"my lord, I wish to say a few words to you upon a matter of very great
importance, of very deep concernment to you and to me." I fixed my
eyes upon him to discern, if possible, whether the announcement
caused him any uneasiness, but no symptom of any such feeling was
perceptible.
"Well, my dear," said he, "this is, no doubt, a very grave preface,
and portends, I have no doubt, something extraordinary--pray let us
have it without 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 a
short 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 express
command, 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_, since
such they were, nor disobeyed them. I was, last night, wakened from my
sleep, as I lay in my own chamber, and accosted by the person whom I
have mentioned--how she found access to the room I cannot pretend to
say."
"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 did
this person say, since some comment upon her communication forms, no
doubt, the sequel to your preface."
"Your lordship is not mistaken," said I, "her statement was so
extraordinary that I could not think of withholding it from you; she
told 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 three
efforts to clear his voice to speak, but in vain, and turning suddenly
from me, he walked to the window; the horror and dismay, which, in
the olden time, overwhelmed the woman of Endor, when her spells
unexpectedly conjured the dead into her presence, were but types
of what I felt, when thus presented with what appeared to be almost
unequivocal evidence of the guilt, whose existence I had before so
strongly doubted. There was a silence of some moments, during which it
were hard to conjecture whether I or my companion suffered most. Lord
Glenfallen soon recovered his self command; he returned to the table,
again sat down and said--
"What you have told me has so astonished me, has unfolded such a
tissue of motiveless guilt, and in a quarter from which I had
so little reason to look for ingratitude or treachery, that your
announcement almost deprived me of speech; the person in question,
however, has one excuse, her mind is, as I told you before, unsettled.
You should have remembered that, and hesitated to receive as
unexceptionable evidence against the honour of your husband, the
ravings of a lunatic. I now tell you that this is the last time I
shall speak to you upon this subject, and, in the presence of the God
who is to judge me, and as I hope for mercy in the day of judgment,
I swear that the charge thus brought against me, is utterly false,
unfounded, and ridiculous; I defy the world in any point to taint my
honour; and, as I have never taken the opinion of madmen touching
your character or morals, I think it but fair to require that you will
evince a like tenderness for me; and now, once for all, never again
dare to repeat to me your insulting suspicions, or the clumsy and
infamous calumnies of fools. I shall instantly let the worthy lady who
contrived this somewhat original device, understand fully my opinion
upon the matter--good morning"; and with these words he left me again
in doubt, and involved in all horrors of the most agonizing suspense.
I had reason to think that Lord Glenfallen wreaked his vengeance upon
the author of the strange story which I had heard, with a violence
which was not satisfied with mere words, for old Martha, with whom I
was a great favourite, while attending me in my room, told me that she
feared her master had ill used the poor, blind, Dutch woman, for that
she had heard her scream as if the very life were leaving her, but
added a request 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 Dutch woman?" inquired I, anxious to
learn anything whatever that might throw a light upon the history
of this person, who seemed to have resolved to mix herself up in my
fortunes.
"Why, my lady," answered Martha, "the master often calls her the Dutch
hag, and other names you would not like to hear, and I am sure she
is neither English nor Irish; for, whenever they talk together, they
speak some queer foreign lingo, and fast enough, I'll be bound; but I
ought not to talk about her at all; it might be as much as my place is
worth to mention her--only you saw her first yourself, so there can be
no great 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,"
answered she; "but do not ask me any more, for the master would think
nothing of turning 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 to
speak on this topic was evident and strong. You will readily believe
that upon the very slight grounds which my information afforded,
contradicted as it was by the solemn oath of my husband, and derived
from what was, at best, a very questionable source, I could not
take any very decisive measure whatever; and as to the menace of the
strange woman who had thus unaccountably twice intruded herself into
my chamber, although, at the moment, it occasioned me some uneasiness,
it was not, even in my eyes, sufficiently formidable to induce my
departure from Cahergillagh.
A few nights after the scene which I have just mentioned, Lord
Glenfallen having, as usual, early retired to his study, I was left
alone in the parlour to amuse myself as best I might. It was not
strange that my thoughts should often recur to the agitating scenes in
which I had recently taken a part; the subject of my reflections,
the solitude, the silence, and the lateness of the hour, as also the
depression of spirits to which I had of late been a constant prey,
tended to produce that nervous excitement which places us wholly
at the mercy of the imagination. In order to calm my spirits, I was
endeavouring to direct my thoughts into some more pleasing channel,
when I heard, or thought I heard, uttered, within a few yards of me,
in an odd half-sneering tone, the words, "There is blood upon your
ladyship's throat." So vivid was the impression, that I started to my
feet, and involuntarily placed 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 the passage, nearly faint with horror,
lest some leering, shapeless thing should greet me upon the threshold.
When I had gazed long enough to assure myself that no strange object
was within 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 for the night.
While the servant was, as was her custom, arranging the lamp which I
have already stated always burned during the night in my chamber,
I was employed in undressing, and, in doing so, I had recourse to a
large looking-glass which occupied a considerable portion of the wall
in which it was fixed, rising from the ground to a height of about
six feet; this mirror filled the space of a large pannel in the
wainscoting opposite the foot of the bed. I had hardly been before it
for the lapse of a minute, when something like 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 crossing
herself. "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 thing before, and nothing followed."
"The Dutch lady came the next morning," replied she.
"Methinks, such an occurrence scarcely deserved a supernatural
announcement," I replied.
"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 your
opinions, nor inclination to alter mine; so I will talk no more of the
matter. Good night," and so I was left to my reflections. After lying
for about an hour awake, I at length fell into a kind of doze; but my
imagination was still busy, for I was startled from this unrefreshing
sleep by fancying that I heard a voice close to my face exclaim 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
played me, I preferred remaining silent, and pretending to sleep, to
attempting to engage my husband in conversation, for I well knew
that his mood was such, that his words would not, in all probability,
convey anything that had not better be unsaid and unheard. Lord
Glenfallen went into his dressing-room, which lay upon the right-hand
side of the bed. The door lying open, I could see him by himself, at
full length upon a sofa, and, in about half an hour, I became aware,
by his deep and regularly drawn respiration, that he was fast asleep.
When slumber refuses to visit one, there is something peculiarly
irritating, not to the temper, but to the nerves, in the consciousness
that some one is in your immediate presence, actually enjoying the
boon which you are seeking in vain; at least, I have always found it
so, and never more than upon the present occasion. A thousand annoying
imaginations harassed and excited me, every object which I looked
upon, though ever so familiar, seemed to have acquired a strange
phantom-like character, the varying shadows thrown by the flickering
of the lamp-light, seemed shaping themselves into grotesque and
unearthly forms, and whenever my eyes wandered to the sleeping figure
of my husband, his features appeared to undergo the strangest and most
demoniacal contortions. Hour after hour was told by the old clock, and
each succeeding one found me, if possible, less inclined to sleep than
its predecessor. It was now considerably past three; my eyes, in their
involuntary wanderings, happened to alight upon the large mirror which
was, as I have said, fixed in the wall opposite the foot of the bed. A
view of it was commanded from where I lay, through the curtains, as I
gazed fixedly upon it, I thought I perceived the broad sheet of glass
shifting its position in relation to the bed; I rivetted my eyes
upon it with intense scrutiny; it was no deception, the mirror, as
if acting of its own impulse moved 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, that had I not actually seen it, I do not think I should
have been aware of its presence. It was arrayed in a kind of woollen
night-dress, and a white handkerchief or cloth was bound tightly about
the head; I had no difficulty spite of the strangeness of the attire
in recognising the blind woman whom I so much dreaded. She stooped
down, bringing her head nearly to the ground, and in that attitude she
remained motionless for some moments, no doubt in order to ascertain
if any suspicious sound were stirring. She was apparently satisfied by
her observations, for she immediately recommenced her silent progress
towards a ponderous mahogany dressing table of my husband's; when she
had reached it, she paused again, and appeared to listen attentively
for some minutes; she then noiselessly opened one of the drawers from
which, having groped for some time, she took something which I soon
perceived to be a case of razors; she opened it and tried the edge
of each of the two instruments upon the skin of her hand; she quickly
selected one, which she fixed firmly in her grasp; she now stooped
down as before, and having listened for a time, she, with the hand
that was disengaged, groped her way into the dressing room where Lord
Glenfallen lay fast asleep. I was fixed as if in the tremendous spell
of a night mare. I could not stir 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, I could not even close my eyes to shut
out the horrible spectacle, which I had not the power to avert. I saw
the woman approach the sleeping figure, she laid the unoccupied hand
lightly along his clothes, and having thus ascertained his identity,
she, after a brief interval, turned back and again entered my chamber;
here she bent down again to listen. I had now not a doubt but that the
razor was intended for my throat; yet the terrific fascination which
had locked all my powers so long, still continued to bind me fast. I
felt that my life depended upon the slightest ordinary exertion, and
yet I could not stir one joint from the position in which I lay, nor
even 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 was disengaged, was upon
the pillow; she gradually slid it forward towards my head, and in
an instant, with the speed of lightning, it was clutched in my hair,
while, with the other hand, she dashed the razor at my throat. 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,
I found 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
of recoiling terror, I shrunk back into a corner--she was now within
a yard of 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 senseless at 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 succeeded another so long and death-like, that my
life was considered very doubtful. At about ten o'clock, however, I
sunk into a deep and refreshing sleep, from which I was awakened at
about two, that I might swear my deposition before a magistrate, who
attended for that purpose. I, accordingly, did so, as did also Lord
Glenfallen; and the woman was fully committed to stand her trial
at the ensuing assizes. I shall never forget the scene which the
examination of the blind woman and of the other parties afforded. She
was brought into the room in the custody of two servants; she wore
a kind of flannel wrapper which had not been changed since the night
before; it was torn and soiled, and here and there smeared with blood,
which had flowed in large quantities from a wound in her head; the
white handkerchief had fallen off in the scuffle; and her grizzled
hair fell in masses about her wild and deadly pale countenance.
She appeared perfectly composed, however, and the only regret she
expressed throughout, was at not having succeeded in her attempt, the
object of which she did not pretend to conceal. On being asked her
name, she called herself the Countess Glenfallen, and refused 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 the woman;
and then there followed a volley of words in some foreign language.
"Is there a magistrate here?" she resumed; "I am Lord Glenfallen's
wife--I'll prove it--write down my words. I am willing to be hanged or
burned, so _he_ meets his deserts. I did try to kill that doll of his;
but it was he who put it into my head to do it--two wives were too
many--I was to murder her, or she was to hang me--listen to all I have
to say."
Here Lord Glenfallen interrupted.
"I think, sir," said he, addressing the magistrate, "that we
had better proceed to business, this unhappy woman's furious
recriminations but waste 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 that girl, 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 crime
with which you stand charged, you may, upon producing sufficient
evidence, criminate whom you please."
"Evidence!--I have no evidence but myself," said the woman. "I will
swear it all--write down my testimony--write it down, I say--we shall
hang side by side, my brave Lord--all your own handy--work, my gentle
husband." This was followed by a low, insolent, and sneering laugh,
which, from one in her situation, was sufficiently horrible.
"I will not at present hear anything," replied he, "but distinct
answers to the questions which I shall put to you upon this matter."
"Then you shall hear nothing," replied she sullenly, and no inducement
or intimidation could bring her to speak again.
Lord Glenfallen's deposition and mine were then given, as also those
of the servants who had entered the room at the moment of my rescue;
the magistrate then intimated that she was committed, and must proceed
directly to gaol, whither she was brought in a carriage of Lord
Glenfallen's, for his lordship was naturally by no means indifferent
to the effect which her vehement accusations against himself might
produce, if uttered before every chance hearer whom she might meet
with between Cahergillagh and the place of confinement whither she was
dispatched.
During the time which intervened between the committal and the trial
of the prisoner, Lord Glenfallen seemed to suffer agonies of mind
which baffle all description, he hardly ever slept, and when he did,
his slumbers seemed but the instruments of new tortures, and his
waking hours were, if possible, exceeded in intensity of terrors by
the dreams which disturbed his sleep. Lord Glenfallen rested, if
to lie in the mere attitude of repose were to do so, in his
dressing-room, and thus I had an opportunity of witnessing, far
oftener than I wished it, the fearful workings of his mind; his agony
often broke out into such fearful paroxysms that delirium and total
loss of reason appeared to be impending; he frequently spoke of flying
from the country, and bringing with him all the witnesses of the
appalling scene upon which the prosecution was founded; then again
he would fiercely lament that the blow which he had inflicted had not
ended all.
The assizes arrived, however, and upon the day appointed, Lord
Glenfallen and I attended in order 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 the court was crowded
to excess. The prisoner, however, without appearing to take the
trouble of listening to the indictment, pleaded guilty, and no
representations on the part of the court availed to induce her to
retract her plea. After much time had been wasted in a fruitless
attempt to prevail upon her to reconsider her words, the court
proceeded according to the usual form, to pass sentence. This having
been done, the prisoner was about to be removed, when she said 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 loud menace,
and continued--
"Hardress, Earl of Glenfallen, I accuse you here in this court of
justice of two crimes--first, that you married a second wife, while
the first was living, and again, that you prompted me to the murder,
for attempting which I am to die--secure him--chain him--bring him
here."
There was a laugh through the court at these words, which were
naturally treated by the judge as a violent extemporary recrimination,
and the woman was desired to be silent.
"You won't take him, then," she said, "you won't try him? You'll let
him go free?"
It was intimated by the court that he would certainly be allowed "to
go free," and she was ordered again to be removed. Before, however,
the mandate was executed, she threw her arms wildly into the air, and
uttered one piercing shriek so full of preternatural rage and despair,
that it might fitly have ushered a soul into those realms where hope
can come no more. The sound still rang in my ears, months after the
voice that had uttered it was for ever silent. The wretched woman was
executed in accordance with the sentence which had 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
a mass of evidence so convincing that I wrote to my father, detailing
the grounds of my fears, and imploring him to come to Cahergillagh
without delay, in order to remove me from my husband's control,
previously to taking 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, I plainly
perceived that if Lord Glenfallen were not relieved, and that
speedily, insanity must supervene. I therefore expected my father's
arrival, or at least a letter to announce it, with indescribable
impatience.
About a week after the execution had taken place, Lord Glenfallen one
morning met me with an unusually sprightly air--
"Fanny," said he, "I have it now for the first time, in my power to
explain to your satisfaction every thing which has hitherto appeared
suspicious or mysterious in my conduct. After breakfast come with me
to my study, and I shall, I hope, make all things clear."
This invitation afforded me more real pleasure than I had experienced
for months; something had certainly occurred to tranquillize my
husband's mind, in no ordinary degree, and I thought it by no means
impossible that he would, in the proposed interview, prove himself the
most injured and innocent of men. Full of this hope I repaired to his
study at the appointed hour; he was writing busily when I entered the
room, and just raising his eyes, he requested me to be seated. I took
a chair as he desired, and remained silently awaiting his leisure,
while he finished, folded, directed, and sealed his letter; laying it
then upon the table, with the address downward, he said--