Read the excerpt from The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.Mr. Utterson had been some minutes at his post, when he was aware of an odd light footstep drawing near. In the course of his nightly patrols, he had long grown accustomed to the quaint effect with which the footfalls of a single person, while he is still a great way off, suddenly spring out distinct from the vast hum and clatter of the city. Yet his attention had never before been so sharply and decisively arrested; and it was with a strong, superstitious prevision of success that he withdrew into the entry of the court.
The passage creates a suspenseful mood by emphasizing the unusual footsteps and Utterson’s intense reaction to them. His “superstitious prevision of success” suggests he expects something important to happen, while withdrawing into the entry makes it seem as though he is waiting in concealment. The best choice is “suspenseful.”
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