silk towards her, and in her fright, she tore down the curtain, which
enveloped her from head to foot. Then she ran through the still open
door, heedless of the fact that she could not see where she was going.
Adam, followed by Sir Nathaniel, rushed forward and joined her--Adam
catching his wife by the arm and holding her tight. It was well that he
did so, for just before her lay the black orifice of the well-hole,
which, of course, she could not see with the silk curtain round her head.
The floor was extremely slippery; something like thick oil had been
spilled where she had to pass; and close to the edge of the hole her feet
shot from under her, and she stumbled forward towards the well-hole.

When Adam saw Mimi slip, he flung himself backward, still holding her.
His weight told, and he dragged her up from the hole and they fell
together on the floor outside the zone of slipperiness. In a moment he
had raised her up, and together they rushed out through the open door
into the sunlight, Sir Nathaniel close behind them. They were all pale
except the old diplomatist, who looked both calm and cool. It sustained
and cheered Adam and his wife to see him thus master of himself. Both
managed to follow his example, to the wonderment of the footmen, who saw
the three who had just escaped a terrible danger walking together gaily,
as, under the guiding pressure of Sir Nathaniel's hand, they turned to re-
enter the house.

Lady Arabella, whose face had blanched to a deadly white, now resumed her
ministrations at the tea-board as though nothing unusual had happened.
The slop-basin was full of half-burned brown paper, over which tea had
been poured.

Sir Nathaniel had been narrowly observing his hostess, and took the first
opportunity afforded him of whispering to Adam: