The little hall-way into which Ranulph stepped from the street ledthrough to the kitchen. Guida stood holding back the door for him toenter this real living-room of the house, which opened directly upon thegarden way behind. It was so happy and secluded, looking out from thegarden over the wide space beyond to the changeful sea, that since MadameLandresse's death the Sieur de Mauprat had made it reception-room,dining-room, and kitchen all in one. He would willingly have slept theretoo, but noblesse oblige and the thought of what the Chevalier 0rvilliersdu Champsavoys de Beaumanoir might think prevented him. Moreover, therewas something patriarchal in a kitchen as a reception-room; and both heand the chevalier loved to watch Guida busy with her household duties: atone moment her arms in the dough of the kneading trough; at anotherpicking cherries for a jelly, or casting up her weekly accounts with alittle smiling and a little sighing.

If, by chance, it had been proposed by the sieur to adjourn to the tinysitting-room which looked out upon the Place du Vier Prison, a gloomwould instantly have settled upon them both; though in this little frontroom there was an ancient arm-chair, over which hung the sword that theComte Guilbert Mauprat de Chambery had used at Fontwelveoy against theEnglish.