The candle wick burned long , and was topped by a little cap of fiery red that seemed to wink at us like an impish gnome . The most grotesque shadow of Peg flickered over the wall behind her . The one-eyed cat remitted his grim watch and went to sleep . Outside the wind screamed like a ravening beast at the window . Suddenly Peg removed her pipe from her mouth , bent forward , gripped my wrist with her sinewy fingers until I almost cried out with pain , and gazed straight into my face . I felt horribly frightened of her . She seemed an entirely different creature . A wild light was in her eyes , a furtive , animal-like expression was on her face . When she spoke it was in a different voice and in different language . `` Do you hear the wind ? '' she asked in a thrilling whisper . `` What IS the wind ? What IS the wind ? '' `` I -- I -- do n't know , '' I stammered . `` No more do I , '' said Peg , `` and nobody knows . Nobody knows what the wind is . I wish I could find out . I might n't be so afraid of the wind if I knew what it was . I am afraid of it . When the blasts come like that I want to crouch down and hide me .
But I can tell you one thing about the wind -- it 's the only free thing XXXXX the world -- THE -- ONLY -- FREE -- THING .
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