His finger was raised eagerly to his lips as he beckoned to me to open the sash.
An instinct of self-preservation impelled me to obey.

He clambered in and shut the window behind him.

Then, turning to face me, I encountered a double shock.

The lameness had gone; the figure was erect; the face, in spite of its grime, was youthful and handsome! That was the first shock.

The second was even greater.