“I knocked, madam,” replied the maid, “but you could not have heard. I thought you rang.”
“I did not ring. Leave the room.”
The maid retired, and we were once more alone.
“I will give you to till to-morrow,” I said, “and then there must be an end to this deception.”
“There shall be—there shall be!” she exclaimed. “Oh, how I thank you! But I will not wait till to-morrow. No—the sooner the blow is struck, the sooner my sufferings will be over. Your father is engaged out this evening. He will not be home till eleven or twelve. At ten I will tell you how I have decided—perhaps by that time I may have commenced my confession. It is just—I see how just it is—that your father shall not remain another night in ignorance.”
“As you please,” I said; “at ten to-night. Where shall I see you?”
“Here,” she replied. “I shall not be able to come down stairs. My strength is quite, quite gone.”
So it was decided, and I left her. I did not see my father during the day, and at ten o’clock I presented myself at her door, and knocked. There was no answer, and observing that the door was partly open I gently pushed it, and entered the room. My father’s wife was sitting with her back to me, reading. As she did not appear to be aware of my presence, I called to her. She started to her feet, and turned to me. Then I saw, to my surprise, that her hair was hanging down, that her slippered feet were bare, and that she wore a loose dressing gown.
“My God!” she screamed. “Why do you come to my room at such an hour in this unexpected manner?” And as she spoke she pulled the bell violently.
Failing to understand the meaning of her words, I stammered something about an appointment, at which she laughed, then burst into tears, crying,