Joseph and his wife lived in a little cottage a short way from the house.
It was a real cottage, with a roof of thick thatch, which, in June
and July, the wind sprinkled with the red and white petals it shook
from the loose topmost sprays of the rose-trees climbing the walls.
At first Diamond had a nest under this thatch--a pretty little room
with white muslin curtains, but afterwards Mr. and Mrs. Raymond
wanted to have him for a page in the house, and his father and mother
were quite pleased to have him employed without his leaving them.
So he was dressed in a suit of blue, from which his pale face
and fair hair came out like the loveliest blossom, and took up his
abode in the house.

"Would you be afraid to sleep alone, Diamond?" asked his mistress.

"I don't know what you mean, ma'am," said Diamond. "I never was
afraid of anything that I can recollect--not much, at least."

"There's a little room at the top of the house--all alone,"
she returned; "perhaps you would not mind sleeping there?"

"I can sleep anywhere, and I like best to be high up. Should I
be able to see out?"

"I will show you the place," she answered; and taking him by the hand,
she led him up and up the oval-winding stair in one of the two towers.

Near the top they entered a tiny little room, with two windows
from which you could see over the whole country. Diamond clapped
his hands with delight.