morning, noon
If the desolate appearance of the house was likely to raise oppressive feelings in a stranger 's mind , how much more this garden ! It was a large oblong piece of ground , the walls of which enclosed the western end of the house completely . One of them ran parallel with the front , and a massive oaken door somewhat relieved its flat monotony ; but this door afforded no ingress , it was bolted and barred from within . The garden was that special portion of her inheritance on which the ancient owner rested her eyes ; morning , noon , and evening she would sit gazing on its green fishpond , all overgrown with duckweed , on the lawn now fast being encroached on by shrubbery , and on the bed of lilies which from year to year spread and flourished . But she never entered it , nor did any one else . That end of the house had but four windows on the ground floor , and these were all strongly barred with iron , the places they lighted consisting of kitchen , offices , and a cider store-room . Above these on the first-floor were three pleasant rooms overlooking the garden , and opening on to a wooden gallery or verandah , at each end of which was an alcove of an old-fashioned and substantial description .