She held a lighted candle in her hand and by its small flame I caught a full glimpse of her figure.

To my astonishment and even to my dismay she was still in the gown she had refused to have me unlace,--a rich yellow satin in which she must have shone resplendent a few hours before.

She had not even removed the jewels from her neck.
Whatever had occupied her, whatever had taken her hither and thither through the house, moving furniture out of her way, lifting heavy boxes, opening dust-covered trunks, had been of such moment to her as to make her entirely oblivious of the rich and delicate apparel she thus wantonly sacrificed.

But it was not this alone which attracted my attention.

In her hand she held a paper, and the sight of that paper and the way she clutched it rather disturbed my late conclusions.