chambrecoifferethabillerlesdames,etc’étaitsiamusant:ecelaonapprend.”

    “Don’tyoufeelhungry,Adèle?”

    “Maisoui,mademoiselle:voilàqousixheuresquenousn’avonspasmangé.”

    “Wellnow,whiletheladiesareintheirrooms,Iwillventuredownayousomethi.”

    Andissuingfrommyasylumwithprecaution,Isoughtaback-stairswhiducteddirectlytothekit.Allinthatregionwasfireandotion;thesoupandfishwereistageofproje,andthecookhungoverhercruciblesinaframeofmindandbodythreateningspontaneousbustion.Intheservants’halltwoenandthreegentlemelemenstoodorsatroundthefire;theabigails,Isuppose,wereupstairswiththeirmistresses;thenewservants,thathadbeenhiredfromMillcote,werebustlingabouteverywhere.Threadingthischaos,Iatlastreachedthelarder;thereItookpossessionofacoldchi,arollofbread,sometarts,aplateortwoandaknifeandfork:withthisbootyImadeahastyretreat.Ihadregaihegallery,andwasjustshuttingtheback-doorbehindme,whenanacceleratedhumwartheladieswereabouttoissuefromtheirchambers.Icouldnotproceedtotheschoolroomwithoutpassingsomeoftheirdoors,andrunningtheriskofbeingsurprisedwithmycargoofvictualage;soIstoodstillatthisend,which,beingwindowless,wasdark:quitedarknow,forthesunwassetandtwilightgathering.

    Presentlythechambersgaveuptheirfairtenantsoeranother:eachcameoutgailyandairily,withdressthatgleamedlustrousthroughthedusk.Foramomeoodgroupedtogetherattheotherextremityofthegallery,versinginakeyofsweetsubduedvivacity:theythendesdedthestaircasealmostasnoiselesslyasabrightmistrollsdownahill.Theircollectiveappearance