She tried to get me out of the room—it was too patent！ ButI said it was so quiet and empty and clean now that I believedI would lie down again and sleep all I could； and not to wakeme even for dinner—I would call when I woke.
So now she is gone， and the servants are gone， and the thingsare gone， and there is nothing left but that great bedsteadnailed down， with the canvas mattress we found on it.
We shall sleep downstairs tonight， and take the boat hometomorrow.
I quite enjoy the room， now it is bare again.
How those children did tear about here！
This bedstead is fairly gnawed！
But I must get to work.
I have locked the door and thrown the key down into thefront path.
I don’t want to go out， and I don’t want to have anybodycome in， till John comes.
I want to astonish him.
I’ve got a rope up here that even Jennie did not find. If thatwoman does get out， and tries to get away， I can tie her！
But I forgot I could not reach far without anything to standon！
This bed will NOT move！
I tried to lift and push it until I was lame， and then I got soangry I bit off a little piece at one corner—but it hurt my teeth.
Then I peeled off all the paper I could reach standing onthe floor. It sticks horribly and the pattern just enjoys it！ Allthose strangled heads and bulbous eyes and waddling fungusgrowths just shriek with derision！
I am getting angry enough to do something desperate. Tojump out of the window would be admirable exercise， but thebars are too strong even to try.
Besides I wouldn’t do it. Of course not. I know well enoughthat a step like that is improper and might be misconstrued.
I don’t like to LOOK out of the windows even—there are somany of those creeping women， and they creep so fast.
I wonder if they all come out of that wall-paper as I did？
But I am securely fastened now by my well-hidden rope—you don’t get ME out in the road there！
I suppose I shall have to get back behind the pattern when itcomes night， and that is hard！
It is so pleasant to be out in this great room and creep aroundas I please！
I don’t want to go outside. I won’t， even if Jennie asks meto.
For outside you have to creep on the ground， and everythingis green instead of yellow.
But here I can creep smoothly on the floor， and my shoulderjust fits in that long smooch around the wall， so I cannot losemy way.
Why there’s John at the door！
It is no use， young man， you can’t open it！
How he does call and pound！
Now he’s crying for an axe.
It would be a shame to break down that beautiful door！
“John dear！” said I in the gentlest voice， “the key is down bythe front steps， under a plantain leaf！”
That silenced him for a few moments.
Then he said—very quietly indeed， “Open the door， mydarling！”
“I can’t，” said I. “The key is down by the front door under aplantain leaf！”
And then I said it again， several times， very gently andslowly， and said it so often that he had to go and see， and hegot it of course， and came in. He stopped short by the door.
“What is the matter？” he cried. “For God’s sake， what areyou doing！”
I kept on creeping just the same， but I looked at him over myshoulder.
“I’ve got out at last，” said I， “in spite of you and Jane. AndI’ve pulled off most of the paper， so you can’t put me back！”
Now why should that man have fainted？ But he did， andright across my path by the wall， so that I had to creep overhim every time！
