The footsteps stopped and she thought that she could hear breathing.
She knew that he was listening to see if there was anyone inside the room.
Because she was so frightened she was trembling all over, but she still held her fingers to her lips just in case she should make a sound.
She waited, which seemed for a very long time, before he turned the handle in the door.
It was then with the greatest difficulty that Novella kept silent.
She wanted to scream and scream so that everyone who was nearby would come to see what was happening.
Then she realised that because she had locked the door the man outside could not open it.
She knew she was safe and he could not reach her.
For a long time he stood there.
Now she was convinced that she could hear him breathing as if he was annoyed an
