The gravelled driveway, immediately after entering the
grounds, took a sharp turn round the corner of the gardener's cottage,
which answered for a gatekeeper's lodge. The moment, however, it was out
of sight from the highway it became transformed into a country road, with
wide, grassy borders and footpaths close to the rail fences, while just
ahead lay the silent village, with the small, brown, one-storey,
one-roomed school-house on one side of the green, and the little white
box of a meeting-house, with its gilt weathercock, on the other.
As this scene burst upon Mrs. Slater's view, her bewilderment was amusing
to witness. Her appearance for a moment was really as if she believed
herself the victim of some sort of magic, and suspected her friend of
being a sorceress. Reassured on this point by Miss Ludington's smiling
explanation, her astonishment gave place to the liveliest interest and
curiosity. The carriage was forthwith stopped and sent around to the
stables, while the two friends went on foot through the village. Every
house, every fence-corner, every lilac-bush or clump of hollyhocks, or
row of currant-bushes in the gardens, suggested some reminiscence, and
the two old ladies were presently laughing and crying at once.
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