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A h to satisfy Catherine that her apartment was very unlike the one which Henry had endeavoured to alarm her by the description of It was by no e, and contained neither tapestry nor velvet The walls were papered, the floor was carpeted; the ere neither less perfect nor -rooh not of the latest fashion, was handsoether far from uncheerful Her heart instantaneously at ease on this point, she resolved to lose no tireatly dreaded disobliging the general by any delay Her habit therefore was thrown off with all possible haste, and she was preparing to unpin the linen package, which the chaise-seat had conveyed for her ie high chest, standing back in a deep recess on one side of the fireplace The sight of it azing on it in hts crossed her: "This is strange indeed! I did not expect such a sight as this!

An immense heavy chest! What can it hold? Why should it be placed here? Pushed back too, as if ht! I will look into it--cost me what it ht If I stay till evening o out" She advanced and examined it closely: it was of cedar, curiously inlaid with soround, on a carved stand of the sae; at each end were the imperfect remains of handles also of silver, broken perhaps pree violence; and, on the centre of the lid, was a mysterious cipher, in the sa able to distinguish anything with certainty She could not, in whatever direction she took it, believe the last letter to be a T; and yet that it should be anything else in that house was a circuree of astonishe events could it have fallen into the Tilney fareater; and seizing, with tre hands, the hasp of the lock, she resolved at all hazards to satisfy herself at least as to its contents

With difficulty, for so seemed to resist her efforts, she raised the lid a few inches; but at thatat the door of the roo, quit her hold, and the lid closed with alar violence This ill-timed intruder was Miss Tilney's maid, sent by her h Catherine immediately disht to be doing, and forced her, in spite of her anxious desire to penetrate thiswithout further delay Her progress was not quick, for her thoughts and her eyes were still bent on the object so well calculated to interest and alarh she dared not waste a moment upon a second atteth, however, having slipped one arown, her toilette seemed so nearly finished that the ied One ht be spared; and, so desperate should be the exertion of her strength, that, unless secured by supernatural means, the lid in oneforward, and her confidence did not deceive her Her resolute effort threw back the lid, and gave to her astonished eyes the view of a white cotton counterpane, properly folded, reposing at one end of the chest in undisputed possession!