but, oh, Mamma, the whole dance . . . the whole dance was a torture!"
Adeline mingled her sobs with Gerdy's:
"My darling, my poor, poor darling!"
"Mamma! Oh, Mamma!"
"What is it, my poor dear?"
"Listen, Mamma!"
"What?"
"Don't you hear? The sound . . . upstairs!"
"Hush! . . . Hush! . . . The sound . . ."
"Is dragging itself . . ."
"Downstairs. It's like a footstep. It's always like that."
"Oh, Mamma, I'm frightened!"
"It's nothing, dear: the wind, a draught, a board creaking . . ."
"Oh, but I'm frightened!"
"It's nothing. . . . I opened the door once . . . to look."
"You dared to?"
"Yes. It was nothing."
"There was nothing to see? . . . "
"No. It was only very draughty."
"And everything's closed!"
"It's nothing, it's nothing, dear."
"Now it's dragging itself away . . . down below. . . ."
"It's the draught. . . . Oh, my poor, poor darling!"
"Oh, Mamma, I'm unhappy . . . and I'm frightened, I'm frightened, I'm frightened! . . ."
