CHAPTER XV
['Twixt the Dark and Daylight]
The night had gone, the morning was well advanced, the day would soon break, the countess had long since gone, and still Miss Forster had not gone to bed. There was something which kept her from placing herself between the sheets; and now that at last she was beginning to have thoughts in that direction, something occurred which banished sleep still farther from her eyes.
She was just about to remove her dressing-gown, and really make herself ready for bed, when the silence of the night was broken by a sound.
"What was that? Wasn't it in my passage?"
She stood in an attitude of listening.
"There it is again. Isn't it just outside my door? I wonder if there's anyone there at this hour of the morning? I believe there is."
Altering her intention, she suffered her dressing-gown to remain where it was. Rapidly crossing the room, she stood close up to the door and listened.
"There is someone. Who can it be, at this hour of the morning? Whoever it is, is running away."
She suddenly opened the door and looked out. There was no one there. She went into the passage. Although the lights were out, she was still able to make out dimly that a figure, but whether of a man or a woman she could not be sure, was moving rapidly along the passage, to vanish round the corner.