_Showing the pranks played in the Haunted House by the two Skeletons._
When Mrs. Belmont awoke from the swoon into which she had fallen, at
sight of the terrible apparition which had visited her, daylight was
shining through the windows of her chamber. She immediately recalled to
mind the events of the preceding night, and resolved to remove without
delay from a house which was troubled with such fearful visitants.
Her maid Susan soon entered, to assist her in dressing; and she learned
that the girl had neither seen nor heard anything of a mysterious or
ghostly nature, during the night. But when the lady related what _she_
had seen, the terror of poor Susan knew no bounds, and she declared her
determination not to sleep alone in the house another night.
While at breakfast, a visitor was announced, who proved to be the
landlord, Mr. Hedge. The old gentleman entered with many apologies for
his intrusion, and said--
'To confess the truth, my dear madam, I am anxious to learn how you
passed the night. Were you disturbed by any of the goblins or spectres
which are supposed to haunt the house?'
Julia related everything which had occurred, and Mr. Hedge expressed
great astonishment and concern.
'It is singular--very singular, and fearful,' said he musingly--'a
terrible blot seems to rest upon this house; I must abandon the hope of
ever having it occupied, as I presume you now desire to remove from it,
as a matter of course?'
'Such _was_ my intention,' replied Julia, 'but you will be surprised
when I assure you that within the last hour I have changed my mind, and
am now resolved to remain here. To me there is a charm in mystery, even
when that mystery, as in the present instance, is fraught with terror. I
think I need entertain no apprehension of receiving personal injury from
these ghostly night-walkers, for if they wished to harm me, they could
have done so last night. Hereafter, my maid shall sleep in my chamber
with me; I shall place a dagger under my pillow, with which to defend
myself in case of any attempted injury or outrage--and I shall await the
coming of my spectral friend with feelings of mingled dread and
pleasure.'
'I am delighted to hear you say so,' rejoined the old gentleman, as he
surveyed the animated countenance and fine form of the courageous woman
with admiration. In truth, Julia looked very charming that morning; she
was dressed in voluptuous _dishabille_, which partially revealed a bust
whose luxurious fullness and exquisite symmetry are rarely equalled by
the divine creations of the sculptor's art.
'She is very beautiful,' thought the old gentleman; and the sluggish
current of his blood began to course thro' his veins with something of
the ardor of youth.
Mr. Hedge was a wealthy old bachelor;--and like the majority of
individuals, who belong to that class, he adored pretty women, but had
always adored them _at a distance_. To him, woman was a divinity; he
bowed at her shrine, but dared not presume to taste the nectar of her
lips, or inhale the perfume of her sighs. He had always regarded such
familiarity as a type of sacrilege. But now, seated _tete-a-tete_ with
that charming creature, and feasting his eyes upon her voluptuous
beauty, his awe of the divinity merged into a burning admiration of the
woman.
Julia knew that Mr. Hedge was rich. 'He admires me,' thought she,--'he
is old, but wealthy; I will try to fascinate him, and if he desires me
to become either his wife or mistress, I will consent, for a connection
with him would be to my pecuniary advantage.'
And she _did_ fascinate him, as much by her sparkling wit and graceful
discourse, as by her charms of person. She related to him a very
pleasing little fiction entirely the offspring of her own fertile
imagination, which purported to be a history of her own past life. She
stated that she was the widow of an English gentleman; she had recently
come to America, and had but few acquaintances, and still fewer friends;
she felt the loneliness of her situation, and admitted that she much
desired a friend to counsel and protect her; the adroit adventuress
concluded her extemporaneous romance by adroitly insinuating that her
income was scarcely adequate to her respectable maintenance.
Mr. Hedge listened attentively to this narrative, and religiously
believed every word of it. While the lady was speaking, he had drawn his
chair close to hers, and taken one of her small, delicate hands in his.
We must do him the justice to observe, that though her beauty had
inspired him with passion, he nevertheless sincerely sympathised with
her on account of her pretended misfortunes--and, supposing her to be
strictly virtuous, he entertained not the slightest wish to take
advantage of her unprotected situation.
'My dear young lady,' said he--'although I have known you but a very
short time, I have become exceedingly interested in you. I am an old
man--old enough to be your father; and as a father I now speak to
you.--What I am about to say, might seem impertinent and offensive in a
young man, but you will pardon it in me. You have unconscientiously
dropped a hint touching the insufficiency of your income to maintain you
as a lady should be maintained. I am rich--deign to accept from me as a
gift--or as a loan, if you will--this scrap of paper; 'tis valueless to
me, for I have more money than I need. The gift--or loan--shall be
repeated as often as your necessities require it.'
He squeezed a bank-note into her hand--and when she, with affected
earnestness, desired him to take it back, assuring him that she needed
no immediate pecuniary aid, he insisted that she should retain it; and
shortly afterwards he arose and took his leave, having easily obtained
permission to call upon her the next day.
'Egad, she would make me a charming wife--if she would only have me,'
thought the old gentleman, as he left the house.
'Five hundred dollars!' exclaimed Julia, as she examined the bank-note
which he had given her--'how liberal! I have fairly entrapped the silly
old man; he is too honorable to propose that I should become his
mistress, and he will probably offer me his hand in marriage. I will
accept him at once--and to avoid detection, I shall remove with my
venerable husband to Boston, which I have heard is a charming city,
where a woman of fashion and intrigue can lead a glorious and brilliant
career.'
That night she retired early to rest, and her maid Susan shared her
chamber--an arrangement highly satisfactory to the abigail, who was glad
of company in a house where ghosts were in the habit of perambulating
during the night.
Neither mistress nor maid closed an eye in slumber--but midnight came,
and they had not seen nor heard anything of a ghostly nature. Yet
strange events were taking place in the house,--events which will throw
light upon the fearful mysteries of the place.
It was about an hour after midnight, when a large stone among those of
which the foundation of the house was built, turned slowly upon pivots,
revealing an aperture in the wall, and at the same instant the glare of
a lantern shone into the cellar.
From the aperture emerged two persons of frightful appearance, one of
whom carried the lantern; they were both dressed in tight-fitting
garments of black cloth, upon which was daubed in white paint the figure
of a skeleton; and each of their faces had been blacked, and then drawn
over with the representation of a skull. Seen by an imperfect light,
they exactly resembled two skeletons.
'By Jesus!' exclaimed one of them, in a tone which was anything but
hollow or sepulchral--'let's put for the pantry and see what there is to
_ate_, for be the powers I'm starved wid hunger!'
'That's the talk, Bloody Mike--- so we will,' responded the other
worthy, who was no other than our old friend Ragged Pete, though his
nearest relatives would never have recognized him in the disguise he
then wore.
Mike and Pete ascended to the pantry, and began a diligent search after
provisions.
'Glory to ould Ireland, here's grand illigant ham!' exclaimed the first
mentioned individual, as he dragged from a shelf a large dish containing
the article he had named.
'And blow me tight if here isn't a cold turkey and a pan of pudding,'
rejoined Pete, whose researches had also been crowned with success.
'Faith, it's ourselves, Peter, dear, that'll have a supper fit for the
bishop of Cork, an' that's a big word,' remarked Mike, as he
triumphantly placed upon a table the savory viands above mentioned, and
'fell to' with surpassing vigor, an example in which he was followed by
his comrade.
'This playing the ghost is a good business, by jingo!' said Pete, with
his mouth full of ham.
'True for ye!' replied the Irish skeleton, his articulation rendered
indistinct by the masses of turkey which were fast travelling down his
throat to his capacious stomach.
The repast was not finished until they had devoured every atom of the
provisions; and then Pete went in quest of something to 'wash the
wittles down with,' as he expressed it.
Upon a sideboard in the adjoining room he found wines and liquors of
excellent quality, which he and his companion were soon engaged in
discussing, with as much ease and comfort as if they were joint
proprietors of the whole concern.
The two gentlemen grew quite cosey and confidential over their wine, and
as their conversation mainly referred to matters in which the reader
perhaps feels an interest, we shall so far intrude upon their privacy as
to report the same.
'I've news to tell you, Mike,' said Pete--'the Dead Man has somehow or
other found out that the lady who moved into this house yesterday, is
the wife of Mr. Sydney, the rich chap that he hates so infernally 'cause
he had him arrested once. Well, you know that last night some one cut
the ropes that hoists the platform from the Vaults, so that the Dead Man
fell and came nigh breaking his neck; and as it is, he's so awfully
bruised that he won't have the use of his limbs for some time to
come--besides, he fell into the sewers, and would have been drowned, if
I hadn't heerd him, and dragged him out. The chap wot played him that
trick was this same Sydney; for a note was found this morning in Anthony
street crib, bragging about it, and signed with his name. Now it seems
that his wife that lives in this house, and who we are trying to skeer
out of it, as we have done all the others that ever lived here--it seems
that _she_ hates Sydney like thunder and wants to be revenged on him for
something--and that the Dead Man found that out, too. So 'our boss'
thinks he'll try and set up a partnership with this Mrs. Belmont, as she
calls herself--and with her aid he calculates to get Mr. Sydney into his
power. If the lady and him sets up business together, our services as
ghosts won't be wanted any longer; and I'm very sorry for it, because
we've had glorious times in this house, frightening people, and making
them believe the place was haunted.'
As this long harangue rendered Pete thirsty, he extinguished his
eloquence for a few moments in a copious draught of choice Burgundy.
'That row at Pat Mulligan's last night was a divilish nate affair,'
remarked Mike.
'Yes,' said Pete--'and we all got bundled off to the watch-house; but
the Captain let me go--he always does, because I vote for his party.
After I got clear, I came here, wrapped in a great sheet, and went up
into Mrs. Belmont's chamber; after frightening the poor woman almost to
death, I goes up to the bed, puts my hand on her face, and tells her
that she'd see me agin--whereupon she gives a great shriek, and I cut my
puck through the hole in the cellar.'
'Be the powers,' remarked Bloody Mike--'it's a great convenience
entirely, to have thim sacret passages from the Vault into intarior of
houses; there's two of thim, one under the crib in Anthony street, and
the other under this dacent house in _Rade_ street.'
'Yes, you're right,' said Pete--'but come, let's do our business and be
off--it's near three o'clock.'
The two worthies mounted the stairs with noiseless steps, and pausing
before Mrs. Belmont's chamber, Ragged Pete gave utterance to an awful
groan. A stifled shriek from the interior of the room convinced them the
inmates were awake and terribly frightened.
Pete's groan was followed by a violent _hiccuping_ on the part of Bloody
Mike--for, to confess the truth, that convivial gentleman had imbibed so
freely that he was, in vulgar parlance, most essentially drunk.
'Stop that infernal noise, and follow me into the room,' whispered Pete,
who, having confined himself to wine instead of brandy, was
comparatively sober.
'Lade on, I'm after ye!' roared the Irish skeleton. Pete, finding the
door locked gave it a tremendous kick, and it burst open with a loud
crash.
Julia and her maid screamed with horror and affright, as they beheld two
hideous forms resembling skeletons come rushing into the room.
Ragged Pete advanced to the bedside of Mrs. Belmont, and threw himself
into an approved pugilistic attitude, as if challenging that lady to
take a 'set to' with him; while Bloody Mike stumbled over the prostrate
form of the lady's maid, who occupied a temporary bed upon the floor.
Forgetting his assumed part, he yelled out for something to drink, and
forthwith began to sing in tones of thunder, the pathetic Hibernian
ballad commencing with--
'A sayman courted a farmer's daughter,
That lived convenient to the Isle of Man.'
'The devil!--you'll spoil all,' muttered Pete, as he seized Mike, and
with difficulty dragged him from the room. 'Ain't you a nice skeleton,
to get drunk and sing love songs,' he whispered contemptuously, pulling
his inebriated comrade downstairs after him: 'No dacent ghost ever gets
as corn'd as you be,' he added, as they entered the 'hole in the wall;'
after which the stone was turned into its place, which it fitted so
exactly, that the most critical eye could not have discovered anything
to indicate that it had ever been moved at all.
Mrs. Belmont was now fully satisfied in her own mind that there was
nothing supernatural about the nocturnal intruders, but that they were
in reality substantial flesh and blood, and though she could not divine
how they had entered the house, she was much relieved and comforted by
the assurance that it was with _living_ men she had to deal--a
conviction which was amply confirmed the next morning, when the havoc
done to the eatables and drinkables was announced to her by the
indignant Susan.
In the afternoon Mr. Hedge called upon her as appointed, and dined with
his interesting and fascinating tenant.
After dinner, Julia caused the sofa to be wheeled in front of the
glorious fire which glowed in the grate (for the weather was intensely
cold) and seating herself, invited the old gentleman to place himself at
her side.
Then she exerted all her fine powers of discourse to increase his
admiration, and draw from him a declaration of love, and an offer of
marriage.
Wine was brought in, and gradually their spirits became enlivened by the
sparkling genii of the grape. The old man felt the fires of youth
careering through his veins, and his withered cheek was suffused with a
flush of passion.
'Beautiful Julia,' said he--'I observe that you have a magnificent
piano; will you favor me with an air?'
She smiled an assent, and her aged admirer conducted her to the
instrument with the most ceremonious politeness. After a brilliant
prelude, executed with artistic delicacy and skill, she dashed off into
a superb Italian air, which raised her listener (who was passionately
devoted to music,) into the seventh heaven of ecstasy.
'Glorious!--grand!' were his exclamations of delight, when she had
finished the air and she needed no urgent persuasion to induce her to
favor him with another.
Artfully and admirably did she compose an extempore song, adapted to
immediate circumstances, beginning--'I love no vain and fickle youth,'
and beautifully depicting the love of a young woman for a man advanced
in years. She sung it with a most touching air, and threw into her
countenance and style an expression of melting tenderness.
Ere she had terminated, the old gentleman was kneeling at her feet; and
pressing her fair hand to his lips.
'Divine creature,' he murmured--'can you pardon the presumption and
foolishness of an old man, who dares to love you? Your beauty and your
fascinations have conquered and bewildered me. I know that the proposal
coming from me, is madness--I know that you will reject my suit with
disdain--yet hear me Julia; I am an old, rich and solitary man--I need
some gentle ray of sunshine to gild my few remaining years--I need some
beautiful creature, like yourself, to preside over my gloomy household,
and cheer me in my loneliness by her delightful society and the music of
her voice. Boundless wealth shall be at your command; no restraint shall
ever be placed upon the number of your servants, the splendor of your
carriages and equipages, the costliness of your jewels; and the
magnificence of your amusements. Speak--and seal my destiny.'
And Julia _did_ speak, and became the affianced wife of Mr. Hedge. Her
operations thus far had been crowned with triumphant success.
It was arranged that their marriage should take as privately as possible
in one month, from that day.--Julia suggested that, immediately after
their union, they should remove to Boston, and take up their permanent
residence in that city, to which proposal the old gentleman gave a
cheerful consent.
'And if you have no objection, my dear Julia,' said he, 'we will be
united by Dr. Sinclair, the young and excellent rector of St. Paul's, to
which church I belong.'
Julia signified her compliance with the arrangement. She had both seen
and admired the young rector, and thought him handsome--very handsome.
Previous to Mr. Hedge's departure that evening, he presented her with a
large sum of money, to defray, he said, the expenses necessary to be
incurred in her preparations for the marriage. Then the enamored old
gentleman kissed her hand, and took his leave.
When he was gone, Julia abandoned herself to the pleasing thoughts
engendered by her present brilliant prospects. While in the midst of
these agreeable meditations, she was interrupted by the sound of a
footstep behind her; and turning, she beheld a man of an aspect so
hideous and revolting, that she screamed with terror.
'Hush! be silent, madam--I mean you no harm,' said the man, as he closed
the door, and seated himself at her side upon the sofa. Julia gazed on
him with surprise and dread. His face, which at best was the most
loathsome and horrible ever worn by man, was mangled and bruised as if
by some severe and terrible injury; he moved with evident pain and
difficulty, and carried one of his arms in a sling.
'Our interview shall be brief, and to the point,' said the mysterious
visitor. 'I am he who is called the _Dead Man_, and I am not disposed to
quarrel with the title, for I like it.--You and your history are known
to me; it matters not how I obtained my information; you are styled Mrs.
Belmont, a widow--but you are the discarded wife of Francis Sydney, and
half an hour ago you engaged yourself in marriage to Mr. Hedge, the
owner of this house.'
Julia started with alarm, for she felt that she was in the power of that
terrible man.
'What is the object of your visit?' she asked.
'Listen and you shall know. I have a secret subterranean cavern which
communicates with the cellar of this building, and 'twas by that means I
entered the house to-night. Myself and friends often find it convenient
to carry stolen goods through this house into our den; and in order to
have the place all to ourselves, we have heretofore frightened away the
people who have come here to live; thus the house is reputed to be
haunted. 'Twas our design to frighten you away, also; but having
discovered _who and what you are_, I've concluded to explain the
mystery, and set up a copartnership with you.'
'And in what business can _we_ possibly be connected together?' asked
Julia, with ill-concealed disgust.
'In the business of _vengeance_!' thundered the Dead Man, foaming with
rage. 'Tell me, woman--do you hate Sydney?'
'I do!--and would sell my soul to be revenged upon him,' she replied
with flashing eyes.
'Enough!' cried the other, with triumphant joy--'I knew you would join
me in my plan of vengeance. Now, madam, from this moment we are
friends--_partners_, rather let me say--and there's my hand upon it.'
And he gripped her hand almost fiercely, while she shuddered at the
awful contact. It seemed as if she were touching a corpse.
'Hereafter,' continued the miscreant,--'you shall rest at night securely
in this house, undisturbed by pretended ghosts. Do you see these wounds
and bruises?--for them I am indebted to Sydney; my wife is a raging
maniac, and I am also indebted to him for _that_--and by eternal hell!
when I get him in my power, he shall die by inches; he shall suffer
every slow torture which my ingenuity can devise; his brain shall burn,
and when death shall end his torments, I have sworn to eat his heart;
and by G----, _I'll do it_!'
'But how will you get him into your power?' asked Julia, delighted with
the prospect of revenging herself upon poor Frank.
'I will contrive some means of deluding him into this house; and once in
here, he shall never again behold the light of day,' replied the Dead
Man, as he arose to withdraw.
'Stay a moment,' said Julia, with some embarrassment--'there is also a
colored man in Sydney's house, and--'
'I know it--he shall be liberated,' interrupted the Dead Man, and
added--'you shall see me again to-morrow--farewell.'
He left the room, descended to the cellar, and passed through the secret
passage to the Dark Vaults.
That night at about the hour of twelve, the dark figure of a man crossed
the garden in the rear of Frank Sydney's house, and approached the iron
door of the wine-vault wherein Nero, the African, was imprisoned. By the
aid of skeleton keys he unlocked the door, and bade the prisoner come
forth.
The negro obeyed, surprised and delighted at his unexpected deliverance.
'To whom am I indebted for this friendly act?' he asked.
'I have no time to answer questions,' replied the Dead Man, for it was
he. 'Hasten to your mistress at No.--Reade street, and remember your
motto as well as mine must be--'Vengeance on Sydney!''
'Yes--vengeance on Sydney,' muttered the black, from between his
clenched teeth, as he hurried away in the direction of Reade street.
'He will be another agent to assist me in torturing my enemy,' said the
Dead Man to himself, as he bent his rapid footsteps towards the Dark
Vaults.
Nero soon reached the residence of Mrs. Belmont, in Reade street. He was
admitted into the house by Susan, who informed him that her mistress had
not yet retired. The black quickly mounted the stairs, and entering the
room, was about to rush forward and clasp the lady in his arms, when she
checked him by a movement of disgust, desired him not to approach her,
and pointing to a chair in a distant corner, coldly requested him to
seat himself there.
Why did that unprincipled and licentious woman thus repulse the former
partner of her guilty joys--he who had so long been the recipient of her
favors, and the object of her unhallowed love? Was it because he was
emaciated, filthy and in rags, the results of his long imprisonment in a
loathsome dungeon? No--that was not the reason of her repulsing him.
Julia was a woman wildly capricious in her nature; she was a creature of
sudden impulses--her most passionate love would often instantly change
to bitterest hate. In this instance, her love for the African had
entirely and forever ceased, and she now viewed him with contemptuous
disgust, wondering that she could ever have had such a _penchant_ for
him.
''Tis strange,' she thought, 'that I ever could descend to an intrigue
with that vile negro. Heavens! I loathe the very sight of him!'
Nero, on his part, was astounded at this unexpected reception; he had
anticipated a night of voluptuous bliss with his former paramour, and he
could not divine the cause of her sudden rejection of him.
'My dear Julia, why this coldness?--what have I done to offend you?' he
demanded, after a short pause.
'Presume not to call me _your dear Julia_, fellow,' she replied
scornfully. 'You have done nothing to offend me, but the days of our
familiarity are over. The liberties which I permitted you to take, and
the indulgences which I formerly granted to you, can never be repeated.
I will not condescend to explain myself farther than to remark, that all
my former regard for you has ceased, and I now view you not only with
indifference, but with positive dislike. I procured your liberation from
that dungeon merely because it was on my account you were placed there.
You can, if you choose, re-enter my service as footman, and your wages
shall be the same as those of any other servant of your class; but
remember--henceforth I am the mistress, and you the menial, and any
presumption on your part, or attempt at familiarity, shall be instantly
followed by your discharge. Clean yourself of that filth, and begin your
duties to-morrow, as a respectful, orderly and obedient servant. You can
go now.'
Nero left the room, humbled and crest-fallen, inwardly resolved to
revenge himself upon that proud and abandoned woman, should the
opportunity ever present itself.
Gentlest of readers, we now invite thee to accompany us to view other
scenes and other characters in our grand drama of human life, and its
many crimes.