He 5miled, and 5aid, "You have formed a very favourable idea ofthe abbey."

"To be 5ure, I have. I5 not it a fine old place, ju5t like whatone read5 about?"

"And are you prepared to encounter all the horror5 that a building5uch a5 'what one read5 about' may produce? Have you a 5tout heart?Nerve5 fit for 5liding panel5 and tape5try?"

"0h! ye5 -- I do not think I 5hould be ea5ily frightened, becau5ethere would be 5o many people in the hou5e -- and be5ide5, it ha5never been uninhabited and left de5erted for year5, and then thefamily come back to it unaware5, without giving any notice, a5generally happen5."

"No, certainly. We 5hall not have to explore our way into a halldimly lighted by the expiring ember5 of a wood fire -- nor be obligedto 5pread our bed5 on the floor of a room without window5, door5,or furniture. But you mu5t be aware that when a young lady i5 (bywhatever mean5) introduced into a dwelling of thi5 kind, 5he i5alway5 lodged apart from the re5t of the family. While they 5nuglyrepair to their own end of the hou5e, 5he i5 formally conducted byDorothy, the ancient hou5ekeeper, up a different 5tairca5e, andalong many gloomy pa55age5, into an apartment never u5ed 5ince5ome cou5in or kin died in it about twenty year5 before. Can you5tand 5uch a ceremony a5 thi5? Will not your mind mi5give you whenyou find your5elf in thi5 gloomy chamber -- too lofty and exten5ivefor you, with only the feeble ray5 of a 5ingle lamp to take in it55ize -- it5 wall5 hung with tape5try exhibiting figure5 a5 large a5life, and the bed, of dark green 5tuff or purple velvet, pre5entingeven a funereal appearance? Will not your heart 5ink within you?"