On hearing my reply, the two sisters held a whispered consultation, which ended in Fanny saying in a subdued tone-- "Will you have some sweetstuff?" "Thank you," I replied, rather astonished, "I never eat sweets; I do not like them." This answer appeared to produce a very unfavourable impression. The sisters seemed to think me a traitor and a spy, and to repent their imprudent confidence. Of this, though I could not see them, I was intuitively conscious. "You need not be afraid that I should tell," I observed, somewhat indignantly. They both said in a breath "they were sure I would not," and very kindly pressed me to share their dainties. "Don't be afraid," encouragingly remarked Jane, "there is plenty of it." "A whole bagful," added Fanny, whose mouth seemed to be as full as her bag. "Oh, Fanny, you greedy thing!" exclaimed Jane, "you promised not to begin until I was ready: I am sure you have taken all the candy." I am afraid that thus it must have proved on examination, for I suddenly heard a sound slap, accompanied with a recommendation of "Take that," which, if it alluded to the slap, was wholly unnecessary, it being not merely received, but returned, with "Take that too," that proved the beginning of a regular battle. I felt greatly disgusted; the idea of fighting in bed was essentially repugnant to my sense of decorum; but an end was soon put to the contest, by the sound of an approaching step: on hearing it the combatants stopped as if by magic. "Say as we say," hastily whispered Jane. I felt something alight on my bed; the door opened, and Miss Clapperton-- I think it was Mary--appeared with a light in her hand, and her ugly good-humoured face wearing an expression of solemn reproof. "Young ladies," she observed, addressing the Misses Brook, "are you not ashamed of yourselves?" "We were only laughing," glibly said Jane, "weren't we, dear?" "Yes, dear," replied Fanny. "We could not help it," continued Jane; "she has some sweetstuff in bed with her, and she said she would give us some, and I said I would have all the candy, and Fanny said _she_ would: didn't you, dear?" "Yes, dear." I was amazed at the readiness of their invention, but I could not understand why Miss Clapperton looked at me so gravely. At length it came out: the perfidious Jane, knowing she would not have time to conceal the bag of sweetstuff, had tossed it on my bed, where it lay--a convincing proof of my guilt. Miss Clapperton reproved me very gently. "She did not allow sweets," she informed me, "but of course I did not know that, although she must say that eating them thus in the dark did not look quite like unconsciousness. Still she would not be severe on the first day. The confiscation of what she could assure me was most pernicious stuff, should be my only punishment." With this she retired.