Vathek and Other Stories

by William Beckford

  I know not how, after such dread and apprehensions, the more terrible for not being ascertained, my spirits subsided into composure, so as to allow me to sleep: but I had certainly forgot myself for some time, when I started suddenly at some fancied noise, and through the curtains of my bed, that were of old thin linen, I thought I saw a figure standing before the fire, which burnt brightly. Involuntarily I reached toward the foot of the bed, and undrew the curtain. I saw very plainly a female figure, leaning with her head against the mantle piece, while her back was towards me. Immoveable with terror, I remained gazing at it some moments, till turning towards me it approached the foot of the bed, where I fell in an undescribable horror on beholding what appeared to be a corpse. It looked earnestly on me for some time; then I heard the same deep hollow sigh as had before reached my ears from the closet; and gliding towards that closet the spectre again melted away.

  I cannot well describe the state of mind in which I remained the rest of the night; but the moment I saw day-light gleaming through the shutters I opened them, and sat there till it became broad day, when I crept more dead than alive to the kitchen, where my appearance at that unusual hour, and the horror marked on my countenance, were observed by the old servant who was most in Mrs Pegham’s confidence, and who might well be called one of my keepers. She asked me fiercely and brutally what I did there, and why I looked so white? I told her that I had been very much terrified during the night by something that had appeared in my room: to which she gave me only a harsh answer, saying, I had better speak to Mrs Pegham, and hear what she would say, forsooth, to my indulging such vagaries. Contrary, however, to my expectation, Mrs Pegham sent for me to breakfast with her; and the woman having told her what I had said, she affected to laugh at my fears, and told me that she supposed I had taken such fancies into my head in consequence of some nonsensical stories I had heard of the house being haunted; “but such things are always said in these lone villages,” added she, “of old fashioned houses like this. I would not advise you to take any notice of these nonsensical stories to Mr Grimshaw; for he will be very angry, and has often declared he should be tempted to send any body to the other world to keep company with ghosts, if they were such ideots as to talk of them in his house. I assure you he has turned three or four servants out of doors for it already.”

  Ah! thought I, how glad I should be, if he would turn me out of doors! And how willingly I would beg my way to London, if he would but let me leave this house of horrors!

  Mrs Pegham, however, was more civil than usual to me during the rest of the day: she kept me to dine with her in the parlour; when, just as we were sitting down to table, a man’s voice was heard in the hall. I turned pale with terror, concluding it to be Mr Grimshaw returned; when, to my great astonishment, I saw come into the room Mr Auberry, the young man who had lived for some time with my father, and who had shewn some partiality for me. He seemed in great confusion and distress of mind; and as he addressed himself to me, as the mistress of the house, I saw that he was struck with the change that had taken place in my appearance; while, as he turned to answer Mrs Pegham’s rude enquiry of what his business was, and what was his name? I perceived his eyes lighten, and his cheeks glow with indignation. For my own part, I waited in breathless fear for the end of the dialogue between them, expecting nothing but to hear that my father or mother was dead, or that some great misfortune had happened to my family.

  When with a trembling voice I made the enquiry, he assured me that they were all well; but, he added, imprudently enough, that my father had lately been much troubled in mind about me, from certain dreams he and my mother had been afflicted with, and that they neither of them were able to rest till somebody they could depend upon had seen me: therefore, as he was travelling into the north of England for orders, being shortly to be taken into partnership with my father, he had come about forty miles out of his way to convince them I was alive and well.

  Mrs ‘Pegham heard him with great impatience, and said, now that he had seen me, she supposed it was enough. She had no authority to invite anybody to the house, while Mr Grimshaw was abroad, so it was not in her power to ask him to dinner, but if he chose a glass of wine, or ale, or the like, he was welcome. I then ventured to speak, and told her that I hoped she would allow me to invite Mr Auberry to dinner, that I might have time to enquire after my friends, whom I had not heard of for so long a time. Auberry refused eating any thing, but said he hoped the housekeeper’s permission was not necessary to speak to me, which he desired to do alone; but she positively refused, and told him, that if he came there only to set a young woman against her husband, and make unhappiness and discontent in a family, the sooner he was gone the better; that she should let no young fellows that came rambling about talk to Mr Grimshaw’s wife, and she desired him to walk out, and not give her the trouble of having him turned out.

  Auberry, convinced by my looks that my situation was dreadful, and feeling all the insolence of Mrs Pegham’s conduct, persisted in saying, he would speak to me. Mrs Pegham hastened in a rage to the door to call for the farming men, and I took that opportunity to entreat of Auberry not to abandon me. “Oh! for God’s sake,” said I, “save me if you can! I am the most unhappy wretch breathing. You know not, nobody can know, all I endure.”

  Mrs Pegham by this time returned, and again insolently ordered Mr Auberry to leave the house. He again peremptorily refused. The woman, who seemed to have assumed all the qualities of a fury,1 then beckoned to two men, who came in with pitchforks in their hands, and turned Mr Auberry by force out of doors; while I, driven to despair in proportion at this hope of deliverance seemed escaping from me, clung to him, till the woman, seizing me by the arm, tore me away; then dragging me toward my own room, while she loaded me with reproaches, and protested in the most virulent terms that she would inform Mr Grimshaw of all that had happened, and take care it never should be in my power to attempt to go away again, she locked the doors, barred the windows, and left me to myself!

  I had a few hours before thought that nothing could be so dreadful as being shut up in that room; I now preferred it to the dread I felt of Grimshaw’s return, and wished for nothing but to die, rather than be exposed again to meet him.

  Night came, and with it the recollection of those terrors I had undergone the night before; they were not less now. About midnight, the profound silence was broken by a rustling and a low moaning in the closet: it was as of one confined there in pain and uneasiness, and striving to get out. If I had had a light, I do not know that I should have had courage to have opened the closet, though I had been endeavouring to obtain sufficient resolution, by repeating to myself the question – What have I to fear? and would not death be welcome? – As I had no light, I made that sort of excuse to myself for not attempting to assure myself of the cause of this extraordinary noise, to which I had not listened, in increased terror, above half an hour, before a pale dismal light gleamed through the room. I put back my curtain, and saw the same figure I had seen the night before. It glided from the closet-door, and placed itself again at the foot of the bed. I attempted in vain to shriek, to speak – fear quite overcame me; yet I could not withdraw my eyes from the figure, which, after remaining immoveable some time, waved its arm, and then passed to the door of the chamber, still motioning for me to follow. A strange impulse, which it seemed as if I could not resist, occasioned me to leave my bed, where I had thrown myself without being undressed. I stood then within a short distance of the object and to my astonishment I saw it pass through the door, which I knew to be shut; yet I still perceived it on the other side gliding slowly through the long passage that led to the back stairs.

  I involuntarily seized the lock. It opened – I followed the spectre along the passage – it descended the stairs; on the top of which I continued to stand half senseless with amaze, and doubting my senses. When the figure had reached the place where one staircase branched off toward the cellar, and the other toward the kitchen, it stopped and turned, th
en pointed with one hand down the staircase, while it seemed to beckon me with the other toward that which led to the kitchen: and then it became fainter and fainter, till, the semblance of the human form being lost, only a blueish and very feeble light remained which slowly went on, while, without any ascertained purpose, I followed it softly, my knees trembling, and my breath oppressed. It wavered through a great and almost empty space behind the kitchen to a large door made for the bringing in wood and turf, which was in winter piled up there to dry for the use of the kitchen. Through this door, which slowly opened at its approach, the mysterious light moved, and in a few paces I found myself standing in the midst of the wood-yard. The light was no where visible, but I saw a few stars above my head. I felt the air blow refreshing on my face.I breathed more freely and the idea that I might now leave my hideous prison for ever, and that Providence had interposed for my deliverance, suddenly occurred to me.

  Having once seized this hope, I seemed to recover my strength. I looked round the place, in which I had never been above once before, for a door: I found one, and seized the latch eagerly, dreading lest it should be fastened. It was open: but it led to the orchard; and that was immediately under the windows of the room where I knew Mrs Pegham slept. I looked up and saw there was a light in her room, and I ran trembling to hide myself among the trees, though, as they were almost leafless, they did not afford me much shelter; but I had unfortunately disturbed a great house-dog, whose kennel was under her windows, and which I knew was very fierce. He came raving and barking towards me, while, entangling my feet in some boughs and loose wood that was scattered under them, I fell, and gave myself up for lost. The dog, however, no sooner approached me, than he ran howling away as if he had been beaten. This noise alarmed Mrs Pegham. Judge of my terror when I plainly perceived her open the casement and look out! After the other miracles I have seen, I will not say it was miraculous that she did not see me, for she did not; though, when I saw her shut the window, I expected nothing but that she was gone to call the servants to drag me to my former prison, where I was to suffer yet worse treatment than had been exercised upon me already. But after remaining some moments, and hearing no noise, and seeing no other light moving about the house, I took courage, and, creeping as much out of sight as I could, went round under the pales, and found the door that went into the lower garden (which I have described) a-jar. I hurried through it, shutting it as softly as I could after me, and bolting it. I thought now of nothing but my escape, for I believed I could get through the hedge by the yew arbour. I crossed towards it among some rows of French beans that were still high, and came into the walk. My heart beat almost to suffocation as I looked towards the seat, for I believed I should again see the spectre: but figure to yourself how much greater was my terror, when, being within a few paces of it, I saw (for the evening was clear, and the northern lights1 were very strong and bright) a man, or what appeared to be such, leaning on the table! He perceived me at the same moment, started out, and seized me by the arm. I uttered an involuntary scream, and fell almost senseless to the ground. Terror, however, had not so entirely deprived me of recollection but that I knew, as soon as he spoke, the voice of Auberry.

  “Eleanor! dear Eleanor! said he, “by what miracle are you here? This is beyond my hopes. Oh! try, try, to recover yourself, and hear what I have to say.”

  I clung to him as one drowning catches at an object that offers assistance; but I had only breath to say, “Oh! Auberry, do not leave me!” – “I will not,” answered he; “I will not quit you but with my life; but cannot we escape from hence?”

  I endeavoured then to recall all my recollection, and remembered that there was a place in the yew-hedge, not far from the spot where we stood, where I had remarked people had passed. I led towards it, and he helped me over a ditch that was on the other side. We were then on a wide marsh that spreads to a great distance, and I looked round with dread that there is no describing. I had never been out of the house before, and I was sure Mr Auberry could know nothing of the country. However, he bade me have courage, and led me, as quick as terror allowed me to walk, towards that side which he thought led to the road he came. At an alehouse on the side of that road he had left his horse, and the nights were now so long that we hoped to reach it before day should make my extraordinary appearance the subject of remark to such passengers as we might meet. The hope of escaping for ever from my wretched imprisonment lent me strength. I walked with more ease than I expected, and we at last found ourselves on the banks of a river; and to pass farther seemed impossible, unless we could, pursuing its course, meet with a bridge. I still endeavoured to preserve my presence of mind; but weariness quite overcame me, and I was compelled to entreat my conductor to let me sit down on the ground for a few moments.

  While I sat, I entreated him to tell me by what miracle he had thus been sent to my preservation. He related, that my father and mother being rendered very uneasy, not only by dreams that had tormented them on my account, but by reports about Mr Grimshaw’s conduct to his first wife, they had desire that he would see me, and inform them in what situation I seemed to be, and whether I was well treated. “I accordingly,” said he, “came to the next market-town; where, I am sorry to say, that from the answers I received to my enquiries, I had not much doubt but that all the reports we had heard in London were true. I learned that nobody ever saw you, and that the favourite housekeeper, not you, was the mistress of the house; and I besides found that Mr Grimshaw was universally execrated as a savage and a tyrant. As I came nearer to his house, I saw the people I spoke to answered me with mingled fear and detestation, and all I could gather of a certainty was, that I should not be suffered to see you, and that the only way that gave me any chance of it, was to enter the house unexpectedly while the master of it was absent, as he now was. I did so, and the event you know.

  After I was compelled to quit the house, without having an opportunity of speaking to you alone, I was returning slowly to the little inn where I had left my horse, when I was overtaken by an odd, wild-looking woman, who turned, after she had passed me, and eyed me with an expression that raised my curiosity. She continued to look at me, and to mutter till she entered a poor cottage to the end of the village, whither I followed her; and putting half a crown into her hand (a sum which she seemed to consider as immense), I desired her to tell me if she knew any thing of the inhabitants of the manor house?

  And now, dear Madam,” said Auberry, “have you courage enough to hear what this woman related to me?”

  I assured him I had, and he thus proceeded

  “She told me, then, that she should be ruined, if ever what she said came to the ’Squire’s ears. It was well known in the country, that his first wife did notcome fairly by her death, and that she was given out for dead long before she was so; because she was reduced by ill usage to such a state, that her wicked husband dared not let her be seen by the relations that he was afraid would enquire for her; and that instead of her, a parcel of stones was buried, and she lingered in a wretched place under ground, where at length she died; though even then it was believed her end was hastened by poison, or some such wicked means, which nobody could do more than guess at, because she had never been seen afterwards; but that it was well known that every year about the time she had thus lingered and died, her ghost appeared about the house, and that several people had seen it.

  O think what I felt at hearing all this! and how great was my horror when I reflected that I was the wife of this wretch, and might again be in his power. I could with difficulty command myself to listen to what followed.

  The woman told me,” continued Mr Auberry, “that she had been hired in the house occasionally, and was just come from thence, having been frightened by the report of the servants – that this was the time the spirit walked, and that there was more than one bad story of wicked actions done by the ’Squire and his housekeeper; for it was said a brother of the young lady, his first wife, coming from beyond sea, and landing at Hull,
crossed the country to visit his sister, whom he had never seen since her marriage, and that he was scarce in the house above one night before the horrid man picked some quarrel with him, and stabbed him; ‘and moreover,’added the woman, ‘they say his body was carried to a closet up stairs to hide it, till they could make away with it; and all the way from that closet across the room, and through the passage, folks say there is a drop of blood to be seen on the floor. And that is true enough, to my knowledge; for I’ve seen them myself. I have heard say that the ’Squire have had them floors planed ever so many times, but the blood always appears again; and moreover, that at last he had the boards turned, and some of the worst on ‘em changed, but that still, do what he will, the blood-spots came exactly in the same place again, as red as if they had just sprung from the murdered gentleman.’ I then remembered that there were pieces of old tapestry nailed down to the floor, quite from the door of that fatal closet to the end of the long passage, and that once I had dropped a little ring my mother had given me, and was trying to look under this tapestry cloth to find it, when Mrs Pegham, coming into the room, put herself in a great passion, and saying, she had no notion of having the furniture pulled and tore about in that manner, pushed me away, and nailed the carpet down closer than before.’ ’’

  This dreadful narrative seemed to renew the courage necessary for me to attempt making my escape. I begged Mr Auberry instantly to proceed, and again we walked on, I believe three miles at least, before we came to a bridge, where it crossed the river to a solitary farm. It was not yet day-light: therefore, after resting again about a quarter of an hour, I again proceeded, though so very weary, that nothing but the extreme dread I had of my tyrant could have induced me to undergo such suffering.