His overstrained imagination terrified him, and his eyes started from his head.

He examined the bench and saw the cause of the sound in a moment.
The silver Christ, unsteadily propped in the position in which he had just placed it, had fallen upon one side of the pad by its own weight.
Marzio's heart still beat desperately as he went back to the hole and carefully reclosed the trap-door, dragging the heavy safe to its position over the ring.

Trembling violently, he sat down upon his stool and wiped the cold perspiration from his forehead.

Then, as he laid the figure upon the cushion, he glanced uneasily behind him and at the corner..