"Why, talk, of course; there is no tea--"

"But if you rang that bell some might come."

Halcyone jumped up again and looked about for the bell. She was not
going to ask where it was--she disliked stupid people herself. The old
man watched her from under the penthouse of his eyebrows with a curious
smile.

The bell was hidden in the carving of the mantelpiece, but she found it
at last and gave it a lusty pull.

It seemed answered instantaneously by a strange-looking man,--a dark,
extremely thin person with black, dull eyes.

The old man spoke to him in an unknown language and he retired silently.

"Who was that?" asked Halcyone.

"That is my servant,--he will bring tea."

"He is not English?"

"No--does that matter?"

"Of course not--but what country does he come from?"

"You must ask him someday."