"Some days he is--but never so early as this. You will have to see him in bed."
The Squire's bedroom was next to his sitting-room. As they passed through the green baize doors, both thrown wide open to-day, Charles Plackett noticed them.
"These look new," remarked he. "Put up to keep out the draughts?"
"Not so much that as to keep out noise," remarked Dr. Jago.
"One would think you had not much noise at the Hall here."
"Pardon me. Visitors are pretty frequent, and it annoys the Squire to hear them when he cannot receive them. His ears are quick."
Dr. Jago halted at the bedroom door as he spoke. "Wait just an instant," he whispered; "I'll go in and see that he has not dropped asleep."
So they waited outside, the two visitors and Hubert. "It is quite right," said Dr. Jago, reappearing. "He is awake and ready to see you."
Opening wide the door he stepped back; Mr. Plackett and his clerk entered. Hubert went in last and closed the door gently.
The weather this morning was heavy and overcast--very different from the bright morning of the twenty-fourth--and what light might otherwise have found its way into the room was still further toned down by the heavy curtains which festooned the two windows, and by the blinds which were drawn only half-way up. Still there was ample light to see the heavy, old-fashioned, four-post bedstead, and the haggard-faced man that lay upon it, supported by some half-dozen pillows. His grey duffel dressing-robe was thrown loosely over his shoulders, his black velvet skull cap was on his head, and his long grey locks, as they straggled from under it, looked as if they needed some woman's hand to comb them gently out. His cane lay on the coverlet within reach, so as to enable him to strike a small gong with it, which stood close by, when he wanted to summon his nurse from the next room. Finally, his cat's-eye ring gleamed on the second finger of his left hand, as it had gleamed there for forty years. In the grate a small fire was burning, while on a table close to the bed stood bottles containing medicines and cordials of various kinds.