CHAPTER XV 189 matting . " I hope it is he ," thought I , " and not something worse ."
He re-entered , pale and very gloomy . " I have found it all out ," said he , setting his candle down on the washstand ; " it is as I thought ."
" How , sir ?"
He made no reply , but stood with his arms folded , looking on the ground . At the end of a few minutes he inquired in rather a peculiar tone -
" I forget whether you said you saw anything when you opened your chamber door ."
" No , sir , only the candlestick on the ground ."
" But you heard an odd laugh ? You have heard that laugh before , I should think , or something like it ?"
" Yes , sir : there is a woman who sews here , called Grace Poole , -- she laughs in that way . She is a singular person ."
" Just so . Grace Poole -- you have guessed it . She is , as you say , singular -- very . Well , I shall reflect on the subject . Meantime , I am glad that you are the only person , besides myself , acquainted with the precise details of to-night ' s incident . You are no talking fool : say nothing about it . I will account for this state of affairs " ( pointing to the bed ): " and now return to your own room . I shall do very well on the sofa in the library for the rest of the night . It is near four : - in two hours the servants will be up ."
" Good-night , then , sir ," said I , departing . He seemed surprised -- very inconsistently so , as he had just told me to go . " What !" he exclaimed , " are you quitting me already , and in that way ?" " You said I might go , sir ."