ll I say?
William? Let us hope by William, and William only.

Being tall, I had to mount but a few steps before reaching the ceiling.
Pausing for breath, the air being close and the stairs steep, I reached
up and felt for the hinge or clasp I had every reason to expect to
encounter. I found it almost immediately, and, satisfied now that
nothing but a board separated me from the room above, I tried that board
with my finger and was astonished to feel it yield. As this was a wholly
unexpected discovery I drew back and asked myself if it would be wise to
pursue it to the point of raising this door, and had hardly settled the
question in my own mind, when the sound of a voice raised in a soothing
murmur, revealed the fact that the room above was not empty, and that I
would be committing a grave indiscretion in thus tampering with a means
of entrance possibly under the very eye of the person speaking.

If the voice I had heard had been all that had come to my ears, I might
have ventured after a moment of hesitation to brave the displeasure of
Miss Knollys by an attempt which would have at once satisfied me as to
the correctness of the suspicions which were congealing my blood as I
stood there, but another voice--the heavy and threatening voice of
William--had broken into this murmur, and I knew that if I so much as
awakened in him the least suspicion of my whereabouts, I would have to
dread an anger that might not know where to stop.

I therefore rested from further efforts in this direction, and fearing
he might bethink him of some errand which would bring him to the
trap-door himself, I began a retreat which I made slow only from my
desire not to make any noise. I succeeded as well as if my feet had been
shod in velvet and my dress had been made of wool instead of a rustling
silk, and when once again I found myself planted in the centre of the
Flower Parlor, the closet door closed, and no evidence remaining of my
late attempt to probe this family secret, I drew a deep breath of relief
that was but a symbol of my devout thankfulness.

I did not mean to remain much longer in this spot of evil suggestions,
but spying the corner of a book protruding from under a cushion of one
of the lounges, I had a curiosity to see if it were similar to the
others I had handled. Drawing it out, I took one look at it.

I need not tell what it was, but after a hasty glance here and there
through its pages, I put it back, shuddering. If any