“That dagger.”
Suddenly the girl reeled, and then sank down in a heap. I sprang to her
assistance.
“You are faint. Come out of here. It has been too much for you.”
“Water,” she murmured. “Quick. Water.…”
I left her, and rushed into the house. Fortunately none of the servants
were about, and I was able to secure a glass of water unobserved and
add a few drops of brandy from a pocket flask. In a few minutes I was
back again. The girl was lying as I had left her, but a few sips of the
brandy and water revived her in a marvellous manner.
“Take me out of here—oh, quickly, quickly!” she cried, shuddering.
Supporting her with my arm I led her out into the air, and she pulled
the door to behind her. Then she drew a deep breath.
“That’s better. Oh, it was horrible! Why did you ever let me go in?”
I felt this to be so feminine that I could not forbear a smile.
Secretly, I was not dissatisfied with her collapse. It proved that she
was not quite so callous as I had thought her. After all she was little
more than a child, and her curiosity had probably been of the
unthinking order.
“I did my best to stop you, you know,” I said gently.
“I suppose you did. Well, good-bye.”
“Look here, you can’t start off like that—all alone. You’re not fit for
it. I insist on accompanying you back to Merlinville.”
“Nonsense. I’m quite all right now.”
“Supposing you felt faint again? No, I shall come with you.”
But this she combated with a good deal of energy. In the end, however,
I prevailed so far as to be allowed to accompany her to the outskirts
of the town. We retraced our steps over our former route, passing the
grave again, and making a detour on to the road. Where the first
straggling line of shops began, she stopped and held out her hand.
“Good-bye, and thank you ever so much for coming with me.”
“Are you sure you’re all right now?”
“Quite, thanks. I hope you won’t get into any trouble over showing me
things?”