London, and went out every evening. This was against Lady Anne's express injunctions, but there were too many quarters of the governess's salary due for her to consider obedience indispensable.
Towards the end of the week the girls complained of violent headaches and restless nights; and before Monday it was very obvious that they were all in a high fever. Tuesday Isabella was delirious, and Mademoiselle Virginie sent the maid to Covent Garden to buy some herbs, which, she said, would form a sovereign tisane.
On Sarah's return, she was surprised to see no light in the hall; she let herself in with the key; no one was stirring in the lower part of the house; the fire was out in the kitchen; and the really kind-hearted girl began to reproach herself that she had loitered a little on her errand. She hastily lighted the fire, and went up stairs to ask Mademoiselle how the herbs were to be boiled; she was surprised to hear no sound, for the vicinity of Virginie de Montmorenci was rarely matter of doubt—for, unless asleep, silence formed no portion of her ordinary accomplishments—and was still as death till she came to what Lady Anne always called the young ladies' floor; the words attic, or garret, were absolutely banished from the language. Then she heard a low moaning, and saw that the rooms were quite dark.
She opened the first door, and beheld Isabella laid across the bed; she had apparently risen and fallen
