iful simple house of some considerable size, with a
large embowered garden behind it bordering on the river; Howard was
astonished to see what a large and ancient building it was. The part on
the road was blank of windows, with the exception of a dignified
projecting oriel; close to which was a high Tudor archway, with big oak
doors standing open. There were some plants growing on the
coping--snapdragon and valerian--which gave it a look of age and
settled use. The carriage drove in under the arch, and a small
courtyard appeared. There was a stable on the right, with a leaded
cupola; the house itself was very plain and stately, with two great
traceried windows which seemed to belong to a hall, and a finely carved
outstanding porch. The whole was built out of the same orange stone of
which the churches were built, stone-tiled, all entirely homelike and
solid.

He got down at the door, which stood open. An old man-servant appeared,
and he found himself in a flagged passage, with a plain wooden screen
on his left, opening into the hall. It had a collegiate air which he
liked. Then he was led out at the opposite end of the vestibule, the
servant saying, "Mrs. Graves is in the garden, sir." He stepped out on
to a lawn bordered with trees; opposite him was a stone-built Jacobean
garden-house, with stone balls on the balustraded coping. Two ladies
were walking on the gravel path; the older of the two, who walked with
a stick, came up to him, put her hand on his shoulder, and gave him a
kiss in a simple and motherly way, saying, "So here you actually are,
my dear boy, and very much welcome." She then presented the other lady,
a small, snub-nosed, middle-aged woman, saying, "This is Miss Merry,
who lives with me, and keeps me more or less in order; she is quite
excited at meeting a don; she has a respect for learning and talent,
which is unhappily rare nowadays." Miss Merry shook hands as a spaniel
might give its paw, and looked reverentially at Howard. His aunt put
her hand through his arm, and said, "Let us walk about a little. I live
by rule, you must know--that is, by Miss Merry's rule; and we shall
have tea in a few minutes."

She pointed out one or two of the features of the house, and said, in
answer to Howard's loudly expressed admiration, "Yes, it is a nice old
house. Your uncle had a great taste for such things in days when people
did not care much about them. He bought this very cheap, I believe, and
was much attach