They turned out of their own street into a thin, grey one in which the puddles sprang and danced against isolated milk-cans and a desolate pillar-box.The little bell was now loud and strident, and when they passed into a passage which led into a square, rather grimy yard, Maggie saw that they had arrived.Before her was a hideous building, the colour of beef badly cooked, with grey stone streaks in it here and there and thin, narrow windows of grey glass with stiff, iron divisions between the glass.The porch to the door was of the ugliest grey stone with "The Lord Cometh" in big black letters across the top of it.Just inside the door was a muddy red mat, and near the mat stood a gentleman in a faded frock-coat and brown boots, an official apparently.There arrived at the same time as Maggie and her aunts a number of ladies and gentlemen all hidden beneath umbrellas.As they stood in the doorway a sudden scurry of wind and rain drove them all forward so that there was some crush and confusion in the little passage beyond the door.Waterproofs steamed; umbrellas were ranged in dripping disorder against the wall.The official, who talked in a hushed whisper that was drowned by the creaking of his boots, welcomed them all with the intimacy of an old acquaintance."Oh, Miss Hearst--terrible weather--no, she's not here yet." "Good morning, Mrs.Smith--very glad you're better.
Yes, I spoke to them about the prayer-books.They promised to return them this morning..." and so on.He turned, pushed back a door and led the way into the chapel.The interior was as ugly as the outside.The walls were of the coldest grey stone, broken here and there by the lighter grey of a window.Across the roof were rafters built of that bright shining wood that belongs intimately to colonial life, sheep-shearing, apples of an immense size and brushwood.Two lamps of black iron hung from these rafters.At the farther end of the chapel was a rail of this same bright wood, and behind the rail a desk and a chair.In front of the rail was a harmonium before which was already seated a stout and expectant lady, evidently eager to begin her duties of the day.The chapel was not very large and was already nearly filled.The congregation was sitting in absolute silence, so that the passing of Maggie and her aunts up the aisle attracted great attention.All eyes were turned in their direction and Maggie felt that she herself was an object of very especial interest.