The House of Dies Drear by Virginia Hamilton

Author:Virginia Hamilton
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: ebook, book
Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media LLC
Published: 2010-08-05T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

MR. SMALL DECIDED they would combine lunch with dinner in the college dining room.

“It will be a Sunday treat for everyone,” he said cheerfully. “Afterward, we’ll still have time to find a locksmith.”

He looked anxiously at Thomas. The boy wanted to meet young people, and there seemed to be no easy way to go about it. Thomas would need time to become adjusted; he would have to take things easy until the town had got used to them.

Mr. Small said nothing to Mrs. Small or to Thomas about the aloofness of the church members. He occupied them with talk about the college. Thomas forgot for awhile the mystery of the new house.

Mrs. Small was interested first in walking the college campus and hearing about its century-old history. They made their way to the campus, and Thomas enjoyed walking under the great oak trees. The trees made the grounds dark with shade. Mrs. Small liked the stone benches placed over the whole of the campus, for she could rest often and allow the twins to play in the grass.

“That’s the main building,” said Mr. Small, pointing out the twin towers of the oldest college building. “All the business offices are there, and a few of the classrooms. I have my office in the left tower—would you care to see it? You’ll have to walk up. There are no elevators.”

Mrs. Small declined to climb so many stairs. But Thomas wanted to find out what it was like to sit in a tower. He and Mr. Small climbed up and up. Finally they entered a corridor where Mr. Small opened one of the closed doors with a skeleton key.

“This will be a cool place in summer,” he said to Thomas. “Ivy covers the windows, keeping moisture close. Not much sunlight can penetrate. But come the winter, I’ll probably freeze here.”

“Isn’t there any heat?” Thomas asked. He had not much heart for talk. The climb up to the tower had tired him; he wanted no more than to go home to rest in his room.

“No heat that I know of,” Mr. Small said.

“I thought colleges were supposed to be modern,” said Thomas. “I thought up North they’d at least be heated.”

Mr. Small had to laugh. “Now don’t blame the North for everything,” he said. “This isn’t your state university with new buildings, sleek offices and central heating. Why this is history, son. Many of the buildings are much the same as they were a century ago. And if you don’t mind, I’ll dispense with heat any day for some good atmosphere.”

I wish history would just die, thought Thomas. Why must Papa have it clutter up everything?

Mr. Small’s office was not like any office Thomas had seen. It was like a watchtower, with garret windows and a musty smell. There were books piled everywhere, and bookcases lined the curved walls. An ancient desk by one narrow window had a small table on wheels next to it. Resting on the table was a typewriter that looked like an antique.

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