The Blue Hand: Annotated

He suddenly sat up in his bed, a cold shiver ran through his body. Someone was in the room! He groped for the light switch and almost screamed. He reached for a hand, a cold hand, on the bedside table. For a moment she froze in terror. The hand suddenly withdrew. He heard the rustling of the curtain, and in the darkness of the night the shadow of a figure was drawn against the window. He jumped out of bed, shivering all over, and turned on the light. The room was empty, but the floor-to-ceiling window was propped up. He saw a gray card on the bedside table. He raised it with trembling fingers, “Someone who loves you is asking you to leave the house immediately because your life and honor are in danger.” A blue, narrow hand was drawn in place of the signature.