The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 58: what you’re looking at

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

THE CHAPEL 41 From a window in the corridor they saw hghts moving quickly about in the other parts of the buildings overlooking the quadrangle; it was therefore evident the household was on the alert. Without further deliberation they sought refuge in the chapel, and found their way to the vestiary, which they at first fancied was a means of egress. Opening the door leading down upon the flight of steps, they were about to prosecute their search for an avenue of escape, when the lantern went out, the candle being all exhausted. They were now involved in-the pitchy blackness of that place, but pass- ing in upon the steps, they closed the door, resolving to wait the issue of events. Presently they heard voices in the chapel, which the domestics were searching as well as every other part of the premises. The servants even penetrated into the vestiary, and the burglars resolved, if discovered, to make the most desperate resistance. But the servants, not for a moment fancying that the burglars were likely to have taken refuge in the vaults, and perhaps being anxious to get away from that gloomy place as speedily as possible, contented themselves with merely searching the vestiary, and seeing no one, sped off to pursue ee investigations elsewhere. The burglars suffered a good half-hour to elapse ere they made a move from their place of concealment. They did not dare descend the steps with the chance of plunging into this perilous gulf, so they decided upon issuing from the stone stairs. But when they did emerge forth again, they scarcely knew how to act, being involved as they were in utter dark- ness. They had the means about them of striking a light, but no candle to light. There consequently seemed no alternative but to grope their way out of the chapel, and trust to chance for effecting a safe issue from the castle. While they were thus guiding themselves by feeling the walls with their hands, Chifin, who was foremost, suddenly encountered an iron ring in which something was stuck, and by the touch he at once knew it to be a torch. Lighting a match, he discovered that it was so, and close by, in a second ring, was another torch. These torches, we should observe, were always kept in the chapel for use when visitors were shown over that part of the building when it was dusk or dark, the glare of torches giving a far more powerful light than mere lamps or candles for the inspection of the tombs and monuments. GoOmiGcaooks (C(O)