It only made him
understand how cold she must be, after sitting idle for two hours.
"Do you think we shall get out to-night?" Sabina asked suddenly, with
the coat in her hand.
"I hope so," he answered.
She stood up, and looked at the cavity he had made in the wall.
"Where will that lead to?" she enquired.
He had risen, too.
"It ought to lead into the coach-house, so far as I can judge."
Instinctively, he went forward to examine the hole, and at that moment
Sabina cleverly threw the coat over his shoulders and held it round
his neck with both her hands.
"There!" she cried. "You are caught now!" And she laughed as lightly
as if there were no such thing as danger.
Malipieri wondered whether she realized the gravity of the situation,
or whether she were only pretending to be gay in order to make it
easier for him. In either case she was perfectly brave.
"You must not!" he answered, gently trying to free himself. "You need
it more than I."
"I wonder if it is big enough to cover us both," Sabina said, as the
idea struck her. "Come! Sit down beside me and we will try."
He smiled and sat down beside her, and they managed to hold the coat
so that it just covered their shoulders.
"Paul and Virginia," said Malipieri, and they both laughed a little.
But as their laughter died away, Sabina's teeth chattered, and she
drew in her breath.
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