CHAPTER THE THIRTEENTH. 

BLANCHE. 

MRS. INCHBARE was the first person who acted in the emergency. She called for lights; and sternly rebuked the house-maid, who brought them, for not having closed the house door. "Ye feckless ne'er-do-weel!" cried the landlady; "the wind's blawn the candles oot." 

The woman declared (with perfect truth) that the door had been closed. An awkward dispute might have ensued if Blanche had not diverted Mrs. Inchbare's attention to herself. The appearance of the lights disclosed her, wet through with her arms round Anne's neck. Mrs. Inchbare digressed at once to the pressing question of changing the young lady's clothes, and gave Anne the opportunity of looking round her, unobserved. Arnold had made his escape before the candles had been brought in. 

In the mean time Blanche's attention was absorbed in her own dripping skirts. 

"Good gracious! I'm absolutely distilling rain from every part of me. And I'm making you, Anne, as wet as I am! Lend me some dry things. You can't? Mrs. Inchbare, what does your experience suggest? Which had I better do? Go to bed while my clothes are being dried? or borrow from your wardrobe--though you _are_ a head and shoulders taller than I am?" 

Mrs. Inchbare instantly bustled out to fetch the choicest garments that her wardrobe could produce. The moment the door had closed on her Blanche looked round the room in her turn. 

The rights of affection having been already asserted, the claims of curiosity naturally pressed for satisfaction next. 
Who has drenched skirts?
Who was the first to act?
What did she do first?
What were they arguing about?
Who had their arms around Anne's neck?
What did Mrs. Inchbare want to handle?
What did Anne do at that moment?
What was she trying to ascertain?
And what did?
Did anybody see him?
What did Mrs. Inchbare leave to do?
Whose were they?
Who looked around after she left?
Were Blanche and Mrs. Inchbare the same size?
Who was taller?
What did Mrs. Inchbare blame for the candles going out?
Who did she think did not close the door?
Blanche
Blanche's attention was absorbed in her own dripping skirts. 
Mrs. Inchbare
MRS. INCHBARE was the first person who acted i
Called for lights
She called for lights;
Whether the door was closed.
The woman declared (with perfect truth) that the door had been closed. An awkward dispute
Blanche
Blanche had not diverted Mrs. Inchbare's attention to herself. The appearance of the lights disclosed her, wet through with her arms round Anne's neck
The issue of the lady's clothes.
Mrs. Inchbare digressed at once to the pressing question of changing the young lady's clothes
Look around.
 gave Anne the opportunity of looking round her, 
What happened to Arnold.
gave Anne the opportunity of looking round her, unobserved. Arnold had made his escape before the candles had been brought in.
He had escaped.
 Arnold had made his escape 
No
unobserved. Arnold had made his escape 
Get some clothes.
Mrs. Inchbare instantly bustled out to fetch the choicest garments that her wardrobe could produce.
Her own
Mrs. Inchbare instantly bustled out to fetch the choicest garments that her wardrobe could produce. 
Blanche
The moment the door had closed on her Blanche looked round the room in her turn. 

No
Go to bed while my clothes are being dried? or borrow from your wardrobe--though you _are_ a head and shoulders taller than I am?" 
Mrs. Inchbare
 Mrs. Inchbare, what does your experience suggest? Which had I better do? Go to bed while my clothes are being dried? or borrow from your wardrobe--though you _are_ a head and shoulders taller than I am?" 
The wind
"the wind's blawn the candles oot." 

The house-maid
She called for lights; and sternly rebuked the house-maid, who brought them, for not having closed the house door.