The outrage had been perpetrated throughout in dead silence.

At the end of it some words were exchanged, among the invisible wretches, in a language which he did not understand, but in tones which were plainly expressive (to his cultivated ear) of disappointment and rage.

He was suddenly lifted from the ground, placed in a chair, and bound there hand and foot.

The next moment he felt the air flowing in from the open door, listened, and concluded that he was alone again in the room.
An interval elapsed, and he heard a sound below like the rustling sound of a woman's dress.

It advanced up the stairs, and stopped.