The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 347: what you’re looking at

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

330 REYNOLDS’ WORKS With these words, he held the lamp low down, and care- fully scrutinized the carpet behind the door and likewise behind the drapery, but there were no marks of footsteps, and the steward said, “‘ Your Grace will perceive that the pule of the carpet, although so thick, rises up again into an even surface wherever it has been trodden upon. Our own steps leave no marks.”’ “True,” cried the duke, and desisting from the examina- tion, he said, in a solemn voice, ‘‘ Reflect well, Purvis; ex- amine well your recollections. Can you speak confidently as to the sounds of footsteps? ”’ Again the old steward raised his hand to his forehead, and after a minute’s deep reflection, he said, ‘‘ No, my lord, I cannot for the life of me speak with any degree of certainty upon this point. But what does it matter? Does your Grace think,’ asked the old man, ingenuously, yet with a half-appalled air of consternation, “‘ that if there were no sounds of footsteps, 1t must have been an apparition? ”’ ‘Lock up that drawer and follow me,”’ said the duke, in a low, deep voice, and again did Purvis shrink back in dismay from the ghastly pallor of his countenance. The old steward closed the drawer containing the dagger, shut the door with the secret spring, and closing the cabinet door likewise, he followed the duke, who paced slowly and thoughtfully toward the farther extremity of the saloon. ‘Purvis,’ he said, stopping short as he reached the door leading into the passage with which the saloon communi- cated, ‘“‘ this strange and incomprehensible occurrence — No, not incomprehensible,’ he abruptly ejaculated, “ for, as you yourself have suggested, it must have been some evil- disposed person who was concealed there, and who adopted that stratagem to make his escape in the darkness— But as I was about to say, we must keep this incident a secret. We should only be laughed at if we were to relate what has occurred. Do you understand me? I will not have all the gossips of the neighbourhood telling their idle tales about Oaklands, — the result of which would be that we should not get a servant to live with us, and as for visitors coming here again, it would be out of the question. So, mark me well! It is my will that what has occurred be kept secret. Compose your looks before you go amongst the servants again this evening.”’ CONMICLICO KS. (EO)