e dressing-gown, her
face pressed against the back of the sofa. In the far corner, the other
side of Fraulein sat Gertrude in her grey ulster, her knees comfortably
crossed, a quilted scarlet silk bedroom-slipper sticking out under the
hem of her ulster.

The thunder crashed and pounded just above them. Everyone started and
exclaimed. Emma flung her arms up across her face and sat back in
her chair with a hooting cry. From the sofa came a hidden sobbing and
gasping. "Ach Himmel! Ach Herr _Je_sus! Ach du _lie_-ber, _lie_-ber
Gott!"

Miriam wished they could see the lightning and be prepared for the
crashes. If she were alone she would watch for the flashes and put
her fingers in her ears after each flash. The shock of the sound
was intolerable to her. Once it had broken, she drank in the tumult
joyfully. She sat tense and miserable longing to get to bed. She
wondered whether it would be of any use to explain to Fraulein that they
would be safer in their iron bedsteads than anywhere in the house.
She tried to distract her thoughts.... Fancy Jimmie's name being
Christina.... It suited her exactly sitting there in her little striped
dressing-gown with its "toby" frill. How Harriett would scream if she
could see them all sitting round. But she and Harriett had once lain
very quiet and frightened in a storm by the sea--the thunder and
lightning had come together and someone had looked in and said, "There
won't be another like that, children." "My boots, I should hope not,"
Harriett had said.

For a while it seemed as though cannon balls were being thumped down
and rumbled about on the floor above; then came another deafening crash.
Jimmie laughed and put up her hand to her loosely-pinned top-knot as if
to see whether it was still there. Outcries came from all over the room.
After the first shock which had made her sit up sharply and draw herself
convulsively together, Miriam found herself turning towards Solomon
Martin who had also stirred and sat forward. Their eyes met full and
consulted. Solomon's lips were compressed, her perspiring face was
alight and determined. Miriam felt that she looked for long into those
steady, oily half-smiling brown eyes. When they both relaxed she sat
back, catching a sympathetic challenging flash from Gertrude. She drew a
deep breath and felt proud and easy. Let it bang, she said to herself. I
must think of doors suddenly banging--that never makes me jumpy--and she
sat easily breathing.