Up the broad flight of shallow steps, Monsieur the Marquis, flambeau preceded, went from his carriage, sufficiently disturbing the darkness to elicit loud remonstrance from an owl in the roof of the great pile of stable building away among the trees. All else was so quiet, that the flambeau carried up the steps, and the other flambeau held at the great door, burnt as if they were in a close room of state, instead of being in the open night-air. Other sound than the owl's voice there was none, save the falling of a fountain into its stone basin; for, it was one of those dark nights that hold their breath by the hour together, and then heave a long low sigh, and hold their breath again.
The great door clanged behind him, and Monsieur the Marquis crossed a hall grim with certain old boar-spears, swords, and knives of the chase; grimmer with certain heavy riding-rods and riding-whips, of which many a peasant, gone to his benefactor Death, had felt the weight when his lord was angry.
Avoiding the larger rooms, which were dark and made fast for the night, Monsieur the Marquis, with his flambeau-bearer going on before, went up the staircase to a door in a corridor. This thrown open, admitted him to his own private apartment of three rooms: his bed-chamber and two others. High vaulted rooms with cool uncarpeted floors, great dogs upon the hearths for the burning of wood in winter time, and all luxuries befitting the state of a marquis in a luxurious age and country. The fashion of the last Louis but one, of the line that was never to break- the fourteenth Louis- was conspicuous in their rich furniture; but, it was diversified by many objects that were illustrations of old pages in the history of France.
A supper-table was laid for two, in the third of the rooms; a round room, in one of the chateau's four extinguisher-topped towers. A small lofty room, with its window wide open, and the wooden jalousie-blinds closed, so that the dark night only showed in slight horizontal lines of black, alternating with their broad lines of stone colour.
"My nephew," said the Marquis, glancing at the supper preparation; "they said he was not arrived."
2. Identifies the tone of the speaker by analyzes diction, detail, imagery, or syntax.
- the tone of the speaker is revealed through diction. Diction such as describing the mansion as a "stone" explains that there is no life in the people who live inside of it. At thistime in history, outward appearances describe inward feelings. If the mansion is made of cold, ugly stone on the outside, then the people who live inside are also cold and uncaring.
3. Analyzes how Dickens creates characterization through dialogue, action, or another character's reactions or opinions.
Avoiding the larger rooms, which were dark and made fast for the night, Monsieur the Marquis, with his flambeau-bearer going on before, went up the staircase to a door in a corridor. This thrown open, admitted him to his own private apartment of three rooms: his bed-chamber and two others. High vaulted rooms with cool uncarpeted floors, great dogs upon the hearths for the burning of wood in winter time, and all luxuries befitting the state of a marquis in a luxurious age and country. The fashion of the last Louis but one, of the line that was never to break- the fourteenth Louis- was conspicuous in their rich furniture; but, it was diversified by many objects that were illustrations of old pages in the history of France.
- Dicins creates characterization through action. In the paragraph above, it shows perfect examples of characterization through action. The character of Monsieur the Marquis is a spoiled, inconsiderate bachelor who cares for no one but himself. In the first sentence of the above paragraph, it reveals that Monsieur is afraid of the dark.