He sought the long passage
by which he had come, and felt his way to the other end: it would be
safer to wait there if he could get no farther. But somehow he came
to the foot of his own stair, and sped up as if it were the ladder
of heaven. He threw himself on his bed, fell fast asleep, and did
not wake till the sun was high.
CHAPTER XIV.
THE SCHOOLROOM.
Old Simmons, the butler, woke him.
"I was afraid something was the matter, sir. They tell me you did
not come down last night; and breakfast has been waiting you two
hours."
"I should not have known where to find it," said Donal. "The
knowledge of an old castle is not intuitive."
"How long will you take to dress?" asked Simmons.
"Ten minutes, if there is any hurry," answered Donal.
"I will come again in twenty; or, if you are willing to save an old
man's bones, I will be at the bottom of the stair at that time to
take charge of you. I would have looked after you yesterday, but
his lordship was poorly, and I had to be in attendance on him till
after midnight."
Donal thought it impossible he should of himself have found his way
to the schoolroom. With all he could do to remember the turnings,
he found the endeavour hopeless, and gave it up with a not
unpleasing despair. Through strange passages, through doors in all
directions, up stairs and down they went, and at last came to a
long, low room, barely furnished, with a pleasant outlook, and
immediate access to the open air.
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