The Turn of the Screw

VIII

VIIIWhat I had said to Mrs. Grose was true enough: there were in thematter I had put before her depths and possibilities that I lackedresolution to sound; so that when we met once more in the wonder ofit we were of a common mind about the duty of resistance toextravagant fancies. We were to keep our heads if we should keepnothing else—difficult indeed as that might be in the face ofwhat, in our prodigious experience, was least to be questioned.Late that night, while the house slept, we had another talk in myroom, when she went all the waywith me as to its being beyond doubtthat I had seen exactly what I had seen. To hold her perfectly inthe pinch of that, I found I had only to ask her how, if I had“made it up,” I came to be able to give, of each of thepersons appearing to me, a picturedisc