Then the whole truth dawned upon her.
I rose from my knees and walked sheepishly back to my bed.
"What are you doing out of your bed, sir ?" demanded she.
It was little use delaying matters by a parley, so I replied, bluntly, "Talking to Smith." "And I," added the loyal Smith, "was talking to Batchelor!" "Silence!" cried the Griffin.

"Batchelor, dress immediately, and follow me!" I did as I was bid, mechanically--that is, I slipped on my knickerbockers and slippers--and found myself in a couple of minutes, thus airily attired, following Miss Henniker, like a ghost, down the long passage.

She led the way, not, as I expected, to the parlour, or to Mr Ladislaw's room, but conducted me upstairs and ushered me into a small and perfectly empty garret.
"Remain here, Batchelor!" said she, sternly.
The next moment she was gone, locking the door behind her, and I was left shivering, and in total darkness, to spend the remainder of the night in these unexpected quarters.
My first sensation was one of utter and uncontrollable rage.

I was tempted to fling myself against the door, to shout, to roar until some one should come to release me.

Then as suddenly came over me the miserable certainty that I was helpless, and that anything I did would be but labour lost, and injure no one but myself.