第22章

Heappearedtobeguidinghisdescentsoastobringhisfeetuponthecentreofthestoneblockwhichoccupiedthelowerpartofthewindow；and，havingsecuredhisfootinguponthis，hekneeleddownandbegantogazeintotheroom。Asthemoonwasgleamingintothechamber，andthebed-curtainsweredrawn，hewasabletodistinguishthebeditselfanditscontents。Heappearedsatisfiedwithhisscrutiny，forhelookedupandmadeasignwithhishand，uponwhichtheropebywhichhisdescenthadbeeneffectedwasslackenedfromabove，andheproceededtodisengageitfromhiswaist；thisaccom-

plished，heappliedhishandstothewindow-frame，whichmusthavebeeningeniouslycontrivedforthepurpose，for，withapparentlynoresistance，thewholeframe，containingcasementandall，slippedfromitspositioninthewall，andwasbyhimloweredintotheroom。

Thecoldnightwindwavedthebed-

curtains，andhepausedforamoment——allwasstillagain——andhesteppedinupontheflooroftheroom。Heheldinhishandwhatappearedtobeasteelinstrument，shapedsomethinglikeahammer，butlargerandsharperattheextremities。

Thisheheldratherbehindhim，while，withthreelong，tip-toestrides，hebroughthimselftothebedside。

Ifeltthatthediscoverymustnowbemade，andheldmybreathinmomentaryexpectationoftheexecrationinwhichhewouldventhissurpriseanddisappointment。

Iclosedmyeyes——therewasapause，butitwasashortone。Iheardtwodullblows，giveninrapidsuccession：

aquiveringsigh，andthelong-drawn，heavybreathingofthesleeperwasforeversuspended。Iunclosedmyeyes，andsawthemurdererflingthequiltacrosstheheadofhisvictim：hethen，withtheinstrumentofdeathstillinhishand，proceededtothelobby-door，uponwhichhetappedsharplytwiceorthrice。Aquickstepwasthenheardapproaching，andavoicewhisperedsomethingfromwithout。

Edwardanswered，withakindofchuckle，’Herladyshipispastcomplaining；unlockthedoor，inthedevil’sname，unlessyou’reafraidtocomein，andhelpmetoliftthebodyoutofthewindow。’

Thekeywasturnedinthelock——thedooropened——andmyuncleenteredtheroom。

IhavetoldyoualreadythatIhadplacedmyselfundertheshadeofaprojectionofthewall，closetothedoor。Ihadinstinctivelyshrunkdown，coweringtowardsthegroundontheentranceofEdwardthroughthewindow。Whenmyuncleenteredtheroomheandhissonbothstoodsoveryclosetomethathishandwaseverymomentuponthepointoftouchingmyface。Iheldmybreath，andremainedmotionlessasdeath。

’Youhadnointerruptionfromthenextroom？’saidmyuncle。

’No，’wasthebriefreply。

’Securethejewels，Ned；theFrenchharpymustnotlayherclawsuponthem。

You’reasteadyhand，byG——!notmuchblood——eh？’

’Nottwentydrops，’repliedhisson，’andthoseonthequilt。’

’I’mgladit’sover，’whisperedmyuncleagain。’Wemustliftthe——theTHING

throughthewindow，andlaytherubbishoverit。’

Theythenturnedtothebedside，and，windingthebed-clothesroundthebody，carrieditbetweenthemslowlytothewindow，and，exchangingafewbriefwordswithsomeonebelow，theyshoveditoverthewindow-sill，andIhearditfallheavilyonthegroundunderneath。

’I’lltakethejewels，’saidmyuncle；

’therearetwocasketsinthelowerdrawer。’

Heproceeded，withanaccuracywhich，hadIbeenmoreatease，wouldhavefurnishedmewithmatterofastonishment，tolayhishandupontheveryspotwheremyjewelslay；andhavingpossessedhimselfofthem，hecalledtohisson：

’Istheropemadefastabove？’

’I’mnotafool——tobesureitis，’

repliedhe。

Theythenloweredthemselvesfromthewindow。Inowroselightlyandcautiously，scarcelydaringtobreathe，frommyplaceofconcealment，andwascreepingtowardsthedoor，whenIheardmycousin’svoice，inasharpwhisper，exclaim：’Scrambleupagain!G——dd——nyou，you’veforgottolocktheroom-door!’andIperceived，bythestrainingoftheropewhichhungfromabove，thatthemandatewasinstantlyobeyed。

Notasecondwastobelost。Ipassedthroughthedoor，whichwasonlyclosed，andmovedasrapidlyasIcould，consistentlywithstillness，alongthelobby。

BeforeIhadgonemanyyards，IheardthedoorthroughwhichIhad