As Basil had expected, he was kept waiting without the
doors until the porter had received orders regarding him. Permitted
at length to enter, he passed by a number of slaves who stood, as if
on guard, in the atrium, and, though seeming to be alone in the room
beyond, he heard subdued voices from behind the curtains of the
doorways, which told him that he was under observation. All parts of
this great house were perfectly familiar to him, and had it been
possible to conduct a search, he would soon have ascertained whether
she he sought was kept imprisoned here; but, unless he took the
place by storm, how could he hope to make any discovery? Whilst he
was impatiently reflecting, Petronilla entered. She moved towards
him with her wonted dignity of mien, but in the look with which she
examined him, as she paused at two paces' distance, it was easy to
perceive distrust, and a certain inquietude.
'Your leisure at length permits you to visit me, dear lord Basil,'
she began coldly.
'My leisure, indeed,' he replied, 'has not been great since the day
on which you left Surrentum.
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