Miss Aldclyffe had not chosen the easiest chair of her boudoir to sit in, or even a chair of ordinary comfort, but an uncomfortable, high, narrow-backed, oak framed and seated chair, which was allowed to remain in the room only on the ground of being a companion in artistic quaintness to an old coffer beside it, and was never used except to stand in to reach for a book from the highest row of shelves. But she had sat erect in this chair for more than an hour, for the reason that she was utterly unconscious of what her actions and bodily feelings were. The chair had stood nearest her path on entering the room, and she had gone to it in a dream. She sat in the attitude which denotes unflagging, intense, concentrated thought--as if she were cast in bronze. Her feet were together, her body bent a little forward, and quite unsupported by the back of the chair; her hands on her knees, her eyes fixed intently on the corner of a footstool. At last she moved and tapped her fingers upon the table at her side. Her pent-up ideas had finally found some channel to advance in. Motions became more and more frequent as she laboured to carry further and further the problem which occupied her brain. She sat back and drew a long breath: she sat sideways and leant her forehead upon her hand. Later still she arose, walked up and down the room--at first abstractedly, with her features as firmly set as ever; but by degrees her brow relaxed, her footsteps became lighter and more leisurely; her head rode gracefully and was no longer bowed. She plumed herself like a swan after exertion. ‘Yes,’ she said aloud. ‘To get _him_ here without letting him know that I have any other object than that of getting a useful man--that’s the difficulty--and that I think I can master.’ She rang for the new maid, a placid woman of forty with a few grey hairs. ‘Ask Miss Graye if she can come to me.’ Cytherea was not far off, and came in. ‘Do you know anything about architects and surveyors?’ said Miss Aldclyffe abruptly. ‘Know anything?’ replied Cytherea, poising herself on her toe to consider the compass of the question. ‘Yes--know anything,’ said Miss Aldclyffe. ‘Owen is an architect and surveyor’s draughtsman,’ the maiden said, and thought of somebody else who was likewise. ‘Yes! that’s why I asked you. What are the different kinds of work comprised in an architect’s practice? They lay out estates, and superintend the various works done upon them, I should think, among other things?’ ‘Those are, more properly, a land or building steward’s duties--at least I have always imagined so. Country architects include those things in their practice; city architects don’t.’ ‘I know that, child. But a steward’s is an indefinite fast and loose profession, it seems to me. Shouldn’t you think that a man who had been brought up as an architect would do for a steward?’ Cytherea had doubts whether an architect pure would do.