Then Cytherea felt her way amid the darkness of the room till she came
to the head of the bed, where she searched for the bell-rope and gave it
a pull. Her summons was speedily answered by the landlady herself,
whose curiosity to know the meaning of these strange proceedings knew no
bounds. The landlady attempted to turn the handle of the door. Cytherea
kept the door locked. ‘Please tell Mr. Manston when he comes that I am
ill,’ she said from the inside, ‘and that I cannot see him.’
‘Certainly I will, madam,’ said the landlady. ‘Won’t you have a fire?’
‘No, thank you.’
‘Nor a light?’
‘I don’t want one, thank you.’
‘Nor anything?’
‘Nothing.’
The landlady withdrew, thinking her visitor half insane.
Manston came in about five minutes later, and went at once up to the
sitting-room, fully expecting to find his wife there. He looked round,
rang, and was told the words Cytherea had said, that she was too ill to
be seen.
‘She is in number twelve room,’ added the maid.
Manston was alarmed, and knocked at the door. ‘Cytherea!’
‘I am unwell, I cannot see you,’ she said.
‘Are you seriously ill, dearest? Surely not.’
‘No, not seriously.’
‘Let me come in; I will get a doctor.’
‘No, he can’t see me either.’
‘She won’t open the door, sir, not to nobody at all!’ said the
chambermaid, with wonder-waiting eyes.
‘Hold your tongue, and be off!’ said Manston with a snap.
The maid vanished.
‘Come, Cytherea, this is foolish--indeed it is--not opening the door....
I cannot comprehend what can be the matter with you. Nor can a doctor
either, unless he sees you.’
Her voice had trembled more and more at each answer she gave, but
nothing could induce her to come out and confront him. Hating scenes,
Manston went back to the sitting-room, greatly irritated and perplexed.
And there Cytherea from the adjoining room could hear him pacing up
and down. She thought, ‘Suppose he insists upon seeing me--he probably
may--and will burst open the door!’ This notion increased, and she sank
into a corner in a half-somnolent state, but with ears alive to the
slightest sound. Reason could not overthrow the delirious fancy that
outside her door stood Manston and all the people in the hotel, waiting
to laugh her to scorn.