their way
to bed, I spied a figure advancing towards me from the end of a long
corridor. It was attired in a flowing dressing-gown of crimson silk,
with magnificent Turkish slippers, and carried a hand candlestick much
off the perpendicular, as it swayed up the passage in a somewhat
devious course. When it caught sight of me, it extended both its arms,
regardless of the melted wax with which such a manoeuvre bedaubed the
wall, and prepared, with many endearing and complimentary expressions,
to bar my further progress.

The figure was no less a person than Sir Guy, half tipsy, proceeding
from his dressing-room to bed. What to do I knew not. I shuddered at
the idea of meeting the Baronet at such an hour, and in so excited a
state. I loathed and hated him at all times, and I quite trembled now
to face his odious compliments and impertinent _double entendres_. My
hunting experience, however, had given me a quick eye to see my way
out of a difficulty; and espying a green baise door on my right I
rushed through it, and down a flight of stone steps that led I knew
not where. Giving a view-holloa that must have startled every light
sleeper in the house, Sir Guy followed close in my wake, dropping the
silver candlestick with a most alarming clatter. I saw I had not the
speed of him to any great extent, so I dodged into the first empty
room I came to, and blowing out my light, resolved to lie there
_perdue_ till my pursuer had overrun the scent.

The manoeuvre answered admirably so far. I heard the enemy swearing
volubly as he blundered along the passage, thinking I was still before
him; and I now prepared to grope my way back in the dark to my own
room. But I had not escaped yet. To my infinite dismay, I heard the
voices of gentlemen wishing each other the usual "Good-night, old
fellow," and proceeding along the passage from the direction of the
smoking-room. Horror of horrors! a light approached the door of the
very room in which I had taken refuge; in another second he would
enter--the man would find me in his room. He stopped a moment on the
threshold to fire a parting jest at his companions, and the light from
his candle showed me my only chance. A covered showerbath stood in the
corner of the apartment, and into that shower-bath I jumped, closing
the curtains all round me, but, as may be easily believed, taking very
particular care not to pull the string. Scarcely was I fairly
ensconced before Frank Lovell made his appear