transcription: I imagine there were several kinds of old fashioned christmases but it could hardly be worse than a chop in my chambers or horror of horrors at the club or my cousin lucy's notion of what she calls the festive season


transcription: The reply was written in a sprawling feminine hand it was a little vague


transcription: It appeared that the terms would be five guineas but there was no mention of the length of time which that fee would cover


transcription: There was nothing said about the sort of accommodation which would be provided nothing about the kind of establishment which was maintained or the table which was kept


transcription: Now it is a remarkable thing that i have always had an extraordinary predilection for the name madge i do not know why


transcription: I have never known a madge and yet from my boyhood upward i have desired to meet one


transcription: Under such circumstances she was hardly likely to be lively herself but her name was madge and it was the accident of her christian name which decided me to go


transcription: I did not expect a princely entertainment


transcription: All night it had been blowing and raining


transcription: I felt quite lively myself as i mingled with the christmas crowd looking for things which might not turn out to be absolutely preposterous


transcription: I even bought something for madge i mean missus wilson


transcription: It is some satisfaction for me to be able to reflect that i made it warm for the officials however cold i might have been myself


transcription: When at last i reached crofton my journey's end it turned out that the station staff consisted of a half witted individual who was stationmaster porter and clerk combined and a hulking lad who did whatever else there was to do


transcription: No one had come to meet me the village was about half a mile and hangar dene the house for which my steps were bent about four miles by the road how far it was across ploughed fields my informant did not mention


transcription: There was a trap at the boy and blunderbuss but that required fetching


transcription: When the trap did appear it looked to me uncommonly like an open spring cart


transcription: I was chilled to the bone wet tired hungry


transcription: I had long been wishing that an old fashioned christmas had been completely extinct before i had thought of adventuring in quest of one


transcription: There be the door in front of you you go up three steps if you can find em


transcription: There's a knocker if none of em haven't twisted it off


transcription: There appeared to be no knocker though whether it had been twisted off was more than i could say


transcription: No answer though i allowed a more than decent interval


transcription: Better ring again suggested the driver hard


transcription: Maybe they're up to some of their games and wants rousing


transcription: The bell reverberated through what seemed like an empty house


transcription: Presently feet were heard advancing along the passage several pairs it seemed and a light gleamed through the window over the door


transcription: The information was greeted with what sounded uncommonly like a chorus of laughter


transcription: There was a rush of retreating feet an expostulating voice then darkness again and silence


transcription: After a vast amount of unfastening the door was opened and on the threshold there stood a girl with a lighted candle in her hand


transcription: We've lost the key of the cellar and there's nothing out except water and i don't think you'd care for that