablyfindthathecutshisantagonistanhonor；
whilethegambler，cuttingatthebreadth，will，ascertainly，cutnothingforhisvictimwhichmaycountintherecordsofthegame。
Anyburstofindignationuponthisdiscoverywouldhaveaffectedmelessthanthesilentcontempt，orthesarcasticcomposure，withwhichitwasreceived。
“Mr。Wilson。”saidourhost，stoopingtoremovefrombeneathhisfeetanexceedinglyluxuriouscloakofrarefurs，“Mr。Wilson，thisisyourproperty。”Theweatherwascold；and，uponquittingmyownroom，Ihadthrownacloakovermydressingwrapper，puttingitoffuponreachingthesceneofplay。“Ipresumeitissupererogatorytoseekhereeyeingthefoldsofthegarmentwithabittersmileforanyfartherevidenceofyourskill。Indeed，wehavehadenough。Youwillseethenecessity，Ihope，ofquittingOxfordatallevents，ofquittinginstantlymychambers。”
Abased，humbledtothedustasIthenwas，itisprobablethatI
shouldhaveresentedthisgallinglanguagebyimmediatepersonalviolence，hadnotmywholeattentionbeenatthemomentarrestedbyafactofthemoststartlingcharacter。ThecloakwhichIhadwornwasofararedescriptionoffur；howrare，howextravagantlycostly，I
shallnotventuretosay。Itsfashion，too，wasofmyownfantasticinvention；forIwasfastidioustoanabsurddegreeofcoxcombry，inmattersofthisfrivolousnature。When，therefore，Mr。Prestonreachedmethatwhichhehadpickedupuponthefloor，andnearthefoldingdoorsoftheapartment，itwaswithanastonishmentnearlyborderinguponterror，thatIperceivedmyownalreadyhangingonmyarm，whereIhadnodoubtunwittinglyplacedit，andthattheonepresentedmewasbutitsexactcounterpartinevery，ineventheminutestpossibleparticular。Thesingularbeingwhohadsodisastrouslyexposedme，hadbeenmuffled，Iremembered，inacloak；
andnonehadbeenwornatallbyanyofthemembersofourpartywiththeexceptionofmyself。Retainingsomepresenceofmind，ItooktheoneofferedmebyPreston；placedit，unnoticed，overmyown；lefttheapartmentwitharesolutescowlofdefiance；and，nextmorningeredawnofday，commencedahurriedjourneyfromOxfordtothecontinent，inaperfectagonyofhorrorandofshame。
Ifledinvain。Myevildestinypursuedmeasifinexultation，andproved，indeed，thattheexerciseofitsmysteriousdominionhadasyetonlybegun。ScarcelyhadIsetfootinParisereIhadfreshevidenceofthedetestableinteresttakenbythisWilsoninmyconcerns。Yearsflew，whileIexperiencednorelief。Villain！atRome，withhowuntimely，yetwithhowspectralanofficiousness，steppedheinbetweenmeandmyambition！AtVienna，tooatBerlinandatMoscow！Where，intruth，hadInotbittercausetocursehimwithinmyheart？FromhisinscrutabletyrannydidIatlengthflee，panic-stricken，asfromapestilence；andtotheveryendsoftheearthIfledinvain。
Andagain，andagain，insecretcommunionwithmyownspirit，wouldI
demandthequestions“Whoishe？whencecamehe？andwhatarehisobjects？”Butnoanswerwastherefound。AndthenIscrutinized，withaminutescrutiny，theforms，andthemethods，andtheleadingtraitsofhisimpertinentsupervision。Butevenheretherewasverylittleuponwhichtobaseaconjecture。Itwasnoticeable，indeed，that，innooneofthemultipliedinstancesinwhichhehadoflatecrossedmypath，hadhesocrosseditexcepttofrustratethoseschemes，ortodisturbthoseactions，which，iffullycarriedout，mighthaveresultedinbittermischief。Poorjustificationthis，intruth，foranauthoritysoimperiouslyassumed！Poorindemnityfornaturalrightsofself-agencysopertinaciously，soinsultinglydenied！
Ihadalsobeenforcedtonoticethatmytormentor，foraverylongperiodoftime，whilescrupulouslyandwithmiraculousdexteritymaintaininghiswhimofanidentityofapparelwithmyself，hadsocontrivedit，intheexecutionofhisvariedinterferencewithmywill，thatIsawnot，atanymoment，thefeaturesofhisface。BeWilsonwhathemight，this，atleast，wasbuttheveriestofaffectation，oroffolly。Couldhe，foraninstant，havesupposedthat，inmyadmonisheratEtoninthedestroyerofmyhonoratOxford，inhimwhothwartedmyambitionatRome，myrevengeatParis，mypassionateloveatNaples，orwhathefalselytermedmyavariceinEgypt，thatinthis，myarch-enemyandevilgenius，couldfalltorecognisetheWilliamWilsonofmyschoolboydays，
thenamesake，thecompanion，therival，thehatedanddreadedrivalatDr。Bransby’s？Impossible！Butletmehastentothelasteventfulsceneofthedrama。
ThusfarIhadsuccumbedsupinelytothisimperiousdomination。ThesentimentofdeepawewithwhichIhabituallyregardedtheelevatedcharacter，themajesticwisdom，theapparentomnipresenceandomnipotenceofWilson，addedtoafeelingofeventerror，withwhichcertainothertraitsinhisnatureandassumptionsinspiredme，hadoperated，hitherto，toimpressmewithanideaofmyownutterweaknessandhelplessness，andtosuggestanimplicit，althoughbitterlyreluctantsubmissiontohisarbitrarywill。But，oflatedays，Ihadgivenmyselfupentirelytowine；anditsmaddeninginfluenceuponmyhereditarytemperrenderedmemoreandmoreimpatientofcontrol。Ibegantomurmur，tohesitate，toresist。Andwasitonlyfancywhichinducedmetobelievethat，withtheincreaseofmyownfirmness，thatofmytormentorunderwentaproportionaldiminution？Bethisasitmay，Inowbegantofeeltheinspirationofaburninghope，andatlengthnurturedinmysecretthoughtsasternanddesperateresolutionthatIwouldsubmitnolongertobeenslaved。
ItwasatRome，duringtheCarnivalof18，thatIattendedamasqueradeinthepalazzooftheNeapolitanDukeDiBroglio。Ihadindulgedmorefreelythanusualintheexcessesofthewine-table；
andnowthesuffocatingatmosphereofthecrowdedroomsirritatedmebeyondendurance。Thedifficulty，too，offorcingmywaythroughthemazesofthecompanycontributednotalittletotherufflingofmytemper；forIwasanxiouslyseeking，letmenotsaywithwhatunworthymotivetheyoung，thegay，thebeautifulwifeoftheagedanddotingDiBroglio。Withatoounscrupulousconfidenceshehadpreviouslycommunicatedtomethesecretofthecostumeinwhichshewouldbehabited，andnow，havingcaughtaglimpseofherperson，I
washurryingtomakemywayintoherpresence。AtthismomentI
feltalighthandplaceduponmyshoulder，andthatever-remembered，low，damnablewhisperwithinmyear。
Inanabsolutephrenzyofwrath，Iturnedatonceuponhimwhohadthusinterruptedme，andseizedhimviolentlybytilecollar。Hewasattired，asIhadexpected，inacostumealtogethersimilartomyown；wearingaSpanishcloakofbluevelvet，begirtaboutthewaistwithacrimsonbeltsustainingarapier。Amaskofblacksilkentirelycoveredhisface。
“Scoundrel！”Isaid，inavoicehuskywithrage，whileeverysyllableIutteredseemedasnewfueltomyfury，“scoundrel！impostor！
accursedvillain！youshallnotyoushallnotdogmeuntodeath！
Followme，orIstabyouwhereyoustand！”andIbrokemywayfromtheball-roomintoasmallante-chamberadjoiningdragginghimunresistinglywithmeasIwent。
Uponentering，Ithrusthimfuriouslyfromme。Hestaggeredagainstthewall，whileIclosedthedoorwithanoath，andcommandedhimtodraw。Hehesitatedbutforaninstant；then，withaslightsigh，drewinsilence，andputhimselfuponhisdefence。
Thecontestwasbriefindeed。Iwasfranticwitheveryspeciesofwildexcitement，andfeltwithinmysinglearmtheenergyandpowerofamultitude。InafewsecondsIforcedhimbysheerstrengthagainstthewainscoting，andthus，gettinghimatmercy，plungedmysword，withbruteferocity，repeatedlythroughandthroughhisbosom。
Atthatinstantsomepersontriedthelatchofthedoor。Ihastenedtopreventanintrusion，andthenimmediatelyreturnedtomydyingantagonist。Butwhathumanlanguagecanadequatelyportraythatastonishment，thathorrorwhichpossessedmeatthespectaclethenpresentedtoview？ThebriefmomentinwhichIavertedmyeyeshadbeensufficienttoproduce，apparently，amaterialchangeinthearrangementsattheupperorfartherendoftheroom。Alargemirror，soatfirstitseemedtomeinmyconfusionnowstoodwherenonehadbeenperceptiblebefore；and，asIsteppeduptoitinextremityofterror，mineownimage，butwithfeaturesallpaleanddabbledinblood，advancedtomeetmewithafeebleandtotteringgait。
Thusitappeared，Isay，butwasnot。ItwasmyantagonistitwasWilson，whothenstoodbeforemeintheagoniesofhisdissolution。
Hismaskandcloaklay，wherehehadthrownthem，uponthefloor。Notathreadinallhisraimentnotalineinallthemarkedandsingularlineamentsofhisfacewhichwasnot，eveninthemostabsoluteidentity，mineown！
ItwasWilson；buthespokenolongerinawhisper，andIcouldhavefanciedthatImyselfwasspeakingwhilehesaid：
“Youhaveconquered，andIyield。Yet，henceforwardartthoualsodeaddeadtotheWorld，toHeavenandtoHope！Inmedidstthouexistand，inmydeath，seebythisimage，whichisthineown，howutterlythouhastmurderedthyself。”