Spencer Brydon's explorations of his childhood home are characterized by their ritual nature: he hires Mrs. Muldoon to come at an appointed hour in order to keep the house clean for his nightly visit, and he maintains a supply of candles in a drawer so that he can light his way at night. Until he faints, he is careful to cover his tracks by shutting the window shutters and returning to the hotel at a decent hour. Why all the secrecy? What do Spencer's preparations mean? What is he hiding?

Alice Staverton is an enigmatic figure in the story. Consider Alice's behavior. Do her comments to Spencer have more than one meaning? As a reader, what additional information is needed about Alice's character? Does she adhere to the normal expectations of a woman in 1908?

Describing his midnight walks, Spencer uses metaphors that...