It was not his place to wait upon this carter and run his errands! Upon this impulse he turned again.
However, as he walked back, the chill frost striking his bare head, he felt more diffidence and perplexity about his next action than was at all usual to him.

He knew that he had no inclination to investigate the contents of the box.

All the curiosity stirred within him still failed to create the least desire to pry further; but, on the other hand, he could not think it right to leave the matter as it was.

A strong feeling of duty commanding him to open the coffin and see that all was right, and a stout aversion to performing this duty, were the main elements of his consciousness during the minutes in which he retraced his steps to the house.
He had set down the lamp on a package just within the baggage-room door, so that his own room, by which he entered, was pretty dark, save for the fire showing through the damper of the stove.

Trenholme stopped in it just one moment to listen; then, unwilling to encourage hesitation in himself, went through the next door.