I began to feel weary of disinterring the Major's treasures.

The longer I searched, the farther I seemed to remove myself from the one object that I had it at heart to attain.

After closing the door of the second cupboard, I almost doubted whether it would be worth my while to proceed farther and open the third and last door.
A little reflection convinced me that it would be as well, now that I had begun my examination of the lower regions of the book-case, to go on with it to the end.

I opened the last cupboard.
On the upper shelf there appeared, in solitary grandeur, one object only--a gorgeously bound book.
It was of a larger size than usual, judging of it by comparison with the dimensions of modern volumes.

The binding was of blue velvet, with clasps of silver worked in beautiful arabesque patterns, and with a lock of the same precious metal to protect the book from prying eyes.