A Puzzling Portrait in the Peacock House (Peacock House #5)

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1:09to all of the content in Samba, free for one month. If you love GetSleepy or any of the other shows we produce here at Samba Studios, you'll love our app called White Noise Deep Sleep Sounds, with hundreds of sounds to choose from and the option to create custom mixes for your perfect soundscape. It can help you sleep better, improve focus, reduce anxiety, relieve tinnitus and calm babies. As a listener of GetSleepy, we have an exclusive offer for you. Download the White Noise Deep Sleep Sounds app and get 30 days free access to all of the premium content. Just go to deepsleepsounds.com slash GetSleepy. That's deepsleepsounds.com slash GetSleepy. Good evening and welcome to GetSleepy. When we listen, we relax and we get sleepy. I'm

2:16your host, Thomas. As always, it is a pleasure to have your company. Last Wednesday, we finished our epic retelling of the Odyssey, all of which was adapted and written by Alexandra. Thank you so much for the lovely feedback you've given us on that series. And don't forget, you can enjoy the entire thing all stitched into one long-length compilation, which came out this past weekend on the GetSleepy feed. Now tonight, we return to another of Alex's most wonderful creative works, a completely original series that she so perfectly crafts for a good night's sleep. It is of course the peacock house. With its many rooms and mysteries, it feels like a place you could

3:17explore endlessly. And yet, you never feel like you're lost. This time, your venture upstairs and explore the bedrooms out to leisure. In another room, you'll find a rather puzzling portrait, a painting that seems to be a clue. Before we continue our exploration, let's take a moment to get ready. Make yourself comfortable. Then close your eyes. Slowly bring your awareness to your body, your head, neck and shoulders, and all the way down to your feet.

4:26Become present in your body as you take so deep breaths in and out. With each breath, fill yourself sinking deeper and deeper into relaxation. There is no rush, your full asleep when you're ready. But for now, you can stay here in this calm, restful state. And with that, let's return to the entrance hall of the peacock house. This is where our story begins.

5:52Once more, you find yourself in the familiar hall. Everything is just as you remember it. The soft lump light, the glittering mosaics, and the small sunken fountain in the middle of the floor. The trickle of water is the only sound. At the back of the room, past her stance are four arched doorways. Each one is marked by a symbol. You've been through them all now. The moon, the shell, the flame, and the peacock. You have the most beautiful memories of your past adventures,

6:52wandering through the labyrinth of rooms beyond the doors. But this time, you feel drawn towards the staircase. Although you've visited the upper floors on previous visits, you've never gone up this grand staircase. You slowly move towards it, your footsteps echoing on the tiles. As you get closer, you realise that the staircase is steeper than you expected. Going up the steps is a slow, conscious effort, a bit like moving underwater. Your hand glides over the cool stone of the banister.

7:59You have no idea what to expect at the top of the stairs, but you feel a slight thrill of anticipation. The stairs seem to go on forever, but at last you find yourself at the top. Your own landing of geometric tiles lined by a white marble ballastrade. A head of you, there's a set of double doors. There's no mosaic symbol this time, but the doorway is framed by pedestals, which display identical stone sculptures. They look like pine cones. Moving closer, you run your fingers over the carved ridges of one of the sculptures,

9:07noticing the symmetrical pattern. You remember reading something once, about the symbolism of pine cones. In some cultures, they're associated with spiritual enlightenment and the third eye. The gland in the brain, which produces melatonin and regulates sleep cycles, is named the pinnacle gland, because of its resemblance to a pine cone. You smile as you reflect on these connections. The peacock house seems to be full of symbols, but you're never quite sure what to make of them. While many doors in this house are locked, you feel instinctively that the one in front of you

10:14will open. Pressing down on the handle, you hear a satisfying click, and the door swings open, revealing a long white hallway. You've been here before, or have you. The light is different, softer with a golden tinge. But yes, the hall is the one you discovered last time. You remember going through one of the doors, and finding a peculiar linen closet, with an impossibly high ceiling. Which door was it? You can't quite remember, and there are so many to choose from.

11:26Slowly, you walk down the hallway, wondering where to begin your exploration. The doors all look the same, dark glossy wood, and spherical bronze handles. Midway down the hall, you try one of the handles at random. The door opens, and you step into a spacious bedroom, decorated in shades of cream and lavender. Sunlight streams through the translucent cartons, which billow in the breeze of the open window. What a beautiful room you think.

12:26It is light and airy, and every piece of furniture feels perfectly chosen. You look around, admiring the dressing table, the wardrobe, and the bed itself. An inviting four-posted bed, immaculately made. There isn't much in the way of decoration, but a painting on the wall captures your attention. A mysterious green landscape beneath a violet sky. Looking closer, you can just about make out buildings in the distance. With just a few careful brush strokes, it's as though the artist has hinted at another world

13:32beyond the painting. The surface is starting to crack. The painting must be very old, you think. You trace the thin cracks across the landscape and up into the sky, noticing how they spread into the purple underbellies of the clouds. On this floor of the peacock house, it seems like all the rooms are bedrooms. The doors are unlocked, allowing you to explore freely. You roam between bedrooms, opening wardrobes and drawers. They are mostly empty, but every now and then you find something.

14:39A feather, an empty notebook, and in a bedside table, a little pouch of lavender. Some of the rooms seem almost ordinary at first glance. Barton closer inspection. There's always something a little unusual. Something that sparks your imagination. In one room, a dusty crystal ball sits on a dressing table. The kind of fortune teller might use. You wonder what it's doing there. In another bedroom, you find a walk in wardrobes. And unlike the other wardrobes, this one is filled with clothes.

15:44As you step inside, you breathe in the musty scent of old clothing. There are coats, jackets, shirts and dresses, and shoes too, neatly lined up on the floor. Moving deeper into the wardrobe, you brush your hands along the clothes, feeling the softness of silk, and the slight roughness of tweed. They're old-fashioned clothes, things you might find in a vintage shop. Browsing the rack to your right, you find a strange silk shirt. It is white and baggy, with a kind of rough attached to the collar, and large black buttons

16:49down the centre, like pom-poms. You pull out the shirt to get a better look, and realise that it must be part of a fancy dress costume. An image comes to mind, a clown from old plays and pantomimes, known as Pierro. Again, you can't help but wonder what the costume is doing here. Then you recall the ballroom downstairs, which you visited on another occasion. You imagine a masked ball, and someone dressed in this costume, waltzing across the room. But then again, maybe this costume was never meant to be worn.

17:56It's simply part of the house, maybe a clue, or maybe not. Your mind wanders as you go further and further into the wardrobe. The ruse of clothing just keeps on going. Surely you must be near the back, but you can't see a wall. The clothes are so thick that at one point you have to push through some fur coats. And when you do, you finally find yourself on the other side. You're now in another bedroom, a large, high-sealing room with dark red wall paper under four

19:02posts of bat. This room is grander than the others. It might belong to a palace, a royal bedroom. Behind you are the open doors of the wardrobe and the ruse of coats. You would never have guessed that the wardrobe was actually a passageway. Looking around her room, you notice something. The light has changed. It feels as though it's later in the day as though hours went by while you were in the wardrobe. But there must be another explanation. Maybe it has something to do with the orientation of the house.

20:03This room might face in a different direction, which explains why it seems so much darker. While the gauzy curtains let in some daylight, you decide to turn on a lamp on the desk. It emits a warm golden glow, but does little to illuminate the room. Sitting at the foot of the bat is a magnificent wooden chest. Every inch of the surface is carved in breathtaking detail. Flowers, vines and ships. It reminds you of the magical chapel you discovered last time, with all its intricate carvings.

21:08You are sure that the chest will be locked. Or if not, it will hold some kind of clue. But when you side your finger beneath the latch, it clicks open. And when you lift the heavy wooden lift, using both hands, you discover that the chest is completely empty. Sometimes, it almost feels as though this house is teasing you. Just when you are sure you found a clue, it's a dead end. But then again, the chest is exquisite, a reward in itself. Not everything has to lead somewhere.

22:11Looking around the room, you notice another intriguing detail. The Scarlet Wallpaper is decorated with a golden pattern. It's a complex intricate design which repeats across the walls. Part of the pattern is a small glittering shape which reminds you of something. Moving closer to the wall, you discover that you are right. They are little golden pine cones. And there must be thousands of them. Your gaze drifts over the walls, tracing the pattern.

23:12There's something mesmerising about it. If the lighting was a bit brighter, you might try to count the pine cones. All of a sudden, you become aware of just how sleepy you are. Maybe it's the thought of counting pine cones, like counting sheep to drift off. Maybe it's the dim, soporific lighting. Or perhaps you're simply tired after exploring so many bedrooms. Slipping off your shoes, you climb onto the four-postor bed. It's enormous and unbelievably comfortable.

24:13The mattress is solid and supportive, but at the same time, so soft and luxurious. And the pillows are perfect just as they are. There's no need to adjust anything or to shift position. Lying here, you can already feel yourself drifting off. Just a short nap, you tell yourself. And then, you'll keep exploring. You awake after a deep, dreamless sleep. You're not sure how much time has passed, but it's still daytime.

25:15A pale white light filters through the curtains, just like before. You feel refreshed after your nap, but you're in no hurry to get up. This bed is so comfortable that you could stay here forever. But, at last, your curiosity motivates you to sit up and to take another look around. The doors of the walk-in wardrobe remain wide open. You're almost tempted to go back inside and see if it leads anywhere else. But there's also the closed door of the bedroom, which you haven't tried yet.

26:17You suspect it leads to the long white hallway, but you could be wrong. Your nap and your journey through the wardrobe have left you feeling a little disorientated. You shuffle over to the edge of the bed, stretch your arms, and put your shoes back on. You switch off the lamp on the desk so the room is just as you found it. When you turn the handle, the door opens with a slight creek and you step into another room. It's not the hallway you expected, but a wood paneled stairwell.

27:18A small window lets in the sunlight, which casts elongated shadows across the staircase. You look up, then down, unsure where to go next. But then you notice an open doorway opposite. The door is a jar, and for a moment you think it's another bedroom. But when you move closer, you realize that there's a mirror in the room, reflecting the bedroom behind you. You're curious to see what's inside this new room.

28:18Deciding to explore the stairs later, you enter. You're not sure what this room is supposed to be. There's no bed, and nowhere to sit, apart from a couple of wooden chairs by the wall. For some reason, it makes you think of a waiting room, a very elegant waiting room, or maybe a room in an art gallery. There are a few paintings on the white walls, displayed in Baroque-Gilt frames. The room is windowless. The lamps on the walls provide dim, or inshued light.

29:19But it takes a moment for your eyes to adjust. As your gaze drifts from the wall to the floor, you notice the carpet in the middle of the room. Or rather, you notice what's on the carpet. The peacock. The bird is sitting in the middle of the carpet, perfectly still. It doesn't seem to be aware of your presence. Then, as you tiptoe closer, you realize that the bird's eyes are closed. It's peacefully asleep. You take a few quiet steps back, not wanting to wake the peacock.

30:28Still, you're happy to have found it. As you've learned from previous visits, encountering the peacock means you're in the right place. So, there must be something significant about this room. Even though it has no windows, and apparently no other doors, there must be more to it than meets the eye. Slowly, you pace up and down the room, inspecting the mirror and then nearby paintings. They are all portraits, you notice. One shows a woman with breathed hair, cold up on her head like an elaborate tower. She wears a dress of heavy brigade, and perched in the crook of her arm is a small green bird.

31:43Another portrait is of a couple, husband and wife, perhaps. It's hard to make out to the details in the dim light. But behind them, you can see a harbour and a waiting galleon. Maybe they're about to set off on a journey. You take your time looking at the portraits, solely working your way around the room. Finally, you turn your attention to the painting next to the door. This portrait is upside down. Turning your head, you can make out to the figures. At the centre is a child dressed in voluminous silk clothes.

32:52There are some adults on either side, but their faces are lost in shadow. On the floor, which looks like the ceiling, is something round and cold up. A bit like a pastry. But then, you notice that it has eyes and a tail. It must be a cat or maybe a dog. The light in the painting comes from an open door at the back of the room. A radiant rectangle, which seems to float into the middle of the wall. You step back from the painting, trying to take it all in.

33:53What a strange portrait. Why is it upside down? It can't be a mistake. And if it's intentional, maybe it's a clue. Your first instinct is to circle around the room once more, looking for anything else that's upside down or out of place. But everything seems to be normal. Then, you take another careful look at the portrait. Your eye is drawn to the top part of the canvas. The floor where the figures are standing. Maybe that's the clue, you think.

34:55The floor corresponds with the ceiling. You walk around, inspecting the ceiling. Nothing out of the ordinary. Then, you come up with another theory. The painting being upside down isn't significant in itself. It's just a way to draw your attention. Perhaps the clue lies in the details. You move closer to the canvas, studying the figures. It makes you feel a little dizzy looking at the upside down. And in the dim lighting, it's difficult to make out the details.

36:03You can't even tell what the animal is supposed to be. Or whether the child is a boy or a girl. At one point, you turn towards the peacock, hoping that it might give you a clue. Or at least some inspiration. But the bed is still fast asleep. It seems you'll have to work it out on your own. With a sigh, you decide to take a break. The wooden chairs on the other side of the room don't look particularly comfortable. But you feel like sitting down, even if it's just for a moment.

37:04So, you sit on one of the chairs and place your arms on the arm rests. While it can't compare to the bed you naped in, it's comfier than you expected. The chair gives you a different perspective of the room. From here, you can see both the upside down portrait and the door you came through. The door is open and in the relative darkness of the room, it looks like a glowing rectangle of light. Like the door in the painting. In that moment, something clicks into place.

38:05You're not sure what it is yet, but you feel you're on the verge of getting it. You stand up and go back towards the portrait. This time, you focus on the door on the back wall. Because the painting is upside down, the door is in a strange position. Instead of being at floor level, it looks like it's floating in the middle of the wall. Could that mean something? Once again, you turn around and look at the walls. Most of the space is taken up by paintings, lamps or mirrors.

39:06But one patch of wall, one white panel, is empty. You step closer. It doesn't look like a door, and there's nothing that resembles a handle. But then you remember your last visit to the house, and the sliding panel on the wall, that revealed a drinking fountain. Maybe there's something here. You touch the wall, running both hands over the smooth surface. Then you try tapping. It sounds hollow. Moving your right hand towards the edge of the panel, you push.

40:13The panel moves inward, then swings back out towards you. It is a door. You let out a gasp of delight, and pull the panel so the door is completely open. It doesn't lead to a room, but to a narrow, carpeted staircase. But before you can climb the stairs, you'll have to climb through the doorway, which sits in the middle of the wall. For a moment, you hesitate. You hope it's not too dark and narrow in there. But when you peer up the staircase, you can see light coming from somewhere.

41:18It looks like sunlight. And the angle of the ceiling suggests that the space gets larger further ahead. Feeling confident, you place your hands on the bottom step, and clamber through the door. After crawling up the first few steps, you realize that the ceiling is higher than you thought. High enough for you to stand. So you get to your feet and slowly climb the stairs. Up, up, and up.

42:19The staircase gets lighter the higher you go. Then, you turn a corner and find the source of the light. Half way up the staircase is a small room, a kind of nook. There's an oval window which takes up most of the wall, covered by a lace carton. Right below is a cushioned windowsill. The space feels secluded, yet cosy and welcoming, as though it's been specially designed just for you. Or as if it's somewhere that only you could find.

43:20You remember the secret chapel from last time. This room has a similar atmosphere. Right away, you feel it peace air. Taking off your shoes, you make yourself comfortable on the windows seat. The cushioned surface is a shade of dusty pink, and there are a couple of matching cushions on the side, so you can lean back. It's like a cross between a windowsill, a sofa, and a bed. And it's so comfy. You let out a contented sigh as you sink back into the cushions.

44:22It really does feel as though it were made for you. Once you're comfortably settled, you pull back the lace carton so you can get a better look at the view. You're higher up than you thought. You're pleasantly surprised to see an expanse of tree tops. Their leaves blowing in the breeze. It's like a great green ocean. Waves rippling beneath the sky. You let the lace carton fall back, but the view is still just about visible. A glimpse of green and blue.

45:25The same colors as the peacock you think to yourself with a smile. And then you close your eyes and let yourself rest.

58:01The same color as the peacock you think to yourself with a smile. You can't even see the difference between the peacock and the peacock. The peacock is a very beautiful peacock. It's like a peacock, and it's like a peacock. It's like a peacock, and it's like a peacock. It's like a peacock, and it's like a peacock.

59:58The peacock is a peacock. The peacock is a peacock.

1:00:58The peacock is a peacock. The peacock is a peacock.