As to her dress, I, little by little, became aware of two facts,
for whereas her gown was of a rough, coarse material such as
domestic servants wear, the stockinged foot that peeped at me
beneath its hem (her shoes were drying on the hearth) was clad in
a silk so fine that I could catch, through it, the gleam of the
white flesh beneath. From this apparent inconsistency I deduced
that she was of educated tastes, but poor--probably a governess,
or, more likely still, taking her hands into consideration, with
their long, prehensile fingers, a teacher of music, and was going
on to explain to myself her present situation as the outcome of
Beauty, Poverty, and the Devil, when she sighed, glanced toward
the door, shivered slightly, and reaching her shoes from the
hearth prepared to slip them on.
"They are still very wet!" said I deprecatingly.
"Yes," she answered.
"Listen to the wind!" said I.
"It is terribly high."
"And it rains very hard!" said I.
"Yes," and she shivered again.
"It will be bad travelling for any one to-night," said I.
Charmian stared into the fire.
"Indeed, it would be madness for the strongest to stir abroad on
such a night."
Charmian stared into the fire.
"What with the wind and the rain the roads would be utterly
impassable, not to mention the risks of falling trees or
shattered boughs."
Charmian shivered again.
"And the inns are all shut, long ago; to stir out, therefore,
would be the purest folly."
Charmian stared into the fire.
"On the other hand, here are a warm room, a good fire, and a very
excellent bed."
She neither spoke nor moved, only her eyes were raised suddenly
and swiftly to mine.
"Also," I continued, returning her look, "here, most convenient
to your hand, is a fine sharp knife, in case you are afraid of
the ghost or any other midnight visitant and so--good night,
madam!" Saying which, I took up one of the candles and crossed
to the door of that room--which had once been Donald's, but here
I paused to glance back at her. "Furthermore," said I, snuffing
my candle with great nicety, "madam need have no further qualms
regarding the color of my hair and eyes--none whatever."
Whereupon I bowed somewhat stiffly on account of my bruises, and,
going into my chamber, closed the door behind me.
Having made the bed (for since Donald's departure I had occupied
my two beds alternately) I undressed slowly, for my thumb was
very painful; also I paused frequently to catch the sound of the
light, quick footstep beyond the door, and the whisper of her
garments as she walked.