Strona 205 z 896

The summer light struck into the corner brilliantly in the

earlier part of the day; but, when the streets grew hot, the

corner was in shadow, though not in shadow so remote but that you

could see beyond it into a glare of brightness. It was a cool

spot, staid but cheerful, a wonderful place for echoes, and a

very harbour from the raging streets.

There ought to have been a tranquil bark in such an anchorage,

and there was. The Doctor occupied two floors of a large stiff

house, where several callings purported to be pursued by day, but

whereof little was audible any day, and which was shunned by all

of them at night. In a building at the back, attainable by a

courtyard where a plane-tree rustled its green leaves,

church-organs claimed to be made, and silver to be chased, and

likewise gold to be beaten by some mysterious giant who had a

golden arm starting out of the wall of the front hall--as if he

had beaten himself precious, and menaced a similar conversion of

all visitors. Very little of these trades, or of a lonely lodger

rumoured to live up-stairs, or of a dim coach-trimming maker

asserted to have a counting-house below, was ever heard or seen.