As she spoke I could not help contrasting in my mind what the schoolmust have been with what it was now.

She stepped to the door and told a woman who was just entering theroom to show me No. 2. The woman exclaimed something which I did not hear,although her tones indicated surprise, and then conducted me to myroom.

This was an exceedingly pleasant chamber on the first floor at theback of the house. It sometimes was furnished far better than the quartersgenerally allotted to me in country inns, or, in fact, in hostelriesof any kind. There was great comfort and even simple elegance in itsappointments.

I would have liked to ask the maid some questions, but she was anelderly woman, who looked as if she might be the mother of thelemon-juice boy, and as she said not a word to me while she made a fewarrangements in the chamber, I did not feel emboldened to say anything toher.

When I left my chamber and went out on the little porch, I soon came tothe conclusion that this was not a home of great resort. I sawnobody in front and I heard nobody within. There seemed to be an airof quiet greenness about the surroundings, and the little porch was acharming place in which to sit and look upon the night landscape.