"Oh, yes," he replied indifferently, "I believe so, several times."
"For long?"
"No—o. I believe, not for long."
"Have the tenants had any particular reasons for not remaining on there—if I may be so bold as to inquire?"
"All people have reasons to offer, but what they offer you are not supposed to receive as genuine."
I could get no more from him than this. "I think, sir, if I were you I would not go down to Fernwood till after November was out."
"But," said I, "I want the shooting."
"Ah, to be sure—the shooting, ah! I should have preferred if you could have waited till December began."
"That would not suit me," I said, and so the matter ended.
When we were settled in, we occupied the right wing of the house. The left or west wing was but scantily furnished and looked cheerless, as though rarely tenanted. We were not a large family, my wife and myself alone; there was consequently ample accommodation in the east wing for us. The servants were placed above the kitchen, in a portion of the house I have not yet described. It was a half-wing, if I may so describe it, built on the north side parallel with the upper arm of the western limb of the hall and the [Symbol: H]. This block had a gable to the north like the wings, and a broad lead valley was between them, that, as I learned from the agent, had to be attended to after the fall of the leaf, and in times of snow, to clear it.