perceivedthatithadgrowntoapallortrulyfearful。Isaytomyastonishment。Glendinninghadbeenrepresentedtomyeagerinquiriesasimmeasurablywealthy；andthesumswhichhehadasyetlost，althoughinthemselvesvast，couldnot，Isupposed，veryseriouslyannoy，muchlesssoviolentlyaffecthim。Thathewasovercomebythewinejustswallowed，wastheideawhichmostreadilypresenteditself；and，ratherwithaviewtothepreservationofmyowncharacterintheeyesofmyassociates，thanfromanylessinterestedmotive，Iwasabouttoinsist，peremptorily，uponadiscontinuanceoftheplay，whensomeexpressionsatmyelbowfromamongthecompany，andanejaculationevincingutterdespaironthepartofGlendinning，gavemetounderstandthatIhadeffectedhistotalruinundercircumstanceswhich，renderinghimanobjectforthepityofall，shouldhaveprotectedhimfromtheillofficesevenofafiend。
Whatnowmighthavebeenmyconductitisdifficulttosay。Thepitiableconditionofmydupehadthrownanairofembarrassedgloomoverall；and，forsomemoments，aprofoundsilencewasmaintained，duringwhichIcouldnothelpfeelingmycheekstinglewiththemanyburningglancesofscornorreproachcastuponmebythelessabandonedoftheparty。Iwillevenownthatanintolerableweightofanxietywasforabriefinstantliftedfrommybosombythesuddenandextraordinaryinterruptionwhichensued。Thewide，heavyfoldingdoorsoftheapartmentwereallatoncethrownopen，totheirfullextent，withavigorousandrushingimpetuositythatextinguished，asifbymagic，everycandleintheroom。Theirlight，indying，enabledusjusttoperceivethatastrangerhadentered，aboutmyownheight，andcloselymuffledinacloak。Thedarkness，however，wasnowtotal；
andwecouldonlyfeelthathewasstandinginourmidst。Beforeanyoneofuscouldrecoverfromtheextremeastonishmentintowhichthisrudenesshadthrownall，weheardthevoiceoftheintruder。
“Gentlemen。”hesaid，inalow，distinct，andnever-to-be-forgottenwhisperwhichthrilledtotheverymarrowofmybones，“Gentlemen，I
makenoapologyforthisbehaviour，becauseinthusbehaving，Iambutfulfillingaduty。Youare，beyonddoubt，uninformedofthetruecharacterofthepersonwhohasto-nightwonatecartealargesumofmoneyfromLordGlendinning。Iwillthereforeputyouuponanexpeditiousanddecisiveplanofobtainingthisverynecessaryinformation。Pleasetoexamine，atyourleisure，theinnerliningsofthecuffofhisleftsleeve，andtheseverallittlepackageswhichmaybefoundinthesomewhatcapaciouspocketsofhisembroideredmorningwrapper。”