I assented rather nervously. I should have a scene to go through with Mr. Rayner, and an announcement to make which would entail a lot of argument and some persuasion and resistance, which I scarcely felt equal to, shaken as I was. “At what time will you want me, Mr. Rayner?” “How soon after breakfast can you come?” “May I have an hour first to finish some work I have to do? It doesn’t matter, if you would rather--” “In an hour’s time I shall expect you in the study, then.” After breakfast, I went upstairs, where I found Jane doing my room. I caught her looking at me shyly, as if I had gone up in interest in her eyes. She must have heard something of the night’s adventure--I wanted to know what. She prepared to leave the room when I entered. “Never mind, Jane; don’t go. You have nearly finished, I see. So you are doing the rooms this morning?” “Yes, miss; I’ve got to get into the way of it, miss.” She gave a gasp, as if to continue, but stopped. “Well?” said I, smiling, to encourage her to talk. “You know Sarah’s going away, miss.” “Is she?” said I, unable to keep my face from brightening at the welcome words. “Yes, miss. Oh, there has been a rumpus, and no mistake! You just should have heard her go on! But she’s going, and I’m not sorry, for one.” “What is she going away for?” said I. “Don’t you know, miss?” She spoke shyly, but was evidently prepared to disbelieve me if I said “No.” “I can guess; but what reason did she give you?” “Oh, it’s all along of you, miss! She burst in to cook and me this morning, and said as she wasn’t going to stay in a house where there was such goings on. That was what she said, miss.” And she paused, her shyness again getting the better of her anxiety to pour out all she had heard. “Go on, go on. You know I asked you to tell me,” said I gently. “Well, miss, she said all kind o’ things about you; but we didn’t take much notice o’ them, cook and me; we’re used to old Sally. But then she said--she said--” “Yes--well?” “She said as how she went up to your room, hearing a noise, and then--as how--” “Go on.” “Then as how--Mr. Rayner came up and--and wasn’t best pleased to find her there--” “Yes--well?” But Jane would not go on, but got very red, and fidgeted about with the cloth she was holding. And suddenly, as I watched the girl in wonder, the whole awful truth flashed upon me of the complexion that Sarah had given to the story. I did not speak for a minute--I only felt a strange little fluttering pain that seemed to be round my heart--and then I said very quietly-- “I suppose she didn’t tell you that she tried to steal something I wear round my neck; that, when she found she couldn’t, she threw a handkerchief steeped in some drug over my face to make me unconscious, that she might get at it more easily; that it was my screams that brought Mr. Rayner upstairs, and that he stood outside and called her till she came to him. Here, I’ll show you the very handkerchief.”