But they did not hear the noise; and, after waiting awhile, I ventured to open the door, when I could hear plainly poor Clara sobbing bitterly in the breakfast-room; and I was filled with remorse, as I felt how that I ought to be there to take my share of the blame. But I could not--no, I could not, I must own--summon up courage enough to go in and avow my fault. I had hardly closed the drawing-room door, when I heard a hand rattle the door of the breakfast-room, as if some one was about to open it, so I bounded along the hall to the back staircase; and hardly in time, for the breakfast-room door opened just as I was out of sight, and I heard Mrs Blunt's voice, in loud tones, to the teachers, I suppose-- "Ladies, be kind enough to see that the drawing-room window is properly secured." Up I darted to reach my own room, and it was well that I made for the back staircase; for there, regularly fringing the balustrade of the best staircase, were all the younger pupils and the servants looking down and listening; while I could hear the sounds coming up from the hall, as my Lady Blunt and the teachers began again to storm at the poor silent girl, who never, that I could hear, answered them one single word, and in the act of slipping into my room, I nearly brushed the dress of one of the pupils. And now, if Clara would only be a martyr, I felt safe, as I stood inside our room, and listened for a few moments to the words which came up quite plainly in the still night. "Once more, I insist upon knowing who it was," shrieked Mrs Blunt, while her satellites added their feeble echoes. "Tell, directly!" screamed Miss Sloman. "Bad gell--bad gell!" croaked the Fraulein. "You must confess," cried Miss Furness, in shrill, treble tones. "Who was it, Miss Fitzacre?" cried Mrs Blunt. And then there was a stamp upon the floor, but not a word from Clara; and I dared stay for no more, but closed the door, listened to Patty snoring more loudly and ever, and then dashed to the washstand, recalling poor Clara's smutty face, and sponged my own quickly. Then I slipped on my _bonnet de nuit_, and undressed quicker than I ever before did in my life. Then just as I had finished, I heard them coming up the stairs--scuffling of feet and shutting of doors as the pupils hurried into their rooms, some skirmishing at a terrible rate past my door; so I slipped into bed with my head turned towards the window, and lay there with my heart beating tumultuously. "Now, if they only did not come here first, I'm safe," I muttered. I felt how exceedingly fortunate it was for me that Patty slept so soundly: for not only had she not seen me enter, but if she had slept all through the disturbance, and had not heard Clara go, why should I not have done the same? And I felt that it would help to remove suspicion from me.