How I do
despise those gray stockings! — But what can I do? it's too
bad to squeeze my nice things up so. I wonder what is behind
those doors? I'll find out, I know, before long."
On the north side of Ellen's room were three doors. She had
never opened them, but now took it into her head to see what
was there, thinking she might possibly find what would help
her out of her difficulty. She had some little fear of
meddling with anything in her aunt's domain; so she fastened
her own door, to guard against interruption while she was
busied in making discoveries.
At the foot of her bed, in the corner, was one large door,
fastened by a button, as indeed they were all. This opened,
she found, upon a flight of stairs, leading, as she supposed,
to the garret, but Ellen did not care to go up and see. They
were lighted by half of a large window, across the middle of
which the stairs went up. She quickly shut that door, and
opened the next, a little one. Here she found a tiny closet
under the stairs, lighted by the other half of the window.
There was nothing in it but a broad, low shelf or step under
the stairs, where Ellen presently decided she could stow away
her books very nicely. "It only wants a little brushing out,"
said Ellen, "and it will do very well." The other door, in the
other corner, admitted her to a large light closet, perfectly
empty.
Pages:
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243