Page:Marietta, or the Two Students.djvu/31

Rh factory results. Putting his shoulder to the dilapidated door, and exerting considerable force against it, it yielded a little to the pressure. He perceived all was silent within as before. Again he applied his body to the door and pushed with all his strength; it opened sufficiently to admit his body.

The room was totally dark, and appeared without an occupant save himself. He groped his way cautiously about the apartment, thinking that those he was in search of might possibly be sleeping in some part of it, but his search was fruitless. He discovered nothing but the blocks of wood which were used for chairs, and an old bench. Taking some matches from his pocket he succeeded in striking a light. The place appeared the same in all respects as when he had last visited it, and it only required the presence of the body snatchers to render it completely so. He now moved towards the door which cummunicatedcommunicated [sic] with the "dead-room," as it was termed by the resurrectionists. Observing all possible caution he lifted the latch and entered. The air was thick and close, and a nauseating effluvium saluted his nostrils, and he almost involuntarily drew back to get his breath. Looking carefully about to see that no one was present, he advanced to the extreme end of the apartment. The chest was before him which was used for the temporary reception of the dead, until they were otherwise disposed of. The nerves of Levator were strong and steady, and he was accustomed to sights of terror, but we should not be a faithful biographer if we did not say that he could not, as bold and well disciplined as was his mind, repress a shudder as he stood there alone beside that chest, the contents of which he was not at a loss to suppose. He carried his hand to the lid with the intention of opening it, but to his disappointment it was locked. "I will not be thus baffled" he said internally, at the same time observing a large bowie knife upon the floor, the blade of which was broken off at about half its length. Thrusting this between the cover and the lock, with some little exertion he forced it open. The stench that met him when he lifted the lid was insupportable, but mastering his repugnance he held up the light and gazed into the chest.

A nauseating sight was that before him. Two human bodies in an entire state of nudity, and which had the appearance of having been long dead.—One was the body of a stout man in a tolerable state of preservation, the other was a female, fearfully emaciated, in an advanced state of putrefaction, bearing marks upon her lips and mouth which were open, indicating the disease of which she died. She had evidently died more recently than the former, but the peculiar virulence of the disease had hastened the progress of decomposition. Levator scanned her features closely, but they seemed scarcely human, so thin were they, and such an expression of dread was depicted upon them. At length he recognized the face, and recollected having seen her several times on the pave and once in a state of intoxication he had saved her from abuse, and and seen her safely lodged in the hands of the watch, where no doubt a night's sound sleep in the lock-up carried off her debauch. Sickened at the contemplation of death in its worst and most revolting phases, he closed the box and continued his scrutiny in other parts of the room.

Carrying the smokey lamp close to the walls, he searched for another passage from the apartment but without success. No door save the one by which he entered could be found, yet the idea was firmly fixed on his mind, that there was some secret passage which communicated with other parts of the house, and which he