There was no ceiling, and the harsh brilliance of the lamp was toned above into a soft half- light that lost itself in the obscurity amongst the rafters.

The front wall was cut in two by the doorway of a central passage closed by a red curtain.

The women's room opened into that passage, which led to the back courtyard and to the cooking shed.

In one of the side walls there was a doorway.

Half obliterated words--"Office: Lingard and Co."-- were still legible on the dusty door, which looked as if it had not been opened for a very long time.