At that moment Nora blew out the light, so that we were left in darkness, and my cousin locked the door, thus, as I supposed, dividing us from the enemy. "I say, Pattie, my soul," said I, whispering in her ear, "what is Nora going to do with him?" But she answered me not a word, and I took that as a hint to hold my own peace. The next instant I heard a rustling in the next room, and the voice of Jack Tickle saying softly, and almost in my own words, "I say, Pattie, my soul, what did you blow out the light for? Where are you?--Oh! you divine creature!" and I heard the smack of a kiss, that quite astonished me. "Pattie," said I, "what the deuse is the meaning of that?" But Pattie was as dumb as before. The rustling was transferred from the antechamber (I had taught my cousin to call it her boudoir) into the passage, and I could tell, by the creaking of a step, that my friend Tickle was going down stairs. "Pattie," said I, "what's in the wind now?" But still Pattie refused to answer me. While I was wondering at her silence, now that there was no fear of being overheard, I again distinguished the sound of the house door softly opened and shut. "I say, Pattie," said I, "what the devil is all that? and pray why don't you speak?" It occurred to me that her silence was all owing to a fit of bashfulness, caused by her having me locked up in the chamber with her. "Pattie," said I, reaching out my hands, "but without being able to reach her, you shouldn't be bashful nor nothing, considering we're to be married in less than half an hour. I say, Pattie, what are we to do now? where are you?" While I spoke I heard a carriage again rattle by the door, and, to my astonishment, the coachman saluted the house with three such cracks of his whip as my own had given a few minutes before. "Pattie," said I, while a cold sweat broke over my limbs, "_where_ are you, and why don't you speak?" I felt about the door for her, but felt in vain; I listened for the sound of her breath, hoping she might have hidden herself out of sheer mischief, but not a breath was to be heard; I went feeling about the chamber, and with as little effect. A horrible suspicion seized upon my fancy. There were two doors to the apartment, one opening upon the passage, the other into the boudoir; and both were locked as fast as doors could be. Where was the key my cousin Pattie turned when we entered the chamber together? It was gone. I discovered its absence, and looked round the chamber in astonishment and dismay.