The Opposite House: A Novel — page 62: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Opposite House. 57 She set the lamp on the table and flung her ele- gant shawl on the nearest chair, then eagerly put ber arm around the young girl and kissed her rosy cheeks. “You dear aunt,” replied Marie, tenderly, “‘ have you climbed all these stairs to my hermitager I rarely have any visitors here, and am doubly glad to welcome you.” “T wanted to see your sanctum once,” said the lady, laughing, as she tossed her fan and gloves on the chair too. “I have heard you talk of this cabinet of curiosities so often, without ever gain- ing admittance toit. Your mamma was not in the drawing-room, so I took a lamp and made my way up here. You know I never stop to consider long. What should I have done without a lamp! Don't be vexed, Marie, but I think your house is aterrible place. These stairs and corners and towers and bow-windows! Every time I bumped against some treacherous beam or cupboard I thanked Providence that I didn’t live here.’ Panting for breath, she dropped into a chair and drew Marie down upon the stool at her side. Aunt Verja was a wonderfully pretty woman—a thorough Russian, from the crown of her head to the tips of her dainty feet. A piquant, narrow little face, with a pale complexion, as transparently dell1- cate as the petal of a flower, and with the creamy Comicboolks C@