Country folk went by from the fields as I sat there on the side of the ditch , but I lacked the spirit to give them a good-e ` en . At last the sun went down , and then , right up against the yellow sky , I saw a scroll of smoke go mounting , not much thicker , as it seemed to me , than the smoke of a candle ; but still there it was , and meant a fire , and warmth , and cookery , and some living inhabitant that must have lit it ; and this comforted my heart . So I set forward by a little faint track in the grass that led in my direction . It was very faint indeed to be the only way to a place of habitation ; yet I saw no other . Presently it brought me to stone uprights , with an unroofed lodge beside them , and coats of arms upon the top . A main entrance it was plainly meant to be , but never finished ; instead of gates of wrought iron , a pair of hurdles were tied across with a straw rope ; and as there were no park walls , nor any sign of avenue , the track that I was following passed on the right hand of the pillars , and went wandering on toward the house . The nearer I got to that , the drearier it appeared . It seemed like the one wing of a house that had never been finished . What should have been the inner end stood open on the upper floors , and showed against the sky with steps and stairs of uncompleted masonry . Many of the windows were unglazed , and bats flew in and out like doves out of a dove-cote . The night had begun to fall as I got close ; and in three of the lower windows , which were very high up and narrow , and well barred , the changing light of a little fire began to glimmer . Was this the palace I had been coming to ? Was it within these walls that I was to seek new friends and begin great fortunes ? Why , in my father 's house on Essen-Waterside , the fire and the bright lights would show a mile away , and the door open to a beggar 's knock ! I came forward cautiously , and giving ear as I came , heard some one rattling with dishes , and a little dry , eager cough that came in fits ; but there was no sound of speech , and not a dog barked . The door , as well as I could see it in the dim light , was a great piece of wood all studded with nails ; and I lifted my hand with a faint heart under my jacket , and knocked once . Then I stood and waited . The house had fallen into a dead silence ; a whole minute passed away , and nothing stirred but the bats overhead . I knocked again , and hearkened again . By this time my ears had grown so accustomed to the quiet , that I could hear the ticking of the clock inside as it slowly counted out the seconds ; but whoever was in that house kept deadly still , and must have held his breath .
I was in two minds whether to run away ; but anger XXXXX the upper hand , and I began instead to rain kicks and buffets on the door , and to shout out aloud for Mr. Balfour .
barked begun got hearkened held saw see set tied went