her mistress by the door which opened from the one room to the
other; but this had no sooner been closed than Crabstick descended to
complete the amusements of the evening. Lizzie, when she was alone,
bolted both the doors on the inside, and then quickly retired to
rest. Some short prayer she said, with her knees close to the iron
box. Then she put certain articles of property under her pillow,--her
watch and chain, and the rings from her fingers, and a packet which
she had drawn from her travelling-desk,--and was soon in bed,
thinking that, as she fell away to sleep, she would revolve in her
mind that question of the Corsair;--would it be good to trust herself
and all her belongings to one who might perhaps take her belongings
away, but leave herself behind? The subject was not unpleasant, and
while she was considering it, she fell asleep.

It was, perhaps, about two in the morning when a man, very efficient
at the trade which he was then following, knelt outside Lady
Eustace's door, and, with a delicately-made saw, aided, probably,
by some other equally well-finished tools, absolutely cut out that
portion of the bedroom door on which the bolt was fastened. He must
have known the spot exactly, for he did not doubt a moment as he
commenced his work; and yet there was nothing on the exterior of the
door to show where the bolt was placed. The bit was cut out without
the slightest noise, and then, when the door was opened, was placed,
just inside, upon the floor. The man then with perfectly noiseless
step entered the room, knelt again,--just where poor Lizzie had knelt
as she said her prayers,--so that he might the more easily raise the
iron box without a struggle, and left the room with it in his arms
without disturbing the lovely sleeper. He then descended the stairs,
passed into the coffee-room at the bottom of them, and handed the box
through an open window to a man who was crouching on the outside in
the dark. He then followed the box, pulled down the window, put on a
pair of boots which his friend had ready for him; and the two, after
lingering a few moments in the shade of the dark wall, retreated with
their prize round a corner. The night itself was almost pitch-dark,
and very wet. It was as nearly black with darkness as a night can
be. So far, the enterprising adventurers had been successful, and we
will now leave them in their chosen retreat, engaged on the longer
operation of forcing open the iron safe. For it h