Le Frank.

"Thinking over it, since last night," she said confidentially, "I cannot
imagine how you heard him walking overhead. He has such a soft step that
he positively takes me by surprise when he comes into my room. He has
gone out for an hour; and I have done him a little favour which I am
not in the habit of conferring on ordinary lodgers--I have lent him my
umbrella, as it threatens rain. In his absence, I will ask you to listen
while I walk about in his room. One can't be too particular, when rest
is of such importance to your young lady--and it has struck me as just
possible, that the floor of his room may be in fault. My dear, the
boards may creak! I'm a sad fidget, I know; but, if the carpenter can
set things right--without any horrid hammering, of course!--the sooner
he is sent for, the more relieved I shall feel."

Through this harangue, the nurse had waited, with a patience far from
characteristic of her, for an opportunity of saying a timely word. By
some tortuous mental process, that she was quite unable to trace, the
landlady's allusion to Mr. Le Frank had suggested the very idea of
which, in her undisturbed solitude, she had been vainly in search.
Never before, had the mistress of the house appeared to Teresa in such a
favourable light.

"You needn't trouble yourself, ma'am," she said, as soon as she could
make herself heard; "it _was_ the creaking of the boards that told me
somebody was moving overhead."

"Then I'm not a fidget after all? Oh, how you relieve me! Whatever the
servants may have to do, one of them shall be sent instantly to the
carpenter. So glad to be of any service to that sweet young creature!"

Teresa consulted her watch before she returned to the bedroom.

The improvement in Carmina still continued: she was able to take some
of the light nourishment that was waiting for her. As Benjulia had
anticipated, she asked to have the blind lowered a little. Teresa drew
it completely over the window: she had her own reasons for tempting
Carmina to repose. In half an hour more, the weary girl was sleeping,
and the nurse was at liberty to set her trap for Mr. Le Frank.

Her first proceeding was to dip the end of a quill pen into her bottle
of salad oil, and to lubricate the lock and key of the door that gave
access to the bedroom from the stairs. Having satisfied herself that the
key could now be used without making the slightest sound, she turned to
the door of communication with the si