“Then,” said he, “the best thing you can do is to lie down for an hour or two on that divan and rest yourself, and go to sleep if you can, while I go and attend to certain affairs that need me.”  He then left the room.  I was glad to be alone, for I was terribly tired.  I felt as though I had been taking violent bodily exercise, but without feeling the staying power that Snowdon air can give.  I lay down on the divan, and must have fallen asleep immediately.  When I woke I found the same kind face near me, and the same kind eyes watching me.  Mr. D’Arcy told me that I had been sleeping for two hours, and that it had, he hoped, much refreshed me.  He told me also that he took a constitutional walk every day, and asked me if I would accompany him.  I said, “Yes, I should like to do so.”  At this moment there passed the window some railway men leaving some luggage.  On seeing them Mr. D’Arcy said, “I see that I must leave you for a minute or two to look after a package of canvases that has just come from my assistant in London,” and he left me.  When I was left alone I had an opportunity of observing the room.  The walls were covered with old faded tapestry, so faded indeed that its general effect was that of a dull grey texture.  On looking at it closely I found that it told the story of Samson.  Every piece of furniture seemed to me to be a rare curiosity.’

‘Now, Winnie,’ I said, ’I am not going to interrupt you any more.  I want to hear your story as an unbroken narrative.’

IV

‘Well,’ said Winnie, ’after a while Mr. D’Arcy returned and told me that he was now ready to take me for a stroll across the meadows, saying, “The doctor told me that, at first, your walks must be short; so while you go to your room I will get Mrs. Titwing in for my usual consultation about our frugal meal.”

’"My room,” I said, “my room, and Mrs. Titwing; who’s—­”

’"Ha!  I quite forgot myself,” he said, with an air of vexation, which he tried, I thought, to conceal.  “I will ring for Mrs. Titwing—­the housekeeper—­and she will take you to your room.”

’He walked towards the bell, but before reaching it he stopped as if arrested by a sudden thought.  Then he said, “I will go to the housekeeper’s room and speak to Mrs. Titwing there.  I shall be back in a minute.”  And he passed from the room through the door by which he and I had first entered.

’Scarcely had the door closed behind him before a woman entered by another door opposite to it.  She was about the common height, slender, and of an extremely youthful figure for a woman of middle age.  Her bright-complexioned face, lit by two watery blue eyes, was pleasant to look upon.  It was none the less pleasant because it showed clearly that she was as guileless as a child.

’I knew at once that she was the person—­the housekeeper—­that Mr. D’Arcy had gone to seek at the other side of the house.  Evidently she had come upon me unexpectedly, for she gave a violent start, then she murmured to herself,