A faint glimmer came through the window from the star-filled sky.

He stepped just within the doorway.

Was not that another glimmer on the floor--from the back of the room--through a door he did not remember having seen yesterday?
There again was the groan, and nigh at hand! Someone must be in sore need! He approached the door and looked through.

A lamp, nearly spent, hung from the ceiling of a small room which might be an office or study, or a place where papers were kept.
It had the look of an antechamber, but that it could not be, for there was but the one door!--In the dim light he descried a vague form leaning up against one of the walls, as if listening to something through it! As he gazed it grew plainer to him, and he saw a face, its eyes staring wide, which yet seemed not to see him.

It was the face of the earl.