water's edge, the flat was unbroken by hole or projection.

An indescribable succession of dull blows, perplexing in their
regularity, sent their sound with difficulty through the fluffy
atmosphere. It was a neighbouring clock striking ten. The bell was
in the open air, and being overlaid with several inches of muffling
snow, had lost its voice for the time.

About this hour the snow abated: ten flakes fell where twenty had
fallen, then one had the room of ten. Not long after a form moved
by the brink of the river.

By its outline upon the colourless background, a close observer
might have seen that it was small. This was all that was positively
discoverable, though it seemed human.

The shape went slowly along, but without much exertion, for the snow,
though sudden, was not as yet more than two inches deep. At this
time some words were spoken aloud:--

"One. Two. Three. Four. Five."

Between each utterance the little shape advanced about half a dozen
yards. It was evident now that the windows high in the wall were
being counted. The word "Five" represented the fifth window from the
end of the wall.

Here the spot stopped, and dwindled smaller. The figure was
stooping. Then a morsel of snow flew across the river towards the
fifth window. It smacked against the wall at a point several yards