It was quite difficult to get myself to go downstairs. I seemed rooted. I knew that, seeing that I am that unfortunately situated person the hostess, my duty lay in morning smiles behind the coffee pot; but the conviction of what was going to happen to me after the coffee pot kept me rooted, even when the bell had rung twice. When, however, after the second ringing quick footsteps pattered along the passage to my door I did get up,--jumped up, afraid of what might be coming-in. Bedrooms are no real protection from uncles. Those quick footsteps might easily be Uncle Rudolph's. I hurried across to the door and pulled it open, so that at least by coming out I might stop his coming in; and there was Mrs. Antoine, her hand lifted up to knock. '_Ces dames et Monsieur l'Evêque attendent,_' she said, with an air of reproachful surprise. '_Il n'est pas un évêque_,' I replied a little irritably, for I knew I was in the wrong staying upstairs like that, and naturally resented not being allowed to be in the wrong in peace. '_Il est seulement presque un_.' Mrs. Antoine said nothing to that, but stepping aside to let me pass informed me rather severely that the coffee had been on the table a whole quarter of an hour. '_Comment appelle-t-on chez vous_,' I said, lingering in the doorway to gain time, '_ce qui vient devant un évêque?_' '_Ce qui vient devant un évêque?_' repeated Mrs. Antoine doubtfully. '_Oui. L'espèce de monsieur qui n'est pas tout à fait évêque mais presque?_' Mrs. Antoine knit her brows. '_Ma foi--_' she began. '_Oh, j'ai oublié_,' I said. '_Vous n'êtes plus catholique. Il n'y a rien comme des évêques et comme les messieurs qui sont presque évêques dans votre église protestante, n'est-ce pas?_' '_Mais rien, rien, rien_,' asseverated Mrs. Antoine vehemently, her hands spread out, her shoulders up to her ears, passionately protesting the empty purity of her adopted church,--'_mais rien du tout, du tout. Madame peut venir un dimanche voir...._' Then, having cleared off these imputations, she switched back to the coffee. '_Le café--Madame désire que j'en fasse encore? Ces dames et Monsieur l'Evêque--_' '_Il n'est pas un év--_' 'Ah--here you are!' exclaimed my uncle, his head appearing at the top of the stairs. 'I was just coming to see if there was anything the matter. Here she is--coming, coming!' he called out genially to the others; and on my hurrying to join him, for I am not one to struggle against the inevitable, he put his arm through mine and we went down together. Having got me to the bottom he placed both hands on my shoulders and twisted me round to the light. 'Dear child,' he said, scrutinizing my face while he held me firmly in this position, 'we were getting quite anxious about you. Mrs. Barnes feared you might be ill, and was already contemplating remedies--' I shuddered--'however--' he twisted me round to Mrs. Barnes--'nothing ill about this little lady, Mrs. Barnes, eh?'