“You will find, sir,” said Mr. Leek, “that everything about Anderbury is extremely select, and amazingly correct; and I am sure a more delightful place to live in could not be found.”

“Ah!” said the baron; “very likely.”

“It’s lively, too,” continued Mr. Leek; “very lively; and there are two chapels of ease, besides the church.”

“That’s a drawback,” said the baron.

“A drawback, sir! well, I am sorry I mentioned it; but perhaps you are a Roman Catholic, sir, and, in that case, the chapels of ease have no interest for you.”

“Not the slightest; but do not, sir, run away with any assumption concerning my religious opinions, for I am not a Roman Catholic.”

“No, sir, no, sir; nor more am I; and, as far as I think, and my opinion goes, I say, why shouldn’t a gentleman with a large fortune be what he likes, or nothing, if he likes that better? but here we are, sir, close to one of the entrances of Anderbury House.  There are three principal entrances, you understand, sir, on three sides of the estate, and the fourth side faces the sea, where there is that mysterious passage that leads down from the grounds to the beach, which, perhaps, you have heard of, sir.”

“The landlord of the inn mentioned it.”

“We consider it a great curiosity, sir, I can assure you, in these parts—­a very great curiosity; and it’s an immense advantage to the house, because, you see, sir, in extremely hot weather, all sorts of provisions can be taken down there, and kept at such a very low temperature as to be quite delightful.”

“That is an advantage.”

Mr. Leek rang the bell that hung over one of the entrances, and his summons for admission was speedily answered by the old couple who had charge of the premises, and then, with a view of impressing them with a notion of the importance of the personage whom he had brought to look at the place, he said, aloud,—­

“The Baron Stoltmayor, of Saltsomething, has come to look at the premises.”

This announcement was received with all due deference and respect, and the task of showing the baron the premises at once fairly commenced.

“Here you have,” said Mr. Leek, assuming an oratorical attitude—­“here you have the umbrageous trees stooping down to dip their leaves in the purling waters; here you have the sweet foliage lending a delicious perfume to the balmy air; here you have the murmuring waterfalls playing music of the spheres to the listening birds, who sit responsive upon the dancing boughs; here you have all the fragrance of the briny ocean, mingling with the scent of a bank of violets, and wrapping the senses in Elysium; here you may never tire of an existence that presents never-ending charms, and that, in the full enjoyment of which, you may live far beyond the allotted span of man.”

“Enough—­enough,” said the baron.