There was a large stone barn on the other side of the road, and to this our conductor turned, saying to us: "Go on to the house." This we did, and were met at the open door by a middle-aged woman, shading with one hand the candle held in the other.

This threw a strong light on her face, which instantly reminded me of an eagle.

She wore a double-bordered white cap over her black hair, and looked suspiciously at us through her small keen, black eyes, but kindly bade us come in to a low wainscoted hall, with broad stairway and many open doors.

Through one of these and a second door we saw a great fire of logs, and I should have liked to sit by it, but she led us into a square wainscoted room on the opposite side, in which blazed a coal fire almost as large as the log heap in the kitchen.
She gave us seats, and a white-haired man who sat in the corner, spoke to us, and made me feel comfortable.

Up to this time all the surroundings had had an air of enchanted castles, brigands, ghosts, witches.