To Ricardo it seemed impossible that so sordid and sinister a tragedy had taken place within its walls during the last twelve hours.

It glistened so gaudily in the blaze of sunlight.

Here and there the green outer shutters were closed; here and there the windows stood open to let in the air and light.

Upon each side of the door there was a window lighting the hall, which was large; beyond those windows again, on each side, there were glass doors opening to the ground and protected by the ordinary green latticed shutters of wood, which now stood hooked back against the wall.

These glass doors opened into rooms oblong in shape, which ran through towards the back of the house, and were lighted in addition by side windows.