The father's courage failed him before the prospect of summoning a servant, and hearing, for all he knew to the contrary, that his child was dead.
How long he stood there, alone and irresolute, he never remembered when he thought of it in after-days.

All he knew was that there came a time when a sound in the drawing-room attracted his attention.

It was nothing more important than the opening of a door.
The sound came from that side of the room which was nearest to the grand staircase--and therefore nearest also to the hall in one direction, and to the bed-chambers in the other.
Some person had entered the room.

Whether it was one of the family or one of the servants, he would hear in either case what had happened in his absence.

He parted the curtains over the library entrance, and looked through.
The person was a woman.