she could count? It would be something to do
on this morning when she could not go out. She
had never been taught to ask permission to do
things, and she knew nothing at all about authority,
so she would not have thought it necessary to
ask Mrs. Medlock if she might walk about the
house, even if she had seen her.

She opened the door of the room and went into
the corridor, and then she began her wanderings.
It was a long corridor and it branched into other
corridors and it led her up short flights of steps
which mounted to others again. There were
doors and doors, and there were pictures on the
walls. Sometimes they were pictures of dark, curious
landscapes, but oftenest they were portraits
of men and women in queer, grand costumes made
of satin and velvet. She found herself in one long
gallery whose walls were covered with these portraits.
She had never thought there could be so
many in any house. She walked slowly down this
place and stared at the faces which also seemed to
stare at her. She felt as if they were wondering
what a little girl from India was doing in
their house. Some were pictures of children -- little
girls in thick satin frocks which reached to
their feet and stood out about them, and boys with
puffed sleeves and lace collars and long hair, or
with big ruffs around their necks. She always

[[69]]

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v?