uests in terms of extravagant eulogy. Zurich was congratulated on
the possession of a Paragon of public virtue; and William Tell, in the
character of benefactor to Switzerland, was compared disadvantageously
with Mrs. Lecount.

The third week began, and Magdalen was now at liberty to take her first
step forward on the way to the discovery of the Secret Trust.

She ascertained from old Mazey that it was his master's custom, during
the winter and spring months, to occupy the rooms in the north wing;
and during the summer and autumn to cross the Arctic passage of
"Freeze-your-Bones," and live in the eastward apartments which looked
out on the garden. While the Banqueting-Hall remained--owing to the
admiral's inadequate pecuniary resources--in its damp and dismantled
state, and while the interior of St. Crux was thus comfortlessly divided
into two separate residences, no more convenient arrangement than this
could well have been devised. Now and then (as Magdalen understood from
her informant) there were days, both in winter and summer, when the
admiral became anxious about the condition of the rooms which he was not
occupying at the time, and when he insisted on investigating the state
of the furniture, the pictures, and the books with his own eyes. On
these occasions, in summer as in winter, a blazing fire was kindled for
some days previously in the large grate, and the charcoal was lighted
in the tripod-pan, to keep the Banqueting-Hall as warm as circumstances
would admit. As soon as the old gentleman's anxieties were set at rest
the rooms were shut up again, and "Freeze-your-Bones" was once more
abandoned for weeks and weeks together to damp, desolation, and decay.
The last of these temporary migrations had taken place only a few days
since; the admiral had satisfied himself that the rooms in the east wing
were none the worse for the absence of their master, and he might now be
safely reckoned on as settled in the north wing for weeks, and perhaps,
if the season was cold, for months to come.

Trifling as they might be in themselves, these particulars were of
serious importance to Magdalen, for they helped her to fix the limits
of the field of search. Assuming that the admiral was likely to keep all
his important documents within easy reach of his own hand, she might now
feel certain that the Secret Trust was secured in one or other of the
rooms in the north wing.

In which room? That question was not easy to answer