Not thus was victory to be won.

He paused to consider, then tried the knocker again.

The knocker smote the wood with a hollow sound, like a stroke on the iron door of a vault, loud enough to rouse the dead.

Charles Turold had a disagreeable impression of Robert Turold starting up in his grave-clothes at the summons, listening....

But no! The dead man was safe in his grave by this time.