Then I listens. All as still and as dark as could be. But still as it was, I could hear
my heart go beat, beat, wonderful loud.
Wish Id a light, I says to myself, but then it warnt no use wishing; and I didnt want to go to the people downstairs, so I begins feeling about as slow and as quiet as I could.
I soon finds out as its a bedroom, for I rubs my knuckles up against the bed-post, and soon was close up alongside o the ticking, when I thinks as I heered a noise, and darts back to the door in a moment; but all was still again, and I turns back, and then in a manner I got lost, and confused, and could not tell which way I was going, nor yet where was the door.
Now, I daresay that all sounds werry queer; but perhaps you dont know how easy it is to be lost in a dark room as youve never been in before, even if it is a little un; and if so be as you thinks werry little of it, jest you get a handkercher tied tight over yer eyes, and do as you does at Christmas time turn round three times and ketch who you may, and then see where you are in two twinklings.
Well, first of all I hits my hand again a chair; then I butts my head again the corner of as hard a chest o drawers as ever I did feel in my life; and then I kicks up such a clatter with the washstand as would have amost alarmed the house; but I keeps down on my hands and knees, being suspicious of an ambushment, till last of all I feels my way round to the bedside again, and when I was far enough I reaches my hand lightly over, and lays it on the bed, and then I jumps as though I was shot, for I felt somebodys leg under the clothes.
Then I snatches my hand back and turns all over in a wet, cold state as if Id been dipped, for I feels precious uncomfortable, and didnt know what was best to be done next. One moment I expected to hear the whish of a heavy stick, or the sharp crack of a pistol; for arter the noise I made it was quite impossible for whoever was in the bed to be asleep. Then I thinks as I would call for help, or run out, for I dont mind telling you I felt regularly scared with the silence. How-so-be, I gets the better of my bit o failing; and, rousing up, I puts my hand over once more close up to where the pillow should be, and lays it upon a cold face, and there it seemed to stick, for a shudder went up my arm right to my head, and I couldnt neither move nor speak, while my mouth felt as dry and hot inside as though it was full o dust.
Cold! I never felt anything so cold; and I fell a shivering awful, till with a regular drag I rouses myself up and snatches my hand away; and as fast as ever I could I got out on to the landing and into the front room, and all the while trembling and feeling as if something was after me to pull me back. I got to the window, smashes out a pane, and gives a whistle as brings my mate to the door, and then I hears a ring, and some voices, and he was up to my side in a moment or two, with some o the people o the house arter him.
Turn on your light, I says, as soon as he stood by me on the landing, and then, feeling as white as a sheet, and my hair wet with persperation, but more plucky now there was light and a companion, I goes back towards the room.
Here, give us one o them candles, I says to a woman as came upstairs with one in each hand; and then from upstairs and down comes the people, all talking together, while as soon as some on em sees as it was the police they shuffles off again, so as it was all women as stayed about us.
First glance I take I sees what was up, and I says to my mate:
Keep them all out; and he goes and stands at the door and closes it after him, when Im blest if I didnt let the candle fall, and it was out in a moment. But I felt better now there was help if I wanted it, and I goes up to the bedside and lays my hand on that face as I touched before, but it was cold as ice. Then I slips my hand down to the breast, but there wasnt a beat there, so I then says to myself, Gone, says I; and in spite o my shiverin and tremblin I tried to get the better of it, and reaches over again and lays my hand on the back of a head as felt cold, too; and then, after a good hard tussel with number one, I feels down to the breast of this one, and there wasnt a beat there. Then I gets to the door again, just as a man comes with a candle in his hand.
I gives him my empty candlestick, and takes his light, and I says:
Im a policeman, I says, and you go out and fetch the nighest doctor; and if you meets another constable tell him to come here.
What for, young man? he says, werry bounceable.
Never you mind what for, I says; but you do as youre told; and seeing me look as though I meant it, he starts off like a shot, and we two stood there till the doctor came, and then we goes in, followed by ever so many women, all looking white, and talking in whispers.
Lord, sir, it was a sight! There was the room well-furnished, and on the bed lay as pretty a girl as ever you see, search
through all London; her face, and neck looking as white as so much marble, while all her long black hair lay loose and scattered over the pillow. Her hands were under her head, and she looked for all the world as though she was asleep; while by the flickering candles I almost thought I could see her smile. And there, with one arm across her, his head close to her side, his face buried in the clothes, half-lying on the bed, with his feet on the ground by the bedside, was him as I took to be my customer as I wanted; and both him and the girl dead and stiff.