I had gone to my room early, and sat
for some time writing letters before getting ready for bed. When I had
finished my letters, I started on a tour of inspection of my room. I was
then, you must remember, in a very nervous state, and it had become my
habit to examine the room in which I was to sleep before undressing,
looking under the bed, and in any cupboards and closets that there
happened to be. Now, on looking round my new room, I perceived that
there was a second door, and I at once proceeded to open it to see where
it led to. As soon as I opened the door, I got a terrible start. I
found myself looking into a narrow closet or passage, lined with pegs,
on which the servant had hung some of my clothes; at the farther end was
another door, and, as I stood looking into the closet, I observed, with
startled amazement, a man standing holding the door half-open, and
silently regarding me. I stood for a moment staring at him, with my
heart thumping and my limbs all of a tremble; then I slammed the door
and ran off to look for my cousin.
"He was in the billiard-room with Raggerton, and the pair looked up
sharply as I entered.
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