Certainly it was too large, a great deal too large, but then we could lock off some of the rooms.
"'People often do so,' I said.

'I think it is a delicious house, don't you, Mary ?' "One part was much older than the other, and it was curiously planned, the garden, the terraced garden behind which I had heard of, rising so, that after going upstairs in the house you yet found yourself on a level with one part of this garden, and could walk out on to it through a little covered passage.

The rooms into which this passage opened were the oldest of all--one in particular, tapestried all round, struck me greatly.
"'I hope it isn't haunted,' I said suddenly.

Mary smiled, but the young woman looked grave.
"'You don't mean to say it _is_ ?' I exclaimed.
"'Well, Miss, I was housemaid here several years, and I certainly never saw nor heard nothing.

But the young gentlemen did used to say things like that for to frighten us, and for me I'm one as never likes to say as to those things that isn't for us to understand.' "'I do believe it _is_ haunted,' I cried, more and more excited, and though Mary checked me I would not leave off talking about it.
"We were turning to go out into the gardens when an exclamation from Mary caught my attention.
"'It is snowing again and _so_ fast,' she said, 'and just see how dark it is.' "''Twill lighten up again when the snow leaves off, Miss,' said the woman.