A Chapter in the history of a Tyrone Family
In the following narrative I have endeavoured to give as nearly aspossible the _ipsissima verba_ of the valued friend from whom I receivedit, conscious that any aberration from _her_ mode of telling the tale ofher own life would at once impair its accuracy and its effect.
Would that, with her words, I could also bring before you her animatedgesture, the expressive countenance, the solemn and thrilling air andaccent with which she related the dark passages in her strange story;and, above all, that I could communicate the impressive consciousnessthat the narrator had seen with her own eyes, and personally acted inthe scenes which she described. These accompaniments, taken with theadditional circumstance that she who told the tale was one far toodeeply and sadly impressed with religious principle to misrepresentor fabricate what she repeated as fact, gave to the tale a depth ofinterest which the recording of the events themselves could hardly haveproduced.
I became acquainted with the lady from whose lips I heard this narrativenearly twenty years since, and the story struck my fancy so much that Icommitted it to paper while it was still fresh in my mind; and shouldits perusal afford you entertainment for a listless half hour, my labourshall not have been bestowed in vain.
I find that I have taken the story down as she told it, in the firstperson, and perhaps this is as it should be.
She began as follows:
My maiden name was Richardson, the designation of a family of somedistinction in the county of Tyrone. I was the younger of two daughters,and we were the only children. There was a difference in our ages ofnearly six years, so that I did not, in my childhood, enjoy that closecompanionship which sisterhood, in other circumstances, necessarilyinvolves; and while I was still a child, my sister was married.
The person upon whom she bestowed her hand was a Mr. Carew, a gentlemanof property and consideration in the north of England.
I remember well the eventful day of the wedding; the throngingcarriages, the noisy menials, the loud laughter, the merry faces, andthe gay dresses. Such sights were then new to me, and harmonized illwith the sorrowful feelings with which I regarded the event which was toseparate me from a sister whose tenderness alone had hitherto more thansupplied all that I wanted in my mother's affection.
The day soon arrived which was to remove the happy couple from AshtownHouse. The carriage stood at the hall-door, and my poor sister kissed meagain and again, telling me that I should see her soon.
The carriage drove away, and I gazed after it until my eyes filled withtears, and, returning slowly to my chamber, I wept more bitterly and, soto speak, more desolately, than ever I had wept before.
My father had never seemed to love or to take an interest in me. He haddesired a son, and I think he never thoroughly forgave me my unfortunatesex.
My having come into the world at all as his child he regarded as a kindof fraudulent intrusion; and as his antipathy to me had its origin in animperfection of mine too radical for removal, I never even hoped tostand high in his good graces.
My mother was, I dare say, as fond of me as she was of anyone; but shewas a woman of a masculine and a worldly cast of mind. She had notenderness or sympathy for the weaknesses, or even for the affections,of woman's nature, and her demeanour towards me was peremptory, andoften even harsh.
It is not to be supposed, then, that I found in the society of myparents much to supply the loss of my sister. About a year after hermarriage, we received letters from Mr. Carew, containing accounts of mysister's health, which, though not actually alarming, were calculated tomake us seriously uneasy. The symptoms most dwelt upon were loss ofappetite, and a cough.
The letters concluded by intimating that he would avail himself of myfather and mother's repeated invitation to spend some time at Ashtown,particularly as the physician who had been consulted as to my sister'shealth had strongly advised a removal to her native air.
There were added repeated assurances that nothing serious wasapprehended, as it was supposed that a deranged state of the liver wasthe only source of the symptoms which at first had seemed to intimateconsumption.
In accordance with this announcement, my sister and Mr. Carew arrived inDublin, where one of my father's carriages awaited them, in readiness tostart upon whatever day or hour they might choose for their departure.
It was arranged that Mr. Carew was, as soon as the day upon which theywere to leave Dublin was definitely fixed, to write to my father, whointended that the two last stages should be performed by his ownhorses, upon whose speed and safety far more reliance might be placedthan upon those of the ordinary post-horses, which were at that time,almost without exception, of the very worst order. The journey, one ofabout ninety miles, was to be divided; the larger portion being reservedfor the second day.
On Sunday a letter reached us, stating that the party would leave Dublinon Monday, and in due course reach Ashtown upon Tuesday evening.
Tuesday came: the evening closed in, and yet no carriage; darkness cameon, and still no sign of our expected visitors.
Hour after hour passed away, and it was now past twelve; the night wasremarkably calm, scarce a breath stirring, so that any sound, such asthat produced by the rapid movement of a vehicle, would have beenaudible at a considerable distance. For some such sound I was feverishlylistening.
It was, however, my father's rule to close the house at nightfall, andthe window-shutters being fastened, I was unable to reconnoitre theavenue as I would have wished. It was nearly one o'clock, and we beganalmost to despair of seeing them upon that night, when I thought Idistinguished the sound of wheels, but so remote and faint as to make meat first very uncertain. The noise approached; it became louder andclearer; it stopped for a moment.
I now heard the shrill screaming of the rusty iron, as the avenue gaterevolved on its hinges; again came the sound of wheels in rapid motion.
"It is they," said I, starting up; "the carriage is in the avenue."
We all stood for a few moments breathlessly listening. On thunderedthe vehicle with the speed of the whirlwind; crack went the whip, andclatter went the wheels, as it rattled over the uneven pavement of thecourt. A general and furious barking from all the dogs about the househailed its arrival.
We hurried to the hall in time to hear the steps let down with the sharpclanging noise peculiar to the operation, and the hum of voices exertedin the bustle of arrival. The hall door was now thrown open, and we allstepped forth to greet our visitors.
The court was perfectly empty; the moon was shining broadly and brightlyupon all around; nothing was to be seen but the tall trees with theirlong spectral shadows, now wet with the dews of midnight.
We stood gazing from right to left as if suddenly awakened from a dream;the dogs walked suspiciously, growling and snuffling about the court,and by totally and suddenly ceasing their former loud barking, expressedthe predominance of fear.
We stared one upon another in perplexity and dismay, and I think I neverbeheld more pale faces assembled. By my father's directions, we lookedabout to find anything which might indicate or account for the noisewhich we had heard; but no such thing was to be seen--even the mirewhich lay upon the avenue was undisturbed. We returned to the house,more panic-struck than I can describe.
On the next day, we learned by a messenger, who had ridden hard thegreater part of the night, that my sister was dead. On Sunday eveningshe had retired to bed rather unwell, and on Monday her indispositiondeclared itself unequivocally to be malignant fever. She became hourlyworse, and, on Tuesday night, a little after midnight, she expired.
I mention this circumstance, because it was one upon which a thousandwild and fantastical reports were founded, though one would have thoughtthat the truth scarcely required to be improved upon; and again, becauseit produced a strong and lasting effect upon my spirits, and indeed, Iam inclined to think, upon my character.
I was, for several years after this occurrence, long after the violenceof my grief subsided, so wretc
hedly low-spirited and nervous, that Icould scarcely be said to live; and during this time, habits ofindecision, arising out of a listless acquiescence in the will ofothers, a fear of encountering even the slightest opposition, and adisposition to shrink from what are commonly called amusements, grewupon me so strongly, that I have scarcely even yet altogether overcomethem.
We saw nothing more of Mr. Carew. He returned to England as soon as themelancholy rites attendant upon the event which I have just mentionedwere performed; and not being altogether inconsolable, he married againwithin two years; after which, owing to the remoteness of our relativesituations, and other circumstances, we gradually lost sight of him.
I was now an only child; and, as my elder sister had died without issue,it was evident that, in the ordinary course of things, my father'sproperty, which was altogether in his power, would go to me; and theconsequence was, that before I was fourteen, Ashtown House was besiegedby a host of suitors. However, whether it was that I was too young, orthat none of the aspirants to my hand stood sufficiently high in rank orwealth, I was suffered by both parents to do exactly as I pleased; andwell was it for me, as I afterwards found, that fortune, or ratherProvidence, had so ordained it, that I had not suffered my affections tobecome in any degree engaged, for my mother would never have sufferedany silly fancy of mine, as she was in the habit of styling anattachment, to stand in the way of her ambitious views--views which shewas determined to carry into effect in defiance of every obstacle, andin order to accomplish which she would not have hesitated to sacrificeanything so unreasonable and contemptible as a girlish passion.
When I reached the age of sixteen, my mother's plans began to developthemselves; and, at her suggestion, we moved to Dublin to sojourn forthe winter, in order that no time might be lost in disposing of me tothe best advantage.
I had been too long accustomed to consider myself as of no importancewhatever, to believe for a moment that I was in reality the cause of allthe bustle and preparation which surrounded me; and being thus relievedfrom the pain which a consciousness of my real situation would haveinflicted, I journeyed towards the capital with a feeling of totalindifference.
My father's wealth and connection had established him in the bestsociety, and consequently, upon our arrival in the metropolis, wecommanded whatever enjoyment or advantages its gaieties afforded.
The tumult and novelty of the scenes in which I was involved did notfail considerably to amuse me, and my mind gradually recovered its tone,which was naturally cheerful.
It was almost immediately known and reported that I was an heiress, andof course my attractions were pretty generally acknowledged.
Among the many gentlemen whom it was my fortune to please, one, erelong, established himself in my mother's good graces, to the exclusionof all less important aspirants. However, I had not understood or evenremarked his attentions, nor in the slightest degree suspected his or mymother's plans respecting me, when I was made aware of them ratherabruptly by my mother herself.
We had attended a splendid ball, given by Lord M----, at his residencein Stephen's Green, and I was, with the assistance of my waiting-maid,employed in rapidly divesting myself of the rich ornaments which, inprofuseness and value, could scarcely have found their equals in anyprivate family in Ireland.
I had thrown myself into a lounging-chair beside the fire, listless andexhausted after the fatigues of the evening, when I was aroused from thereverie into which I had fallen by the sound of footsteps approaching mychamber, and my mother entered.
"Fanny, my dear," said she, in her softest tone, "I wish to say a wordor two with you before I go to rest. You are not fatigued, love, Ihope?"
"No, no, madam, I thank you," said I, rising at the same time from myseat, with the formal respect so little practised now.
"Sit down, my dear," said she, placing herself upon a chair beside me;"I must chat with you for a quarter of an hour or so. Saunders" (to themaid), "you may leave the room; do not close the room door, but shutthat of the lobby."
This precaution against curious ears having been taken as directed, mymother proceeded:
"You have observed, I should suppose, my dearest Fanny--indeed, you_must_ have observed Lord Glenfallen's marked attentions to you?"
"I assure you, madam--" I began.
"Well, well, that is all right," interrupted my mother. "Of course, youmust be modest upon the matter; but listen to me for a few moments, mylove, and I will prove to your satisfaction that your modesty is quiteunnecessary in this case. You have done better than we could have hoped,at least, so very soon. Lord Glenfallen is in love with you. I give youjoy of your conquest;" and, saying this, my mother kissed my forehead.
"In love with me!" I exclaimed in unfeigned astonishment.
"Yes, in love with you," repeated my mother; "devotedly, distractedly inlove with you. Why, my dear, what is there wonderful in it? Look in theglass, and look at these," she continued, pointing, with a smile, to thejewels which I had just removed from my person, and which now lay in aglittering heap upon the table.
"May there not--" said I, hesitating between confusion and real alarm,"is it not possible that some mistake may be at the bottom of allthis?"
"Mistake, dearest! none," said my mother. "None; none in the world.Judge for yourself; read this, my love." And she placed in my hand aletter, addressed to herself, the seal of which was broken. I read itthrough with no small surprise. After some very fine complimentaryflourishes upon my beauty and perfections, as also upon the antiquityand high reputation of our family, it went on to make a formal proposalof marriage, to be communicated or not to me at present, as my mothershould deem expedient; and the letter wound up by a request that thewriter might be permitted, upon our return to Ashtown House, which wassoon to take place, as the spring was now tolerably advanced, to visitus for a few days, in case his suit was approved.
"Well, well, my dear," said my mother, impatiently; "do you know whoLord Glenfallen is?"
"I do, madam," said I, rather timidly; for I dreaded an altercation withmy mother.
"Well, dear, and what frightens you?" continued she. "Are you afraid ofa title? What has he done to alarm you? He is neither old nor ugly."
I was silent, though I might have said, "He is neither young norhandsome."
"My dear Fanny," continued my mother, "in sober seriousness, you havebeen most fortunate in engaging the affections of a nobleman such asLord Glenfallen, young and wealthy, with first-rate--yes, acknowledged_first-rate_ abilities, and of a family whose influence is not exceededby that of any in Ireland. Of course, you see the offer in the samelight that I do--indeed, I think you _must_."
This was uttered in no very dubious tone. I was so much astonished bythe suddenness of the whole communication, that I literally did not knowwhat to say.
"You are not in love?" said my mother, turning sharply, and fixing herdark eyes upon me with severe scrutiny.
"No, madam," said I, promptly; horrified--what young lady would not havebeen?--at such a query.
"I'm glad to hear it," said my mother, drily. "Once, nearly twenty yearsago, a friend of mine consulted me as to how he should deal with adaughter who had made what they call a love-match--beggared herself, anddisgraced her family; and I said, without hesitation, take no care forher, but cast her off. Such punishment I awarded for an offencecommitted against the reputation of a family not my own; and what Iadvised respecting the child of another, with full as small compunctionI would _do_ with mine. I cannot conceive anything more unreasonable orintolerable than that the fortune and the character of a family shouldbe marred by the idle caprices of a girl."
She spoke this with great severity, and paused as if she expected someobservation from me.
I, however, said nothing.
"But I need not explain to you, my dear Fanny," she continued, "my viewsupon this subject; you have always known them well, and I have never yethad reason to believe you are likely to offend me voluntarily, or toabuse or neglect any of those advantages w
hich reason and duty tell youshould be improved. Come hither, my dear; kiss me, and do not look sofrightened. Well, now, about this letter--you need not answer it yet; ofcourse, you must be allowed time to make up your mind. In the meantime,I will write to his lordship to give him my permission to visit us atAshtown. Good-night, my love."
And thus ended one of the most disagreeable, not to say astounding,conversations I had ever had. It would not be easy to describe exactlywhat were my feelings towards Lord Glenfallen;--whatever might have beenmy mother's suspicions, my heart was perfectly disengaged--and hitherto,although I had not been made in the slightest degree acquainted with hisreal views, I had liked him very much as an agreeable, well-informedman, whom I was always glad to meet in society. He had served in thenavy in early life, and the polish which his manners received in hisafter intercourse with courts and cities had not served to obliteratethat frankness of manner which belongs proverbially to the sailor.
Whether this apparent candour went deeper than the outward bearing, Iwas yet to learn. However, there was no doubt that, as far as I had seenof Lord Glenfallen, he was, though perhaps not so young as might havebeen desired in a lover, a singularly pleasing man; and whatever feelingunfavourable to him had found its way into my mind, arose altogetherfrom the dread, not an unreasonable one, that constraint might bepractised upon my inclinations. I reflected, however, that LordGlenfallen was a wealthy man, and one highly thought of; and although Icould never expect to love him in the romantic sense of the term, yet Ihad no doubt but that, all things considered, I might be more happy withhim than I could hope to be at home.
When next I met him it was with no small embarrassment; his tact andgood breeding, however, soon reassured me, and effectually preventedmy awkwardness being remarked upon. And I had the satisfaction ofleaving Dublin for the country with the full conviction that nobody,not even those most intimate with me, even suspected the fact of LordGlenfallen's having made me a formal proposal.
This was to me a very serious subject of self-gratulation, for, besidesmy instinctive dread of becoming the topic of the speculations ofgossip, I felt that if the situation which I occupied in relation tohim were made publicly known, I should stand committed in a manner whichwould scarcely leave me the power of retraction.
The period at which Lord Glenfallen had arranged to visit Ashtown Housewas now fast approaching, and it became my mother's wish to form methoroughly to her will, and to obtain my consent to the proposedmarriage before his arrival, so that all things might proceed smoothly,without apparent opposition or objection upon my part. Whateverobjections, therefore, I had entertained were to be subdued; whateverdisposition to resistance I had exhibited or had been supposed to feel,were to be completely eradicated before he made his appearance; and mymother addressed herself to the task with a decision and energy againstwhich even the barriers her imagination had created could hardly havestood.
If she had, however, expected any determined opposition from me, she wasagreeably disappointed. My heart was perfectly free, and all my feelingsof liking and preference were in favour of Lord Glenfallen; and I wellknew that in case I refused to dispose of myself as I was desired, mymother had alike the power and the will to render my existence asutterly miserable as even the most ill-assorted marriage could possiblyhave made it.
You will remember, my good friend, that I was very young and verycompletely under the control of my parents, both of whom, my motherparticularly, were unscrupulously determined in matters of this kind,and willing, when voluntary obedience on the part of those within theirpower was withheld, to compel a forced acquiescence by an unsparing useof all the engines of the most stern and rigorous domestic discipline.
All these combined, not unnaturally induced me to resolve upon yieldingat once, and without useless opposition, to what appeared almost to bemy fate.
The appointed time was come, and my now accepted suitor arrived; he wasin high spirits, and, if possible, more entertaining than ever.
I was not, however, quite in the mood to enjoy his sprightliness; butwhatever I wanted in gaiety was amply made up in the triumphant andgracious good-humour of my mother, whose smiles of benevolence andexultation were showered around as bountifully as the summer sunshine.
I will not weary you with unnecessary details. Let it suffice to say,that I was married to Lord Glenfallen with all the attendant pomp andcircumstance of wealth, rank, and grandeur. According to the usage ofthe times, now humanely reformed, the ceremony was made, until long pastmidnight, the season of wild, uproarious, and promiscuous feasting andrevelry.
Of all this I have a painfully vivid recollection, and particularly ofthe little annoyances inflicted upon me by the dull and coarse jokes ofthe wits and wags who abound in all such places, and upon all suchoccasions.
I was not sorry when, after a few days, Lord Glenfallen's carriageappeared at the door to convey us both from Ashtown; for any changewould have been a relief from the irksomeness of ceremonial andformality which the visits received in honour of my newly-acquiredtitles hourly entailed upon me.
THE SEASON OF WILD, UPROARIOUS, AND PROMISCUOUS FEASTINGAND REVELRY.]
It was arranged that we were to proceed to Cahergillagh, one of theGlenfallen estates, lying, however, in a southern county; so that, owingto the difficulty of the roads at the time, a tedious journey of threedays intervened.
I set forth with my noble companion, followed by the regrets of some,and by the envy of many; though God knows I little deserved the latter.The three days of travel were now almost spent, when passing the brow ofa wild heathy hill, the domain of Cahergillagh opened suddenly upon ourview.
It formed a striking and a beautiful scene. A lake of considerableextent stretching away towards the west, and reflecting from its broad,smooth waters the rich glow of the setting sun, was overhung by steephills, covered by a rich mantle of velvet sward, broken here and thereby the grey front of some old rock, and exhibiting on their shelvingsides and on their slopes and hollows every variety of light and shade.A thick wood of dwarf oak, birch, and hazel skirted these hills, andclothed the shores of the lake, running out in rich luxuriance uponevery promontory, and spreading upward considerably upon the side of thehills.
"There lies the enchanted castle," said Lord Glenfallen, pointingtowards a considerable level space intervening between two of thepicturesque hills which rose dimly around the lake.
This little plain was chiefly occupied by the same low, wild wood whichcovered the other parts of the domain; but towards the centre, a mass oftaller and statelier forest trees stood darkly grouped together, andamong them stood an ancient square tower, with many buildings of ahumbler character, forming together the manor-house, or, as it was moreusually called, the Court of Cahergillagh.
As we approached the level upon which the mansion stood, the windingroad gave us many glimpses of the time-worn castle and its surroundingbuildings; and seen as it was through the long vistas of the fine oldtrees, and with the rich glow of evening upon it, I have seldom beheldan object more picturesquely striking.
I was glad to perceive, too, that here and there the blue curling smokeascended from stacks of chimneys now hidden by the rich, dark ivy which,in a great measure, covered the building. Other indications of comfortmade themselves manifest as we approached; and indeed, though the placewas evidently one of considerable antiquity, it had nothing whatever ofthe gloom of decay about it.
"You must not, my love," said Lord Glenfallen, "imagine this placeworse than it is. I have no taste for antiquity--at least I shouldnot choose a house to reside in because it is old. Indeed, I do notrecollect that I was even so romantic as to overcome my aversion torats and rheumatism, those faithful attendants upon your noble relicsof feudalism; and I much prefer a snug, modern, unmysterious bedroom,with well-aired sheets, to the waving tapestry, mildewed cushions, andall the other interesting appliances of romance. However, though Icannot promise you all the discomfort generally belonging to an oldcastle, you will find legends and ghostly lore
enough to claim yourrespect; and if old Martha be still to the fore, as I trust she is,you will soon have a supernatural and appropriate anecdote for everycloset and corner of the mansion. But here we are--so, without moreado, welcome to Cahergillagh!"
We now entered the hall of the castle, and while the domestics wereemployed in conveying our trunks and other luggage which we hadbrought with us for immediate use, to the apartments which LordGlenfallen had selected for himself and me, I went with him into aspacious sitting-room, wainscoted with finely-polished black oak, andhung round with the portraits of various worthies of the Glenfallenfamily.
This room looked out upon an extensive level covered with the softestgreen sward, and irregularly bounded by the wild wood I have beforementioned, through the leafy arcade formed by whose boughs and trunksthe level beams of the setting sun were pouring. In the distance a groupof dairy-maids were plying their task, which they accompanied throughoutwith snatches of Irish songs which, mellowed by the distance, floatednot unpleasingly to the ear; and beside them sat or lay, with all thegrave importance of conscious protection, six or seven large dogs ofvarious kinds. Farther in the distance, and through the cloisters of thearching wood, two or three ragged urchins were employed in driving suchstray kine as had wandered farther than the rest to join their fellows.
As I looked upon the scene which I have described, a feeling oftranquillity and happiness came upon me, which I have never experiencedin so strong a degree; and so strange to me was the sensation that myeyes filled with tears.
Lord Glenfallen mistook the cause of my emotion, and taking me kindlyand tenderly by the hand, he said:
"Do not suppose, my love, that it is my intention to _settle_ here.Whenever you desire to leave this, you have only to let me know yourwish, and it shall be complied with; so I must entreat of you not tosuffer any circumstances which I can control to give you one moment'suneasiness. But here is old Martha; you must be introduced to her, oneof the heirlooms of our family."
A hale, good-humoured, erect old woman was Martha, and an agreeablecontrast to the grim, decrepit hag which my fancy had conjured up, asthe depositary of all the horrible tales in which I doubted not this oldplace was most fruitful.
She welcomed me and her master with a profusion of gratulations,alternately kissing our hands and apologizing for the liberty; until atlength Lord Glenfallen put an end to this somewhat fatiguing ceremonialby requesting her to conduct me to my chamber, if it were prepared formy reception.
I followed Martha up an old-fashioned oak staircase into a long, dimpassage, at the end of which lay the door which communicated with theapartments which had been selected for our use; here the old womanstopped, and respectfully requested me to proceed.
I accordingly opened the door, and was about to enter, when somethinglike a mass of black tapestry, as it appeared, disturbed by my suddenapproach, fell from above the door, so as completely to screen theaperture; the startling unexpectedness of the occurrence, and therustling noise which the drapery made in its descent, caused meinvoluntarily to step two or three paces backward. I turned, smilingand half-ashamed, to the old servant, and said,--
"You see what a coward I am."
The woman looked puzzled, and, without saying any more, I was about todraw aside the curtain and enter the room, when, upon turning to do so,I was surprised to find that nothing whatever interposed to obstruct thepassage.
I went into the room, followed by the servant-woman, and was amazed tofind that it, like the one below, was wainscoted, and that nothing likedrapery was to be found near the door.
"Where is it?" said I; "what has become of it?"
"What does your ladyship wish to know?" said the old woman.
"Where is the black curtain that fell across the door, when I attemptedfirst to come to my chamber?" answered I.
"The cross of Christ about us!" said the old woman, turning suddenlypale.
"What is the matter, my good friend?" said I; "you seem frightened."
"Oh no, no, your ladyship," said the old woman, endeavouring to concealher agitation; but in vain, for tottering towards a chair, she sank intoit, looking so deadly pale and horror-struck that I thought every momentshe would faint.
"Merciful God, keep us from harm and danger!" muttered she at length.
"What can have terrified you so?" said I, beginning to fear that she hadseen something more than had met my eye. "You appear ill, my poorwoman!"
"Nothing, nothing, my lady," said she, rising. "I beg your ladyship'spardon for making so bold. May the great God defend us from misfortune!"
"Martha," said I, "something _has_ frightened you very much, and Iinsist on knowing what it is; your keeping me in the dark upon thesubject will make me much more uneasy than anything you could tell me.I desire you, therefore, to let me know what agitates you; I command youto tell me."
"Your ladyship said you saw a black curtain falling across the door whenyou were coming into the room," said the old woman.
"I did," said I; "but though the whole thing appears somewhat strange, Icannot see anything in the matter to agitate you so excessively."
"It's for no good you saw that, my lady," said the crone; "somethingterrible is coming. It's a sign, my lady--a sign that never fails."
"Explain, explain what you mean, my good woman," said I, in spite ofmyself, catching more than I could account for, of her superstitiousterror.
"Whenever something--something _bad_ is going to happen to theGlenfallen family, some one that belongs to them sees a blackhandkerchief or curtain just waved or falling before their faces. I sawit myself," continued she, lowering her voice, "when I was only a littlegirl, and I'll never forget it. I often heard of it before, though Inever saw it till then, nor since, praised be God. But I was going intoLady Jane's room to waken her in the morning; and sure enough when I gotfirst to the bed and began to draw the curtain, something dark was wavedacross the division, but only for a moment; and when I saw rightly intothe bed, there she was lying cold and dead, God be merciful to me! So,my lady, there is small blame to me to be daunted when any one of thefamily sees it; for it's many the story I heard of it, though I saw itbut once."
I was not of a superstitious turn of mind, yet I could not resist afeeling of awe very nearly allied to the fear which my companion hadso unreservedly expressed; and when you consider my situation, theloneliness, antiquity, and gloom of the place, you will allow that theweakness was not without excuse.
In spite of old Martha's boding predictions, however, time flowed on inan unruffled course. One little incident, however, though trifling initself, I must relate, as it serves to make what follows moreintelligible.
Upon the day after my arrival, Lord Glenfallen of course desired to makeme acquainted with the house and domain; and accordingly we set forthupon our ramble. When returning, he became for some time silent andmoody, a state so unusual with him as considerably to excite mysurprise.
I endeavoured by observations and questions to arouse him--but in vain.At length, as we approached the house, he said, as if speaking tohimself,--
"'Twere madness--madness--madness," repeating the words bitterly; "sureand speedy ruin."
There was here a long pause; and at length, turning sharply towards me,in a tone very unlike that in which he had hitherto addressed me, hesaid,--
"Do you think it possible that a woman can keep a secret?"
"I am sure," said I, "that women are very much belied upon the score oftalkativeness, and that I may answer your question with the samedirectness with which you put it--I reply that I _do_ think a woman cankeep a secret."
"But I do not," said he, drily.
We walked on in silence for a time. I was much astonished at hisunwonted abruptness--I had almost said rudeness.
After a considerable pause he seemed to recollect himself, and with aneffort resuming his sprightly manner, he said,--
"Well, well, the next thing to keeping a secret well is not to desire topossess one; talkativeness and curiosity gene
rally go together. Now Ishall make test of you, in the first place, respecting the latter ofthese qualities. I shall be your _Bluebeard_--tush, why do I triflethus? Listen to me, my dear Fanny; I speak now in solemn earnest. What Idesire is intimately, inseparably connected with your happiness andhonour as well as my own; and your compliance with my request will notbe difficult. It will impose upon you a very trifling restraint duringyour sojourn here, which certain events which have occurred since ourarrival have determined me shall not be a long one. You must promise me,upon your sacred honour, that you will visit _only_ that part of thecastle which can be reached from the front entrance, leaving the backentrance and the part of the building commanded immediately by it to themenials, as also the small garden whose high wall you see yonder; andnever at any time seek to pry or peep into them, nor to open the doorwhich communicates from the front part of the house through the corridorwith the back. I do not urge this in jest or in caprice, but froma solemn conviction that danger and misery will be the certainconsequences of your not observing what I prescribe. I cannot explainmyself further at present. Promise me, then, these things, as you hopefor peace here and for mercy hereafter."
I did make the promise as desired, and he appeared relieved; his mannerrecovered all its gaiety and elasticity: but the recollection of thestrange scene which I have just described dwelt painfully upon my mind.
More than a month passed away without any occurrence worth recording;but I was not destined to leave Cahergillagh without further adventure.One day, intending to enjoy the pleasant sunshine in a ramble throughthe woods, I ran up to my room to procure my hat and cloak. Uponentering the chamber I was surprised and somewhat startled to find itoccupied. Beside the fireplace, and nearly opposite the door, seated ina large, old-fashioned elbow-chair, was placed the figure of a lady. Sheappeared to be nearer fifty than forty, and was dressed suitably to herage, in a handsome suit of flowered silk; she had a profusion oftrinkets and jewellery about her person, and many rings upon herfingers. But although very rich, her dress was not gaudy or in illtaste. But what was remarkable in the lady was, that although herfeatures were handsome, and upon the whole pleasing, the pupil of eacheye was dimmed with the whiteness of cataract, and she was evidentlystone-blind. I was for some seconds so surprised at this unaccountableapparition, that I could not find words to address her.
UPON ENTERING THE CHAMBER, I WAS SURPRISED AND SOMEWHATSTARTLED TO FIND IT OCCUPIED.]
"Madam," said I, "there must be some mistake here--this is mybedchamber."
"Marry come up," said the lady, sharply; "_your_ chamber! Where is LordGlenfallen?"
"He is below, madam," replied I; "and I am convinced he will be not alittle surprised to find you here."
"I do not think he will," said she, "with your good leave; talk of whatyou know something about. Tell him I want him. Why does the minxdilly-dally so?"
In spite of the awe which this grim lady inspired, there was somethingin her air of confident superiority which, when I considered ourrelative situations, was not a little irritating.
"Do you know, madam, to whom you speak?" said I.
"I neither know nor care," said she; "but I presume that you are someone about the house, so again I desire you, if you wish to continuehere, to bring your master hither forthwith."
"I must tell you, madam," said I, "that I am Lady Glenfallen."
"What's that?" said the stranger, rapidly.
"I say, madam," I repeated, approaching her that I might be moredistinctly heard, "that I am Lady Glenfallen."
"It's a lie, you trull!" cried she, in an accent which made me start,and at the same time, springing forward, she seized me in her grasp, andshook me violently, repeating, "It's a lie--it's a lie!" with a rapidityand vehemence which swelled every vein of her face. The violence of heraction, and the fury which convulsed her face, effectually terrified me,and disengaging myself from her grasp, I screamed as loud as I could forhelp. The blind woman continued to pour out a torrent of abuse upon me,foaming at the mouth with rage, and impotently shaking her clenched fisttowards me.
I heard Lord Glenfallen's step upon the stairs, and I instantly ran out;as I passed him I perceived that he was deadly pale, and just caught thewords: "I hope that demon has not hurt you?"
I made some answer, I forget what, and he entered the chamber, the doorof which he locked upon the inside. What passed within I know not; but Iheard the voices of the two speakers raised in loud and angryaltercation.
I thought I heard the shrill accents of the woman repeat the words,"Let her look to herself;" but I could not be quite sure. This shortsentence, however, was, to my alarmed imagination, pregnant with fearfulmeaning.
The storm at length subsided, though not until after a conference ofmore than two long hours. Lord Glenfallen then returned, pale andagitated.
"That unfortunate woman," said he, "is out of her mind. I daresay shetreated you to some of her ravings; but you need not dread any furtherinterruption from her: I have brought her so far to reason. She did nothurt you, I trust."
"No, no," said I; "but she terrified me beyond measure."
"Well," said he, "she is likely to behave better for the future; and Idare swear that neither you nor she would desire, after what has passed,to meet again."
This occurrence, so startling and unpleasant, so involved in mystery,and giving rise to so many painful surmises, afforded me no veryagreeable food for rumination.
All attempts on my part to arrive at the truth were baffled; LordGlenfallen evaded all my inquiries, and at length peremptorily forbadeany further allusion to the matter. I was thus obliged to rest satisfiedwith what I had actually seen, and to trust to time to resolve theperplexities in which the whole transaction had involved me.
Lord Glenfallen's temper and spirits gradually underwent a complete andmost painful change; he became silent and abstracted, his manner to mewas abrupt and often harsh, some grievous anxiety seemed ever present tohis mind; and under its influence his spirits sank and his temper becamesoured.
I soon perceived that his gaiety was rather that which the stir andexcitement of society produce, than the result of a healthy habit ofmind; every day confirmed me in the opinion, that the considerategood-nature which I had so much admired in him was little more thana mere manner; and to my infinite grief and surprise, the gay, kind,open-hearted nobleman who had for months followed and flattered me, wasrapidly assuming the form of a gloomy, morose, and singularly selfishman. This was a bitter discovery, and I strove to conceal it from myselfas long as I could; but the truth was not to be denied, and I was forcedto believe that my husband no longer loved me, and that he was at littlepains to conceal the alteration in his sentiments.
One morning after breakfast, Lord Glenfallen had been for some timewalking silently up and down the room, buried in his moody reflections,when pausing suddenly, and turning towards me, he exclaimed:
"I have it--I have it! We must go abroad, and stay there too; andif that does not answer, why--why, we must try some more effectualexpedient. Lady Glenfallen, I have become involved in heavyembarrassments. A wife, you know, must share the fortunes of herhusband, for better for worse; but I will waive my right if you preferremaining here--here at Cahergillagh. For I would not have you seenelsewhere without the state to which your rank entitles you; besides, itwould break your poor mother's heart," he added, with sneering gravity."So make up your mind--Cahergillagh or France. I will start if possiblein a week, so determine between this and then."
He left the room, and in a few moments I saw him ride past the window,followed by a mounted servant. He had directed a domestic to inform methat he should not be back until the next day.
I was in very great doubt as to what course of conduct I should pursueas to accompanying him in the continental tour so suddenly determinedupon. I felt that it would be a hazard too great to encounter; for atCahergillagh I had always the consciousness to sustain me, that if histemper at any time led him into violent or unwarrantable treatment ofme, I ha
d a remedy within reach, in the protection and support of my ownfamily, from all useful and effective communication with whom, if oncein France, I should be entirely debarred.
As to remaining at Cahergillagh in solitude, and, for aught Iknew, exposed to hidden dangers, it appeared to me scarcely lessobjectionable than the former proposition; and yet I feared that withone or other I must comply, unless I was prepared to come to an actualbreach with Lord Glenfallen. Full of these unpleasing doubts andperplexities, I retired to rest.
I was wakened, after having slept uneasily for some hours, by someperson shaking me rudely by the shoulder; a small lamp burned in myroom, and by its light, to my horror and amazement, I discovered that myvisitant was the self-same blind old lady who had so terrified me a fewweeks before.
I started up in the bed, with a view to ring the bell, and alarm thedomestics; but she instantly anticipated me by saying:
"Do not be frightened, silly girl! If I had wished to harm you, I couldhave done it while you were sleeping; I need not have wakened you.Listen to me, now, attentively and fearlessly, for what I have to sayinterests you to the full as much as it does me. Tell me here, in thepresence of God, did Lord Glenfallen marry you--_actually marry you_?Speak the truth, woman."
"As surely as I live and speak," I replied, "did Lord Glenfallen marryme, in presence of more than a hundred witnesses."
"Well," continued she, "he should have told you _then_, before youmarried him, that he had a wife living,--that I am his wife. I feel youtremble--tush! do not be frightened. I do not mean to harm you. Mark menow--you are _not_ his wife. When I make my story known you will be soneither in the eye of God nor of man. You must leave this house uponto-morrow. Let the world know that your husband has another wife living;go you into retirement, and leave him to justice, which will surelyovertake him. If you remain in this house after to-morrow, you will reapthe bitter fruits of your sin."
So saying, she quitted the room, leaving me very little disposed tosleep.
Here was food for my very worst and most terrible suspicions; stillthere was not enough to remove all doubt. I had no proof of the truth ofthis woman's statement.
Taken by itself, there was nothing to induce me to attach weight toit; but when I viewed it in connection with the extraordinary mysteryof some of Lord Glenfallen's proceedings, his strange anxiety toexclude me from certain portions of the mansion, doubtless lest Ishould encounter this person--the strong influence, nay, command whichshe possessed over him, a circumstance clearly established by the veryfact of her residing in the very place where, of all others, he shouldleast have desired to find her--her thus acting, and continuing to actin direct contradiction to his wishes; when, I say, I viewed herdisclosure in connection with all these circumstances, I could nothelp feeling that there was at least a fearful verisimilitude in theallegations which she had made.
Still I was not satisfied, nor nearly so. Young minds have areluctance almost insurmountable to believing, upon anything short ofunquestionable proof, the existence of premeditated guilt in anyonewhom they have ever trusted; and in support of this feeling I wasassured that if the assertion of Lord Glenfallen, which nothing inthis woman's manner had led me to disbelieve, were true, namely thather mind was unsound, the whole fabric of my doubts and fears mustfall to the ground.
I determined to state to Lord Glenfallen freely and accurately thesubstance of the communication which I had just heard, and in his wordsand looks to seek for its proof or refutation. Full of these thoughts,I remained wakeful and excited all night, every moment fancying that Iheard the step or saw the figure of my recent visitor, towards whom Ifelt a species of horror and dread which I can hardly describe.
There was something in her face, though her features had evidently beenhandsome, and were not, at first sight, unpleasing, which, upon a nearerinspection, seemed to indicate the habitual prevalence and indulgenceof evil passions, and a power of expressing mere animal anger with anintenseness that I have seldom seen equalled, and to which an almostunearthly effect was given by the convulsive quivering of the sightlesseyes.
You may easily suppose that it was no very pleasing reflection to me toconsider that, whenever caprice might induce her to return, I was withinthe reach of this violent and, for aught I knew, insane woman, who had,upon that very night, spoken to me in a tone of menace, of which hermere words, divested of the manner and look with which she uttered them,can convey but a faint idea.
Will you believe me when I tell you that I was actually afraid to leavemy bed in order to secure the door, lest I should again encounter thedreadful object lurking in some corner or peeping from behind thewindow-curtains, so very a child was I in my fears?
The morning came, and with it Lord Glenfallen. I knew not, and indeed Icared not, where he might have been; my thoughts were wholly engrossedby the terrible fears and suspicions which my last night's conferencehad suggested to me. He was, as usual, gloomy and abstracted, and Ifeared in no very fitting mood to hear what I had to say with patience,whether the charges were true or false.
I was, however, determined not to suffer the opportunity to pass, orLord Glenfallen to leave the room, until, at all hazards, I hadunburdened my mind.
"My lord," said I, after a long silence, summoning up all my firmness,"my lord, I wish to say a few words to you upon a matter of very greatimportance, of very deep concernment to you and to me."
I fixed my eyes upon him to discern, if possible, whether theannouncement caused him any uneasiness; but no symptom of any suchfeeling was perceptible.
"Well, my dear," said he, "this is no doubt a very grave preface, andportends, I have no doubt, something extraordinary. Pray let us have itwithout more ado."
He took a chair, and seated himself nearly opposite to me.
"My lord," said I, "I have seen the person who alarmed me so much ashort time since, the blind lady, again, upon last night." His face,upon which my eyes were fixed, turned pale; he hesitated for a moment,and then said:
"And did you, pray, madam, so totally forget or spurn my expresscommand, as to enter that portion of the house from which your promise,I might say your oath, excluded you? Answer me that!" he added fiercely.
"My lord," said I, "I have neither forgotten your _commands_, sincesuch they were, nor disobeyed them. I was, last night, wakened from mysleep, as I lay in my own chamber, and accosted by the person whom Ihave mentioned. How she found access to the room I cannot pretend tosay."
"Ha! this must be looked to," said he, half reflectively. "And pray,"added he quickly, while in turn he fixed his eyes upon me, "what didthis person say? since some comment upon her communication forms, nodoubt, the sequel to your preface."
"Your lordship is not mistaken," said I; "her statement was soextraordinary that I could not think of withholding it from you. Shetold me, my lord, that you had a wife living at the time you married me,and that she was that wife."
Lord Glenfallen became ashy pale, almost livid; he made two or threeefforts to clear his voice to speak, but in vain, and turning suddenlyfrom me, he walked to the window. The horror and dismay which, in theolden time, overwhelmed the woman of Endor when her spells unexpectedlyconjured the dead into her presence, were but types of what I felt whenthus presented with what appeared to be almost unequivocal evidence ofthe guilt whose existence I had before so strongly doubted.
There was a silence of some moments, during which it were hard toconjecture whether I or my companion suffered most.
Lord Glenfallen soon recovered his self-command; he returned to thetable, again sat down, and said:
"What you have told me has so astonished me, has unfolded such a tissueof motiveless guilt, and in a quarter from which I had so little reasonto look for ingratitude or treachery, that your announcement almostdeprived me of speech; the person in question, however, has one excuse,her mind is, as I told you before, unsettled. You should have rememberedthat, and hesitated to receive as unexceptionable evidence against thehonour of your husband, the ravings of a lunatic.
I now tell you thatthis is the last time I shall speak to you upon this subject, and, inthe presence of the God who is to judge me, and as I hope for mercy inthe day of judgment, I swear that the charge thus brought against me isutterly false, unfounded, and ridiculous. I defy the world in any pointto taint my honour; and, as I have never taken the opinion of madmentouching your character or morals, I think it but fair to require thatyou will evince a like tenderness for me; and now, once for all, neveragain dare to repeat to me your insulting suspicions, or the clumsy andinfamous calumnies of fools. I shall instantly let the worthy lady whocontrived this somewhat original device understand fully my opinion uponthe matter. Good morning."
And with these words he left me again in doubt, and involved in all thehorrors of the most agonizing suspense.
I had reason to think that Lord Glenfallen wreaked his vengeance uponthe author of the strange story which I had heard, with a violence whichwas not satisfied with mere words, for old Martha, with whom I was agreat favourite, while attending me in my room, told me that she fearedher master had ill-used the poor blind Dutchwoman, for that she hadheard her scream as if the very life were leaving her, but added arequest that I should not speak of what she had told me to any one,particularly to the master.
"How do you know that she is a Dutchwoman?" inquired I, anxious to learnanything whatever that might throw a light upon the history of thisperson, who seemed to have resolved to mix herself up in my fortunes.
"Why, my lady," answered Martha, "the master often calls her the Dutchhag, and other names you would not like to hear, and I am sure she isneither English nor Irish; for, whenever they talk together, they speaksome queer foreign lingo, and fast enough, I'll be bound. But I oughtnot to talk about her at all; it might be as much as my place is worthto mention her, only you saw her first yourself, so there can be nogreat harm in speaking of her now."
"How long has this lady been here?" continued I.
"She came early on the morning after your ladyship's arrival," answeredshe; "but do not ask me any more, for the master would think nothing ofturning me out of doors for daring to speak of her at all, much less to_you_, my lady."
I did not like to press the poor woman further, for her reluctance tospeak on this topic was evident and strong.
You will readily believe that upon the very slight grounds which myinformation afforded, contradicted as it was by the solemn oath of myhusband, and derived from what was, at best, a very questionable source,I could not take any very decisive measures whatever; and as to themenace of the strange woman who had thus unaccountably twice intrudedherself into my chamber, although, at the moment, it occasioned me someuneasiness, it was not, even in my eyes, sufficiently formidable toinduce my departure from Cahergillagh.
A few nights after the scene which I have just mentioned, LordGlenfallen having, as usual, retired early to his study, I was leftalone in the parlour to amuse myself as best I might.
It was not strange that my thoughts should often recur to the agitatingscenes in which I had recently taken a part.
The subject of my reflections, the solitude, the silence, and thelateness of the hour, as also the depression of spirits to which I hadof late been a constant prey, tended to produce that nervous excitementwhich places us wholly at the mercy of the imagination.
In order to calm my spirits I was endeavouring to direct my thoughtsinto some more pleasing channel, when I heard, or thought I heard,uttered within a few yards of me, in an odd, half-sneering tone, thewords,--
"There is blood upon your ladyship's throat."
So vivid was the impression that I started to my feet, and involuntarilyplaced my hand upon my neck.
I looked around the room for the speaker, but in vain.
I went then to the room-door, which I opened, and peered into thepassage, nearly faint with horror lest some leering, shapeless thingshould greet me upon the threshold.
When I had gazed long enough to assure myself that no strange object waswithin sight,--
"I have been too much of a rake lately; I am racking out my nerves,"said I, speaking aloud, with a view to reassure myself.
I rang the bell, and, attended by old Martha, I retired to settle forthe night.
While the servant was--as was her custom--arranging the lamp which Ihave already stated always burned during the night in my chamber, I wasemployed in undressing, and, in doing so, I had recourse to a largelooking-glass which occupied a considerable portion of the wall in whichit was fixed, rising from the ground to a height of about six feet; thismirror filled the space of a large panel in the wainscoting opposite thefoot of the bed.
SOMETHING LIKE A BLACK PALL WAS SLOWLY WAVED.]
I had hardly been before it for the lapse of a minute when somethinglike a black pall was slowly waved between me and it.
"Oh, God! there it is," I exclaimed, wildly. "I have seen it again,Martha--the black cloth."
"God be merciful to us, then!" answered she, tremulously crossingherself. "Some misfortune is over us."
"No, no, Martha," said I, almost instantly recovering my collectedness;for, although of a nervous temperament, I had never been superstitious."I do not believe in omens. You know I saw, or fancied I saw, this thingbefore, and nothing followed."
"The Dutch lady came the next morning," replied she.
"But surely her coming scarcely deserved such a dreadful warning," Ireplied.
"She is a strange woman, my lady," said Martha; "and she is not _gone_yet--mark my words."
"Well, well, Martha," said I, "I have not wit enough to change youropinions, nor inclination to alter mine; so I will talk no more of thematter. Good-night," and so I was left to my reflections.
After lying for about an hour awake, I at length fell into a kind ofdoze; but my imagination was very busy, for I was startled from thisunrefreshing sleep by fancying that I heard a voice close to my faceexclaim as before,--
"There is blood upon your ladyship's throat."
The words were instantly followed by a loud burst of laughter.
Quaking with horror, I awakened, and heard my husband enter the room.Even this was a relief.
Scared as I was, however, by the tricks which my imagination had playedme, I preferred remaining silent, and pretending to sleep, to attemptingto engage my husband in conversation, for I well knew that his mood wassuch, that his words would not, in all probability, convey anything thathad not better be unsaid and unheard.
Lord Glenfallen went into his dressing-room, which lay upon theright-hand side of the bed. The door lying open, I could see him byhimself, at full length upon a sofa, and, in about half an hour, Ibecame aware, by his deep and regularly drawn respiration, that he wasfast asleep.
When slumber refuses to visit one, there is something peculiarlyirritating, not to the temper, but to the nerves, in the consciousnessthat some one is in your immediate presence, actually enjoying the boonwhich you are seeking in vain; at least, I have always found it so, andnever more than upon the present occasion.
A thousand annoying imaginations harassed and excited me; every objectwhich I looked upon, though ever so familiar, seemed to have acquireda strange phantom-like character, the varying shadows thrown by theflickering of the lamplight seemed shaping themselves into grotesque andunearthly forms, and whenever my eyes wandered to the sleeping figureof my husband, his features appeared to undergo the strangest and mostdemoniacal contortions.
Hour after hour was told by the old clock, and each succeeding one foundme, if possible, less inclined to sleep than its predecessor.
It was now considerably past three; my eyes, in their involuntarywanderings, happened to alight upon the large mirror which was, as Ihave said, fixed in the wall opposite the foot of the bed. A view of itwas commanded from where I lay, through the curtains. As I gazed fixedlyupon it, I thought I perceived the broad sheet of glass shifting itsposition in relation to the bed; I riveted my eyes upon it with intensescrutiny; it was no deception, the mirror, as if acting of its ownimpulse, m
oved slowly aside, and disclosed a dark aperture in the wall,nearly as large as an ordinary door; a figure evidently stood in this,but the light was too dim to define it accurately.
It stepped cautiously into the chamber, and with so little noise, thathad I not actually seen it, I do not think I should have been aware ofits presence. It was arrayed in a kind of woollen night-dress, and awhite handkerchief or cloth was bound tightly about the head; I had nodifficulty, spite of the strangeness of the attire, in recognizing theblind woman whom I so much dreaded.
She stooped down, bringing her head nearly to the ground, and in thatattitude she remained motionless for some moments, no doubt in order toascertain if any suspicious sounds were stirring.
She was apparently satisfied by her observations, for she immediatelyrecommenced her silent progress towards a ponderous mahoganydressing-table of my husband's. When she had reached it, she pausedagain, and appeared to listen attentively for some minutes; she thennoiselessly opened one of the drawers, from which, having groped forsome time, she took something, which I soon perceived to be a case ofrazors. She opened it, and tried the edge of each of the two instrumentsupon the skin of her hand; she quickly selected one, which she fixedfirmly in her grasp. She now stooped down as before, and having listenedfor a time, she, with the hand that was disengaged, groped her way intothe dressing-room where Lord Glenfallen lay fast asleep.
I was fixed as if in the tremendous spell of a nightmare. I could notstir even a finger; I could not lift my voice; I could not even breathe;and though I expected every moment to see the sleeping man murdered, Icould not even close my eyes to shut out the horrible spectacle which Ihad not the power to avert.
I saw the woman approach the sleeping figure, she laid the unoccupiedhand lightly along his clothes, and having thus ascertained hisidentity, she, after a brief interval, turned back and again entered mychamber; here she bent down again to listen.
I had now not a doubt but that the razor was intended for my throat; yetthe terrific fascination which had locked all my powers so long, stillcontinued to bind me fast.
I felt that my life depended upon the slightest ordinary exertion, andyet I could not stir one joint from the position in which I lay, noreven make noise enough to waken Lord Glenfallen.
The murderous woman now, with long, silent steps, approached the bed;my very heart seemed turning to ice; her left hand, that which wasdisengaged, was upon the pillow; she gradually slid it forward towardsmy head, and in an instant, with the speed of lightning, it was clutchedin my hair, while, with the other hand, she dashed the razor at mythroat.
A slight inaccuracy saved me from instant death; the blow fell short,the point of the razor grazing my throat. In a moment, I know not how, Ifound myself at the other side of the bed, uttering shriek after shriek;the wretch was however determined, if possible, to murder me.
Scrambling along by the curtains, she rushed round the bed towards me;I seized the handle of the door to make my escape. It was, however,fastened. At all events, I could not open it. From the mere instinct ofrecoiling terror, I shrunk back into a corner. She was now within a yardof me. Her hand was upon my face.
I closed my eyes fast, expecting never to open them again, when a blow,inflicted from behind by a strong arm, stretched the monster senselessat my feet. At the same moment the door opened, and several domestics,alarmed by my cries, entered the apartment.
I do not recollect what followed, for I fainted. One swoon succeededanother, so long and death-like, that my life was considered verydoubtful.
At about ten o'clock, however, I sank into a deep and refreshing sleep,from which I was awakened at about two, that I might swear my depositionbefore a magistrate, who attended for that purpose.
I accordingly did so, as did also Lord Glenfallen, and the woman wasfully committed to stand her trial at the ensuing assizes.
I shall never forget the scene which the examination of the blind womanand of the other parties afforded.
She was brought into the room in the custody of two servants. She worea kind of flannel wrapper, which had not been changed since the nightbefore. It was torn and soiled, and here and there smeared with blood,which had flowed in large quantities from a wound in her head. Thewhite handkerchief had fallen off in the scuffle, and her grizzled hairfell in masses about her wild and deadly pale countenance.
She appeared perfectly composed, however, and the only regret sheexpressed throughout, was at not having succeeded in her attempt, theobject of which she did not pretend to conceal.
On being asked her name, she called herself the Countess Glenfallen, andrefused to give any other title.
"The woman's name is Flora Van-Kemp," said Lord Glenfallen.
"It _was_, it _was_, you perjured traitor and cheat!" screamed thewoman; and then there followed a volley of words in some foreignlanguage. "Is there a magistrate here?" she resumed; "I am LordGlenfallen's wife--I'll prove it--write down my words. I am willing tobe hanged or burned, so _he_ meets his deserts. I did try to kill thatdoll of his; but it was he who put it into my head to do it--two wiveswere too many; I was to murder her, or she was to hang me: listen to allI have to say."
Here Lord Glenfallen interrupted.
"I think, sir," said he, addressing the magistrate "that we had betterproceed to business; this unhappy woman's furious recriminations butwaste our time. If she refuses to answer your questions, you had better,I presume, take my depositions."
"And are you going to swear away my life, you black-perjured murderer?"shrieked the woman. "Sir, sir, sir, you must hear me," she continued,addressing the magistrate; "I can convict him--he bid me murder thatgirl, and then, when I failed, he came behind me, and struck me down,and now he wants to swear away my life. Take down all I say."
"If it is your intention," said the magistrate, "to confess the crimewith which you stand charged, you may, upon producing sufficientevidence, criminate whom you please."
"Evidence!--I have no evidence but myself," said the woman. "I willswear it all--write down my testimony--write it down, I say--we shallhang side by side, my brave lord--all your own handy-work, my gentlehusband!"
This was followed by a low, insolent, and sneering laugh, which, fromone in her situation, was sufficiently horrible.
"I will not at present hear anything," replied he, "but distinct answersto the questions which I shall put to you upon this matter."
"Then you shall hear nothing," replied she sullenly, and no inducementor intimidation could bring her to speak again.
Lord Glenfallen's deposition and mine were then given, as also those ofthe servants who had entered the room at the moment of my rescue.
The magistrate then intimated that she was committed, and must proceeddirectly to gaol, whither she was brought in a carriage of LordGlenfallen's, for his lordship was naturally by no means indifferent tothe effect which her vehement accusations against himself might produce,if uttered before every chance hearer whom she might meet with betweenCahergillagh and the place of confinement whither she was despatched.
During the time which intervened between the committal and the trial ofthe prisoner, Lord Glenfallen seemed to suffer agonies of mind whichbaffled all description; he hardly ever slept, and when he did, hisslumbers seemed but the instruments of new tortures, and his wakinghours were, if possible, exceeded in intensity of terror by the dreamswhich disturbed his sleep.
Lord Glenfallen rested, if to lie in the mere attitude of repose wereto do so, in his dressing-room, and thus I had an opportunity ofwitnessing, far oftener than I wished it, the fearful workings of hismind. His agony often broke out into such fearful paroxysms thatdelirium and total loss of reason appeared to be impending. Hefrequently spoke of flying from the country, and bringing with him allthe witnesses of the appalling scene upon which the prosecution wasfounded; then, again, he would fiercely lament that the blow which hehad inflicted had not ended all.
The assizes arrived, however, and upon the day appointed Lord Glenfallenand I attended in ord
er to give our evidence.
The cause was called on, and the prisoner appeared at the bar.
Great curiosity and interest were felt respecting the trial, so that thecourt was crowded to excess.
The prisoner, however, without appearing to take the trouble oflistening to the indictment, pleaded guilty, and no representations onthe part of the court availed to induce her to retract her plea.
After much time had been wasted in a fruitless attempt to prevail uponher to reconsider her words, the court proceeded, according to the usualform, to pass sentence.
This having been done, the prisoner was about to be removed, when shesaid, in a low, distinct voice:
"A word--a word, my lord!--Is Lord Glenfallen here in the court?"
On being told that he was, she raised her voice to a tone of loudmenace, and continued:
"Hardress, Earl of Glenfallen, I accuse you here in this court ofjustice of two crimes,--first, that you married a second wife while thefirst was living; and again, that you prompted me to the murder, forattempting which I am to die. Secure him--chain him--bring him here!"
There was a laugh through the court at these words, which were naturallytreated by the judge as a violent extemporary recrimination, and thewoman was desired to be silent.
"You won't take him, then?" she said; "you won't try him? You'll let himgo free?"
It was intimated by the court that he would certainly be allowed "to gofree," and she was ordered again to be removed.
Before, however, the mandate was executed, she threw her arms wildlyinto the air, and uttered one piercing shriek so full of preternaturalrage and despair, that it might fitly have ushered a soul into thoserealms where hope can come no more.
The sound still rang in my ears, months after the voice that had utteredit was for ever silent.
The wretched woman was executed in accordance with the sentence whichhad been pronounced.
For some time after this event, Lord Glenfallen appeared, if possible,to suffer more than he had done before, and altogether his language,which often amounted to half confessions of the guilt imputed to him,and all the circumstances connected with the late occurrences, formed amass of evidence so convincing that I wrote to my father, detailing thegrounds of my fears, and imploring him to come to Cahergillagh withoutdelay, in order to remove me from my husband's control, previously totaking legal steps for a final separation.
Circumstanced as I was, my existence was little short of intolerable,for, besides the fearful suspicions which attached to my husband, Iplainly perceived that if Lord Glenfallen were not relieved, and thatspeedily, insanity must supervene. I therefore expected my father'sarrival, or at least a letter to announce it, with indescribableimpatience.
About a week after the execution had taken place, Lord Glenfallen onemorning met me with an unusually sprightly air.
"Fanny," said he, "I have it now for the first time in my power toexplain to your satisfaction everything which has hitherto appearedsuspicious or mysterious in my conduct. After breakfast come with me tomy study, and I shall, I hope, make all things clear."
This invitation afforded me more real pleasure than I had experiencedfor months. Something had certainly occurred to tranquillize myhusband's mind in no ordinary degree, and I thought it by no meansimpossible that he would, in the proposed interview, prove himself themost injured and innocent of men.
Full of this hope, I repaired to his study at the appointed hour. He waswriting busily when I entered the room, and just raising his eyes, herequested me to be seated.
I took a chair as he desired, and remained silently awaiting hisleisure, while he finished, folded, directed, and sealed his letter.Laying it then upon the table with the address downward, he said,--
"My dearest Fanny, I know I must have appeared very strange to you andvery unkind--often even cruel. Before the end of this week I will showyou the necessity of my conduct--how impossible it was that I shouldhave seemed otherwise. I am conscious that many acts of mine must haveinevitably given rise to painful suspicions--suspicions which, indeed,upon one occasion, you very properly communicated to me. I havegot two letters from a quarter which commands respect, containinginformation as to the course by which I may be enabled to prove thenegative of all the crimes which even the most credulous suspicioncould lay to my charge. I expected a third by this morning's post,containing documents which will set the matter for ever at rest, butowing, no doubt, to some neglect, or perhaps to some difficulty incollecting the papers, some inevitable delay, it has not come to handthis morning, according to my expectation. I was finishing one to thevery same quarter when you came in, and if a sound rousing be worthanything, I think I shall have a special messenger before two dayshave passed. I have been anxiously considering with myself, as towhether I had better imperfectly clear up your doubts by submitting toyour inspection the two letters which I have already received, or waittill I can triumphantly vindicate myself by the production of thedocuments which I have already mentioned, and I have, I think, notunnaturally decided upon the latter course. However, there is a personin the next room whose testimony is not without its value--excuse mefor one moment."
So saying, he arose and went to the door of a closet which opened fromthe study; this he unlocked, and half opening the door, he said, "It isonly I," and then slipped into the room, and carefully closed and lockedthe door behind him.
I immediately heard his voice in animated conversation. My curiosityupon the subject of the letter was naturally great, so, smothering anylittle scruples which I might have felt, I resolved to look at theaddress of the letter which lay, as my husband had left it, with itsface upon the table. I accordingly drew it over to me, and turned up thedirection.
For two or three moments I could scarce believe my eyes, but there couldbe no mistake--in large characters were traced the words, "To theArchangel Gabriel in Heaven."
I had scarcely returned the letter to its original position, and in somedegree recovered the shock which this unequivocal proof of insanityproduced, when the closet door was unlocked, and Lord Glenfallenre-entered the study, carefully closing and locking the door again uponthe outside.
"Whom have you there?" inquired I, making a strong effort to appearcalm.
"Perhaps," said he, musingly, "you might have some objection to seeingher, at least for a time."
"Who is it?" repeated I.
"Why," said he, "I see no use in hiding it--the blind Dutchwoman. I havebeen with her the whole morning. She is very anxious to get out of thatcloset; but you know she is odd, she is scarcely to be trusted."
A heavy gust of wind shook the door at this moment with a sound as ifsomething more substantial were pushing against it.
"Ha, ha, ha!--do you hear her?" said he, with an obstreperous burst oflaughter.
The wind died away in a long howl, and Lord Glenfallen, suddenlychecking his merriment, shrugged his shoulders, and muttered:
"Poor devil, she has been hardly used."
"We had better not tease her at present with questions," said I, in asunconcerned a tone as I could assume, although I felt every moment as ifI should faint.
"Humph! may be so," said he. "Well, come back in an hour or two, or whenyou please, and you will find us here."
He again unlocked the door, and entered with the same precautions whichhe had adopted before, locking the door upon the inside; and as Ihurried from the room, I heard his voice again exerted as if in eagerparley.
I can hardly describe my emotions; my hopes had been raised to thehighest, and now, in an instant, all was gone: the dreadful consummationwas accomplished--the fearful retribution had fallen upon the guiltyman--the mind was destroyed, the power to repent was gone.
The agony of the hours which followed what I would still call my awfulinterview with Lord Glenfallen, I cannot describe; my solitude was,however, broken in upon by Martha, who came to inform me of the arrivalof a gentleman, who expected me in the parlour.
I accordingly descended, and, to my great jo
y, found my father seated bythe fire.
This expedition upon his part was easily accounted for: mycommunications had touched the honour of the family. I speedilyinformed him of the dreadful malady which had fallen upon the wretchedman.
My father suggested the necessity of placing some person to watch him,to prevent his injuring himself or others.
I rang the bell, and desired that one Edward Cooke, an attached servantof the family, should be sent to me.
I told him distinctly and briefly the nature of the service required ofhim, and, attended by him, my father and I proceeded at once to thestudy. The door of the inner room was still closed, and everything inthe outer chamber remained in the same order in which I had left it.
We then advanced to the closet-door, at which we knocked, but withoutreceiving any answer.
We next tried to open the door, but in vain; it was locked upon theinside. We knocked more loudly, but in vain.
Seriously alarmed, I desired the servant to force the door, which was,after several violent efforts, accomplished, and we entered the closet.
Lord Glenfallen was lying on his face upon a sofa.
"Hush!" said I; "he is asleep." We paused for a moment.
"He is too still for that," said my father.
We all of us felt a strong reluctance to approach the figure.
"Edward," said I, "try whether your master sleeps."
The servant approached the sofa where Lord Glenfallen lay. He leant hisear towards the head of the recumbent figure, to ascertain whether thesound of breathing was audible. He turned towards us, and said:
"My lady, you had better not wait here; I am sure he is dead!"
"Let me see the face," said I, terribly agitated; "you _may_ bemistaken."
The man then, in obedience to my command, turned the body round, and,gracious God! what a sight met my view.
The whole breast of the shirt, with its lace frill, was drenched withhis blood, as was the couch underneath the spot where he lay.
The head hung back, as it seemed, almost severed from the body by afrightful gash, which yawned across the throat. The razor which hadinflicted the wound was found under his body.
All, then, was over; I was never to learn the history in whosetermination I had been so deeply and so tragically involved.
The severe discipline which my mind had undergone was not bestowed invain. I directed my thoughts and my hopes to that place where there isno more sin, nor danger, nor sorrow.
Thus ends a brief tale whose prominent incidents many will recognize ashaving marked the history of a distinguished family; and though itrefers to a somewhat distant date, we shall be found not to have taken,upon that account, any liberties with the facts.
THE END.
LONDON: PRINTED BY GILBERT AND RIVINGTON, LD., ST. JOHN'S HOUSE, CLERKENWELL, E.C.
The Watcher, and other weird stories Page 8
