essed. "Oh yes," said Miriam stiffly.

They blew out the candle when the bell sounded and got into bed. Miriam
imagined the Martins' regular features under their barley and poppy
trimmed hats. She knew exactly the kind of English hat it would be. They
were certainly not pretty hats--she wondered at Mademoiselle's French
eyes being so impressed. She knew they must be hats with very narrow
brims, the trimming coming nearly to the edge and Solomon's she
felt sure inclined to be boat-shaped. Mademoiselle was talking about
translated English books she had read. Miriam was glad of her thin voice
piercing the darkness--she did not want to sleep. She loved the day that
had gone; and the one that was coming. She saw the room again as it had
been when Mademoiselle had looked up towards the toiles d'araignees.
She had never thought of there being cobwebs up there. Now she saw them
dangling in corners, high up near those mysterious windows unnoticed,
looking down on her and Mademoiselle... Fraulein Pfaff's cobwebs. They
were hers now, had been hers through cold dark nights.... Mademoiselle
was asking her if she knew a most charming English book... "La Premiere
Priere de Jessica"?

"Oh yes."

"Oh, the most beautiful book it would be possible to read." An indrawn
breath, "Le Secret de Lady Audley."

"Yes," responded Miriam sleepily.

11

After the gay breakfast Miriam found herself alone in the schoolroom.
listening inadvertently to a conversation going on apparently in
Fraulein Pfaff's room beyond the little schoolroom. The voices were low,
but she knew neither of them, nor could she distinguish words. The sound
of the voices, boxed in, filling a little space shut off from the great
empty hall made the house seem very still. The saal was empty, the girls
were upstairs at their housework. Miriam restlessly rising early had
done her share before breakfast. She took Harriett's last letter from
her pocket and fumbled the disarranged leaves for the conclusion.

"We are sending you out two blouses. Don't you think you're lucky?"
Miriam glanced out at the young chestnut leaves drooping in tight pleats
from black twigs... "real grand proper blouses the first you've ever
had, and a skirt to wear them with... won't you be within an inch of
your life! Mother got them at Grigg's--one is squashed strawberry with
a sort of little catherine-wheely design in black going over it but not
too much, awfully smart; and the other is a sort