Come, there are the stairs."
MARCUS. "Once more. Do you believe my oath, or not?"
THE INVENTOR (_shouting_). "No! no! a million times, no! since you drive
me to it. I believe you to be a crafty scoundrel, who has been trying to
ruin my daughter. Out, sir, now--out!"
Then was a sound of two men clenching, and struggling toward the door.
A noise followed like that caused by the sharp closing of the door; but
the two men were still in the room, for their scuffling and their short,
quick grunts of exertion could be heard with increased distinctness. The
noise indicated that one was pushing the other toward the centre of the
room. Then followed the dull, nauseating sound of blows, apparently
struck with fists upon heads and chests, mingled with noisier but still
partly suppressed groans, and defiances.
The conversation which preceded this struggle, had come to Pet's ears
with such distinctness, and made such a terrifying impression upon her
mind, that it seemed as if she could see the combatants.
At the time when the clenching commenced, the vision was faint, as if
she were looking into a dark room.
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