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Edgar Huntley - or, Memoirs of a Sleep-Walker by Charles Brockden Brown
page 126 of 322 (39%)
numerous compartments, none of which contained any thing of moment.
Tools of different and curious constructions, and remnants of minute
machinery, were all that offered themselves to my notice.

My expectations being thus frustrated, I proceeded to restore things to
their former state. I attempted to close the lid; but the spring which
had raised it refused to bend. No measure that I could adopt enabled me
to place the lid in the same situation in which I had found it. In my
efforts to press down the lid, which were augmented in proportion to the
resistance that I met with, the spring was broken. This obstacle being
removed, the lid resumed its proper place; but no means, within the
reach of my ingenuity to discover, enabled me to push forward the bolt,
and thus to restore the fastening.

I now perceived that Clithero had provided not only against the opening
of his cabinet, but likewise against the possibility of concealing that
it had been opened. This discovery threw me into some confusion. I had
been tempted thus far by the belief that my action was without
witnesses, and might be forever concealed. This opinion was now
confuted. If Clithero should ever reclaim his property, he would not
fail to detect the violence of which I had been guilty. Inglefield would
disapprove in another what he had not permitted to himself, and the
unauthorized and clandestine manner in which I had behaved would
aggravate, in his eyes, the heinousness of my offence.

But now there was no remedy. All that remained was to hinder suspicion
from lighting on the innocent, and to confess, to my friend, the offence
which I had committed. Meanwhile my first project was resumed, and, the
family being now wrapped in profound sleep, I left my chamber, and
proceeded to the elm. The moon was extremely brilliant, but I hoped that
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