"He's much better-looking than the only portrait of the Chevalier I ever saw. I must say the knight, by his portrait, is a most repulsive and unchivalrous brute, more fit for the Chamber of Horrors than the Hall of Kings. I assure you, Hetty, Mr. Crawford is a much better-looking man."
How was he to warn his sister without alarming her? To say he thought the man was not quite right in his mind would terrify Hetty, and it would not do to leave her without any caution. At last he could think of nothing but a most simple and most matter-of-course caution--that of locking the door of the room in which she and the child slept. "For," thought Layard, "if there is anything wrong with his head, although it may now be in the direction of excessive humanity, later it may change to be dangerously homicidal."
As they were saying "good-night," he remarked, as carelessly as he could:
"Remember, Hetty, although we are in our own house, it still it is not all our own."
"Of course I know that, Alfred."
"And if Fred cries, you must quiet him as quickly as possible."
"So that Mr. Crawford may not be disturbed?"
"Yes; and you may as well lock your door?"
"I will."
And thus they parted, and he felt at rest; for even if a paroxysm seized Crawford in the night, he could do no serious hurt without making noise enough to wake the others.