"Ha, Perry!" he exclaimed, as we prepared to drop into the garden
below, "I'm a curst, dull-witted ass--here have I been sedulously
guzzling ale, rum, brandy and dooce knows how many kinds of wine, and
what I really needed was blood, d'ye see? Blood, old fellow, no matter
whose. And, begad, blood we'll have to-night, Perry, or know the
reason why. Come on, old fellow, both together--now!"
Down he leapt and down I scrambled, and side by side we advanced
towards the house that held for me all the nauseous evil and
unspeakable shame of all the world.
CHAPTER IX
CONCERNING THE OPENING OF A DOOR
"Anthony, give me the pistol!"
"Damme, no--ha' patience! Meantime take this--more useful if it comes
t' scrimmage!" And he twisted a stake from the flower bed we were
trampling and thrust it into my hand. "Enemy's country, Perry,--qui
vive! Hist! Attention and all the rest of it! Forward an' curse the
consequences!"
So we stole forward like the madmen we were, but very silent and very
determined.
The house stood upon a noble terrace, a large house of many gables and
windows, most of these last being unlighted. Fortune seemed to favour
us, for we met with none to oppose us, and mounting a broad flight of
stone steps, reached the terrace unmolested. But as I stood glancing
about for some door or likely window whereby we might force entrance,
Anthony dragged me down suddenly into the shadow of the balustrade, as
round a corner of the house two men appeared.
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