No doubt I now grew very pale;—but I talked more fluently, and with a heightened voice. Yet the sound increased—and what could I do? It was a low, dull, quick sound—much such a sound as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. I gasped for breath—and yet the officers heard it not. I talked more quickly—more vehemently; but the noise steadily increased. I arose and argued about trifles, in a high key and with violent gesticulations; but the noise steadily increased. Why would they not be gone? I paced the floor to and fro with heavy strides, as if excited to fury by the observations of the men—but the noise steadily increased. Oh God! what could I do? I foamed—I raved—I swore! I swung the chair upon which I had been sitting, and grated it upon the boards, but the noise arose over all and continually increased. It grew louder—louder—louder! And still the men chatted pleasantly, and smiled. Was it possible they heard not? Almighty God!—no, no! They heard!—they suspected!—they knew!—they were making a mockery of my horror!—this I thought, and this I think.
What inference can you make about what is happening in the passage?
Group of answer choices
The old man thinks he hears the narrator's heart beating which increases his feelings of guilt and insanity.
The narrator thinks he hears the sound of a ticking clock which increases his feelings of guilt and insanity.
The narrator thinks he hears a faucet dripping which adds to his feeling of superiority that he has fooled the policemen.
The narrator thinks he hears the old man's heart which increases his feelings of guilt and insanity.