He saw one of her hands that were lying on her knee clench itself, so that the knuckles stood out white.
"Yes, we will all talk together, then," she said.

"Or--er--shall I have a little doze first?
I am rather sleepy with so much pleasant air.

And you are sleepy, too, are you not, Michael?
Yes, I see you look sleepy.
Shall we have a little nap, as I often do after tea?
Then, when I am fresh again, you shall come back, nurse, and we will talk over our pleasant day." When he entered the room, Michael had not quite closed the door, and now, as half an hour before, he heard steps on the stairs.

A moment afterwards his mother heard them too.
"What is that ?" she said.

"Who is coming now to disturb me, just when I wanted to have a nap ?" There came a knock at the door.