the front of a beautiful 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