But it was a curious interior.
Every niche of the walls was covered with carved oak; no wainscoted hall in the country could be more richly or more fancifully decorated.

The chimney-piece over the open hearth-stone, a wide chimney-piece, was deeply carved with curious devices.

The doors and window-frames, the cupboards and the shelves for the crockery, were all of dark oak, fashioned into leaves and ferns, with birds on their nests, and timid rabbits, and still more timid wood-mice peeping out of their coverts, cocks crowing with uplifted crest, and chickens nestling under the hen-mother's wings, sheaves of corn, and tall, club-headed bulrushes--all the objects familiar to a country life.

The dancing light played upon them, and shone also upon Roland Sefton's sad and weary face.

Phebe drew her father's carved arm-chair close to the fire.
"Sit down," she said, "and let me get you something to eat." "Yes," he answered, sinking down wearily in the chair, "I am nearly dying of hunger.