Page:Romance & Reality 3.pdf/46

44 "It is so light that the wind will blow it back. What shall we do to steady it? An arm of these huge chairs would be very convenient; but to break them is beyond my strength. But I have an idea." So saying, Lady Mandeville turned to the toilette, and mercilessly tied up in her handkerchief the various brushes, combs, oils, pomade, and rouge, with which the table was profusely covered. Their weight was sufficient, and the string was lowered from the window. They heard a splash in the water, and the next moment the string was apparently taken hold of: again it felt slack, and they drew it up, with some light weight attached to it. They saw a coil of rope, and another little scroll. It was a leaf from a pocket-book, written in pencil—by the feel, not by sight—and contained these words: "To the rope is fastened a species of ladder. Can you draw it up, and secure it sufficiently to allow my ascent? If you can—by way of signal, darken your lights for a moment." With some difficulty they deciphered the scrawl, and instantly proceeded to carry its advice into execution.