Both started and looked at the hands of the clock. Could that possibly be the carriage already, which had gone to fetch the colonel from the station? At twelve? Surely not. The horses were never put in before a quarter to two, or they would have had to wait at the station for an hour and a half. Probably it was the milkman, who had been delayed in bringing back his cans. They grew calm again. A whole long precious hour was before them, an hour of sweet enjoyment and oblivion of everything except each other. To show his relief he made a popping sound with his mouth. She stretched out her arms and lifted herself up to his level with a contented smile. At that very moment there were three short peremptory raps on the door opening into the corridor. Fraeulein von Schwertfeger's voice called out, "Open the door, Lilly; open the door immediately." Walter bounded up. Before she could look round he had glided out of the room. She felt as if bells were pealing in her ears, and a vague longing to sink through the bed before the knock was repeated and drew her to the door to turn the key. Overcome with shame, she had hardly time to bury herself under the quilt again before Fraeulein von Schwertfeger's eyes took a hasty survey of the room and alighted on something grey and round in a corner. She darted at it, and only later did Lilly recognise that it was Walter's cap. She drew back the bolt of the door into the colonel's room, and then with apparent calm, as if nothing had happened, seated herself on the edge of Lilly's bed. "Whatever you do, don't cry," she whispered hurriedly, and then the colonel's footsteps were heard in the corridor. "Good gracious, is it so late? How time flies when two women get gossiping!" was the speech Fraeulein von Schwertfeger greeted him with. Her tone expressed the most unbounded surprise. There he stood, and appeared not altogether pleased at not finding his young wife alone. "Where do you spring from all at once, colonel? You can't have ordered a special train, and if you came through the air, I never knew before you had mastered the art of flying; and I am sure your wife didn't--did you, my pet? You see, she is rendered speechless with astonishment." Thus she talked on, giving Lilly a few moments in which to collect herself. Forced to render account of his movements, he said that as he drove to the station he had remembered that it was a neighbouring squire's birthday, and, changing his plans on the spot, had turned round and gone to help in the celebration of the happy event instead of going to town. "That is always the way," said Fraeulein von Schwertfeger; "the most extraordinary events have the simplest explanations. Good-night, dearest. I hope you will sleep well, and wake up without headache." The colonel was on the alert. "Why, if she had a headache, didn't you leave her to go to sleep long ago?" he asked. Fraeulein von Schwertfeger was equal to the occasion, and without hesitating a moment she replied: