Hisdoorwasbarricadedbyasetofingeniousboltsofhisowninvention，forthesiegeswerefrequentbytheneighbourswhenanyunusuallyambrosialodourspreaditselffromthedentotheneighbouringstudies。Thedoorpanelswereinanormalstateofsmash，buttheframeofthedoorresistedallbesiegers，andbehindittheownercarriedonhisvariedpursuits——muchinthesamestateofmind，Ishouldfancy，asaborder-farmerlivedin，inthedaysofthemoss-troopers，whenhisholdmightbesummonedorhiscattlecarriedoffatanyminuteofnightorday。
“Open，Martin，oldboy；it’sonlyI，TomBrown。“
“Oh，verywell；stopamoment。“Oneboltwentback。“You’resureEastisn’tthere？“
“No，no；hangit，open。“Tomgaveakick，theotherboltcreaked，andheenteredtheden。
Denindeeditwas——aboutfivefeetsixincheslongbyfivewide，andsevenfeethigh。Aboutsixtatteredschool-books，andafewchemicalbooks，Taxidermy，StanleyonBirds，andanoddvolumeofBewick，thelatterinmuchbetterpreservation，occupiedthetopshelves。Theothershelves，wheretheyhadnotbeencutawayandusedbytheownerforotherpurposes，werefittedupfortheabiding-placesofbirds，beasts，andreptiles。