No ringing of bells nor knocking. Even as the coachman tightened his
reins, the great hall door was swung open, and two footmen appeared.
Harris brought up a rear-guard, and received the party in due state.
A double staircase, about ten feet broad, rose out of the hall, and up
this Mr. Harris conducted Severne, the only stranger, into a bedroom with
a great oriel window looking west.
"This is your room, sir," said he. "Shall I unpack your things when they
come?"
Severne assented, and that perfect major-domo informed him that luncheon
was ready, and retired cat-like, and closed the door so softly no sound
was heard.
Mr. Severne looked about him, and admitted to himself that, with all his
experiences of life, this was his first bedroom. It was of great size, to
begin. The oriel window was twenty feet wide, and had half a dozen
casements, each with rose-colored blinds, though some of them needed no
blinds, for green creepers, with flowers like clusters of grapes, curled
round the mullions, and the sun shone mellowed through their leaves.
Enormous curtains of purple cloth, with cold borders, hung at each side
in mighty folds, to be drawn at night-time when the eye should need
repose from feasting upon color.
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