formed an angle, and stopping short, clapped his eye to the crevice of
some planks nailed rudely across a yawning aperture. Lionel found
another crevice for himself, and saw, piled up in admired disorder,
pictures, with their backs turned to a desolate wall, rare cabinets, and
articles of curious furniture, chests, boxes, crates,--heaped pell-mell.
This receptacle had been roughly floored in deal, in order to support its
miscellaneous contents, and was lighted from a large window (not visible
in front of the house), glazed in dull rough glass, with ventilators.

"These are the heavy things, and least costly things, that no one could
well rob. The pictures here are merely curious as early specimens,
intended for the old house, all spoiling and rotting; Mr. Darrell wishes
them to do so, I believe! What he wishes must be done! my dear young sir:
a prodigious mind; it is of granite!"

"I cannot understand it," said Lionel, aghast. "The last man I should
have thought capriciously whimsical."

"Whimsical! Bless my soul! don't say such a word, don't, pray! or the
roof will fall down upon us! Come away. You have seen all you can see.
You must go first now; mind that loose stone there!"

Nothing further was said till they were out of the building; and Lionel
felt like a knight of old who had been led into sepulchral halls by a
wizard.




CHAPTER V.