The Approaching Storm
La Carconte announces supper is ready, and the jeweller notes the pair are not joining him. Caderousse claims they dined very late. A violent storm rages outside: thunder shakes the house, and a gust of wind mixed with rain extinguishes the lamp Caderousse holds when he opens the door to check if the storm has passed. La Carconte lights a candle from the smoldering hearth embers.
The Jeweller Retires
The jeweller confirms the storm is only growing more violent, so he bids his hosts goodnight and climbs the stairs to the overhead chamber. The narrator hears the floor creak under the jeweller’s footsteps; La Carconte watches him ascend eagerly, while Caderousse deliberately avoids looking at him.
Caderousse’s Agitation
Exhausted, the narrator decides to sleep until the storm abates. He observes Caderousse sitting at a low table with his back turned, head buried in his hands, while La Carconte sits opposite him. A fresh flame from the hearth briefly lights the room, and La Carconte touches Caderousse’s forehead, making him shudder; she speaks to him in an undertone the narrator cannot hear, before he remains still and the narrator falls into a deep sleep.
The Midnight Shot
The narrator is abruptly awoken by the sound of a pistol shot, a terrified cry, and then weak, tottering footsteps followed by a heavy thud on the staircase. He hears more groans and muffled cries of a deadly struggle, then a prolonged scream ending in groans that fully rouse him. He feels warm, clammy moisture falling drop by drop on his forehead, which he assumes is rain seeping through the floor above.
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