atchsomeglimpseofthecountry-side,butanoakshutter,heavilybarred,wasfoldedacrossit.Itwasawonderfullysilenthouse.Therewasanoldclocktickingloudlysomewhereinthepassage,butotherwiseeverythingwasdeadlystill.Avaguefeelingofuneasinessbegantostealoverme.WhoweretheseGermanpeople,andwhatweretheydoinglivinginthisstrange,out-of-the-wayplace?Andwherewastheplace?IwastenmilesorsofromEyford,thatwasallIknew,butwhethernorth,south,east,orwestIhadnoidea.Forthatmatter,Reading,andpossiblyotherlargetowns,werewithinthatradius,sotheplacemightnotbesosecluded,afterall.Yetitwasquitecertain,fromtheabsolutestillness,thatwewereinthecountry.Ipacedupanddowntheroom,hummingatuneundermybreathtokeepupmyspiritsandfeelingthatIwasthoroughlyearningmyfifty-guineafee.
“Suddenly,withoutanypreliminarysoundinthemidstoftheutterstillness,thedoorofmyroomswungslowlyopen.Thewomanwasstandingintheaperture,thedarknessofthehallbehindher,theyellowlightfrommylampbeatinguponhereagerandbeautifulface.Icouldseeataglancethatshewassickwithfear,andthesightsentachilltomyownheart.Shehelduponeshakingfingertowarnmetobesilent,andsheshotafewwhisperedwordsofbrokenEnglishatme,hereyesglancingback,likethoseofafrightenedhorse,intothegloombehindher.
“‘Iwouldgo,’saidshe,tryinghard,asitseemedtome,tospeakcalmly‘Iwouldgo.Ishouldnotstayhere.Thereisnogoodforyoutodo.’
“‘But,madam,’saidI,‘IhavenotyetdonewhatIcamefor.IcannotpossiblyleaveuntilIhaveseenthemachine.’
“‘Itisnotworthyourwhiletowait,’shewenton.‘Youcanpassthroughthedoornoonehinders.’Andthen,seeingthatIsmiledandshookmyhead,shesuddenlythrewasideherconstraintandmadeastepforward,withherhandswrungtogether.‘FortheloveofHeaven!’shewhispered,‘getawayfromherebeforeitistoolate!’
“ButIamsomewhatheadstrongbynature,andthemorereadytoengageinanaffairwhenthereissomeobstacleintheway.Ithoughtofmyfifty-guineafee,ofmywearisomejourney,andoftheunpleasantnightwhichseemedtobebeforeme.Wasitalltogofornothing?WhyshouldIslinkawaywithouthavingcarriedoutmycommission,andwithoutthepaymentwhichwasmydue?Thiswomanmight,forallIknew,beamonomaniac.Withastoutbearing,therefore,thoughhermannerhadshakenmemorethanIcaredtoconfess,IstillshookmyheadanddeclaredmyintentionofremainingwhereIwas.Shewasabouttorenewherentreatieswhenadoorslammedoverhead,andthesoundofseveralfootstepswashearduponthestairs.Shelistenedforaninstant,threwupherhandswithadespairinggesture,andvanishedassuddenlyandasnoiselesslyasshehadcome.
“ThenewcomerswereColonelLysanderStarkandashortthickmanwithachinchillabeardgrowingoutofthecreasesofhisdoublechin,whowasintroducedtomeasMr.Ferguson.
“‘Thisismysecretaryandmanager,’saidthecolonel.‘Bytheway,IwasundertheimpressionthatIleftthisdoorshutjustnow.Ifearthatyouhavefeltthedraught.’
“‘Onthecontrary,’saidI,‘IopenedthedoormyselfbecauseIfelttheroomtobealittleclose.’
“Heshotoneofhissuspiciouslooksatme.‘Perhapswehadbetterproceedtobusiness,then,’saidhe.‘Mr.FergusonandIwilltakeyouuptoseethemachine.’
“‘Ihadbetterputmyhaton,Isuppose.’
“‘Oh,no,itisinthehouse.’
“‘What,youdigfuller’s-earthinthehouse?’
“‘No,no.Thisisonlywherewecompressit.Butnevermindthat.Allwewishyoutodoistoexaminethemachineandtoletusknowwhatiswrongwithit.’
“Wewentupstairstogether,thecolonelfirstwiththelamp,thefatmanagerandIbehindhim.Itwasalabyrinthofanoldhouse,withcorridors,passages,narrowwindingstaircases,andlittlelowdoors,thethresholdsofwhichwerehollowedoutbythegenerationswhohadcrossedthem.Therewerenocarpetsandnosignsofanyfurnitureabovethegroundfloor,whiletheplasterwaspeelingoffthewalls,andthedampwasbreakingthroughingreen,unhealthyblotches.Itriedtoputonasunconcernedanairaspossible,butIhadnotforgottenthewarningsofthelady,eventhoughIdisregardedthem,andIkeptakeeneyeuponmytwocompanions.