A CHAPTER IN THE HISTORY OF A TYRONE FAMILY
AND
THE MURDERED COUSIN
Two stories by J.S. LeFanu
A Chapter in the History was first published in 1836.
The Murdered Cousin was first published in 1851.
A CHAPTER IN THE HISTORY OF A TYRONE FAMILY
Being a Tenth Extract from the Legacy of the Late Francis Purcell,
P.P. of Drumcoolagh
INTRODUCTION. In the following narrative, I have endeavoured to give
as nearly as possible the "_ipsissima verba_" of the valued friend
from whom I received it, conscious that any aberration from her mode
of telling the tale of her own life, would at once impair its accuracy
and its effect. Would that, with her words, I could also bring before
you her animated gesture, her expressive countenance, the solemn and
thrilling air and accent with which she related the dark passages
in her strange story; and, above all, that I could communicate the
impressive consciousness that the narrator had seen with her own
eyes, and personally acted in the scenes which she described; these
accompaniments, taken with the additional circumstance, that she
who told the tale was one far too deeply and sadly impressed with
religious principle, to misrepresent or fabricate what she repeated as
fact, gave to the tale a depth of interest which the events recorded
could hardly, themselves, have produced. I became acquainted with
the lady from whose lips I heard this narrative, nearly twenty years
since, and the story struck my fancy so much, that I committed it
to paper while it was still fresh in my mind, and should its perusal
afford you entertainment for a listless half hour, my labour shall not
have been bestowed in vain. I find that I have taken the story down as
she told it, in the first person, and, perhaps, this is as it should
be. She began as follows.
My maiden name was Richardson,[A] the designation of a family of
some distinction 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 of nearly six years, so that I did not, in my childhood,
enjoy that close companionship which sisterhood, in other
circumstances, necessarily involves; and while I was still a child, my
sister was married. The person upon whom she bestowed her hand, was a
Mr. Carew, a gentleman of property and consideration in the north
of England. I remember well the eventful day of the wedding; the
thronging carriages, the noisy menials, the loud laughter, the merry
faces, and the gay dresses. Such sights were then new to me, and
harmonized ill with the sorrowful feelings with which I regarded the
event which was to separate me, as it turned out, for ever, from a
sister whose tenderness alone had hitherto more than supplied all that
I wanted in my mother's affection. The day soon arrived which was to
remove the happy couple from Ashtown-house. The carriage stood at the
hall-door, and my poor sister kissed me again, and again, telling me
that I should see her soon. The carriage drove away, and I gazed
after it until my eyes filled with tears, and, returning slowly to my
chamber, I wept more bitterly, and so, to speak more desolately, than
ever I had done before. My father had never seemed to love, or to
take an interest in me. He had desired a son, and I think he never
thoroughly forgave me my unfortunate sex. My having come into the
world at all as his child, he regarded as a kind of fraudulent
intrusion, and, as his antipathy to me had its origin in an
imperfection of mine, too radical for removal, I never even hoped to
stand high in his good graces. My mother was, I dare say, as fond of
me as she was of any one; but she was a woman of a masculine and
a worldly cast of mind. She had no tenderness or sympathy for the
weaknesses, or even for the affections of woman's nature, and her
demeanour towards me was peremptory, and often even harsh. It is not
to be supposed, then, that I found in the society of my parents much
to supply the loss of my sister. About a year after her marriage, we
received letters from Mr. Carew, containing accounts of my sister's
health, which, though not actually alarming, were calculated to
make us seriously uneasy. The symptoms most dwelt upon, were loss of
appetite and cough. The letters concluded by intimating that he would
avail himself of my father and mother's repeated invitation to spend
some time at Ashtown, particularly as the physician who had been
consulted as to my sister's health had strongly advised a removal
to her native air. There were added repeated assurances that nothing
serious was apprehended, as it was supposed that a deranged state of
the liver was the only source of the symptoms which seemed to intimate
consumption. In accordance with this announcement, my sister and Mr.
Carew arrived in Dublin, where one of my father's carriages awaited
them, in readiness to start 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 they were to leave Dublin was definitely
fixed, to write to my father, who intended that the two last stages
should be performed by his own horses, upon whose speed and safety
far more reliance might be placed than upon those of the ordinary
_post-horses_, which were, at that time, almost without exception, of
the very worst order. The journey, one of about ninety miles, was to
be divided; the larger portion to be reserved for the second day. On
Sunday, a letter reached us, stating that the party would leave Dublin
on Monday, and, in due course, reach Ashtown upon Tuesday evening.
Tuesday came: the evening closed in, and yet no carriage appeared;
darkness came on, and still no sign of our expected visitors. Hour
after hour passed away, and it was now past twelve; the night was
remarkably calm, scarce a breath stirring, so that any sound, such
as that produced by the rapid movement of a vehicle, would have
been audible at a considerable distance. For some such sound I was
feverishly listening. It was, however, my father's rule to close the
house at nightfall, and the window-shutters being fastened, I was
unable to reconnoitre the avenue as I would have wished. It was nearly
one o'clock, and we began almost to despair of seeing them upon that
night, when I thought I distinguished the sound of wheels, but so
remote and faint as to make me at first very uncertain. The noise
approached; it become louder and clearer; it stopped for a moment. I
now heard the shrill screaking of the rusty iron, as the avenue
gate revolved 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 thundered
the vehicle with the speed of a whirlwind; crack went the whip, and
clatter went the wheels, as it rattled over the uneven pavement of
the court; a general and furious barking from all the dogs about the
house, hailed its arrival. We hurried to the hall in time to hear
the steps let down with the sharp clanging noise peculiar to the
operation, and the hum of voices exerted in the bustle of arrival. The
hall-door was now thrown open, and we all stepped forth to greet our
visitors. The court was perfectly empty; the moon was shining broadly
and brightly upon all around; nothing was to be seen but the tall
trees with their long 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 snuffing
about the court, and by totally and suddenly ceasing their former
loud barking, as also by carrying their tails between their legs,
expressing the predominance of fear. We looked one upon the other
in perplexity and dismay, and I think I never beheld more pale faces
assembled. By my father's direction, we looked about to find anything
which might indicate or account for the noise which we had heard; but
no such thing was to be seen--even the mire which 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 the greater part of the night, that my sister was dead. On
Sunday evening, she had retired to bed rather unwell, and, on Monday,
her indisposition declared itself unequivocally to be malignant
fever. She became hourly worse, and, on Tuesday night, a little after
midnight, she expired.[B] I mention this circumstance, because it was
one upon which a thousand wild and fantastical reports were founded,
though one would have thought that the truth scarcely required to be
improved upon; and again, because it produced a strong and lasting
effect upon my spirits, and indeed, I am inclined to think, upon my
character. I was, for several years after this occurrence, long after
the violence of my grief subsided, so wretchedly low-spirited and
nervous, that I could scarcely be said to live, and during this time,
habits of indecision, arising out of a listless acquiescence in the
will of others, a fear of encountering even the slightest opposition,
and a disposition to shrink from what are commonly called amusements,
grew upon me so strongly, that I have scarcely even yet, altogether
overcome them. We saw nothing more of Mr. Carew. He returned to
England as soon as the melancholy rites attendant upon the event
which I have just mentioned were performed; and not being altogether
inconsolable, he married again within two years; after which, owing to
the remoteness of our relative situations, 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's property, which was altogether in his
power, would go to me, and the consequence was, that before I was
fourteen, Ashtown-house was besieged by a host of suitors; however,
whether it was that _I_ was too young, or that none of the aspirants
to my hand stood sufficiently high in rank or wealth, I was suffered
by both parents to do exactly as I pleased; and well was it for me,
as I afterwards found that fortune, or, rather Providence, had so
ordained it, that I had not suffered my affections to become in any
degree engaged, for my mother would never have suffered any _silly
fancy_ of mine, as she was in the habit of styling an attachment,
to stand in the way of her ambitious views; views which she was
determined to carry into effect, in defiance of every obstacle, and in
order to accomplish which, she would not have hesitated to sacrifice
anything so unreasonable and contemptible as a girlish passion.
When I reached the age of sixteen, my mother's plans began to develope
themselves, and, at her suggestion, we moved to Dublin to sojourn for
the winter, in order that no time might be lost in disposing of me to
the best advantage. I had been too long accustomed to consider myself
as of no importance whatever, to believe for a moment that I was in
reality the cause of all the bustle and preparation which surrounded
me, and being thus relieved from the pain which a consciousness of my
real situation would have inflicted, I journeyed towards the capital
with a feeling of total indifference.
My father's wealth and connection had established him in the best
society, and, consequently, upon our arrival in the metropolis, we
commanded whatever enjoyment or advantages its gaieties afforded. The
tumult and novelty of the scenes in which I was involved did not fail
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, and of course my attractions were
pretty generally acknowledged. Among the many gentlemen whom it was my
fortune to please, one, ere long, established himself in my mother's
good graces, to the exclusion of all less important aspirants.
However, I had not understood, or even remarked his attentions, nor,
in the slightest degree, suspected his or my mother's plans respecting
me, when I was made aware of them rather abruptly by my mother
herself. We had attended a splendid ball, given by Lord M----, at his
residence in Stephen's-green, and I was, with the assistance of
my waiting-maid, employed in rapidly divesting myself of the rich
ornaments which, in profuseness and value, could scarcely have found
their equals in any private family in Ireland. I had thrown myself
into a lounging chair beside the fire, listless and exhausted, after
the fatigues of the evening, when I was aroused from the reverie into
which I had fallen, by the sound of footsteps approaching my chamber,
and my mother entered.
"Fanny, my dear," said she, in her softest tone. "I wish to say a word
or two with you before I go to rest. You are not fatigued, love, I
hope?"
"No, no, madam, I thank you," said I, rising at the same time from my
seat 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 the
maid), you may leave the room; do not close the room door, but shut
that of the lobby."
This precaution against curious ears having been taken as directed, my
mother 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 you
must be modest upon the matter; but listen to me for a few moments, my
love, and I will prove to your satisfaction that your modesty is quite
unnecessary 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 you joy 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
in love with you. Why, my dear, what is there wonderful in it; look in
the glass, and look at these," she continued, pointing with a smile to
the jewels which I had just removed from my person, and which now lay
a glittering 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 all
this?"
"Mistake! dearest; none," said my mother. "None, none in the world;
judge for yourself; read this, my love," and she placed in my hand a
letter, addressed to herself, the seal of which was broken. I read
it through with no small surprise. After some very fine complimentary
flourishes upon my beauty and perfections, as, also, upon the
antiquity and high reputation of our family, it went on to make
a formal proposal of marriage, to be communicated or not to me at
present, as my mother should deem expedient; and the letter wound up
by a request that the writer might be permitted, upon our return to
Ashtown-house, which was soon to take place, as the spring was now
tolerably advanced, to visit us for a few days, in case his suit was
approved.
"Well, well, my dear," said my mother, impatiently; "do you know who
Lord Glenfallen is?"
"I do, madam," said I rather timidly, for I dreaded an altercation
with my mother.
"Well, dear, and what frightens you?" continued she; "are you afraid
of a 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 nor
handsome."
"My dear Fanny," continued my mother, "in sober seriousness you have
been most fortunate in engaging the affections of a nobleman such as
Lord Glenfallen, young and wealthy, with first-rate, yes, acknowledged
_first-rate_ abilities and of a family whose influence is not exceeded
by that of any in Ireland--of course you see the offer in the same
light that I do--indeed I think you _must_."
This was uttered in no very dubious tone. I was so much astonished
by the suddenness of the whole communication that I literally did not
know what to say.
"You are not in love?" said my mother, turning sharply, and fixing her
dark eyes upon me, with severe scrutiny.
"No, madam," said I, promptly; horrified, as what young lady would not
have been, at such a query.
"I am glad to hear it," said my mother, dryly. "Once, nearly twenty
years ago, a friend of mine consulted me how he should deal with a
daughter who had made what they call a love match, beggared herself,
and disgraced her family; and I said, without hesitation, take no care
of her, but cast her off; such punishment I awarded for an offence
committed against the reputation of a family not my own; and what
I advised respecting the child of another, with full as small
compunction I would _do_ with mine. I cannot conceive anything more
unreasonable or intolerable than that the fortune and the character of
a family should be marred by the idle caprices of a girl."
She spoke this with great severity, and paused as if she expected some
observation from me. I, however, said nothing.
"But I need not explain to you, my dear Fanny," she continued, "my
views upon this subject; you have always known them well, and I have
never yet had reason to believe you likely, voluntarily, to offend me,
or to abuse or neglect any of those advantages which reason and duty
tell you should be improved--come hither, my dear, kiss me, and do not
look so frightened. Well, now, about this letter, you need not answer
it yet; of course you must be allowed time to make up your mind; in
the mean time I will write to his lordship to give him my permission
to visit us at Ashtown--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 exactly
what were my feelings towards Lord Glenfallen; whatever might have
been my mother's suspicions, my heart was perfectly disengaged;
and hitherto, although I had not been made in the slightest degree
acquainted with his real views, I had liked him very much, as an
agreeable, well informed man, whom I was always glad to meet in
society; he had served in the navy in early life, and the polish which
his manners received in his after intercourse with courts and cities
had not served to obliterate that frankness of _manner_ which belongs
proverbially to the sailor. Whether this apparent candour went deeper
than the outward bearing I was yet to learn; however there was no
doubt that as far as I had seen of Lord Glenfallen, he was, though
perhaps not so young as might have been desired in a lover, a
singularly pleasing man, and whatever feeling unfavourable to him had
found its way into my mind, arose altogether from the dread, not
an unreasonable one, that constraint might be practised upon my
inclinations. I reflected, however, that Lord Glenfallen was a wealthy
man, and one highly thought of; and although I could never expect to
love him in the romantic sense of the term, yet I had no doubt but
that, all things considered, I might be more happy with him than I
could hope to be at home. When next I met him it was with no small
embarrassment, his tact and good breeding, however, soon reassured me,
and effectually prevented my awkwardness being remarked upon; and I
had the satisfaction of leaving Dublin for the country with the full
conviction that nobody, not even those most intimate with me, even
suspected the fact of Lord Glenfallen's having made me a formal
proposal. This was to me a very serious subject of self gratulation,
for, besides my instinctive dread of becoming the topic of the
speculations of gossip, I felt that if the situation which I occupied
in relation to him were made publicly known, I should stand committed
in a manner which would scarcely leave me the power of retraction. The
period at which Lord Glenfallen had arranged to visit Ashtown-house
was now fast approaching, and it became my mother's wish to form
me thoroughly to her will, and to obtain my consent to the proposed
marriage before his arrival, so that all things might proceed smoothly
without apparent opposition or objection upon my part; whatever
objections, therefore, I had entertained were to be subdued; whatever
disposition to resistance I had exhibited or had been supposed to
feel, were to be completely eradicated before he made his appearance,
and my mother addressed herself to the task with a decision and energy
against which even the barriers, which her imagination had created,
could hardly have stood. If she had, however, expected any determined
opposition from me, she was agreeably disappointed; my heart was
perfectly free, and all my feelings of liking and preference were in
favour of Lord Glenfallen, and I well knew that in case I refused to
dispose of myself as I was desired, my mother had alike the power and
the will to render my existence as utterly miserable as any, even
the most ill-assorted marriage could possibly have done. You will
remember, my good friend, that I was very young and very completely
under the controul of my parents, both of whom, my mother
particularly, were unscrupulously determined in matters of this kind,
and willing, when voluntary obedience on the part of those within
their power was withheld, to compel a forced acquiescence by an
unsparing use of all the engines of the most stern and rigorous
domestic discipline. All these combined, not unnaturally, induced me
to resolve upon yielding at once, and without useless opposition, to
what appeared almost to be my fate. The appointed time was come,
and my now accepted suitor arrived; he was in high spirits, and, if
possible, more entertaining than ever. I was not, however, quite in
the mood to enjoy his sprightliness; but whatever I wanted in gaiety
was amply made up in the triumphant and gracious good humour of my
mother, whose smiles of benevolence and exultation were showered
around as bountifully as the summer sunshine. I will not weary you
with unnecessary prolixity. Let it suffice to say, that I was married
to Lord Glenfallen with all the attendant pomp and circumstance of
wealth, rank, and grandeur. According to the usage of the times, now
humanely reformed, the ceremony was made until long past midnight, the
season of wild, uproarious, and promiscuous feasting and revelry. Of
all this I have a painfully vivid recollection, and particularly of
the little annoyances inflicted upon me by the dull and coarse jokes
of the wits and wags who abound in all such places, and upon all such
occasions. I was not sorry, when, after a few days, Lord Glenfallen's
carriage appeared at the door to convey us both from Ashtown; for any
change would have been a relief from the irksomeness of ceremonial
and formality which the visits received in honour of my newly acquired
titles hourly entailed upon me. It was arranged that we were to
proceed to Cahergillagh, one of the Glenfallen estates, lying,
however, in a southern county, so that a tedious journey (then owing
to the impracticability of the roads,) of three days 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 of a
wild heathy hill, the domain of Cahergillagh opened suddenly upon
our view. It formed a striking and a beautiful scene. A lake of
considerable extent stretching away towards the west, and reflecting
from its broad, smooth waters, the rich glow of the setting sun, was
overhung by steep hills, covered by a rich mantle of velvet sward,
broken here and there by the grey front of some old rock, and
exhibiting on their shelving sides, their slopes and hollows, every
variety of light and shade; a thick wood of dwarf oak, birch, and
hazel skirted these hills, and clothed the shores of the lake, running
out in rich luxuriance upon every promontory, and spreading upward
considerably upon the side of the hills.
"There lies the enchanted castle," said Lord Glenfallen, pointing
towards a considerable level space intervening between two of the
picturesque hills, which rose dimly around the lake. This little plain
was chiefly occupied by the same low, wild wood which covered the
other parts of the domain; but towards the centre a mass of taller and
statelier forest trees stood darkly grouped together, and among them
stood an ancient square tower, with many buildings of an humbler
character, forming together the manor-house, or, as it was more
usually called, the court of Cahergillagh. As we approached the level
upon which the mansion stood, the winding road gave us many glimpses
of the time-worn castle and its surrounding buildings; and seen as it
was through the long vistas of the fine old trees, and with the
rich glow of evening upon it, I have seldom beheld an object more
picturesquely striking. I was glad to perceive, too, that here and
there the blue curling smoke ascended from stacks of chimneys now
hidden by the rich, dark ivy, which, in a great measure, covered the
building; other indications of comfort made themselves manifest as
we approached; and indeed, though the place was evidently one of
considerable antiquity, it had nothing whatever of the gloom of decay
about it.
"You must not, my love," said Lord Glenfallen, "imagine this place
worse than it is. I have no taste for antiquity, at least I should
not choose a house to reside in because it is old. Indeed I do not
recollect that I was even so romantic as to overcome my aversion to
rats and rheumatism, those faithful attendants upon your noble relics
of feudalism; and I much prefer a snug, modern, unmysterious bed-room,
with well-aired sheets, to the waving tapestry, mildewed cushions,
and all the other interesting appliances of romance; however, though
I cannot promise you all the discomfort generally pertaining to an old
castle, you will find legends and ghostly lore enough to claim your
respect; and if old Martha be still to the fore, as I trust she is,
you will soon have a supernatural and appropriate anecdote for every
closet and corner of the mansion; but here we are--so, without more
ado, welcome to Cahergillagh."
We now entered the hall of the castle, and while the domestics were
employed in conveying our trunks and other luggage which we had
brought with us for immediate use to the apartments which Lord
Glenfallen had selected for himself and me, I went with him into a
spacious sitting room, wainscoted with finely polished black oak,
and hung round with the portraits of various of the worthies of
the Glenfallen family. This room looked out upon an extensive level
covered with the softest green sward, and irregularly bounded by the
wild wood I have before mentioned, through the leafy arcade formed
by whose boughs and trunks the level beams of the setting sun were
pouring; in the distance, a group of dairy maids were plying their
task, which they accompanied throughout with snatches of Irish songs
which, mellowed by the distance, floated not unpleasingly to the ear;
and beside them sat or lay, with all the grave importance of conscious
protection, six or seven large dogs of various kinds; farther in the
distance, and through the cloisters of the arching wood, two or
three ragged urchins were employed in driving such stray kine as had
wandered farther than the rest to join their fellows. As I looked
upon this scene which I have described, a feeling of tranquillity and
happiness came upon me, which I have never experienced in so strong
a degree; and so strange to me was the sensation that my eyes filled
with tears. Lord Glenfallen mistook the cause of my emotion, and
taking me kindly and 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 your wish and it shall
be complied with, so I must entreat of you not to suffer any
circumstances which I can controul to give you one moment's
uneasiness; but here is old Martha, you must be introduced to her, one
of the heirlooms of our family."
A hale, good-humoured, erect, old woman was Martha, and an agreeable
contrast to the grim, decrepit hag, which my fancy had conjured up, as
the depository of all the horrible tales in which I doubted not this
old place was most fruitful. She welcomed me and her master with
a profusion of gratulations, alternately kissing our hands and
apologising for the liberty, until at length Lord Glenfallen put
an end to this somewhat fatiguing ceremonial, by requesting her to
conduct me to my chamber if it were prepared for my reception. I
followed Martha up an old-fashioned, oak stair-case into a long, dim
passage at the end of which lay the door which communicated with the
apartments which had been selected for our use; here the old woman
stopped, and respectfully requested me to proceed. I accordingly
opened the door and was about to enter, when something like a mass of
black tapestry as it appeared disturbed by my sudden approach, fell
from above the door, so as completely to screen the aperture; the
startling unexpectedness of the occurrence, and the rustling noise
which the drapery made in its descent, caused me involuntarily to step
two or three paces backwards, I turned, smiling and 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 to draw aside
the curtain and enter the room, when upon turning to do so, I was
surprised to find that nothing whatever interposed to obstruct the
passage. I went into the room, followed by the servant woman, and was
amazed to find that it, like the one below, was wainscoted, and that
nothing like drapery 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
attempted first to come to my chamber," answered I.
"The cross of Christ about us," said the old woman, turning suddenly
pale.
"What is the matter, my good friend," said I; "you seem frightened."
"Oh, no, no, your ladyship," said the old woman, endeavouring to
conceal her agitation; but in vain, for tottering towards a chair, she
sunk into it, looking so deadly pale and horror-struck that I thought
every moment she 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
had seen something more than had met my eye, "you appear ill, my poor
woman."
"Nothing, nothing, my lady," said she, rising; "I beg your ladyship's
pardon for making so bold; may the great God defend us from
misfortune."
"Martha," said I, "something _has_ frightened you very much, and I
insist on knowing what it is; your keeping me in the dark upon the
subject will make me much more uneasy than any thing you could tell
me; I desire you, therefore, to let me know what agitates you; I
command you to tell me." "Your ladyship said you saw a black curtain
falling across the door when you were coming into the room," said the
old woman.
"I did," said I; "but though the whole thing appears somewhat strange
I cannot see any thing in the matter to agitate you so excessively.
"It's for no good you saw that, my lady," said the crone; "something
terrible 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 of
myself, catching more than I could account for, of her superstitious
terror.
"Whenever something--something _bad_ is going to happen to the
Glenfallen family, some one that belongs to them sees a black
handkerchief or curtain just waved or falling before their faces; I
saw it myself," continued she, lowering her voice, "when I was only
a little girl, and I'll never forget it; I often heard of it before,
though I never saw it till then, nor since, praised be God; but I
was going into Lady Jane's room to waken her in the morning; and sure
enough when I got first to the bed and began to draw the curtain,
something dark was waved across the division, but only for a moment;
and when I saw rightly into the bed, there was she 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 the family sees it, for it's many's the
story I heard of it, though I saw it but once."
I was not of a superstitious turn of mind; yet I could not resist a
feeling of awe very nearly allied to the fear which my companion had
so unreservedly expressed; and when you consider my situation, the
loneliness, antiquity, and gloom of the place, you will allow that
the weakness was not without excuse. In spite of old Martha's boding
predictions, however, time flowed on in an unruffled course; one
little incident, however, though trifling in itself, I must relate as
it serves to make what follows more intelligible. Upon the day after
my arrival, Lord Glenfallen of course desired to make me acquainted
with the house and domain; and accordingly we set forth upon our
ramble; when returning, he became for some time silent and moody, a
state so unusual with him as considerably to excite my surprise, I
endeavoured by observations and questions to arouse him--but in vain;
at length as we approached the house, he said, as if speaking to
himself, "'twere madness--madness--madness," repeating the word
bitterly--"sure and 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, he said, "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
of talkativeness, and that I may answer your question with the same
directness with which you put it; I reply that I _do_ think a woman
can keep a secret."
"But I do not," said he, drily.
We walked on in silence for a time; I was much astonished at his
unwonted abruptness; I had almost said rudeness. After a considerable
pause he seemed to recollect himself, and with an effort resuming his
sprightly manner, he said, "well, well, the next thing to keeping
a secret well is, not to desire to possess one--talkativeness and
curiosity generally go together; now I shall make test of you in the
first place, respecting the latter of these qualities. I shall be your
_Bluebeard_--tush, why do I trifle thus; listen to me, my dear
Fanny, I speak now in solemn earnest; what I desire is, intimately,
inseparably, connected with your happiness and honour as well as my
own; and your compliance with my request will not be difficult; it
will impose upon you a very trifling restraint during your sojourn
here, which certain events which have occurred since our arrival, 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 the castle
which can be reached from the front entrance, leaving the back
entrance and the part of the building commanded immediately by it, to
the menials, as also the small garden whose high wall you see yonder;
and never at any time seek to pry or peep into them, nor to open the
door which communicates from the front part of the house through the
corridor with the back. I do not urge this in jest or in caprice, but
from a solemn conviction that danger and misery will be the certain
consequences of your not observing what I prescribe. I cannot explain
myself further at present--promise me, then, these things as you hope
for peace here and for mercy hereafter."
I did make the promise as desired, and he appeared relieved; his
manner recovered all its gaiety and elasticity, but the recollection
of the strange 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 through the woods, I ran up to my room to procure my bonnet
and shawl; upon entering the chamber, I was surprised and somewhat
startled to find it occupied; beside the fireplace and nearly opposite
the door, seated in a large, old-fashioned elbow-chair, was placed the
figure of a lady; she appeared to be nearer fifty than forty, and was
dressed suitably to her age, in a handsome suit of flowered silk; she
had a profusion of trinkets and jewellery about her person, and many
rings upon her fingers; but although very rich, her dress was not
gaudy or in ill taste; but what was remarkable in the lady was, that
although her features were handsome, and upon the whole pleasing, the
pupil of each eye was dimmed with the whiteness of cataract, and she
was evidently stone blind. I was for some seconds so surprised at this
unaccountable apparition, that I could not find words to address her.
"Madam," said I, "there must be some mistake here--this is my
bed-chamber."
"Marry come up," said the lady, sharply; "_your_ chamber! Where is
Lord Glenfallen?"
"He is below, madam," replied I; "and I am convinced he will be not a
little surprised to find you here."
"I do not think he will," said she; "with your good leave, talk of
what you know something about; tell him I want him; why does the minx
dilly dally so?"
In spite of the awe which this grim lady inspired, there was something
in her air of confident superiority which, when I considered our
relative 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 some
one about the house, so, again, I desire you, if you wish to continue
here, 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 more
distinctly 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
and shook me violently, repeating, "it's a lie, it's a lie," with
a rapidity and vehemence which swelled every vein of her face;
the violence of her action, and the fury which convulsed her face,
effectually terrified me, and disengaging myself from her grasp, I
screamed as loud as I could for help; the blind woman continued to
pour out a torrent of abuse upon me, foaming at the mouth with rage,
and impotently shaking her clenched fists towards me. I heard Lord
Glenfallen's step upon the stairs, and I instantly ran out; as I past
him I perceived that he was deadly pale, and just caught the words, "I
hope that demon has not hurt you?" I made some answer, I forget what,
and he entered the chamber, the door of which he locked upon the
inside; what passed within I know not; but I heard the voices of the
two speakers raised in loud and angry altercation. 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 short sentence, however,
was, to my alarmed imagination, pregnant with fearful meaning; the
storm at length subsided, though not until after a conference of more
than two long hours. Lord Glenfallen then returned, pale and agitated,
"That unfortunate woman," said he, "is out of her mind; I dare say she
treated you to some of her ravings, but you need not dread any further
interruption from her, I have brought her so far to reason. She did
not hurt 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 I dare 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 very
agreeable food for rumination. All attempts on my part to arrive at
the truth were baffled; Lord Glenfallen evaded all my enquiries, and
at length peremptorily forbid any further allusion to the matter. I
was thus obliged to rest satisfied with what I had actually seen,
and to trust to time to resolve the perplexities in which the whole
transaction had involved me. Lord Glenfallen's temper and spirits
gradually underwent a complete and most painful change; he became
silent and abstracted, his manner to me was abrupt and often harsh,
some grievous anxiety seemed ever present to his mind; and under
its influence his spirits sunk and his temper became soured. I
soon perceived that his gaiety was rather that which the stir and
excitement of society produces, than the result of a healthy habit of
mind; and every day confirmed me in the opinion, that the considerate
good nature which I had so much admired in him was little more than
a mere manner; and to my infinite grief and surprise, the gay, kind,
open-hearted nobleman who had for months followed and flattered me,
was rapidly assuming the form of a gloomy, morose, and singularly
selfish man; this was a bitter discovery, and I strove to conceal it
from myself as long as I could, but the truth was not to be denied,
and I was forced to believe that Lord Glenfallen no longer loved
me, and that he was at little pains to conceal the alteration in his
sentiments. One morning after breakfast, Lord Glenfallen had been for
some time walking 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, and
if that does not answer, why--why we must try some more effectual
expedient. Lady Glenfallen, I have become involved in heavy
embarrassments; a wife you know must share the fortunes of her
husband, for better for worse, but I will waive my right if you prefer
remaining here--here at Cahergillagh; for I would not have you seen
elsewhere without the state to which your rank entitled you; besides
it would break your poor mother's heart," he added, with sneering
gravity, "so make up your mind--Cahergillagh or France, I will start
if possible in 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
me that he should not be back until the next day. I was in very great
doubt as to what course of conduct I should pursue, as to accompanying
him in the continental tour so suddenly determined upon, I felt that
it would be a hazard too great to encounter; for at Cahergillagh I had
always the consciousness to sustain me, that if his temper at any time
led him into violent or unwarrantable treatment of me, I had a remedy
within reach, in the protection and support of my own family, from
all useful and effective communication with whom, if once in France,
I should be entirely debarred. As to remaining at Cahergillagh in
solitude, and for aught I knew, exposed to hidden dangers, it appeared
to me scarcely less objectionable than the former proposition; and yet
I feared that with one or other I must comply, unless I was prepared
to come to an actual breach with Lord Glenfallen; full of these
unpleasing doubts and perplexities, I retired to rest. I was wakened,
after having slept uneasily for some hours, by some person shaking
me rudely by the shoulder; a small lamp burned in my room, and by its
light, to my horror and amazement, I discovered that my visitant was
the self-same blind, old lady who had so terrified me a few weeks
before. I started up in the bed, with a view to ring the bell, and
alarm the domestics, but she instantly anticipated me by saying, "Do
not be frightened, silly girl; if I had wished to harm you I could
have done it while you were sleeping, I need not have wakened you;
listen to me, now, attentively and fearlessly; for what I have to say,
interests you to the full as much as it does me; tell me, here, in
the presence 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 marry
me in presence of more than a hundred witnesses."
"Well," continued she, "he should have told you _then_, before you
married him, that he had a wife living, which wife I am; I feel you
tremble--tush! do not be frightened. I do not mean to harm you--mark
me now--you are not his wife. When I make my story known you will be
so, neither in the eye of God nor of man; you must leave this house
upon to-morrow; let the world know that your husband has another wife
living; go, you, into retirement, and leave him to justice, which will
surely overtake him. If you remain in this house after to-morrow you
will reap the bitter fruits of your sin," so saying, she quitted the
room, leaving me very little disposed to sleep.
Here was food for my very worst and most terrible suspicions; still
there was not enough to remove all doubt. I had no proof of the truth
of this woman's statement. Taken by itself there was nothing to induce
me to attach weight to it; but when I viewed it in connection with the
extraordinary mystery of some of Lord Glenfallen's proceedings, his
strange anxiety to exclude me from certain portions of the mansion,
doubtless, lest I should encounter this person--the strong influence,
nay, command, which she possessed over him, a circumstance clearly
established by the very fact of her residing in the very place, where
of all others, he should least have desired to find her--her thus
acting, and continuing to act in direct contradiction to his wishes;
when, I say, I viewed her disclosure in connection with all these
circumstances, I could not help feeling that there was at least a
fearful verisimilitude in the allegations which she had made. Still I
was not satisfied, nor nearly so; young minds have a reluctance almost
insurmountable to believing upon any thing short of unquestionable
proof, the existence of premeditated guilt in any one whom they have
ever trusted; and in support of this feeling I was assured that if the
assertion of Lord Glenfallen, which nothing in this woman's manner had
led me to disbelieve, were true, namely, that her mind was unsound,
the whole fabric of my doubts and fears must fall to the ground.
I determined to state to Lord Glenfallen freely and accurately the
substance of the communication which I had just heard, and in his
words and looks to seek for its proof or refutation; full of these
thoughts I remained wakeful and excited all night, every moment
fancying that I heard the step, or saw the figure of my recent visitor
towards whom I felt a species of horror and dread which I can hardly
describe. There was something in her face, though her features had
evidently been handsome, and were not, at first sight, unpleasing,
which, upon a nearer inspection, seemed to indicate the habitual
prevalence and indulgence of evil passions, and a power of expressing
mere animal anger, with an intenseness that I have seldom seen
equalled, and to which an almost unearthly effect was given by the
convulsive quivering of the sightless eyes. You may easily suppose
that it was no very pleasing reflection to me to consider, that
whenever caprice might induce her to return, I was within the 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 her mere 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 leave my bed in order to secure the door, lest
I should again encounter the dreadful object lurking in some corner or
peeping from behind the window curtains, so very a child was I in my
fears.
The morning came, and with it Lord Glenfallen. I knew not, and
indeed I cared not, where he might have been; my thoughts were wholly
engrossed by the terrible fears and suspicions which my last
night's conference had suggested to me; he was, as usual, gloomy and
abstracted, and I feared 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, or Lord
Glenfallen to leave the room, until, at all hazards, I had unburdened
my mind.