Themainbodyofthebuildingisofthetimeofthathighly-overratedwoman，QueenElizabeth。Onthegroundfloortherearetwohugelylonggalleries，withlowceilingslyingparallelwitheachother，andrenderedadditionallydarkanddismalbyhideousfamilyportraits——everyoneofwhichIshouldliketoburn。Theroomsonthefloorabovethetwogalleriesarekeptintolerablerepair，butareveryseldomused。Thecivilhousekeeper，whoactedasmyguide，offeredtoshowmeoverthem，butconsideratelyaddedthatshefearedIshouldfindthemratheroutoforder。MyrespectfortheintegrityofmyownpetticoatsandstockingsinfinitelyexceedsmyrespectforalltheElizabethanbedroomsinthekingdom，soIpositivelydeclinedexploringtheupperregionsofdustanddirtattheriskofsoilingmynicecleanclothes。Thehousekeepersaid。`Iamquiteofyouropinion，miss，’andappearedtothinkmethemostsensiblewomanshehadmetwithforalongtimepast。
　　Somuch，then，forthemainbuilding。Twowingsareaddedateitherendofit。Thehalf-ruinedwingontheleftasyouapproachthehouse
　　wasonceaPlaceofresidencestandingbyitself，andwasbuiltinthefourteenthcentury。OneofSirPercival’smaternalancestors——Idon’tremember，anddon’tcarewhich——tackedonthemainbuilding，atrightanglestoit，intheaforesaidQueenElizabeth’stime。Thehousekeepertoldmethatthearchitectureof`theoldwing。’bothoutsideandinside。
　　wasconsideredremarkablyfinebygoodjudges。OnfurtherinvestigationIdiscoveredthatgoodjudgescouldonlyexercisetheirabilitiesonSirPercival’spieceofantiquitybypreviouslydismissingfromtheirmindsallfearofdamp，darkness，andrats。Underthesecircumstances，Iunhesitatinglyacknowledgedmyselftobenojudgeatall，andsuggestedthatweshouldtreat`theoldwing’preciselyaswehadpreviouslytreatedtheElizabethanbedrooms。Oncemorethehousekeepersaid，`Iamquiteofyouropinion，miss，’andoncemoreshelookedatmewithundisguisedadmirationofmyextraordinarycommon-sense。
　　Wewentnexttothewingontheright，whichwasbuilt，bywayofcompletingthewonderfularchitecturaljumbleatBlackwaterPark，inthetimeofGeorgetheSecond。
　　Thisisthehabitablepartofthehouse，whichhasbeenrepairedandredecoratedinsideonLaura’saccount。Mytworooms，andallthegoodbedroomsbesides，areonthefirstfloor，andthebasementcontainsadrawing-room，adining-room，amorning-room，alibrary，andaprettylittleboudoirforLaura，allverynicelyornamentedinthebrightmodernway，andallveryelegantlyfurnishedwiththedelightfulmodernluxuries。NoneoftheroomsareanythinglikesolargeandairyasourroomsatLimmeridge，buttheyalllookpleasanttolivein。Iwasterriblyafraid，fromwhatIhadheardofBlackwaterPark，offatiguingantiquechairs，anddismalstainedglass，andmusty，frowzyhangings，andallthebarbarouslumberwhichpeoplebornwithoutasenseofcomfortaccumulateaboutthem，indefianceoftheconsiderationduetotheconvenienceoftheirfriends。Itisaninexpressiblerelieftofindthatthenineteenthcenturyhasinvadedthisstrangefuturehomeofmine，andhassweptthedirty`goodoldtimes’outofthewayofourdailylife。
　　Idawdledawaythemorning——partofthetimeintheroomsdownstairs，andpartoutofdoorsinthegreatsquarewhichisformedbythethreesidesofthehouse，andbytheloftyironrailingsandgateswhichprotectitinfront。Alargecircularfishpondwithstonesides，andanallegoricalleadenmonsterinthemiddle，occupiesthecentreofthesquare。Theponditselfisfullofgoldandsilverfish，andisencircledbyabroadbeltofthesoftestturfIeverwalkedon。Iloiteredhereontheshadysidepleasantlyenoughtillluncheon-time，andafterthattookmybroadstrawhatandwanderedoutaloneinthewarmlovelysunlighttoexplorethegrounds。
　　DaylightconfirmedtheimpressionwhichIhadfeltthenightbefore，oftherebeingtoomanytreesatBlackwater。Thehouseisstifledbythem。
　　Theyare，forthemostpart，young，andplantedfartoothickly。IsuspecttheremusthavebeenaruinouscuttingdownoftimberallovertheestatebeforeSirPercival’stime，andanangryanxietyonthepartofthenextpossessortofillupallthegapsasthicklyandrapidlyaspossible。Afterlookingaboutmeinfrontofthehouse，Iobservedaflower-gardenonmylefthand，andwalkedtowardsittoseewhatIcoulddiscoverinthatdirection。
　　Onanearerviewthegardenprovedtobesmallandpoorandillkept。
　　Ileftitbehindme，openedalittlegateinaringfence，andfoundmyselfinaplantationoffir-trees。
　　Aprettywindingpath，artificiallymade，ledmeonamongthetrees，andmynorth-countryexperiencesooninformedmethatIwasapproachingsandy，heathyground-Afterawalkofmorethanhalfamile，Ishouldthink，amongthefirs，thepathtookasharpturn——thetreesabruptlyceasedtoappearoneithersideofme，andIfoundmyselfstandingsuddenlyonthemarginofavastopenspace，andlookingdownattheBlackwaterlakefromwhichthehousetakesitsname。
　　Theground，shelvingawaybelowme，wasallsand，withafewlittleheathyhillockstobreakthemonotonyofitincertainplaces。ThelakeitselfhadevidentlyonceflowedtothespotonwhichIstood，andhadbeengraduallywastedanddrieduptolessthanathirdofitsformersize。
　　Isawitsstill，stagnantwaters，aquarterofamileawayfrommeinthehollow，separatedintopoolsandpondsbytwiningreedsandrushes，andlittleknollsofearth。Onthefartherbankfrommethetreesrosethicklyagain，andshutouttheview，andcasttheirblackshadowsonthesluggish，shallowwater。AsIwalkeddowntothelake，Isawthatthegroundonitsfarthersidewasdampandmarshy，overgrownwithrankgrassanddismalwillows。Thewater，whichwasclearenoughontheopensandyside，wherethesunshone，lookedblackandpoisonousoppositetome，whereitlaydeeperundertheshadeofthespongybanks，andtherankoverhangingthicketsandtangledtrees。Thefrogswerecroaking，andtheratswereslippinginandoutoftheshadowywater，likeliveshadowsthemselves，asIgotnearertothemarshysideofthelake。Isawhere，lyinghalfinandhalfoutofthewater，therottenwreckofanoldoverturnedboat。withasicklyspotofsunlightglimmeringthroughagapinthetreesonitsdrysurface，andasnakebaskinginthemidstofthespot，fantasticallycoiledandtreacherouslystill。Farandneartheviewsuggestedthesamedrearyimpressionsofsolitudeanddecay，andthegloriousbrightnessofthesummerskyoverheadseemedonlytodeepenandhardenthegloomandbarrennessofthewildernessonwhichitshone。Iturnedandretracedmystepstothehighheathyground，directingthemalittleasidefrommyformerpathtowardsashabbyoldwoodenshed，whichstoodontheouterskirtofthefirplantation，andwhichhadhithertobeentoounimportanttosharemynoticewiththewide，wildprospectofthelake。
　　OnapproachingtheshedIfoundthatithadoncebeenaboathouse，andthatanattempthadapparentlybeenmadetoconvertitafterwardsintoasortofrudearbour，byplacinginsideitafirwoodseat，afewstools，andatable。Ienteredtheplace，andsatdownforalittlewhiletorestandgetmybreathagain。
　　Ihadnotbeenintheboat-housemorethanaminutewhenitstruckmethatthesoundofmyownquickbreathingwasverystrangelyechoedbysomethingbeneathme。Ilistenedintentlyforamoment，andheardalow，thick，sobbingbreaththatseemedtocomefromthegroundundertheseatwhichIwasoccupying。
　　Mynervesarenoteasilyshakenbytrifles，butonthisoccasionIstartedtomyfeetinafright——calledout——receivednoanswer——summonedmyrecreantcourage，andlookedundertheseat。
　　There，crouchedupinthefarthestcorner，laytheforlorncauseofmyterror，intheshapeofapoorlittledog——ablackandwhitespaniel。
　　ThecreaturemoanedfeeblywhenIlookedatitandcalledtoit，butneverstirred。Imovedawaytheseatandlookedcloser。Thepoorlittledog’seyeswereglazingfast，andtherewerespotsofbloodonitsglossywhiteside。Themiseryofaweak，helpless，dumbcreatureissurelyoneofthesaddestofallthemournfulsightswhichthisworldcanshow。IliftedthepoordoginmyarmsasgentlyasIcould，andcontrivedasortofmake-shifthammockforhimtoliein，bygatheringupthefrontofmydressallroundhim。InthiswayItookthecreature，asPainlesslyaspossible，andasfastaspossible，backtothehouse。
　　FindingnooneinthehallIwentupatoncetomyownsitting-room，madeabedforthedogwithoneofmyoldshawls，andrangthebell。Thelargestandfattestofallpossiblehousemaidsansweredit，inastateofcheerfulstupiditywhichwouldhaveprovokedthepatienceofasaint。
　　Thegirl’sfat，shapelessfaceactuallystretchedintoabroadgrinatthesightofthewoundedcreatureonthefloor。
　　`Whatdoyouseetheretolaughat？’Iasked，asangrilyasifshehadbeenaservantofmyown。`Doyouknowwhosedogitis？’
　　`No，miss，thatIcertainlydon’t。’Shestooped，andlookeddownatthespaniel’sinjuredside——brightenedsuddenlywiththeirradiationofanewidea——andpointingtothewoundwithachuckleofsatisfaction，said，`That’sBaxter’sdoings，thatis。’
　　IwassoexasperatedthatIcouldhaveboxedherears。`Baxter？’Isaid。
　　`WhoisthebruteyoucallBaxter？’
　　Thegirlgrinnedagainmorecheerfullythanever。`Blessyou，miss！
　　Baxter’sthekeeper，andwhenhefindsstrangedogshuntingabout，hetakesandshoots’em。It’skeeper’sdooty，miss。Ithinkthatdogwilldie。Here’swherehe’sbeenshot，ain’tit？That’sBaxter’sdoings，thatis。Baxter’sdoings，miss，andBaxter’sdooty。’
　　IwasalmostwickedenoughtowishthatBaxterhadshotthehousemaidinsteadofthedog。Seeingthatitwasquiteuselesstoexpectthisdenselyimpenetrablepersonagetogivemeanyhelpinrelievingthesufferingcreatureatourfeet，Itoldhertorequestthehousekeeper’sattendancewithmycompliments。Shewentoutexactlyasshehadcomein，grinningfromeartoear。Asthedoorclosedonhershesaidtoherselfsoftly，`It’sBaxter’sdoingsandBaxter’sdooty——that’swhatitis。’
　　Thehousekeeper，apersonofsomeeducationandintelligence，thoughtfullybroughtupstairswithhersomemilkandsomewarmwater。Theinstantshesawthedogonthefloorshestartedandchangedcolour。
　　`Why，Lordblessme，’criedthehousekeeper，`thatmustbeMisCatherick’sdog！’
　　`Whose？’Iasked，intheutmostastonishment。
　　`MisCatherick’s。YouseemtoknowMrsCatherick，MissHalcombe？’
　　`Notpersonally，butIhaveheardofher。Doesshelivehere？Hasshehadanynewsofherdaughter？’
　　`No，MissHalcombe，shecameheretoaskfornews。’
　　`When？’