Esther hurried down the passage and passed through the baize door without further thought. She had then but to turn to the left and a few steps would bring her to the library door. The room was already present in her mind. She could see it. The dim light, the little green sofa, the round table covered with books, the piano at the back, the parrot in the corner, and the canaries in the window. She knocked at the door. The well-known voice said, "Come in." She turned the handle, and found herself alone with her mistress. Mrs. Barfield laid down the book she was reading, and looked up. She did not look as angry as Esther had imagined, but her voice was harder than usual.
"Is this true, Esther?"
Esther hung down her head. She could not speak at first; then she said,
"Yes."
"I thought you were a good girl, Esther."
"So did I, ma'am."
Mrs. Barfield looked at the girl quickly, hesitated a moment, and then said—
"And all this time—how long is it?"
"Nearly seven months, ma'am."
"And all this time you were deceiving us."
"I was three months gone before I knew it myself, ma'am."