apartment, shut the door,
and remained standing, without moving a single step, holding the wax
candle in my hand.

I heard laughter and whispering in the corridor. Without doubt they
were spying on me. I cast a glance round the walls, the furniture, the
ceiling, the hangings, the floor. I saw nothing to justify suspicion.
I heard persons moving about outside my door. I had no doubt they were
looking through the keyhole.

An idea came into my head: "My candle may suddenly go out and leave me
in darkness."

Then I went across to the mantelpiece and lighted all the wax candles
that were on it. After that I cast another glance around me without
discovering anything. I advanced with short steps, carefully examining
the apartment. Nothing. I inspected every article, one after the other.
Still nothing. I went over to the window. The shutters, large wooden
shutters, were open. I shut them with great care, and then drew the
curtains, enormous velvet curtains, and placed a chair in front of them,
so as to have nothing to fear from outside.

Then I cautiously sat down. The armchair was solid. I did not venture
to get into the bed. However, the night was advancing; and I ended by
coming to the conclusion that I was foolish. If they were spying on me,
as I supposed, they must, while waiting for the success of the joke they
had been preparing for me, have been laughing immoderately at my
terror. So I made up my mind to go to bed. But the bed was particularly
suspicious-looking. I pulled at the curtains. They seemed to be secure.

All the same, there was danger. I was going perhaps to receive a cold
shower both from overhead, or perhaps, the moment I stretched myself
out, to find myself sinking to the floor with my mattress. I searched
in my memory for all the practical jokes of which I ever had experience.
And I did not want to be caught. Ah! certainly not! certainly not! Then
I suddenly bethought myself of a precaution which I considered insured
safety. I caught hold of the side of the mattress gingerly, and very
slowly drew it toward me. It came away, followed by the sheet and the
rest of the bedclothes. I dragged all these objects into the very middle
of the room, facing the entrance door. I made my bed over again as best
I could at some distance from the suspected bedstead and the corner
which had filled me with such anxiety. Then I extinguished all the
candles, and, groping my way, I slipped under the bed clothes.

For at