Well, sir, here is welcome to you, such as it is, and wishing you well away.' And with that Jonathan ushered his guest through the tower door, and down three steps on the left hand into the kitchen or common room of the castle.

It was a huge, low room, as large as a meadow, occupying the whole width of the habitable wing, with six barred windows looking on the court, and two into the river valley.

A dresser, a table, and a few chairs stood dotted here and there upon the uneven flags.

Under the great chimney a good fire burned in an iron fire-basket; a high old settee, rudely carved with figures and Gothic lettering, flanked it on either side; there was a hinge table and a stone bench in the chimney corner, and above the arch hung guns, axes, lanterns, and great sheaves of rusty keys.
Jonathan looked about him, holding up the lantern, and shrugged his shoulders, with a pitying grimace.

'Here it is,' he said.