...road to Finchley ; the road to West-end ; and the road back to London. I had mechanically returned in this latter direction, and was strolling along...moment sprung out of the earth, or dropped from the heavens — stood the figure of a solitary woman dressed from head to foot in white garments ; her...

...behind me. I turned on the instant, with mv fingers tightening round the handle of my stick. There, m the middle of the broad, bright highroad — there,...white garments ; her face bent in grave inquiry on mme, her hand pointing to the dark elond over London, as 1 faced her. I was far too seriously startled...

...road to Kinchley ; the road to West-end ; and the road hack to London. I had mechanically returned in this latter direction, and was strolling along...moment sprung out of the earth, or dropped from the heavens — stood the figure of a solitary woman dressed from head to foot in white garments; her face...

...high roadthere, as if it had that moment sprung out of the earth or dropped from the heaven—stood the figure of a solitary woman, dressed from head...garments; her face bent in grave inquiry on mine, her handpointing to the dark doud over London, as I faced her. I wasfar too much startled by the suddenness...

...tightening round the handle of my stick. There, in the middle of the broad, bright high roadthere, as if it had that moment sprung out of the earth or dropped from the heaven—stood the figure of a solitary woman, dressed from head to foot in white garments; her face...

...COLLINS The Woman in White 'In one moment, every drop of blood in my body was brought to a stop ... There, as if it had that moment sprung out of the earth ... stood the figure of a solitary 'Woman, dressed from head to foot in white' The Woman in White famously...

...blood in my body was brought to a stop by the touch of a hand laid lightly and suddenly on my shoulder. There, in the middle of the broad, bright high-road...woman, dressed from head to foot in white garments . . . What sort of woman she was, and how she came to he out alone in the high-road, an hour after...

...turned on the instant, with my fingers tightening round the handle of my stick. There, in the miiiiilu of the broad, bright highroad — there, as if it...moment sprung out of the earth or dropped from the heavenstood the figure of a solitary Woman, dressed from head to foot in white garments ; her face...

...indeterminacy of the indefinite article - a handl). But Wilkie Collins prolongs the suspense even further: / turned on the instant, with my fingers tightening...woman, dressed from head to foot in white garments. . . Again we learn the physical reaction (my fingers tightening round the handle of my stick) before...

...stick. There, in the middle of the broad, bright high-road - there, äs if it had that moment sprang out of the earth or dropped from the heaven - stood...woman, dressed from head to foot in white garments . . . Müller (1999:406) kommentiert diesen neuerlichen Spannungsbogen so: „The following one-sentence...