The Young Duchess; or, Memoirs of a Lady of Quality — page 84: what you’re looking at

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70 the whole world proudly in the face: the nose was slightly aquiline: the mouth, a trifle too large for the hypercritical perfection of that face, expressed good-nature, determination, and a pro- per manly pride. There was nothing coarse in the lips, though they were thus somewhat largely chiselled: and when parting, they revealed two rows of magnificent teeth as white as ivory. And yet, above all this young man’s appearance of in- dependence, self-reliance, and open-heartedness, there was a certain polish subduing the boldness of the general effect—an unstudied courtesy and a becoming respectfulness. A little more conversation took place between the Squire and Stephen Ashborne, in respect to pecuniary terms and other details; and the bar- gain was concluded. “You can either sleep at the inn,” said the Squire, “or you can have your luggage brought up to the house and pass the night here, if you think fit. In this case, you.can be introduced to the possession of the bailiff’s cottage the first thing in the morning.” 3 As Stephen Ashborne thought that the latter was the plan which the Squire preferred, he said, “Y thank you, sir—and I will take up mf quar- ters here for the night;so that I shall be ready to enter on my duties the very first thing in the morning.” , The newly appointed bailiff then withdrew; and as the door closed behind him, Mr. Ponsford said, ‘I like the appearance of that man very much: and if he is not too forward in his man- ner, and too full of what the common people call a spirit of their own, he will doubtless suit very well.” CHAPTER XVI. THE SQUIRE'S BED-CHAMBER. Ir was midnight, when two figures with smock- frocks—or rather long loose gaberdines, concealing | their other clothes, made their way stealthily and , cautiously through the wood adjoining Squire Ponsford’s park. Every now and then they paused to listen—or when they drew near the outskirt of the wood, they peeped forth; and thus from time to time assuring themselves that ‘the coast was clear, they continued their route. ‘* Hark !” presently. said Jack Peppercorn ; “isn’t that a footstep ?” Tim Gaffney fancied he likewise heard a step: he listened—all seemed to be still: but not being quite certain on the point, he lay down flat, upon the ground, applied his ear to the earth, and held his breath as jong as he was able. It’s all right, Jack,” he at length said, rising up to his feet again. They entered the park. The moon was now shining brightly, and they were therefore com- pelled to proceed circuitously in order to keep en- tirely within the shade of the trees. They soon drew near the mansion itself; and Tim Gafiney, pointing to two particular windows on the ground floor, said, ‘‘ That’s where the library is.” The. plans of the two men were evidently pre- concerted and arranged to the veriest details; for they lost not a moment in commencing operations, THE YOUNG DUCHESS; OR, MEMOIRS OF A LADY OF QUALITY. There were shutters inside the room; and the window itself was fastened. Gaffney drew forth a glazier’s diamond, and made a semicircular cut on the pane through which it was necessary to effect an opening. The piece was removed in a skilful and noiseless manner: fastening was then easily pressed back—and the lower sash of the window was slowly raised. It now required but three or four pressures of the hand against the shutters to show the burglars: exactly where the iron bar stretched across inside ; and the blade of a clasp-knife was introduced in the chink formed by two of the folds of the shutter. A peculiar upward jerk lifted the bar from its spring-socket; and in a few moments the shutter was opened. Gaffney and Peppercorn entered; they then shut down the window and closed the shutter again, so that if any one should happen to pass by outside there might be nothing to excite suspicion. The burglars, having put on black masks, and satisfied themselves that their pistols were conve- nient to be clutched in case of need, opened the library door and peeped into the hall, whither the beams of the moonlight were penetrating. All was silent; and they now took off their boots, which they secured in the large pockets of their . gaberdines. Noiselessly they began the ascent of the staircase: they reached the first landing—and here they paused. They had made a careful survey of the premises on the preceding evening, when following Ethel thither on the occasion of her arrest. There was an array of five windows in front; and as they were precisely uniform, Gaffney had calculated | that they probably belonged to the principal drawing-room, or else that if only the three middle windows pertained to that apartment, the | Temaining ones must belong respectively to bed- If so, those would assuredly be the chief | rooms. chambers of the mansion. Now therefore, on reaching the landing, Gaffney noiselessly opened one leaf of an immense pair of folding-doors | which appeared facing the staircase: he peeped in —and he counted five windows in the drawing- room. ‘There were consequently no bed-rooms on that landing, in the front part of the house. But on each side there were doors; and there were long passages branching off, leading into the wings. These doors must belong to the principal bed-chambers. Such was the conviction which struck Gaffney immediately after he had surveyed the interior of the drawing-room. 7 With the utmost caution he tried the handle of the door on the right hand: it yielded; and having opened the door to the extent of hardly an inch, the foremost burglar listened. In less than @ minute he closed the door as gently as he had opened it :—he had ascertained that the room the bolt of the vu a ee eee was occupied, but he could tell by the breathing ° that it was that of a female, or at least of some young person. He now approached the opposite door—namely, that on the left-hand side; and he soon found that it was locked. Applying his ear to the key-hole, he listened with suspended breath; and at the expiration of about a minute he made a significant sign to his companion, as much as to imply that this room was likewise occupied, but that its tenant was a man. The moon, shining brightly through the stair- case window, aided the operations of the burglars. | oO Connicloooks a et Colin