Emily could not help feeling some misgiving, but she had been so passive in Delia's hands, that she hardly thought of dissenting from any plan that the other proposed. Then, too, she really enjoyed the idea of a ramble in the garden by moonlight, and as she said, "There was no more harm in walking by moonlight than by daylight," forgetting that the harm lay not in the nature of the act itself, but in the disobedience it involved.
But as the Scotch poet remarks in the oft quoted lines—
"The best laid schemes of mice and men
Gang aft agley."
About sunset, the sky became overcast, and a heavy winding wind coming up from the southwest, drove before it such a tremendous shower of rain, that Emily decided at once that the expedition must be given up.
Delia was not quite so ready to be convinced. She looked dismayed when the first burst of rain rattled against the window, but prophesied that it would not last long, and that the sky would be as bright as ever in half an hour. But the clouds thickened more and more—the wind came in heavier and heavier gusts, and shook the building sensibly. Presently one of the large school-room windows was driven in with a tremendous crash, the glass flying half across the room, and at the same time, a bright flash was followed by a terrific peal of thunder which shook the building like an earthquake.
A scene of confusion ensued, such as that school-room had seldom seen. A chorus of shrieks rose up from the terrified girls, who all thought the building had been struck by lightning. Even Miss Gilbert uttered a terrified exclamation. Alice Parker fainted away, and Almira Cosby went into hysterics, while even the most energetic and sensible of the girls were paralyzed for the moment.
Good Mr. Holz, who had come into the school-room for a missing book, rushed to the window and put his head out with a vague idea of doing something, when the wind catching his wig, it was carried up into the air, and borne away to parts unknown. Having offered this propitiatory sacrifice to the powers of the elements, Mr. Holz returned to his place, meekly conscious of the comical appearance of his bald head, as contrasted with his heavy moustache and whiskers, and seemed to be pondering as to what he should do next.
Another loud peal of thunder augmented the alarm of the girls, and at the same moment, a gust of wind extinguished the remaining light, all but a solitary gas jet over the desk, which happened to be covered by a shade. A new burst of shrieks was heard above the roar of the elements, and the confusion was at its height, when a man's voice made itself heard, calm and clear amid all the tumult—
"What is the meaning of all this noise? Let me have silence instantly!"
The noise was hushed on the instant, and all eyes were now turned to the desk, where stood Mr. Fletcher. His cloak was dripping with wet, as though he had just come in, but he stood composedly at his post, looking with flashing eyes, upon the disorderly assembly.