I thought he would excuse himself, with ready cynicism, and pretend to continue his offers of friendship and assistance.

I confess I regretted that I was so humbly clad, in all my old clothes; but after all, I was travelling, you know.
It was a bold resolution, I think, and I revolved the situation in my mind during two days, thinking over what I should say.

But with all my thought I only found that everything must depend on Benoni's answer to my own question--"Why ?" On the third day, I made myself look as fine as I could, and though my heart beat loudly as I mounted the bridle-path, I put on a bold look and rang the bell.

It was a clanging thing, that seemed to creak on a hinge, as I pulled the stout string from outside.

A man appeared, and on my inquiry said I might wait in the porch behind the great wooden gate, while he delivered my message to his excellency the baron.