and red woollen slippers, stood in a listening attitude, her gaze bent on the door that hid Granfa.
"Are you aware of the hour?" she demanded peremptorily. "Rise at once and open this door."
There was a creaking of the mattress and sound of shuffling feet; the door was opened reluctantly, and Granfa, bare-legged, white of beard and red-shirted, stood in the aperture.
Mrs. Handsomebody did not shriek; rather she made the inarticulate noises of one in a nightmare and put out her hands as if to keep Granfa off. "Merciful Heaven!" she whispered. "What has happened to you?"
"I do feel far from peart," replied Granfa.
"This is horrible. Did you feel it coming on?"
"Off and on for a long time," said Granfa. "It's been a terr'ble experience, and I ban't likely to be ever the same again, I'm afeared."
Mrs. Handsomebody looked ready to faint.
At that moment, Mary Ellen, having heard the voice of her mistress, projected her face above the doorsill of the backstairs. It was always a rosy face, but now with excitement and shamefacedness, it was as red as a harvest moon, coming up from the darkness.
The sight of her turned Mrs. Handsomebody's terror into rage.
[212]
