"What madness!" cried the baroness, angrily; "and in Josephine's weak
state! Such a surprise might have driven her into a fit."

"Yes, it was foolish, but let it pass, mamma. Don't speak of it, for he
is so sorry about it."

Then Rose slipped out, ordered a fire in the salon, and not in the
tapestried room, and the next minute was at her sister's door. There she
found Raynal knocking, and asking Josephine how she was.

"Pray leave her to me a moment," said she. "I will bring her down to
you. Mamma is waiting for you in the salon."

Raynal went down. Rose unlocked the bedroom-door, went in, and, to her
horror, found Josephine lying on the floor. She dashed water in her
face, and applied every remedy; and at last she came back to life, and
its terrors.

"Save me, Rose! save me--he is coming to kill me--I heard him at the
door," and she clung trembling piteously to Rose.

Then Rose, seeing her terror, was almost glad at the suicidal falsehood
she had told. She comforted and encouraged Josephine and--deceived her.
(This was the climax.)

"All is well, my poor coward," she cried; "your fears are all imaginary;
another has owned the child, and the story is believed."

"Another! impossible! He would not believe it."

"He does believe it--he shall believe it."

Rose then, feeling by no means sure that Josephine, terrified as she
was, would consent to let her sister come to shame to screen her, told
her boldly that Jacintha had owned herself the mother of the child, and
that Raynal's only feeling towards HER was pity, and regret at having
so foolishly frightened her, weakened as she was by illness. "I told him
you had been ill, dear. But how came you on the ground?"

"I had come to myself; I was on my knees praying. He tapped. I heard his
voice. I remember no more. I must have fainted again directly."

Rose had hard work to make her believe that her guilt, as she called
it, was not known; and even then she could not prevail on her to come
down-stairs, until she said, "If you don't, he will come to you." On
that Josephine consented eagerly, and with trembling fingers began to
adjust her hair and her dress for the interview.

All this terrible night Rose fought for her sister. She took her
down-stairs to the salon; she put her on the sofa; she sat by her and
pressed her hand constantly to give her courage. She told the story of
the surprise her own way, before the whole party, including the doctor,
to prevent Rayna