ney, and would like to retire
to his room; and her husband, immediately lighting a candle, prepared to
introduce their new lodger to his quarters.

It was a tall house, which had recently been renovated, with a story
added to it, and on this story was Endymion's chamber; not absolutely
a garret, but a modern substitute for that sort of apartment. "It is
rather high," said Mr. Rodney, half apologising for the ascent, "but Mr.
Ferrars himself chose the room. We took the liberty of lighting a fire
to-night."

And the cheerful blaze was welcome. It lit up a room clean and not
uncomfortable. Feminine solicitude had fashioned a toilette-table for
him, and there was a bunch of geraniums in a blue vase on its sparkling
dimity garniture. "I suppose you have in your bag all that you want at
present?" said Mr. Rodney. "To-morrow we will unpack your trunks and
arrange your things in their drawers; and after breakfast, if you
please, I will show you your way to Somerset House."

Somerset House! thought Endymion, as he stood before the fire alone.
Is it so near as that? To-morrow, and I am to be at Somerset House! And
then he thought of what they were doing at Hurstley--of that terrible
parting with his mother, which made him choke--and of his father's last
words. And then he thought of Myra, and the tears stole down his cheek.
And then he knelt down by his bedside and prayed.

CHAPTER XX

Mr. Rodney would have accompanied Endymion to Somerset House under any
circumstances, but it so happened that he had reasons of his own for a
visit to that celebrated building. He had occasion to see a gentleman
who was stationed there. "Not," as he added to Endymion, "that I know
many here, but at the Treasury and in Downing Street I have several
acquaintances."

They separated at the door in the great quadrangle which led to the
department to which Endymion was attached, and he contrived in due time
to deliver to a messenger a letter addressed to his future chief. He was
kept some time in a gloomy and almost unfurnished waiting-room, and his
thoughts in a desponding mood were gathering round the dear ones who
were distant, when he was summoned, and, following the messenger down
a passage, was ushered into a lively apartment on which the sun was
shining, and which, with its well-lined book-shelves, and tables covered
with papers, and bright noisy clock, and general air of habitation and
business, contrasted favourably with the room he h