He
was a simple and a candid soul, and he would fall into such a little
innocent conspiracy. Meantime, it would be quite easy for her to remain
in the house perfectly undisturbed and unknown to either of the
gentlemen.
She opened the door and looked in.
So far, no reason would be wanted. The patient was sleeping peacefully.
But not in the bed. He was lying, partly dressed and covered with a
blanket, on the sofa. With the restlessness of convalescence he had
changed his couch in the morning after a wakeful night, and was now
sleeping far into the morning.
The bed, as is common in French houses, stood in an alcove. A heavy
curtain hung over a rod, also in the French manner. Part of this
curtain lay over the head of the bed.
The woman perceived the possibility of using the curtain as a means of
concealment. There was a space of a foot between the bed and the wall.
She placed herself, therefore, behind the bed, in this space, at the
head, where the curtain entirely concealed her. Nothing was more
unlikely than that the doctor should look behind the bed in that
corner. Then with her scissors she pierced a hole in the curtain large
enough for her to see perfectly without the least danger of being seen,
and she waited to see what would happen.
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