Onthisveryafternoon,whileSarawasout,astrangethinghappenedintheattic. OnlyMelchisedecsawandheardit;andhewassomuchalarmedandmystifiedthathescuttledbacktohisholeandhidthere,andreallyquakedandtrembledashepeepedoutfurtivelyandwithgreatcautiontowatchwhatwasgoingon. TheattichadbeenverystillallthedayafterSarahadleftitintheearlymorning. Thestillnesshadonlybeenbrokenbythepatteringoftherainupontheslatesandtheskylight. Melchisedechad,infact,founditratherdull;andwhentherainceasedtopatterandperfectsilencereigned,hedecidedtocomeoutandreconnoiter,thoughexperiencetaughthimthatSarawouldnotreturnforsometime. Hehadbeenramblingandsniffingabout,andhadjustfoundatotallyunexpectedandunexplainedcrumbleftfromhislastmeal,whenhisattentionwasattractedbyasoundontheroof. Hestoppedtolistenwithapalpitatingheart. Thesoundsuggestedthatsomethingwasmovingontheroof. Itwasapproachingtheskylight;itreachedtheskylight. Theskylightwasbeingmysteriouslyopened. Adarkfacepeeredintotheattic;thenanotherfaceappearedbehindit,andbothlookedinwithsignsofcautionandinterest. Twomenwereoutsideontheroof,andweremakingsilentpreparationstoenterthroughtheskylightitself. OnewasRamDassandtheotherwasayoungmanwhowastheIndiangentleman’ssecretary;butofcourseMelchisedecdidnotknowthis. Heonlyknewthatthemenwereinvadingthesilenceandprivacyoftheattic;andastheonewiththedarkfacelethimselfdownthroughtheaperturewithsuchlightnessanddexteritythathedidnotmaketheslightestsound,Melchisedecturnedtailandfledprecipitatelybacktohishole.Hewasfrightenedtodeath. HehadceasedtobetimidwithSara,andknewshewouldneverthrowanythingbutcrumbs,andwouldnevermakeanysoundotherthanthesoft,low,coaxingwhistling;butstrangemenweredangerousthingstoremainnear. Helaycloseandflatneartheentranceofhishome,justmanagingtopeepthroughthecrackwithabright,alarmedeye. HowmuchheunderstoodofthetalkheheardIamnotintheleastabletosay;but,evenifhehadunderstooditall,hewouldprobablyhaveremainedgreatlymystified. Thesecretary,whowaslightandyoung,slippedthroughtheskylightasnoiselesslyasRamDasshaddone;andhecaughtalastglimpseofMelchisedec’svanishingtail. “Wasthatarat?”heaskedRamDassinawhisper. “Yes;arat,Sahib,”answeredRamDass,alsowhispering.“Therearemanyinthewalls.” “Ugh!”exclaimedtheyoungman.“Itisawonderthechildisnotterrifiedofthem.” RamDassmadeagesturewithhishands.Healsosmiledrespectfully.HewasinthisplaceastheintimateexponentofSara,thoughshehadonlyspokentohimonce. “Thechildisthelittlefriendofallthings,Sahib,”heanswered.“Sheisnotasotherchildren.Iseeherwhenshedoesnotseeme. Islipacrosstheslatesandlookathermanynightstoseethatsheissafe. IwatchherfrommywindowwhenshedoesnotknowIamnear. Shestandsonthetablethereandlooksoutattheskyasifitspoketoher.Thesparrowscomeathercall. Theratshehasfedandtamedinherloneliness. Thepoorslaveofthehousecomestoherforcomfort. Thereisalittlechildwhocomestoherinsecret;thereisoneolderwhoworshipsherandwouldlistentoherforeverifshemight. ThisIhaveseenwhenIhavecreptacrosstheroof. Bythemistressofthehouse—whoisanevilwoman—sheistreatedlikeapariah;butshehasthebearingofachildwhoisofthebloodofkings!” “Youseemtoknowagreatdealabouther,”thesecretarysaid. “AllherlifeeachdayIknow,”answeredRamDass. “HergoingoutIknow,andhercomingin;hersadnessandherpoorjoys;hercoldnessandherhunger. Iknowwhensheisaloneuntilmidnight,learningfromherbooks;Iknowwhenhersecretfriendsstealtoherandsheishappier—aschildrencanbe,eveninthemidstofpoverty—becausetheycomeandshemaylaughandtalkwiththeminwhispers. IfshewereillIshouldknow,andIwouldcomeandserveherifitmightbedone.” “Youaresurenoonecomesnearthisplacebutherself,andthatshewillnotreturnandsurpriseus.Shewouldbefrightenedifshefoundushere,andtheSahibCarrisford’splanwouldbespoiled.” RamDasscrossednoiselesslytothedoorandstoodclosetoit. “Nonemountherebutherself,Sahib,”hesaid.“Shehasgoneoutwithherbasketandmaybegoneforhours.IfIstandhereIcanhearanystepbeforeitreachesthelastflightofthestairs.” Thesecretarytookapencilandatabletfromhisbreastpocket. “Keepyourearsopen,”hesaid;andhebegantowalkslowlyandsoftlyroundthemiserablelittleroom,makingrapidnotesonhistabletashelookedatthings. Firsthewenttothenarrowbed.Hepressedhishanduponthemattressandutteredanexclamation. “Ashardasastone,”hesaid.“Thatwillhavetobealteredsomedaywhensheisout. Aspecialjourneycanbemadetobringitacross.Itcannotbedonetonight.” Heliftedthecoveringandexaminedtheonethinpillow. “Coverletdingyandworn,blanketthin,sheetspatchedandragged,”hesaid. “Whatabedforachildtosleepin—andinahousewhichcallsitselfrespectable! Therehasnotbeenafireinthatgrateformanyaday,”glancingattherustyfireplace. “NeversinceIhaveseenit,”saidRamDass.“Themistressofthehouseisnotonewhoremembersthatanotherthanherselfmaybecold.” Thesecretarywaswritingquicklyonhistablet.Helookedupfromitashetoreoffaleafandslippeditintohisbreastpocket. “Itisastrangewayofdoingthething,”hesaid.“Whoplannedit?” RamDassmadeamodestlyapologeticobeisance. “Itistruethatthefirstthoughtwasmine,Sahib,”hesaid;“thoughitwasnaughtbutafancy. Iamfondofthischild;wearebothlonely. Itisherwaytorelatehervisionstohersecretfriends. Beingsadonenight,Ilayclosetotheopenskylightandlistened. Thevisionsherelatedtoldwhatthismiserableroommightbeifithadcomfortsinit. Sheseemedtoseeitasshetalked,andshegrewcheeredandwarmedasshespoke. Thenshecametothisfancy;andthenextday,theSahibbeingillandwretched,Itoldhimofthethingtoamusehim. Itseemedthenbutadream,butitpleasedtheSahib. Tohearofthechild’sdoingsgavehimentertainment. Hebecameinterestedinherandaskedquestions. Atlasthebegantopleasehimselfwiththethoughtofmakinghervisionsrealthings.” “Youthinkthatitcanbedonewhileshesleeps? Supposesheawakened,”suggestedthesecretary;anditwasevidentthatwhatsoevertheplanreferredtowas,ithadcaughtandpleasedhisfancyaswellastheSahibCarrisford’s. “Icanmoveasifmyfeetwereofvelvet,”RamDassreplied;“andchildrensleepsoundly—eventheunhappyones. Icouldhaveenteredthisroominthenightmanytimes,andwithoutcausinghertoturnuponherpillow. Iftheotherbearerpassestomethethingsthroughthewindow,Icandoallandshewillnotstir. Whensheawakensshewillthinkamagicianhasbeenhere.” Hesmiledasifhisheartwarmedunderhiswhiterobe,andthesecretarysmiledbackathim. “ItwillbelikeastoryfromtheArabianNights,”hesaid.“OnlyanOrientalcouldhaveplannedit.ItdoesnotbelongtoLondonfogs.” Theydidnotremainverylong,tothegreatreliefofMelchisedec,who,asheprobablydidnotcomprehendtheirconversation,felttheirmovementsandwhispersominous. Theyoungsecretaryseemedinterestedineverything. Hewrotedownthingsaboutthefloor,thefireplace,thebrokenfootstool,theoldtable,thewalls—whichlasthetouchedwithhishandagainandagain,seemingmuchpleasedwhenhefoundthatanumberofoldnailshadbeendriveninvariousplaces. “Youcanhangthingsonthem,”hesaid. RamDasssmiledmysteriously. “Yesterday,whenshewasout,”hesaid,“Ientered,bringingwithmesmall,sharpnailswhichcanbepressedintothewallwithoutblowsfromahammer. IplacedmanyintheplasterwhereImayneedthem.Theyareready.” TheIndiangentleman’ssecretarystoodstillandlookedroundhimashethrusthistabletsbackintohispocket. “IthinkIhavemadenotesenough;wecangonow,”hesaid.“TheSahibCarrisfordhasawarmheart.Itisathousandpitiesthathehasnotfoundthelostchild.” “Ifheshouldfindherhisstrengthwouldberestoredtohim,”saidRamDass.“HisGodmayleadhertohimyet.” Thentheyslippedthroughtheskylightasnoiselesslyastheyhadenteredit. And,afterhewasquitesuretheyhadgone,Melchisedecwasgreatlyrelieved,andinthecourseofafewminutesfeltitsafetoemergefromhisholeagainandscuffleaboutinthehopethatevensuchalarminghumanbeingsasthesemighthavechancedtocarrycrumbsintheirpocketsanddroponeortwoofthem. 
