Page:Bentley- Trent's Last Case (Nelson, nd).djvu/119

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POKING ABOUT.
111

mistress yesterday morning at seven o'clock, was the door between the two bedrooms–this door here–open?'

Célestine became intensely animated in an instant. 'Oh yes!' she said, using her favourite English idiom. 'The door was open as always, monsieur, and I shut it as always. But it is necessary to explain. Listen! When I enter the room of madame from the other door in there–ah! but if monsieur will give himself the pain to enter the other room, all explains itself.' She tripped across to the door, and urged Trent before her into the larger bedroom with a hand on his arm. 'See! I enter the room with the tea like this. I approach the bed. Before I come quite near the bed, here is the door to my right hand–open always–so! But monsieur can perceive that I see nothing in the room of Monsieur Manderson. The door opens to the bed, not to me who approach from down there. I shut it without seeing in. It is the order. Yesterday it was as ordinary. I see nothing of the next room. Madame sleep like an angel–she see nothing. I shut the door. I place the plateau–I open the curtains–I prepare the toilette–