Chapter IV

Martha

When she opened her eyes in the morning it
was because a young housemaid had come
into her room to light the fire and was kneeling
on the hearth-rug raking out the cinders noisily.
Mary lay and watched her for a few moments
and then began to look about the room. She had
never seen a room at all like it and thought it curious
and gloomy. The walls were covered with
tapestry with a forest scene embroidered on it.
There were fantastically dressed people under
the trees and in the distance there was a glimpse of
the turrets of a castle. There were hunters and
horses and dogs and ladies. Mary felt as if she
were in the forest with them. Out of a deep window
she could see a great climbing stretch of land
which seemed to have no trees on it, and to look
rather like an endless, dull, purplish sea.

"What is that?" she said, pointing out of the
window.

Martha, the young housemaid, who had just
risen to her feet, looked and pointed also.

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v?