THERE was no possibility of taking a walk that day. We had been
    wandering, indeed, in the leafless shrubbery an hour in the morning;
    but since dinner (Mrs. Reed, when there was no company, dined early)
    the cold winter wind had brought with it clouds so sombre, and a
    rain so penetrating, that further outdoor exercise was now out of
    the question.
    I was glad of it: I never liked long walks, especially on chilly