--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My heart beat violently. My forehead was…" description: "\"“My heart beat violently. My forehead was bathed in a cold perspiration. I asked myself for the first time what it was that I was about to see when thi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/amelia-b-edwards-35864_first-time_my-heart-beat-violently-my-forehead-was_1614678.jpg" --- # My heart beat violently. My forehead was bathed in a cold… ![“My heart beat violently. My forehead was bathed in a cold perspiration. I asked myself for the first time what it was that I was about to see when this door was opened? What chamber, long closed - what deed of mystery, long forgotten - what family secret, long buried, would be revealed to my eyes?…” quote by Amelia B. Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/amelia-b-edwards-35864_first-time_my-heart-beat-violently-my-forehead-was_1614678.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/amelia-b-edwards-35864_first-time_my-heart-beat-violently-my-forehead-was_1614678.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2af/amelia-b-edwards-35864_first-time_my-heart-beat-violently-my-forehead-was_1614678.jpg) > ““My heart beat violently. My forehead was bathed in a cold perspiration. I asked myself for the first time what it was that I was about to see when this door was opened? What chamber, long closed - what deed of mystery, long forgotten - what family secret, long buried, would be revealed to my eyes? Was it right, after all, that I should pursue this discovery? Ought I not, perhaps, to go back as I had come; tell my husband of the secret upon which I had stumbled; and leave it to him to deal with according to his pleasure? Hesitating thus, I had, even now, more than half a mind to go no farther. It was a struggle between delicacy and curiosity; and I was a mere woman, after all, and curiosity prevailed. "Come what may," said I aloud, "I will see what lies beyond this door!" And with this I opened it.”” [Amelia B. Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-b-edwards/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A woman confronts fear and curiosity, choosing to explore an unknown, possibly dangerous secret despite hesitation. **In simple terms:** She decides to open the mysterious door despite fear. Key Takeaway Embrace curiosity, even when it feels risky. Themes courage curiosity inner conflict gender roles Mood anxious determined reflective Type narrative psychological inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - relationship dynamics - decision making - adventure - self‑discovery Key Concepts psychology risk-taking exploration Questions to Reflect On - What might you be avoiding out of fear? - How does gender expectation shape your choices? A Different Perspective The unknown may bring harm or loss, and curiosity can blind judgment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Heart beat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart-beat/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) ## Related quotes > [The first vice of the first woman was curiosity, and it runs through the whole sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/the-first-vice-of-the-first-woman-was-curiosity-and-it-runs-through/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [You know what a woman's curiosity is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/you-know-what-a-woman-s-curiosity-is/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The door opened, and we were met by a fifty-something man with a grizzled blond beard. 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After we said 'Hello,' an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwak-dong-yeon/i-was-getting-make-up-done-in-the-car-when-the-door-opened-and-park/) [Kwak Dong-yeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwak-dong-yeon/) > [When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shy/when-one-door-closes-another-opens-but-we-often-look-so-long-and-so/) Shy > [There was a knock on our dressing-room door. Our manager shouted, 'Keith! Ron! The Police are here!' Oh, man, we panicked, flushed everything down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-richards/there-was-a-knock-on-our-dressing-room-door-our-manager-shouted-keith/) [Keith Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-richards/) > [“Have you done your work?” she asked. “Dare you stay here a few minutes?” Becky lost her breath again. “Here, miss? Me?” Sara ran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/have-you-done-your-work-she-asked-dare-you-stay-here-a-few-minutes/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“The front door opened again. I glanced up and saw Karate. Christ, I thought. The gang’s all here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-eisler/the-front-door-opened-again-i-glanced-up-and-saw-karate-christ-i/) [Barry Eisler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-eisler/) > [Whenever I have knocked, a door has opened. Wherever I have wandered, a path has appeared. I have been helped, supported, encouraged and nurtured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/whenever-i-have-knocked-a-door-has-opened-wherever-i-have-wandered-a/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/improve-life-books/when-one-door-of-happiness-closes-another-opens-but-often-we-look-so/) Improve Life Books > [When one door closes, another one opens, but sometimes we wait too long looking at the closed door, and never realize that another door…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-keller/when-one-door-closes-another-one-opens-but-sometimes-we-wait-too-long/) [Helen Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-keller/) > [“It was as if a door had opened somewhere. Or possibly a series of doors. There was a sensation as of a breeze blowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-clarke/it-was-as-if-a-door-had-opened-somewhere-or-possibly-a-series-of/) [Susanna Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-clarke/) > [“The door opened after a few moments. Sherlock was looking slightly upwards, expecting Amyus Crowe to be standing inside the doorway, and for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lane/the-door-opened-after-a-few-moments-sherlock-was-looking-slightly/) [Andrew Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lane/) ## More by Amelia B. Edwards > [between prosperity and adversity there can be little real fellowship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-b-edwards/between-prosperity-and-adversity-there-can-be-little-real-fellowship/) [Amelia B. Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-b-edwards/) > [It may be said of some very old places, as of some very old books, that they are destined to be forever new. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-b-edwards/it-may-be-said-of-some-very-old-places-as-of-some-very-old-books-that/) [Amelia B. Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-b-edwards/) > [The world is terribly apt to take people at their own valuation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-b-edwards/the-world-is-terribly-apt-to-take-people-at-their-own-valuation/) [Amelia B. Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-b-edwards/) > [The camel has his virtues - so much at least must be admitted; but they do not lie upon the surface.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-b-edwards/the-camel-has-his-virtues-so-much-at-least-must-be-admitted-but-they/) [Amelia B. Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-b-edwards/) > [“The future - what should I do with the future? I felt like one who has climbed the brow of a great hill, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amelia-b-edwards/the-future-what-should-i-do-with-the-future-i-felt-like-one-who-has/) [Amelia B. 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Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-b-edwards/) [Explore all 13 Amelia B. Edwards quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amelia-b-edwards/) ## More First time quotes > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [“I’m so stressed that a weird Olympic-style commentary starts up in my head. 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For the first time in my life, I’ve found something worth fighting for, someone more important than me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelle-bliss/i-won-t-break-your-heart-for-the-first-time-in-my-life-i-ve-found/) [Chelle Bliss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelle-bliss/) > [Life is like a parachute jump: you have to get it right the first time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/life-is-like-a-parachute-jump-you-have-to-get-it-right-the-first-time/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [When my kids were in the school play for the first time, I decided I had to make the costumes from scratch and bought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-alexander/when-my-kids-were-in-the-school-play-for-the-first-time-i-decided-i/) [Sarah Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-alexander/) > [“I will run every mile, i will save every line, i will say i reached the top and i will fall back down standing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mennah-al-refaey/i-will-run-every-mile-i-will-save-every-line-i-will-say-i-reached-the/) Mennah al refaey > [“Or maybe your magic isn't that destructive after all. 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