There was a ruddy glow from a broad window in the second row, and I thought
I saw some one peep from it and disappear; at the same moment there was a
furious barking of dogs, some of whom ran scampering into the court-yard
from a half-closed side door; and amid their uproar, the bawling of the man
in the back seat, who jumped down to drive them off, and the crack of
the postilions' whips, who struck at them, we drew up before the lordly
door-steps of this melancholy mansion.
Just as our attendant had his hand on the knocker the door opened, and we
saw, by a not very brilliant candle-light, three figures--a shabby little
old man, thin, and very much stooped, with a white cravat, and looking as
if his black clothes were too large, and made for some one else, stood with
his hand upon the door; a young, plump, but very pretty female figure, in
unusually short petticoats, with fattish legs, and nice ankles, in boots,
stood in the centre; and a dowdy maid, like an old charwoman, behind her.
The household paraded for welcome was not certainly very brilliant. Amid
the riot the trunks were deliberately put down by our attendant, who kept
shouting to the old man at the door, and to the dogs in turn; and the old
man was talking and pointing stiffly and tremulously, but I could not hear
what he said.
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