by James Payn
CHAPTER V.
THE STATE BEDROOM.
Marmaduke had scarcely concluded his narration, when steps were heard inthe passage. I daresay I turned pale at the thought of seeing the man ofwhom I had just heard such frightful things, for my companion observed,as if to reassure me, "It is only Mr. Long."
"Are you quite sure?" said I.
Marmaduke smiled sadly.
"Do you think that I do not know my uncle's step? I should recognize itamongst a score of others. If he overtook me in a crowded street, Ishould feel that he was coming and shudder as he passed besideme...--Pray, come in, sir."
"Well," cried my tutor, entering, radiant with, his good news, "no moremoping at home, my lads; you are to be henceforth cavaliers--you are toscour the country. Boot and saddle! boot and saddle! Your uncle will nottrust me to get you a steed, Marmaduke; there are none good enough foryou, it seems, at Crittenden; he is going to send to London for ananimal worthy of you. But never mind, Peter; you shall have the bestmount that can be got in Midshire, and we will pit the country nagagainst the town."
My tutor's voice revived me like a cordial: after the morbid horrors Ihad been listening to, his cheery talk was inexpressibly grateful, asthe dawn and ordinary sounds of waking life are welcome to one who hassuffered from a nightmare.
"I was just about to show Meredith the Hall," said Marmaduke.
"Well it is time that we should be at our work, like good boys,"observed Mr. Long, consulting his watch; "but still, for one morning, itdoes not matter, if you would like to stay, Peter."
"I would rather go home, sir," cried I, with involuntary eagerness. Iwas sorry the next moment, even before I saw the pained expression of myyoung companion.
"He has had enough of Fairburn Hall already," said he, bitterly. Thenhis face softened sadly, as though he would have said: "Am I not,therefore, to be pitied, who pass every day and night under thisaccursed roof?"
"Come," exclaimed Mr. Long, gaily, "I do not believe, Master Meredith,in this new-born devotion to your books. Let us go over the housefirst. I will accompany you as cicerone, for I once knew every hole andcorner of it--a great deal better, I will venture to affirm, than theheir himself here." With these words he led the way into the passage.
"Every chamber on this floor is the facsimile of its neighbour," saidMarmaduke: "since you have seen mine, you have seen all--an immense bed,a piece of carpet islanded amid a black sea of oak, a cupboard or twolarge enough to live in, and shepherdesses, with swains in ruffles,occupying the walls." There was, indeed, no appreciable difference inany of the rooms, except with regard to their aspect.
"When I first came to Fairburn, I slept here," continued Marmaduke, aswe entered an apartment looking to the north, "and had that longillness, which you doubtless remember, sir. Heavens, what dreams I havehad in this room! I have seen people standing by my bedside at night asclearly as I see you now. They called me delirious, but I believe I wasstark mad."
"I remember it well," said Mr. Long, "although I did not recollect thatyou occupied this room. How was it that you came to change yourquarters?"
"Oh, the doctor recommended the removal very strongly. Sir Massingberdsaid it was all nonsense about the look-out from my window, and that theeast was as bad as the north for a boy in a fever; but he was obliged togive way. And I certainly benefited by the change. The Park is a muchmore cheerful sight than that forest of firs, and one is glad to see thesun, even when one cannot get out of doors. At all events, I had nosuch evil dreams."
"Yet this is what always used to be held the state-chamber," replied mytutor. "Charles I. occupied that bed while he was yet king; and beforeyour ancestor, Sir Hugh, turned Puritan--a part he was very unfitted toplay--it is said he used to swear through his nose. Peter the Great,too, is said to have passed a night here. Your dreams, therefore, shouldhave been historical and noteworthy. I forget which of these smilingPhyllises is so complaisant as to make way when you would leave the roomwithout using the door."
Two full-length female portraits were painted in panel, one on eitherside of the huge chimney-piece; a circlet of roses carved in oaksurrounded each by way of frame. Mr. Long advanced towards the one onthe right, and touched the bottom rose; it did not move. He went to theother, and did likewise; the rose revolved in his fingers, andpresently, with a creak and a groan, the whole picture slid sidewaysover the wall, disclosing a narrow flight of wooden stairs.
"That is charming," cried I. "That is the 'Mysteries of Udolpho'realized. Where does it lead to, Marmaduke?" There was no answer. Mr.Long and I looked round simultaneously. The lad was ghastly pale. Hestared into the dusty, gaping aperture, as though it had been a grave'smouth.
"I do not know," he gasped with difficulty.
"Not know?" cried my tutor. "Do you mean to say that you have never beentold of Jacob's Ladder? The foot of it is in the third bookcase on theleft of the library door; the spring is somewhere in the index to"Josephus." It is evident you never attempted to take down thatinteresting work, which in this case is solid wood. The idea of your notknowing that! And yet Sir Massingberd is so reticent that, with theexception of Gilmore, the butler, I dare say nobody does know it now.It is twenty years ago since I made Phyllis move aside, to theastonishment of Mr. Clint, who came down here on business with poor SirWentworth. I dare say nobody has moved her since."
"Yes, yes," cried Marmaduke, passionately; "my uncle has moved her.Those visions were not dreams. I see it all now. He wanted to frightenme to death, or to make me mad. When I knew the door was fast locked, hewould come and stand by my bedside, and stare at me. Cruel, cruelcoward!"
"Hush, hush, Marmaduke; this is monstrous--this is impossible!" criedMr. Long, endeavouring to pacify the boy, who was rocking himself to andfro in an agony of distress and rage. "See how you terrify Peter! Becalm, for Heaven's sake! Your uncle will hear you presently, and youknow how he hates to be disturbed."
At the mention of his uncle, Marmaduke subdued his cries by a greateffort, but he still sobbed and panted, as if for breath.
"Oh," moaned he, "consider how I came hither from my dead mother's armsto this man's house--my only living relative, my father's brother--andwas taken ill here, a mere child; then this wretch, this demon, my host,my...--Oh, Mr. Long, could you conceive it even of a Heath? He came upto my lonely room by that secret way, and stood without speaking by mypillow, while I lay speechless, powerless, imagining myself to be outof my mind!"
"I do remember now," said my tutor, gravely, "how you harped upon thattheme of your evil dreams, and how the doctor thought you were inreality losing your reason. Let us be thankful, however, that you werepreserved from so sad a fate; you are no longer a child now; SirMassingberd can frighten you no more, even if he had the wish. It was awicked, hateful act, whatever was the motive. But let us forget it. In afew years you will be of age; then you will leave the Hall; and in themeantime your uncle will annoy you no more. It will be his interest tomake a friend of you. Even now, you see, he provides you with the meansof enjoyment. You will ride out with your friend whenever you please;and I will take measures so that you shall be more with us at therectory, and less at this melancholy place, which is totally unfit foryou. Mr. Clint shall be spoken with, if necessary. Yes, yes," added Mr.Long, reversing the rose, and thereby replacing the shepherdess, butquite unaware that he was still speaking aloud, "there must be a limitto the power of such a guardian; the Chancellor shall interfere, and SirMassingberd be taught--"
"Nay, sir," cried Marmaduke in turn; "for Heaven's sake, let nocomplaint be made against my uncle upon my account; perhaps, as you say,I may now meet with better treatment. I will be patient. Say nothing ofthis, I pray you, Meredith. Mr. Long, you know--"
"Yes, I know all," interrupted my tutor, with excitement. "You have afriend in me, Marmaduke, remember, who will stick by you. I have shut myeyes and my ears long enough, and perhaps too long. If things get worsewith you, my lad, do not forget that you have a home at the rectory.Once there, you will not return to
this house again. I will giveevidence myself; I will--"
"Thank you, thank you," replied Marmaduke, hurriedly. "All will now bewell, doubtless; but my uncle will wonder at your long delay--he willsuspect something. I think it will be better if you left."
He led the way down the great staircase, throwing an involuntary glanceover his shoulder, as we crossed the mouth of the dark passage leadingto the baronet's room. "This is a wretched welcome, Meredith; some day,perhaps, I may take your hand at this Hall door under differentcircumstances. Good-by, good-by."
And so we parted, between the two grim griffins.
"Peter," said my tutor, gravely, as we went our way, "whatever you maythink of what has passed to-day, say nothing. I am not so ignorant ofthe wrongs of that poor boy as I appear to be; but there is nothing forit but patience."
