CHAPTER III.
A NOCTURNAL ADVENTURE.
It was very nice to waken the next morning and find the sunshinestreaming in at the windows.
Barbara was ready to be charmed with everything, from the pretty littlemaid in the mob cap, who carried in the breakfast, to the crisp rollsand coffee. Both of the travellers were quite rested, and eager tobegin sight-seeing, and Miss Britton left the choice of place to herniece. The latter diligently scanned the guide-book as she took herbreakfast, and kept calling out fresh suggestions every few moments;but, finally, they determined on the Louvre as most worthy of theirfirst visit.
I do not know whether it was the experience of the night before, butAunt Anne seemed to have a fixed idea that Paris was full of thieves,and before starting out she made the most careful preparations forencountering pickpockets. She sewed some of her money into a littlebag inside her dress, put some more into a pocket in her underskirt,and said that Barbara might pay for things in general, as it wouldteach her the use of French money. She herself kept only a fewcentimes in a shabby purse in her dress pocket, "to disappoint anythief who took it."
As soon as the _fiacre_ stopped in the court of the Louvre, they werebesieged by several disreputable and seedy-looking men wanting to actas guides through the galleries. Partly to get rid of the rest, partlybecause they thought it might be easier, they engaged thetidiest-looking one who seemed to know most English, and, feelingrather pleased with themselves, entered the first gallery. Of course,Barbara wished to begin by seeing those pictures which she had heardmost about; but the guide had a particular way of his own of takingpeople round, and did not like any interference.
Indeed, he did not even like to let them stay longer than a few secondsat each picture, and kept chattering the whole time, till at last theygrew annoyed, and Aunt Anne told him they would do the rest bythemselves. But it took some time to get rid of him, and then he wentsulkily, complaining that they had not given him enough, though Barbarafelt sure he had really got twice as much as was his due.
They enjoyed themselves very much without him, and saw a great dealbefore lunch-time.
At the end of the meal, when Aunt Anne was going to take out her purseto use the centimes in it for a tip for the waiter, she discovered herpreparations had not been in vain, and that the purse really had beenstolen. Perhaps, on the whole, she was rather glad, for she turned toBarbara in triumph.
"There now, Barbara," she said, "if I had had my other purse in mypocket, it would have been just the same, and now whoever has it willbe properly disappointed!"
They did not return to Neuilly until the evening, where they met therest of the pension at dinner. Besides two brothers of the Belvoirfamily, there were a number of French visitors and one English family,to whom Miss Britton and her niece took an immediate dislike. Thefather, who, they were told, was a solicitor whose health had brokendown, was greedy and vulgar, and his son and daughter were pale,frightened-looking creatures, who took no part in the gay conversationwhich the French kept up.
After dinner, when every one else went into the salon for music, thesolicitor and his children retired to their rooms, which MademoiselleBelvoir and her brothers seemed to resent. The former confided toBarbara, in very quaint English, that they had never had such people intheir house before, and Aunt Anne, who overheard the remark, shook herhead sagely.
"I would not trust them, Mademoiselle" (Miss Britton was English fromthe sole of her foot to the tip of her tongue). "They seem unpleasant,and I have a great power for reading faces." At which MademoiselleBelvoir murmured something about wishing her mother were back.
However, the evening was a pleasant one, though Barbara was so tiredthat she was hardly an intelligent listener to the music provided, andfell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow.
She was, therefore, a little surprised when she awoke suddenly twohours later for apparently no reason at all. She had been dreamingabout something exciting, and lay trying to remember what it was, whenan eerie feeling stole over her, and it seemed as if she heardbreathing--which was not her aunt's--close beside her. She did notdare to move for a moment. Then she turned her head very gently, andbetween the two windows near the recess she was sure she saw a darkfigure. The longer she watched the surer she became, and she knew itcould not be her aunt, whom she heard breathing quietly in the otherbed.
It was certainly a horrible sensation, and all the unpleasant storiesshe had ever read crowded into her mind. At first she could not thinkwhat to do, but at last made up her mind to go across the room to MissBritton's bed and tell her.
Yawning, and pretending to wake up gradually, though all the time shefelt as if she had been lying there for hours, she called out, "AuntAnne, I can't sleep, so I'm coming into your bed."
Miss Britton awoke at once--she was a light sleeper--and at first Ithink she imagined her niece was mad.
"If you can't sleep in your own bed," she said, "I'm quite sure youwon't sleep in mine, for it's not big enough for two."
But Barbara persisted, and at last her aunt gave way. "Well," she saidat last, rather crossly, "be quick if you are coming. I don't want tobe kept awake all night."
The truth was, it seemed so horrible to cross the room close to thatblack figure--as she would have to do--that Barbara lingered a moment,screwing up her courage. It was hard, certainly, to walk slowlyacross, for she thought she should not run, feeling all the time as iftwo hands would catch hold of her in the darkness. She was very gladto creep in beside her aunt, and at first could not do anything but lieand listen to that lady's grumblings. Then warning her not to scream,she whispered very softly that there was a man beside the window. MissBritton took it wonderfully coolly, and after the first start saidnothing for a few minutes. Then she remarked in loud, cheerful tones,"Well, child, as you are not sleepy, let us talk about our plans forto-morrow."
They talked a long time, hoping that the man would give it up and go;but still the black figure stood there motionless.
At last Barbara, who could bear it no longer, said "Oh, aunt, since wecan't sleep let us put on the light and read up things in theguide-book."
At that moment she heard a rustle behind, and saw the man try to getinto the recess; but the trunks were there, and meeting thatobstruction, he turned and made a quick dash to the French window, andwas out in a moment, whereupon Aunt Anne and Barbara sat up in bed andscreamed. Then the girl leaped to the electric light, and her aunt tothe bell, and in a few moments the maids and the Misses Belvoir camerunning in.
"He's gone!" cried Barbara, looking out of the window and feeling quitebrave now that so many people had arrived. "He's gone, and it was toodark to see his face."
Aunt Anne, meanwhile, explained, as well as she could, what hadhappened, and the Misses Belvoir looked so frightened and worried thatBarbara felt she must be a dreadful nuisance. But they were very niceand extremely apologetic, declaring that such a thing had neverhappened before, and that the police should be told in the morning, andtheir brothers would search the garden at once and sit outside theirdoor all night if Miss Britton liked. But Aunt Anne, who haddelightful common-sense, said briskly--
"Nonsense; whoever it was, he will be too frightened to think of comingback to-night, so just go to your beds, and let us get to ours." Andshe pushed them gently out. They continued to murmur apologies afterthe door was shut; but Aunt Anne paid not the least heed.
"Now, my dear," she said, turning to Barbara, "I am sure you know thatwhat I said to them is quite true, and that our friend will not returnto-night. So be sensible, and go back to bed, and we will talk aboutit all in the morning."
Of course, Barbara did as she was told, and, though she was sure shewould never get to sleep, strange to say, in a very little while shewas dreaming peacefully, and did not waken till late next morning.