There was one thing, though, in our correspondence which I did not like--poor Achille never could take any interest in our English poets; so that, if one quoted a bit of Byron or Moore to him, it was good for nothing, while he, the tiresome man, was always filling up his notes with scraps of Moliere, and I am sure I always praised them, and said that they were very beautiful. And now once more came the night for meeting, with all its heart-throbbing flurry and excitement; but this time, apparently, without any of the terrible contretemps that had previously troubled us. Patty was in high glee, and sat on the edge of her bedstead, munching an Abernethy biscuit, and grinning; while her great eyes, instead of half closing, like anybody else's would when they were laughing, became more round and wide open than ever. It seemed to be capital fun to her, and over and over again, when I glanced at her, she was giggling and laughing; and I do believe that, if I had not been there, she would have got up and danced about the room. But it was time to start at last, and upon this occasion I had no noisy drawer to open, for I had a ball of new, stout string in my pocket. So, one at a time, we glided along the passage, Clara going first, Patty second, and I followed behind, to close our door as quietly as was possible. "Pat, pat, pat," and, with a gentle rustle, we passed along the passage, and stood at last in the little end room, while I am sure that no one could have heard our footsteps. Clara made one effort to get rid of Patty before we started, but it was of no avail. "Arn't you afraid of catching a worse cold?" she said; "hadn't you better stay in the bedroom, dear?" For really she had a most miserable cold, and her eyes and nose looked as red as red. "I sha'n't catch any more cold than you will," she cried, just as she had once before upon a similar occasion--"I want to see all the fun." Fancy calling it fun! So we were obliged to suffer her presence; but I am afraid that I was uncharitable enough to wish that she might catch a bad sore throat for her pains, or else something that would keep her from coming again. However, there we all were; and as soon as ever we were all in the little room, I secured the door with a fork that I had brought for the purpose, and then, pulling out my string, I unfastened the window, when, fortunately, it glided up beautifully. Clara was the first to look out, and it not being a dark night, she popped in again directly, saying in a whisper-- "There he is. I can see him." "Let me look," cried Patty Smith, quite out loud; and then, when her head was out of the window, if she did not give quite a loud cough, in not only a most indiscreet way, but, really, one that was most reprehensible.