sudden force and a half-suppressed exclamation, and he perceived the bottom or floor of the pigeon-hole recede, as if sliding back. His curiosity was aroused; he again felt warily and cautiously, and discovered a very slight inequality and roughness at the extremity of the recess. He was aware instantly that there was some secret spring; he pressed with some force on the spot, and he felt the board give way; he pushed it back towards him, and it slid suddenly with a whirring noise, and left a cavity below exposed to his sight. He peered in, and drew forth a paper; he opened it at first carelessly, for he was still trying to listen to Fanny. His eye ran rapidly over a few preliminary lines till it rested on what follows: "Marriage. The year 18-- "No. 83, page 21. "Philip Beaufort, of this parish of A-----, and Catherine Morton, of the parish of St. Botolph, Aldgate, London, were married in this church by banns, this 12th day of November, in the year one thousand eight hundred and ----' by me, "CALEB PRICE, Vicar. "This marriage was solemnised between us, "PHILIP BEAUFORT. "CATHERINE MORTON. "In the presence of "DAVID APREECE. "WILLIAM SMITH. "The above is a true copy taken from the registry of marriages, in A----- parish, this 19th day of March, 18--, by me, "MORGAN JONES, Curate of C-------." [This is according to the form customary at the date at which the copy was made. There has since been an alteration.] Lord Lilburne again cast his eye over the lines prefixed to this startling document, which, being those written at Caleb's desire, by Mr. Jones to Philip Beaufort, we need not here transcribe to the reader. At that instant Harriet descended the stairs, and came into the room; she crept up on tiptoe to Lilburne, and whispered,-- "She is coming down, I think; she does not know you are here." "Very well--go!" said Lord Lilburne. And scarce had Harriet left the room, when a carriage drove furiously to the door, and Robert Beaufort rushed into the study. CHAPTER XIV. "Gone, and none know it. How now?--What news, what hopes and steps discovered!" BEAUMONT AND FLETCHER: _The Pilgrim_.