The carriage stopped, and then the driver jumped down. He held out his hand to help me to get out of the carriage. Once again I not noticed how enormously strong he was. His hand seemed to be a steel vice that could crush my hand any time he wanted to. He took my luggage, and put it on the ground beside me. I was standing close to a very big door. It was old with large iron nails hammered into it. The door was deep instide a huge stone doorway. Even though there was not much light I could see that the stone was covered in carvings. However time and weather had almost worn away the shape of the carvings. While I was standing by the door, the driver jumped into his seat again. The horses started forward, and the carriage disappeared down one of the dark openings at the side of the courtyard.

I stood where I was and said nothing, because I did not know what to do next. There was no sign of a bell or any way to signal to someone that I was there. And I did not think that the sound of my voice would get through these thick dark walls or those black window openings. I seemed to wait forever, and I became more and more uncertain and afraid. What sort of place had I come to? What kind of people were these? What exactly had I got myself into? Was this a normal thing to happen in the life of a solicitor's clerk? I thought had gone to explain the sale of some property in London to a foreigner! Solicitor's clerk! Mina would not like that. I should say 'Solicitor'. Just before I had left London I was told that I had passed my examination, so I am now a fully-qualified solicitor!