Now enter," and he led the way into the house, opening the
iron-studded oak door with a key from his pouch.
Within was a shop where I saw precious things such as furs and gold
ornaments lying about.
"The crumbs to catch the birds, especially the ladybirds," he said with
a sweep of his hand, then took me through the shop into a passage
and thence to a room on the right. It was not a large room but more
wonderfully furnished than any I had ever seen. In the centre was a
table of black oak with cunningly carved legs, on which stood cups of
silver and a noble centre piece that seemed to be of gold. From the
ceiling, too, hung silver lamps that already had been lit, for the
evening was closing in, and gave a sweet smell. There was a hearth also
with what was rare, a chimney, upon which burned a little fire of logs,
while the walls were hung with tapestries and broidered silks.
Whilst I stared about me, my uncle took off his cloak beneath which he
was clothed in some rich but rather threadbare stuff, only retaining the
velvet skullcap that he wore.
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