Page:Chesterton - The Club of Queer Trades.djvu/249

The Seclusion of the Old Lady being wailing that she can't get out, and talking to herself like a madwoman and beating on the shutters with her fists, as she was doing two or three minutes ago, I think it worth mentioning, that is all."

"My dear fellow," I said, "I apologize; this is no time for arguing. What is to be done?"

Rupert Grant had a long clasp-knife naked and brilliant in his hand.

"First of all," he said, "house-breaking." And he forced the blade into the crevice of the wood and broke away a huge splinter, leaving a gap and glimpse of the dark window-pane inside. The room within was entirely unlighted, so that for the first few seconds the window seemed a dead and opaque surface as dark as a strip of slate. Then came a realization which, though in a sense gradual, made us step back and catch our breath. Two large, dim human eyes were so close to us that the window itself seemed suddenly to be a mask. A pale human face was pressed against the glass within, and with increased distinctness, with the increase of the opening, came the words: 227