"Come and tell me what you think of my invention," said she, as they rose from the table and opened the door which led into the hall.
The upholsterer had already completed his work. A crimson drapery was suspended from the ceiling to the ground, along the whole length of the entry, and entirely shut out the staircase. At the street door this drapery was so skilfully arranged that a person visiting the apartments on the first floor could, at once, pass out of sight.
"Will not these curtains render this portion of the house quite secluded? I hope they will make your grandmother feel less aversion to coming here."
"What resources you have, Madeleine! And how kindly you employ your fertile ingenuity! Who would have thought of such an arrangement?"
"Why any one who took the trouble to sit down and think about the matter at all! Possibly some people might not have been in the habit of exercising their ingenuity enough to do that; but any one who took the trouble to reflect how the desired object could be accomplished would have seen the difficulties melt away."
"Under the touch of 'Fairy Fingers,'" returned Maurice, admiringly.
"Ah, that is an old superstition of yours which you have not quite outlived. Will you not go to your grandmother now? She may be expecting you, and must be anxious for news."
"She showed great anxiety last night," replied Maurice, bitterly.
"Maurice, we have no right to judge her! Unless we ourselves have experienced her sensations, we cannot even comprehend her state. Speak to her this morning as though you had parted in all affection yesterday; and bring her here, if you can. For her own sake try to bring her."