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80
AN ADVENTURE

us very quickly along a level. His manner was jaunty and imperious, and he told us that the only way to the house was by the cour d'honneur. It was difficult to hear what he said. We thought at once that we were trespassing and looked for some way down from the terrace, upon which he constituted himself our guide, and with an inquisitive, amused expression, went with us a little way down the French garden, and showed us out into the avenue by a broad road.

There is much to say about this incident.

I. The man evidently did not mean us to stand on the terrace so near to the house, and forced us to move away. He was the second person that afternoon who had excitedly insisted on our going one way rather than another; but now we know that since 1870 the gardens and terraces have been made public until dark, and people walk about freely. No one has ever stopped us since, nor can we hear of anyone else who has been guided as we were.

II. In 1905 we found that the building out of which the man came was the old chapel, which is in a ruinous condition.

In 1906, Miss Lamont had leave to go into the