a fresh contingent was arriving in time for dinner. Well, so much the better; it was all homage to Lucia, and had Cathie only grasped a few of their names, she would have been scarcely at all terrified. But it was the conversing with a crowd of anonymous folk that was a little agitating; no doubt, however, she would learn their names in time.
Then came a sound outside as if several people were running races down the corridor of polished oak, which Cathie had found so very slippery to walk on at all, followed by a loud bang, as if somebody had fallen down, and peals of laughter, in which she thought she detected Lucia's merriment. Then came Lucia's voice.
Oh, did you ever see anything so funny? The whole house shook, Tom. I'm sure you must weigh twenty stone. Yes, Mouse, that's your room at the end of the passage—left-hand side, you know, not the right. That's where the Babe's cradle is. But do see he's dressed in time, and help him to brush his hair, if he needs assistance. Half-past eight dinner; but really half-past, because Edgar always dies at twenty minutes to nine, if he hasn't begun to eat by then. So please be punctual, all of you. I hope you'll all find your rooms. I don't know where they all are."
"Where are you going, Lucia?" said a man's voice.
Cathie could not hear the reply; there were a few whispered words, and a stifled laugh, that suddenly made her feel a little uncomfortable. Then Lucia tapped, and said:
"Darling Aunt Cathie, may I come in?"
Aunt Cathie was sitting by the fire with only one candle, and the room was nearly dark in consequence. She had thought it strange that there should only be one candle, for at Fair View Cottage they always gave their guests two on the dressing-table and two on the writing-table. But no doubt they would bring a lamp soon. Then Lucia entered and spoke.
"But it's absolutely pitch-dark, like Egypt," she said. "Where are you, Aunt Cathie? I can't see anything."
A sound clicked in the gloom, and half a dozen electric lights flared out by the bed, by the dressing-table, by the writing-table.
"Or did you find the light too strong?" asked Lucia. "Shall I put them out again?"
Aunt Cathie rose to greet her.
"Not for worlds," she said. "Never thought of electric light. Why, it's quite an illumination. Beautiful!"
