Then a cab klop-klopped over the cobbles below, and the quiet seemed to shake into little pieces.
"I had better pull up a blind," said Josephine bravely.
"Yes, it might be a good idea," whispered Constantia.
They only gave the blind a touch, but it flew up and the cord flew after, rolling round the blind-stick, and the little tassel tapped as if trying to get free.

That was too much for Constantia.
"Don't you think--don't you think we might put it off for another day ?" she whispered.
"Why ?" snapped Josephine, feeling, as usual, much better now that she knew for certain that Constantia was terrified.

"It's got to be done.
But I do wish you wouldn't whisper, Con." "I didn't know I was whispering," whispered Constantia.
"And why do you keep staring at the bed ?" said Josephine, raising her voice almost defiantly.

"There's nothing on the bed." "Oh, Jug, don't say so!" said poor Connie.

"At any rate, not so loudly." Josephine felt herself that she had gone too far.