Those bold words about the "new wife" had
been assuredly spoken before I heard Josephine stealing up to the
door.
As soon as the fire was alight and the bed made, I went back to
the music-room to announce that my orders had been obeyed. Mr.
James Smith was walking up and down in a perturbed way, still
keeping his hat on. He followed me to the Red Room without saying
a word.
Ten minutes later he rang for the kettle and the bottle of
brandy. When I took them in I found him unpacking a small
carpet-bag, which was the only luggage he had brought with him.
He still kept silence, and did not appear to take any notice of
me. I left him immediately without our having so much as
exchanged a single word.
So far as I could tell, the night passed quietly. The next
morning I heard that my mistress was suffering so severely from a
nervous attack that she was unable to rise from her bed. It was
no surprise to me to be told that, knowing as I did what she had
gone through the night before.
About nine o'clock I went with the hot water to the Red Room.
After knocking twice I tried the door, and, finding it not
locked, went in with the jug in my hand.
I looked at the bed--I looked all round the room. Not a sign of
Mr. James Smith was to be seen anywhere.
Judging by appearances, the bed had certainly been occupied.
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