The ground-floor was divided into a series of small shops, and
its upper storeys were evidently peopled by sordid families of the
lowest class. Before one of these little shops, now closed and having
its windows carefully blocked with boards, our carriage stopped.
Raffaelle alighted, and taking a key from his pocket unlocked the door,
and assisted John to leave the carriage. I followed, and directly we had
crossed the threshold, the boy locked the door behind us, and I heard
the carriage drive away.

We found ourselves in a narrow and dark passage, and as soon as my eyes
grew accustomed to the gloom I perceived there was at the end of it a
low staircase leading to some upper room, and on the right a door which
opened into the closed shop. My brother moved slowly along the passage,
and began to ascend the stairs. He leant with one hand on Raffaelle's
arm, taking hold of the balusters with the other. But I could see
that to mount the stairs cost him considerable effort, and he paused
frequently to cough and get his breath again. So we reached a landing
at the top, and found ourselves in a small chamber or magazine directly
over the shop. It was quite empty except for a few broken chairs, and
appeared to be a small loft formed by dividing what had once been a
high room into two storeys, of which the shop formed the lower. A long
window, which had no doubt once formed one of several in the walls of
this large room, was now divided across its width by the flooring, and
with its upper part served to light the loft, while its lower panes
opened into the shop. The ceiling was, in consequence of these
alterations, comparatively low, but though much mutilated, retained
evident traces of having been at one time richly decorated, with the
raised mouldings and pendants common in the sixteenth century. At one
end of the loft was a species of coved and elaborately carved dado, of
which the former use was not obvious; but the large original room had
without doubt been divided in length as Well as in height, as the
lath-and-plaster walls at either end of the loft had evidently been no
part of the ancient structure.

My brother sat down in one of the old chairs, and seemed to be
collecting his strength before speaking. My anxiety was momentarily
increasing, and it was a great relief when he began, talking in a low
voice as one that had much to say and wished to husband his strength.

"I do not know whether you will recollect my having