“Yes, Senhora, I emptied it,” Juliana answered tranquilly. And she added, with an air of interest, “Why? Has the senhora lost anything?”
Luiza turned pale.
“Yes; a paper I threw into the box. Where did you put the papers?”
“In the rubbish-basket, as usual. I did not suppose there was anything of any use among them.”
“Ah! I will see if it is there.”
And Luiza went quickly upstairs to the kitchen. Juliana followed her, saying,—
“It was just this instant; it is not five minutes ago. The box was so full. I went to put the library in order. Good Heavens! if the senhora had only told me!”
But the rubbish-basket was empty; Joanna had just that moment emptied it in the drain. Seeing Luiza’s disquietude, the cook asked her,—
“Has the senhora lost anything?”
“A paper,” Luiza answered, very pale, looking around her on the floor.