ItstruckmethatmysafestwayofintroducingmyselfwouldbetotellDoctorDulciferthatIhadcometotheneighborhoodforalittlefishing，andsotopreventhimfromfancyingthatIwassuspiciouslypromptinavailingmyselfofhisofferedhospitality。Iputup，ofcourse，attheinn——stuckalargeparchmentbookofflieshalfinandhalfoutofthepocketofmyshooting-jacket——andsetoffatoncetothedoctor\'s。ThewaiterofwhomIaskedmywaystareddistrustfullywhilehedirectedme。
Thepeopleattheinnhadevidentlyheardofmynewfriend，andwerenotfavorablydisposedtowardthecauseofscientificinvestigation。
Thehousestoodaboutamileoutofthetown，inadipofgroundnearthefamousfishing-stream。Itwasalonely，old-fashionedred-brickbuilding，surroundedbyhighwalls，withagardenandplantationbehindit。
AsIrangatthegate-bell，Ilookedupatthehouse。Sureenoughallthetopwindowsinfrontwereclosedwithshuttersandbarred。Iwasletinbyamaninlivery；who，however，inmannersandappearance，lookedmuchmorelikeaworkmanindisguisethanafootman。Hehadaverysuspiciouseye，andhefixeditonmeunpleasantlywhenIhandedhimmycard。
Iwasshownintoamorning-roomexactlylikeothermorning-roomsincountryhouses。