Tales of Terror and Mystery

           But,there—IhavealreadyrevealedwhatitwaswhichIgainedinThorpePlace!

           Itwasavery,veryoldhouse,incrediblyold—pre-Norman,someofit—andtheBollamoresclaimedtohavelivedinthatsituationsincelongbeforetheConquest.ItstruckachilltomyheartwhenfirstIcamethere,thoseenormouslythickgreywalls,therudecrumblingstones,thesmellasfromasickanimalwhichexhaledfromtherottingplasteroftheagedbuilding.Butthemodernwingwasbrightandthegardenwaswellkept.Nohousecouldbedismalwhichhadaprettygirlinsideitandsuchashowofrosesinfront.

           Apartfromaverycompletestaffofservantstherewereonlyfourofusinthehousehold.ThesewereMissWitherton,whowasatthattimefour-and-twentyandaspretty—well,asprettyasMrs.Colmoreisnow—myself,FrankColmore,agedthirty,Mrs.Stevens,thehousekeeper,adry,silentwoman,andMr.Richards,atallmilitary-lookingman,whoactedasstewardtotheBollamoreestates.Wefouralwayshadourmealstogether,butSirJohnhadhisusuallyaloneinthelibrary.Sometimeshejoinedusatdinner,butonthewholewewerejustasgladwhenhedidnot.

           Forhewasaveryformidableperson.Imagineamansixfeetthreeinchesinheight,majesticallybuilt,withahigh-nosed,aristocraticface,brindledhair,shaggyeyebrows,asmall,pointedMephistophelianbeard,andlinesuponhisbrowandroundhiseyesasdeepasiftheyhadbeencarvedwithapenknife.Hehadgreyeyes,weary,hopeless-lookingeyes,proudandyetpathetic,eyeswhichclaimedyourpityandyetdaredyoutoshowit.