ABSTRACT
Lady O’Shane, extremely terrified, had scarcely power to rise. She opened the drawer of the table, and thrust her trembling hand down to the bottom of the silk bag, into which the keys had fallen. Impatient of delay, Ormond pushed open the door, snatched the keys, and disappeared. The whole passed in a few seconds. The music drowned the noise of the opening door, and of the two chairs which Ormond had thrown down: those who sat near thought a servant had pushed in and gone out; but / however rapid the movement, the full view of the figure had been seen by miss Annaly, who was sitting on the opposite side of the room; sir Ulick was sitting beside her, talking earnestly. Lady Annaly had just retired. ‘For Heaven’s sake, what’s the matter?’ cried he, stopping in the middle of a sentence, on seeing miss Annaly grow suddenly pale as death. Her eyes were fixed on the door of the green-house; his followed that direction. ‘Yes,’ said he, ‘we can get out into the air that way - lean on me.’ She did so - he pushed his way through the crowd at the bottom of the country dance; and, as he passed, was met by lady O’Shane and miss Black, both with faces of horror.
