The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 342: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

316 THE COURT OF LONDON and on a more scrutinizing survey he was enabled to trace the outlines of the shutters that blocked up the window. He then studied the exact position of this concealed window in reference to the adjacent ones on the same floor, and with all these facts well arranged in his clear and compre- hensive mind, he hastened back again to the scene of the double murder. On rejoining his two followers whom he had left in charge of the establishment, he told them what he had seen, inti- mating his suspicion that there was some hidden nook, closet, or chamber in the house which had hitherto escaped their investigation. To the second floor did they accordingly reascend, and proceeded to examine the two chambers between which the laboratory was situated. Now that they were on the right scent, and that their suspicions were directed in the proper channel, it was not difficult to arrive at the conclusion that between the two chambers there was quite sufficient room for a smaller one. Their next step was to examine the woodwork in the passage, but there they discovered no indication of a door. Of course Larry Sampson was not to be baffled. He felt assured that though he perceived not the slightest sign of a door, he was never- theless standing upon the threshold of an important dis- covery. He therefore despatched one of his men to fetch the nearest carpenter in the neighbourhood, or, at all events, to borrow a hatchet and the other necessary implements for breaking down the wainscot of the passage. In about a quarter of an hour the runner returned, accom- panied by a carpenter with his basket of tools at his back. The work of demolition then commenced, and in a very few minutes it became apparent enough that there was really a door, most curiously contrived and admirably concealed, in that place. But even before it was com- pletely broken down, and also before the woodwork was perforated in such a way as to afford a glimpse of the interior of the laboratory, the carpenter’s hatchet suddenly struck upon the hidden spring, and the door opened of its own accord. Then did a terrible malediction, accompanied by a ferocious howl like that of a wild beast, burst forth from the interior of the hidden chamber, hidden now no longer, and Larry Sampson coolly observed, “‘ It is he.” } Ccomiiclooolkks (CO)