Hurrah！　　This　is　the　last　day；　but　it　is　enough。　　John　is　to
  stay　in　town　over　night；　and　won't　be　out　until　this　evening。
  Jennie　wanted　to　sleep　with　methe　sly　thing！　but　I　told
  her　I　should　undoubtedly　rest　better　for　a　night　all　alone。
  That　was　clever；　for　really　I　wasn't　alone　a　bit！　　As　soon
  as　it　was　moonlight　and　that　poor　thing　began　to　crawl　and　shake
  the　pattern；　I　got　up　and　ran　to　help　her。
  I　pulled　and　she　shook；　I　shook　and　she　pulled；　and　before
  morning　we　had　peeled　off　yards　of　that　paper。
  A　strip　about　as　high　as　my　head　and　half　around　the　room。
  And　then　when　the　sun　came　and　that　awful　pattern　began　to
  laugh　at　me；　I　declared　I　would　finish　it　to…day！
  We　go　away　to…morrow；　and　they　are　moving　all　my　furniture
  down　again　to　leave　things　as　they　were　before。
  Jennie　looked　at　the　wall　in　amazement；　but　I　told　her
  merrily　that　I　did　it　out　of　pure　spite　at　the　vicious　thing。
  She　laughed　and　said　she　wouldn't　mind　doing　it　herself；　but
  I　must　not　get　tired。
  How　she　betrayed　herself　that　time！
  But　I　am　here；　and　no　person　touches　this　paper　but　menot
  ALIVE！
  She　tried　to　get　me　out　of　the　roomit　was　too　patent！　　But
  I　said　it　was　so　quiet　and　empty　and　clean　now　that　I　believed　I
  would　lie　down　again　and　sleep　all　I　could；　and　not　to　wake　me
  even　for　dinnerI　would　call　when　I　woke。
  So　now　she　is　gone；　and　the　servants　are　gone；　and　the
  things　are　gone；　and　there　is　nothing　left　but　that　great
  bedstead　nailed　down；　with　the　canvas　mattress　we　found　on　it。
  We　shall　sleep　downstairs　to…night；　and　take　the　boat　home
  to…morrow。
  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　the
  front　path。
  I　don't　want　to　go　out；　and　I　don't　want　to　have　anybody
  come　in；　till　John　comes。
  I　want　to　astonish　him。
  I've　got　a　rope　up　here　that　even　Jennie　did　not　find。　　If
  that　woman　does　get　out；　and　tries　to　get　away；　I　can　tie　her！
  But　I　forgot　I　could　not　reach　far　without　anything　to　stand
  on！
  This　bed　will　NOT　move！
  I　tried　to　lift　and　push　it　until　I　was　lame；　and　then　I　got
  so　angry　I　bit　off　a　little　piece　at　one　cornerbut　it　hurt　my
  teeth。
  Then　I　peeled　off　all　the　paper　I　could　reach　standing　on
  the　floor。　　It　sticks　horribly　and　the　pattern　just　enjoys　it！
  All　those　strangled　heads　and　bulbous　eyes　and　waddling　fungus
  growths　just　shriek　with　derision！
  I　am　getting　angry　enough　to　do　something　desperate。　　To
  jump　out　of　the　window　would　be　admirable　exercise；　but　the　bars
  are　too　strong　even　to　try。
  Besides　I　wouldn't　do　it。　　Of　course　not。　　I　know　well
  enough　that　a　step　like　that　is　improper　and　might　be
  misconstrued。
  I　don't　like　to　LOOK　out　of　the　windows　eventhere　are　so
  many　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　ropeyou
  don't　get　ME　out　in　the　road　there！
  I　suppose　I　shall　have　to　get　back　behind　the　pattern　when
  it　comes　night；　and　that　is　hard！
  It　is　so　pleasant　to　be　out　in　this　great　room　and　creep
  around　as　I　please！
  I　don't　want　to　go　outside。　　I　won't；　even　if　Jennie　asks　me
  to。
  For　outside　you　have　to　creep　on　the　ground；　and　everything
  is　green　instead　of　yellow。
  But　here　I　can　creep　smoothly　on　the　floor；　and　my　shoulder
  just　fits　in　that　long　smooch　around　the　wall；　so　I　cannot　lose
  my　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
  by　the　front　steps；　under　a　plantain　leaf！〃
  That　silenced　him　for　a　few　moments。
  Then　he　saidvery　quietly　indeed；　〃Open　the　door；　my
  darling！〃
  〃I　can't〃；　said　I。　　〃The　key　is　down　by　the　front　door　under
  a　plantain　leaf！〃
  And　then　I　said　it　again；　several　times；　very　gently　and
  slowly；　and　said　it　so　often　that　he　had　to　go　and　see；　and　he
  got　it　of　course；　and　came　in。　　He　stopped　short　by　the　door。
  〃What　is　the　matter？〃　he　cried。　　〃For　God's　sake；　what　are
  you　doing！〃
  I　kept　on　creeping　just　the　same；　but　I　looked　at　him　over
  my　shoulder。
  〃I've　got　out　at　last；〃　said　I；　〃in　spite　of　you　and　Jane。
  And　I've　pulled　off　most　of　the　paper；　so　you　can't　put　me　back！〃
  Now　why　should　that　man　have　fainted？　　But　he　did；　and　right
  across　my　path　by　the　wall；　so　that　I　had　to　creep　over　him　every
  time！
  End