"Thank fortune!" she exclaimed. "The thing does not look damaged; and no one need know how it happened, if we all keep our own secret. Oh, there's Bessie Bradford!" and Mary looked more frightened than she had done before, as she fixed her eyes on the child's shocked and astonished face; for she, as well as the others, had a feeling that no deceit or concealment was to be looked for from Bessie.
Until that moment, they had all forgotten the presence of the little girl, who now stood silent on the window-seat, her face turned towards the uneasy group, looking from one to another with an expression of mingled wonder, grief, and indignation, under which the most insensible among them felt herself abashed.
"O Mousie!" said Kate Maynard, who generally called Bessie by that pet name, "I had forgotten that you were there! Remember you are not to say a word. If you do, I will never forgive you."
There was no time for more, for the professor's step was heard approaching; and, as the girls suddenly scattered to different parts of the room, he opened the door and came in.
"Ah!" he said in French, after bidding them good morning and looking at the clock, "I see I am too early, and I am glad; for I have left at Mr. Peters' a book which I shall need, and I have yet time to return for it. Your pardon, young ladies." Then as he turned to go, and caught sight of Bessie, he smiled and came towards her. She was a great favourite with him, although she was not one of his scholars; for he had now and then met her in this room, and her polite and ladylike little ways were very pleasing to the ceremonious old Frenchman, who always made a point of bowing to her with his very best grace, which Bessie would return by giving him her mite of a hand to shake, and saying prettily, "Bon jour, Monsieur," as her mamma had taught her.
"Ah!" said Monsieur Gaufrau, changing from his own language to his broken English, for he knew that Bessie understood only a few words of the former, "Ah! you look sad, ma petite. What have you? you are trouble. These great demoiselles have tease you? Do not be sad of that; they do not mean nothing; it is but their joy. They are good of heart, but have not too much thought. Mademoiselle Maynard, you cannot make glad once more your little friend? I am of haste;" and, patting Bessie on the head, he waved his hand politely towards Kate, as if committing the little child to her care, and hurried away.
Bessie looked after the grey-haired and kind-hearted old gentleman as he went out and closed the door behind him, and then turned her eyes on Kate. Was Kate, of whom she had really grown very fond, going to carry on this deception? She had not time to speak, scarce even to collect her thoughts; for the next moment the young lady caught her up in her usual abrupt fashion, and seating her on her desk, placed herself before her, while the rest gathered hurriedly around.
Bessie knew that a struggle was before her, and somehow she felt that all these great girls were banded together against her. There was only time for a little wish, a half-breathed, upward thought; but it was heard and answered.
"Bessie," said Kate, in a low tone, "you are not to speak of this, or to let any one suppose that you knew of it, or were in the room. Do you understand?"
The child looked steadily at her, though her colour rose, and her breath came quickly, and she had—oh, such a longing to be safely home at the side of her own dear mamma!