She stood at the head of the stairs; she went down a few steps, and listened; then cautiously she descended. The moon shone resplendent through the great window at the landing below the drawing-room. It was that at which Uncle David had paused to listen to the minstrelsy of Mr. Longcluse. Here in that flood of white light stands Alice Arden, like a statue of horror. The girl, without saying a word, takes her by the cold hand, and leads her quickly down to the arch that opens on the hall. Just as they reached this point, the door of the room, at the right of the hall door, occupied by Mr. Boult, who did duty as porter, opens, and stepping out with a candle in his hand, he calls in a savage tone-- "What's the row?" Phœbe pushed Alice's hand in the direction of the passage that leads to the housekeeper's room. For a moment the young lady stands irresolute. Her presence of mind returns. She noiselessly takes the hint, and enters the corridor; Phœbe advances to answer his challenge. "Well, Mr. Boult, and what _is_ the row, pray?" she pertly inquires, walking up to that gentleman, who eyes her sulkily, raising his candle, and displaying as he does so a big patch of red on each cheek-bone, indicative of the brandy, of which he smells potently. "What's the row?--_you're_ the row! What brings you down here, Miss Chivvige?" "My legs! There's your answer, you cross boy." She laughed wheedlingly. "Then walk you up again, and be d--d." "On! Mr. Boult." "P! Miss Phibbie." Mr. Boult was speaking thick, and plainly was in no mood to stand nonsense. "Now Mr. Boult, where's the good of making yourself disagreeable?" "Look at this 'ere," he replied, grimly holding a mighty watch, of some white metal, under her eyes--"you know your clock as well as me, Miss Chavvinge. The gentlemen will be in this 'ere awl in twenty minutes." "All the more need to be quick, Mr. Boult, Sir, and why will you keep me 'ere talking?" she replies. "You'll go up them 'ere stairs, young 'oman; you'll not put a foot in the kitchen to-night," he says more doggedly. "Well, we'll see how it will be when they comes and I tells 'em--'Please, gentlemen, the young lady, which you told me most particular to humour her in everything she might call for, wished a cup of tea, which I went down, having locked her door first, which here is the key of it,'" and she held it up for the admiration of Mr. Boult, "'which I consider it the most importantest key in the 'ouse; and though the young lady, she lay on her bed a-gasping, poor thing, for her cup of tea, Mr. Boult stopt me in the awl, and swore she shouldn't have a drop, which I could not get it, and went hup again, for he smelt all over of brandy, and spoke so wiolent, I daren't do as you desired.'"