ng men
drew near to the closed window; the shutters were tightly barred, and
across the panels was scrawled in red, in an uncertain hand, the words
CLAUDIT ET NEMO APERIT, which Mark explained was the Latin for the
text, _He shutteth and none openeth_. And then Mark said that the
story went that it was ill for the man that opened the window, and
that shut it should remain for him. But Roland girded at him for his
want of curiosity, and had laid a hand upon the bar as though to open
it, but Mark forbade him urgently. "Nay," said he, "let it remain
so--we must not meddle with the will of the dead!" and as he said the
word, there came so furious a gust upon the windows that it seemed as
though some stormy thing would beat them open; so they left the room
together, and presently descending, found the sun struggling through
the rain.

But both Mark and Roland were sad and silent all that day; for though
they spake not of it, there was a desire in their minds to open the
closed window, and to see what would befall; in Roland's mind it was
like the desire of a child to peep into what is forbidden; but in
Mark's mind a sort of shame to be so bound by an old and weak tale of
superstition.

Now it seemed to Mark, for many days, that the visit to the
turret-room had brought a kind of shadow down between them. Roland was
peevish and ill-at-ease; and ever the longing grew upon Mark, so
strongly that it seemed to him that something drew him to the room,
some beckoning of a hand or calling of a voice.

Now one bright and sunshiny morning it happened that Mark was left
alone within the house. Roland had ridden out early, not saying where
he was bound. And Mark sat, more listlessly than was his wont, and
played with the ears of his great dog, that sat with his head upon his
master's knee, looking at him with liquid eyes, and doubtless
wondering why Mark went not abroad.

Suddenly Sir Mark's eye fell upon the key of the upper room, which
lay on the window-ledge where he had thrown it; and the desire to go
up and pluck the heart from the little mystery came upon him with a
strength that he could not resist; he rose twice and took up the key,
and fingering it doubtfully, laid it down again; then suddenly he took
it up, and went swiftly into the turret-stair, and up, turning,
turning, till his head was dizzy with the bright peeps of the world
through the loophole windows. Now all was green, where a window gave
on the down; and now it