The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 207: what you’re looking at

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

190 REYNOLDS’ WORKS consequences thereof than for any superstitious terrors which their memory might conjure up. The stone mausolea enclosing the coffins of the long-dead ancestors of the house of Saxondale stood in due order along the walls, and in the middle of the place was an ascent of stone steps reaching up to the ceiling, a height of about seven feet. In that stone ceiling, or roof, they appeared to terminate. Lady Saxondale ascended a few of these steps, . until her head nearly touched the masonry above, and then, with the lamp, she carefully examined the stonework which was thus overhead. An iron knob set in a slight hollow of one of the stones soon arrested her gaze, and against this knob did she press her hand firmly. It yielded somewhat to her touch; the stonework began slowly to move over- head, until at length an aperture was formed large enough for her to pass through. She ascended, and in a few moments stood in the cloister leading out of the chapel. The huge colossal figure of the armed warrior had turned almost completely around, for it moved upon a vertical pivot, and the base of its pedestal had thus been contrived to form that secret means of communication between the cloister and the place of tombs. Lady Saxondale passed on toward the chapel, but slowly and cautiously, for she was fearful lest the Cannibal, on perceiving a light approaching, might in an access of super- stitious alarm give vent to an ejaculation that would reach the ear of the constable keeping watch on the other side of the chapel door. But the man whom she came thus to succour was as little prone to superstitious fears as herself; and, moreover, he had all along been expecting some assist- ance on the part of her ladyship, though he had been be- wildering himself in conjectures how it could be possibly afforded, or from what quarter 1t would come. Nevertheless, being to a certain extent prepared, Chiffin no sooner caught a glimpse of the first glimmering rays which the lamp threw into the chapel, as Lady Saxondale approached from the cloister, than he knew full well who was nigh at hand. We should observe that the villain had been so firmly — and effectually bound with the handkerchiefs which had been fastened on his arms and legs that all his endeavours to rid himself of those bonds had proved ineffectual, and he had therefore remained on the stone bench where the con- Gomicbooks (E(0)