第40部分(第1/8 頁)

face　grew　momently　darker；　more　dissatisfied；　and　more　sourly　expressive　of　disappointment。　She　had　obviously　not　heard　anything　to　her　advantage：　and　it　seemed　to　me；　from　her　prolonged　fit　of　gloom　and　taciturnity；　that　she　herself；　notwithstanding　her　professed　indifference；　attached　undue　importance　to　whatever　revelations　had　been　made　her。

Meantime；　Mary　Ingram；　Amy　and　Louisa　Eshton；　declared　they　dared　not　go　alone；　and　yet　they　all　wished　to　go。　A　negotiation　was　opened　through　the　medium　of　the　ambassador；　Sam；　and　after　much　pacing　to　and　fro；　till；　I　think；　the　said　Sam’s　calves　must　have　ached　with　the　exercise；　permission　was　at　last；　with　great　difficulty；　extorted　from　the　rigorous　Sibyl；　for　the　three　to　wait　upon　her　in　a　body。

Their　visit　was　not　so　still　as　Miss　Ingram’s　had　been：　we　heard　hysterical　giggling　and　little　shrieks　proceeding　from　the　library；　and　at　the　end　of　about　twenty　minutes　they　burst　the　door　open；　and　came　running　across　the　hall；　as　if　they　were　half…scared　out　of　their　wits。

“I　am　sure　she　is　something　not　right！”　they　cried；　one　and　all。　“She　told　us　such　things！　She　knows　all　about　us！”　and　they　sank　breathless　into　the　various　seats　the　gentlemen　hastened　to　bring　them。

Pressed　for　further　explanation；　they　declared　she　had　told　them　of　things　they　had　said　and　done　when　they　were　mere　children；　described　books　and　ornaments　they　had　in　their　boudoirs　at　home：　keepsakes　that　different　relations　ha