Whether the fact displeased him or not I could not say, but he was looking very sour and seemed to resent the trouble he had been to in opening the door for me.

Should I notice this, even by an attempt to conciliate him?
I decided not.

A natural manner was best; he was too keen not to notice and give his own interpretation to uncalled for smiles or words which contrasted too strongly with his own marked reticence.

I therefore said nothing as he pottered slowly back into his own quarters in the rear, but lingered about down-stairs till I was quite sure he was out of sight and hearing.

Then I came back and took up my point of view on the spot where the big hall clock had stood in the days of Mr.Dennison.Later, I made a drawing of this floor as it must have looked at that time.