I wish you would look. You
know I had it before I came here."
Not only did Emma look, but as soon as her mistress was ready to
leave the room she went herself on a voyage of discovery, peeping
first into the little dressing-room, where seeing Babie at her
morning prayers, she said nothing to disturb her, and then going on
to look into some spare rooms beyond, where she thought it might have
been disposed of, as being not smart enough for my lady's chamber.
Coming back to her room she found, to her extreme amazement, the
closet open, and Babie pushing the davenport out of it, with her
cheeks crimson and a look of consternation at being detected.
"My dear child! The davenport there! Did you know it? How did it
get there?"
"I put it," said Barbara, evidently only forced to reply by sheer
sincerity.
"You! And why?"
"I thought it safer," mumbled Babie.
"And you knew where the key of the closet was?"
"Yes."
"Where?"
"In my doll's bed, locked up in the baby-house."
"This is most extraordinary. When did you do this?"
"Just before we came out to you at Leukerbad," said Babie, each reply
pumped out with great difficulty.
"Four years ago! It is a very odd thing. I suppose you had a panic,
for you were too old then for playing monkey tricks.
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