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"Now the house in Queen Square is virtually a museum. The upper part is separated from the lower by a massive door which opens from the hall and gives access to the staircase and which is fitted with a Chubb night-latch. There are two latch-keys, of which John used to keep one and I the other. You will find them both in the safe behind me.
This is Manchester Buildings; and here, at all hours of the night, may be heard the rattling of latch-keys in their respective keyholes: with now and then when a gust of wind sweeping across the water which washes the Buildings' feet, impels the sound towards its entrance the weak, shrill voice of some young member practising tomorrow's speech.
"That's exactly what Personages don't do: they live in state and under constant consideration; they haven't latch-keys, but drums and trumpets announce them; and when they go out in growlers it makes a greater noise still. It's you, caro mio," she said, "who, so far as that goes, are the Personage." "Ah," he in turn protested, "don't put it all on me!
And quiet enough they've always been we've had no reason to complain." "And, as they all have latch-keys, I suppose they can get into the place at any hour of the day or night?" suggested the Inspector. "There's no bar against them coming here at night?" "They can come in and go out whenever they please," answered the elder man. "I tell you we've nothing to do with them except as their landlords."
And then to prepare yourself, find two doddering old ladies, and go abroad with them." "I want more independence," said Lucy lamely; she knew that she wanted something, and independence is a useful cry; we can always say that we have not got it. She tried to remember her emotions in Florence: those had been sincere and passionate, and had suggested beauty rather than short skirts and latch-keys.
The land was now divided into a few farms, on which stood imposing-looking houses, with knockers and latch-keys to the doors, where the little girl and the white pony would never have ventured to ask admittance, or cared to gain it where "nobody wanted nothin' from nobody," old Adam, the gardener, had assured Margery, when she made anxious inquiries concerning the prospect of Grace's search, and who hoped that this circumstantial information might persuade her young mistress to abandon it.
B. F. Jenkins, for such was the name of the Boy Chief, was the first to recover his calmness. Turning to his warriors he said proudly, "Let my children retire while I speak to the agent of our Great Father in Washington. Hereafter no latch-keys will be provided for the wigwams of the warriors. The practice of late hours must be discouraged." "How!" said the warriors, and instantly retired.
"That's exactly what Personages don't do: they live in state and under constant consideration; they haven't latch-keys, but drums and trumpets announce them; and when they go out in growlers it makes a greater noise still. It's you, caro mio," she said, "who, so far as that goes, are the Personage." "Ah," he in turn protested, "don't put it all on me!
No daring book-agent, no pedlar of indurated cheek, no outside barbarian had ever crossed that guarded portal, for a brass chain of impregnable strength prevented any intrusion, and only a glimpse of the old tesselated marble floor rewarded the frightened interloper. It was "No Thoroughfare" to the multitude, and the quaint visitors were either personally conducted or used latch-keys.
The well of the staircase disappeared into darkness, pricked by tiny gas-jets, and there were sounds of men talking and doors slamming seven flights below, in the warm gloom. 'Do they give you a free hand here? said Dick, cautiously. He was Ishmael enough to know the value of liberty. 'Anything you like; latch-keys and license unlimited. We are permanent tenants for the most part here.
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