eply to my inquiries is conclusive. Before
giving it, however, I may mention that my fellow-tramp, Mr. Kitton,
suggested, more particularly with reference to another illustration in
_Edwin Drood_, viz., "Durdles cautions Mr. Sapsea against boasting,"
that, for the purposes of the story, the Prior's Gate is placed where
the College Yard Gate actually stands.

[Illustration: Deanery Gate. Rochester]

"11, MELBURY ROAD, KENSINGTON, W.
"_25th October, 1890._

"DEAR SIR,

"The background of the drawing of 'Durdles
cautioning Sapsea,' I believe I sketched from what
you call A., _i. e._ The College Gate. I am almost
certain it was not taken from B., the Prior's.

"The room in the drawing, 'On dangerous ground,'
is imaginary.

"I do not believe I entered any of the Gatehouses.

"The resemblance you see in the drawing to the
room in the Deanery Gatehouse (C.), might not be
gained by actual observation of the _interior_.

"In many instances an artist can well judge what
the interior may be from studying the _outside_. I
only throw this out to show that the artist may
not have seen a thing even when a strong
resemblance occurs. I am sorry to leave any doubt
on the subject, though personally I feel none.

"You see I never felt the necessity or propriety
of being locally accurate to Rochester or its
buildings. Dickens, of course, meant Rochester;
yet, at the same time, he chose to be obscure on
that point, and I took my cue from him. I always
thought it was one of his most artistic pieces of
work; the vague, dreamy description of the
Cathedral in the opening chapter of the book. So
definite in one sense, yet so locally vague.

"Very faithfully yours,
"LUKE FILDES.

"W. R. HUGHES, ESQ."

The College Yard Gate (A) must therefore be regarded as the typical
Jasper's Gatehouse, but, with the usual novelist's license, some points
in all three Gatehouses have been utilized for effect. So we can imagine
the three friends in succession going up the "postern stair;" and,
further on in the story, we can picture that m