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In the garden, close to the fence against which Rykov had

supported his triangle, stood a large old cheese house, built of

lattice work made of beams nailed across one another, like a

cage. In it there shone many scores of white cheeses; around them

bunches of sage, bennet, cardoon, and wild thyme hung drying, the

entire herb apothecary shop of the Seneschal's daughter. The

cheese house was some twenty feet square, but it rested only on a

single great pillar, like a stork's nest. The old oaken pillar

slanted, for it was already half decayed, and threatened to fall.

The Judge had often been advised to destroy the age-worn

structure, but he always said that he preferred to repair it

rather than to destroy it, or even to rebuild it. He kept

postponing the task to a more convenient season, and in the

meantime bade put two props under the pillar. The structure, thus

strengthened, but still not firm, looked over the fence at

Rykov's triangle.