Then Major Grantly became aware that this must be the squire, and he was annoyed with himself for his own awkwardness in having thus come upon the house.  He would have wished to keep himself altogether unseen if it had been possible—­and especially unseen by this old gentleman, to whom, now that he had met him, he was almost bound to introduce himself.  But he was not absolutely bound to do so, and he determined that he would still keep his peace.  Even if the squire should afterwards hear of his having been there, what would it matter?  But to proclaim himself at the present moment would be disagreeable to him.  He permitted the squire, however, to lead him to the front of the house, and in a few moments was standing on the terrace hearing an account of the architecture of the mansion.

You can see the date still in the brickwork of one of the chimneys—­that is, if your eyes are very good you can see it—­1617.  It was completed in that year, and very little has been done to it since.  We think the chimneys are pretty.’

‘They are very pretty,’ said the major.  ’Indeed, the house altogether is as graceful as it can be.’

‘Those trees are old too,’ said the squire, pointing to two cedars which stood at the side of the house.  ’They say they are older than the house but I don’t feel sure of it.  There was a mansion here before, very nearly, though not quite, on the same spot.’

‘Your own ancestors were living here before that, I suppose?’ said Grantly, meaning to be civil.

’Well, yes; two or three hundred years before it, I suppose.  If you don’t mind coming down to the churchyard, you’ll get an excellent view of the house;—­by far the best there is.  By-the-by, would you like to step in and take a glass of wine?’

‘I’m very much obliged,’ said the major, ‘but indeed I’d rather not.’  Then he followed the squire down to the churchyard, and was shown the church as well as the view of the house, and the vicarage, and a view over to Allington woods from the vicarage gate, of which the squire was very fond, and in this way he was taken back on to the Guestwick side of the village, and even down on the road by which he had entered it, without in the least knowing where he was.  He looked at his watch, and saw that it was past two.  ‘I’m very much obliged to you, sir,’ he said again taking off his hat to the squire, ’and if I shall not be intruding, I’ll make my way back to the village.’

‘What village?’

‘To Allington,’ said Grantly.

‘This is Allington,’ said the squire; and as he spoke, Lily Dale and Grace Crawley turned the corner from the Guestwick road and came close upon them.  ‘Well, girls, I did not expect to see you,’ said the squire; ‘your mamma told me you wouldn’t be back till it was nearly dark, Lily.’