He says that he heard no laugh.

The only other person I came upon down-stairs was Mr.
Steele.

He was busy over some papers and I did not like to interrupt him; but he did not look as if a laugh of any sort had come from him." "Thank you." The words were hoarsely uttered and the tone unnatural, though she tried to carry it off with an indifferent gesture and a quick movement toward her room.

I admired her self-control, for it was self-control, and was contrasting the stateliness of her present bearing with the cringing attitude of a few minutes before--when, without warning or any premonitory sound, all that beauty and pride and splendor collapsed before my eyes, and she fell at my feet, senseless..