be
kind enough to balance herself upon them once more. As I proceeded,
occupied with these thoughts, I discerned in the wall, on my left hand,
a little wicket which I did not remember to have perceived before. It
appeared low, but the pointed arch was such as to afford room for the
tallest man to enter. The arch and the wall on either side had been
most richly carved by the mason and the sculptor, but my attention was
most attracted by the door itself. The old brown wood of which it was
made had been but little ornamented, but broad bands of brass were
attached to it, worked both in relief and in _intaglio_. The foliage
which was represented on this brass, and on which the most natural
birds were sitting, I could not sufficiently admire. I was, however,
most surprised at seeing no keyhole, no latch, no knocker, and from the
absence of these I surmised that the door only opened from within. I
was not mistaken, for when I went close to it, to feel the carved work,
it opened inwards, and a man, whose dress was somewhat long, wide, and
altogether singular, appeared before me. A venerable beard flowed
about his chin, and I was, therefore, inclined to take him for a Jew.
As if he had divined my thoughts he made the sign of the holy cross,
thereby giving me to understand that he was a good Catholic Christian.
"Young gentleman, how did you come here, and what are you doing?" said
he, with friendly voice and gesture. "I am admiring the work of this
door," I replied, "for I have never seen any thing like it, except,
perhaps, in small pieces, in the collection of amateurs." "I am
delighted," said he, "that you take pleasure in such work. The door is
still more beautiful on the inner side, pray walk in if you choose."
This affair made me feel somewhat uncomfortable. I felt embarrassed by
the strange dress of the porter, by the retired situation of the place,
and a certain indescribable something in the air. I paused, therefore,
under the pretext of looking longer at the outside, and at the same
time cast furtive glances at the garden--for a garden it was which had
just been opened to me. Immediately behind the gate I saw a space
completely shaded by the closely entwined branches of some old linden
trees, which had been planted at regular intervals, so that the most
numerous assembly might have rested there during the most intense heat
of the day. I had already set my foot on the threshold, and the old
man was well ab