He continued-- "Your hand trembles, Rivers, and you let your lamp dance about too much to find it useful.

Your footstep is unsteady, and but now the stairs creaked heavily beneath you.

You must proceed with more caution, or we shall be overheard.

These are sleepless times, and this youth, who appears to trouble you more than man ever troubled you before, may be just as much awake as ourselves.

If you are determined in this thing, be not imprudent." Rivers, who, on reaching the head of the flight, had been about to move forward precipitately, now paused, though with much reluctance; and to the speech of his companion, with a fearful expression of the lips, which, as they parted, disclosed the teeth white and closely clinched beneath them, replied, though without directly referring to its import-- "If I am determined--do you say!--But is not that the chamber where he sleeps ?" "No; old Barton sleeps there--_he_ sleeps at the end of the gallery.