ted as cook and
housekeeper, and who had been in their service for many years. It was
very lonely sometimes not having a companion of her own age and sex;
but she had got tolerably used to bear it, and to amuse herself with her
books, and music, and flowers.

Thus far she chatted about herself quite freely; but when I tried, even
in the vaguest manner, to lead her into discussing the causes of
her strangely secluded life, she looked so distressed, and became so
suddenly silent, that I naturally refrained from saying another word on
that topic. One conclusion, however, I felt tolerably sure that I had
drawn correctly from what she said: her father's conduct toward her,
though not absolutely blamable or grossly neglectful on any point,
had still never been of a nature to make her ardently fond of him. He
performed the ordinary parental duties rigidly and respectably enough;
but he had apparently not cared to win all the filial love which his
daughter would have bestowed on a more affectionate man.

When, after reflecting on what Alicia had told me, I began to call to
mind what I had been able to observe for myself, I found ample materials
to excite my curiosity in relation to the doctor, if not my distrust.

I have already described how I heard the clang of the heavy door, on the
occasion of my first visit to the red-brick house. The next day, when
the doctor again took leave of me in the hall, I hit on a plan for
seeing the door as well as hearing it. I dawdled on my way out, till I
heard the clang again; then pretended to remember some important message
which I had forgotten to give to the doctor, and with a look of innocent
hurry ran upstairs to overtake him. The disguised workman ran after
me with a shout of "Stop!" I was conveniently deaf to him--reached the
first floor landing--and arrived at a door which shut off the whole
staircase higher up; an iron door, as solid as if it belonged to a
banker's strong-room, and guarded millions of money. I returned to the
hall, inattentive to the servant's not over-civil remonstrances, and,
saying that I would wait till I saw the doctor again, left the house.

The next day two pale-looking men, in artisan costume, came up to the
gate at the same time as I did, each carrying a long wooden box under
his arm, strongly bound with iron. I tried to make them talk while we
were waiting for admission, but neither of them would go beyond "Yes,"
or "No"; and both had, to my eyes, some