Here the latch of Madame Beck’s chamber-door (opening into the nursery) gave a sudden click, as if the hand holding it had been slightly convulsed; there was the suppressed explosion of an irrepressible sneeze. These little accidents will happen to the best of us. Madame⁠—excellent woman! was then on duty. She had come home quietly, stolen upstairs on tiptoe; she was in her chamber. If she had not sneezed, she would have heard all, and so should I; but that unlucky sternutation routed Dr. John. While he stood aghast, she came forward alert, composed, in the best yet most tranquil spirits: no novice to her habits but would have thought she had just come in, and scouted the idea of her ear having been glued to the keyhole for at least ten minutes. She affected to sneeze again, declared she was enrhumée , and then proceeded volubly to recount her courses en fiacre . The prayer-bell rang, and I left her with the doctor.