He leant with one hand on Raffaelle's arm, taking hold of the balusters with the other.

But I could see that to mount the stairs cost him considerable effort, and he paused frequently to cough and get his breath again.

So we reached a landing at the top, and found ourselves in a small chamber or magazine directly over the shop.

It was quite empty except for a few broken chairs, and appeared to be a small loft formed by dividing what had once been a high room into two storeys, of which the shop formed the lower.

A long window, which had no doubt once formed one of several in the walls of this large room, was now divided across its width by the flooring, and with its upper part served to light the loft, while its lower panes opened into the shop.