384 THE IMAGE OF WAE 



and used for drying linen and storing wood. Over 

 the kitchen was my dressing-room. 



The courtyard of the chateau was surrounded by 

 a stone wall some ten feet high. Every night our 

 servant, having completed her work, would go to 



Madame de 's, and their servant would open 



for her a postern in this wall, which was then 

 locked till the following morning. Our quarters 

 were so limited in extent that we found it more 

 convenient for her to sleep at her sister's in the 

 town. It is only necessary for me to add that the 



rooms in Madame de 's part of the house next 



ours were unoccupied, and that my two dachshunds 

 slept in the dining-room. 



So much, then, for the place. Late in December 

 we took possession. 



For two or three weeks, more or less, nothing of 

 note occurred. I was away most days shooting, or 

 if not, my wife joined me in long rambles about the 

 leafless Ardennes forests. 



At night nothing disturbed our repose. I may 

 remark, however, that towards eleven o'clock I almost 

 invariably heard a noise which I can best compare 

 to an iron bar thrust against the wall below, and 

 for which I in vain cudgelled my brains to account. 

 What was worse, my wife noticed it too, and asked 

 me what it was. The explanation I gave was 

 certainly creditable to my imagination. I said that 

 the board which closed the disused fireplace got 

 warped with the heat of the stove, and that the 

 noise we heard was made by its regaining its normal 

 position as the stove cooled. Anyhow, it satisfied 

 the feminine mind, and we slept in peace. 



Two or three weeks had elapsed, and the carnival 



