The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 351: what you’re looking at

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

THE DAGGER 329 “T merely thought, my lord, that some evil-disposed person might possibly have clutched at the weapon —”’ “‘ Silence,” exclaimed the duke sternly, and with the lamp in his hand, he proceeded to examine behind all the flowing draperies which hung between the marble pillars on one side of the saloon. But no one was to be seen, and Marchmont, again accost- ing Purvis, said to him, “ Recollect, gather your ideas together, reflect well. Did you hear no footsteps? Was there no sound of any one beating a retreat immediately after that candle was dashed from my hand? Or did you catch a glimpse of any one, for you were looking toward me at the moment? Did you behold no person suddenly emerge from behind the door the instant previous to this strange occurrence? ”’ The steward raised his hand to his forehead, as if to steady the thoughts that were still agitating with some degree of confusion in his brain, and at the expiration of a minute, he said, “ Yes, my lord; it does seem to me that I caught a glimpse of something —”’ “And that something?” demanded the duke, quickly. “Stop, my lord! If your Grace hurries me, I shall lose the ideas which now seem to be coming back into my mind,” and Purvis still kept his hand up to his forehead, as he slowly and deliberately gave utterance to those words. “Yes, I certainly did see something, now that I recollect. It was like a tall dark form, but I saw no face —”’ “Are you sure, Purvis, that you saw anything at all?” inquired the duke, with a strange expression of countenance, “‘ or are these mere imaginings, — the result of consternation and terror? ” “No, my lord,” replied the old steward, in a tone of confidence; ‘ now that I can collect my thoughts, I seem to have a perfect recollection that I did behold a tall, dark form suddenly appear behind your Grace, as you stood in the doorway with your back toward the saloon and your face toward the cabinet; then the next instant the candle was dashed from your hand, and all was utter darkness. I think I heard footsteps, but of that I am not so sure, for it was then that I was seized with such a fearful terror —”’ “Let us examine the carpet,” suddenly ejaculated the duke. CORNICLOO S (E@) mM