'About Brian. He has been going on so. Rogers came to tell me, and I went up to the corridor, and asked him to unlock his door and let me in, but he wouldn't. Perhaps it was providential that he didn't unlock the door, for he might have killed me.'
'Oh, mamma, what nonsense!' exclaimed Ida. She hurried Vernon off to bed before his mother could say another word, and then went back to the widow, who was walking about the drawing-room in much perturbation.
'Now tell me everything,' said Ida; 'I did not want Vernon to be frightened.'
'No, indeed, poor pet. But oh! Ida, if he should try to kill Vernon!'
'Dear mother, he has no idea of killing anyone. What can have put such dreadful notions in your head?'
'The way he went on, Ida. I stopped outside his door ever so long listening to him. He walked up and down like a mad-man, throwing things about, talking and muttering to himself all the time. I think he was packing his portmanteau.'
'There is nothing so dreadful in that—nothing to alarm you.'
'Oh! Ida, when a person is once out of their mind, there is no knowing what they may do.'
Ida did all in her power to soothe and reassure the frightened little woman, and, having done this, she went straight to her husband's room.
She knocked two or three times without receiving any answer; then came a sullen refusal: 'I don't want to be worried by anyone. You can go to your own room, and leave me alone.'