Godfrey paused an instant at the stairhead, listening intently; then
he moved cautiously forward toward an open door from which the voice
seemed to come, motioning us at the same time to stay where we were.
And as I knelt, bathed in perspiration, I caught one word, repeated
over and over:

"_Revanche!--Revanche!--Revanche!_"

Then the voice fell to a sort of low growling, as of a dog which
worries its prey, and I caught a sound as of ripping cloth.

Godfrey, on hands and knees, was peering into the room. Then he drew
back and motioned us forward.

I shall never forget the sight which met my eyes as I peeped
cautiously around the corner of the door.

The room into which I was looking was lighted only by the rays which
filtered between the slats of a closed shutter. In the middle of the
floor stood the Boule cabinet, and before it, with his back to the
door, stood a man ripping savagely away the strips of burlap in which
it had been wrapped, talking to himself the while in a sort of savage
sing-song, and pausing from moment to moment to glance at a huddled
bundle lying on the floor against the opposite wall. For a time, I
could not make out what this bundle was, then, straining my eyes, I
saw that it was the body of a man, wrapped round and round in some
web-like fabric.

And as I stared at him, I caught the glitter of his eyes as he
watched the man working at the cabinet--a glitter not to be mistaken