第7章

Theservanthurriedtoobey，andinabouthalf-an-hourthecarriagewasatthedoor，andJacque，havingdirectedthecoachmantodrivetoB——n，asmalltownataboutthedistanceoftwelvemiles——thenearestpoint，however，atwhichpost-horsescouldbeobtained——

steppedintothevehicle，whichaccordinglyquittedthecastleimmediately。

Althoughitwasafinemoonlightnight，thecarriagemadeitswaybutveryslowly，andafterthelapseoftwohoursthetravellershadarrivedatapointabouteightmilesfromthecastle，atwhichtheroadstrikesthroughadesolateandheathyflat，slopingupdistantlyateithersideintobleakundulatoryhills，inwhosemonotonoussweeptheimaginationbeholdstheheavingofsomedarksluggishsea，arrestedinitsfirstcommotionbysomepreternaturalpower。Itisagloomyanddivestedspot；

thereisneithertreenorhabitationnearit；

itsmonotonyisunbroken，exceptbyhereandtherethegreyfrontofarockpeeringabovetheheath，andtheeffectisrenderedyetmoredrearyandspectralbytheexaggeratedandmistyshadowswhichthemooncastsalongtheslopingsidesofthehills。

Whentheyhadgainedaboutthecentreofthistract，Carlton，thecoachman，wassurprisedtoseeafigurestandingatsomedistanceinadvance，immediatelybesidetheroad，andstillmoresowhen，oncomingup，heobservedthatitwasnootherthanJacquewhomhebelievedtobeatthatmomentquietlyseatedinthecarriage；thecoachmandrewup，andnoddingtohim，thelittlevaletexclaimed：

’Carlton，Ihavegotthestartofyou；

theroadsareheavy，soIshalleventakecareofmyselftherestoftheway。Doyoumakeyourwaybackasbestyoucan，andIshallfollowmyownnose。’

Sosaying，hechuckedapurseintothelapofthecoachman，andturningoffatarightanglewiththeroad，hebegantomoverapidlyawayinthedirectionofthedarkridgethatloweredinthedistance。

Theservantwatchedhimuntilhewaslostintheshadowyhazeofnight；andneitherhenoranyoftheinmatesofthecastlesawJacqueagain。Hisdisappearance，asmighthavebeenexpected，didnotcauseanyregretamongtheservantsanddependantsatthecastle；andLadyArdaghdidnotattempttoconcealherdelight；

butwithSirRobertmattersweredifferent，fortwoorthreedayssubsequenttothiseventheconfinedhimselftohisroom，andwhenhedidreturntohisordinaryoccupations，itwaswithagloomyindifference，whichshowedthathedidsomorefromhabitthanfromanyinteresthefeltinthem。Heappearedfromthatmomentunaccountablyandstrikinglychanged，andthenceforwardwalkedthroughlifeasathingfromwhichhecouldderiveneitherprofitnorpleasure。Histemper，however，sofarfromgrowingwaywardormorose，became，thoughgloomy，very——

almostunnaturally——placidandcold；buthisspiritstotallyfailed，andhegrewsilentandabstracted。

Thesesombrehabitsofmind，asmighthavebeenanticipated，verymateriallyaffectedthegayhouse-keepingofthecastle；andthedarkandmelancholyspiritofitsmasterseemedtohavecommunicateditselftotheverydomestics，almosttotheverywallsofthemansion。

Severalyearsrolledoninthisway，andthesoundsofmirthandwassailhadlongbeenstrangerstothecastle，whenSirRobertrequestedhislady，tohergreatastonishment，toinvitesometwentyorthirtyoftheirfriendstospendtheChristmas，whichwasfastapproaching，atthecastle。LadyArdaghgladlycomplied，andhersisterMary，whostillcontinuedunmarried，andLadyD——wereofcourseincludedintheinvitations。LadyArdaghhadrequestedhersisterstosetforwardasearlyaspossible，inorderthatshemightenjoyalittleoftheirsocietybeforethearrivaloftheotherguests；

andincompliancewiththisrequesttheyleftDublinalmostimmediatelyuponreceivingtheinvitation，alittlemorethanaweekbeforethearrivalofthefestivalwhichwastobetheperiodatwhichthewholepartyweretomuster。

Forexpedition’ssakeitwasarrangedthattheyshouldpost，whileLadyD——’sgroomwastofollowwithherhorses，shetakingwithherselfherownmaidandonemaleservant。Theyleftthecitywhenthedaywasconsiderablyspent，andconsequentlymadebutthreestagesinthefirstday；uponthesecond，atabouteightintheevening，theyhadreachedthetownofK——k，distantaboutfifteenmilesfromCastleArdagh。Here，owingtoMissF——d’sgreatfatigue，shehavingbeenforaconsiderabletimeinaverydelicatestateofhealth，itwasdeterminedtoputupforthenight。They，accord-

ingly，tookpossessionofthebestsitting-

roomwhichtheinncommanded，andLadyD——remainedinittodirectandurgethepreparationsforsomerefreshment，whichthefatiguesofthedayhadrenderednecessary，whileheryoungersisterretiredtoherbed-chambertorestthereforalittletime，astheparlourcommandednosuchluxuryasasofa。

MissF——dwas，asIhavealreadystated，atthistimeinverydelicatehealth；

anduponthisoccasiontheexhaustionoffatigue，andthedrearybadnessoftheweather，combinedtodepressherspirits。

LadyD——hadnotbeenleftlongtoherself，whenthedoorcommunicatingwiththepassagewasabruptlyopened，andhersisterMaryenteredinastateofgreatagitation；shesatdownpaleandtremblingupononeofthechairs，anditwasnotuntilacopiousfloodoftearshadrelievedher，thatshebecamesufficientlycalmtorelatethecauseofherexcitementanddistress。Itwassimplythis。Almostimmediatelyuponlyingdownuponthebedshesankintoafeverishandunrefreshingslumber；imagesofallgrotesqueshapesandstartlingcoloursflittedbeforehersleepingfancywithalltherapidityandvarietyofthechangesinakaleidoscope。

Atlength，asshedescribedit，amistseemedtointerposeitselfbetweenhersightandtheever-shiftingscenerywhichsportedbeforeherimagination，andoutofthiscloudyshadowgraduallyemergedafigurewhosebackseemedturnedtowardsthesleeper；itwasthatofalady，who，inperfectsilence，wasexpressingasfaraspantomimicgesturecould，bywringingherhands，andthrowingherheadfromsidetoside，inthemannerofonewhoisexhaustedbytheoverindulgence，bytheverysicknessandimpatienceofgrief；theextremityofmisery。Foralongtimeshesoughtinvaintocatchaglimpseofthefaceoftheapparition，whothusseemedtostirandlivebeforeher。

Butatlengththefigureseemedtomovewithanairofauthority，asifabouttogivedirectionstosomeinferior，andindoingso，itturneditsheadsoastodisplay，withaghastlydistinctness，thefeaturesofLadyArdagh，paleasdeath，withherdarkhairalldishevelled，andhereyesdimandsunkenwithweeping。

TherevulsionoffeelingwhichMissF——dexperiencedatthisdisclosure——

foruptothatpointshehadcontemplatedtheappearanceratherwithasenseofcuriosityandofinterest，thanofanythingdeeper——wassohorrible，thattheshockawokeherperfectly。Shesatupinthebed，andlookedfearfullyaroundtheroom，whichwasimperfectlylightedbyasinglecandleburningdimly，asifshealmostexpectedtoseetherealityofherdreadfulvisionlurkinginsomecornerofthechamber。Herfearswere，however，verified，thoughnotinthewaysheexpected；yetinamannersufficientlyhorrible——forshehadhardlytimetobreatheandtocollectherthoughts，whensheheard，orthoughtsheheard，thevoiceofhersister，LadyArdagh，sometimessobbingviolently，andsometimesalmostshriekingasifinterror，andcallinguponherandLadyD——，withthemostimploringearnestnessofdespair，forGod’ssaketolosenotimeincomingtoher。Allthiswassohorriblydistinct，thatitseemedasifthemournerwasstandingwithinafewyardsofthespotwhereMissF——dlay。Shesprangfromthebed，andleavingthecandleintheroombehindher，shemadeherwayinthedarkthroughthepassage，thevoicestillfollowingher，untilasshearrivedatthedoorofthesitting-roomitseemedtodieawayinlowsobbing。

AssoonasMissF——dwastolerablyrecovered，shedeclaredherdeterminationtoproceeddirectly，andwithoutfurtherlossoftime，toCastleArdagh。ItwasnotwithoutmuchdifficultythatLadyD——atlengthprevaileduponhertoconsenttoremainwheretheythenwere，untilmorningshouldarrive，whenitwastobeexpectedthattheyoungladywouldbemuchrefreshedbyatleastremainingquietforthenight，eventhoughsleepwereoutofthequestion。LadyD——

wasconvinced，fromthenervousandfeverishsymptomswhichhersisterexhibited，thatshehadalreadydonetoomuch，andwasmorethaneversatisfiedofthenecessityofprosecutingthejourneynofurtheruponthatday。Aftersometimeshepersuadedhersistertoreturntoherroom，wheresheremainedwithheruntilshehadgonetobed，andappearedcomparativelycomposed。LadyD——

thenreturnedtotheparlour，andnotfindingherselfsleepy，sheremainedsittingbythefire。Hersolitudewasasecondtimebrokeninupon，bytheentranceofhersister，whonowappeared，ifpossible，moreagitatedthanbefore。ShesaidthatLadyD——hadnotlonglefttheroom，whenshewasrousedbyarepetitionofthesamewailingandlamentations，accom-

paniedbythewildestandmostagonizedsupplicationsthatnotimeshouldbelostincomingtoCastleArdagh，andallinhersister’svoice，andutteredatthesameproximityasbefore。Thistimethevoicehadfollowedhertotheverydoorofthesitting-room，anduntilsheclosedit，seemedtopourforthitscriesandsobsattheverythreshold。

MissF——dnowmostpositivelydeclaredthatnothingshouldpreventherproceedinginstantlytothecastle，addingthatifLadyD——wouldnotaccompanyher，shewouldgoonbyherself。

Superstitiousfeelingsareatalltimesmoreorlesscontagious，andthelastcenturyaffordedasoilmuchmorecongenialtotheirgrowththanthepresent。LadyD——wassofaraffectedbyhersister’sterrors，thatshebecame，atleast，uneasy；

andseeingthathersisterwasimmovablydetermineduponsettingforwardimmediately，sheconsentedtoaccompanyherforthwith。Afteraslightdelay，freshhorseswereprocured，andthetwoladiesandtheirattendantsrenewedtheirjourney，withstronginjunctionstothedrivertoquickentheirrateoftravellingasmuchaspossible，andpromisesofrewardincaseofhisdoingso。

Roadsweretheninmuchworseconditionthroughoutthesouth，eventhantheynoware；andthefifteenmileswhichmodernpostingwouldhavepassedinlittlemorethananhourandahalf，werenotcompletedevenwitheverypossibleexertionintwicethetime。MissF——dhadbeennervouslyrestlessduringthejourney。

Herheadhadbeenconstantlyoutofthecarriagewindow；andastheyap-

proachedtheentrancetothecastledemesne，whichlayaboutamilefromthebuilding，heranxietybegantocommunicateitselftohersister。Thepostillionhadjustdismounted，andwasendeavouringtoopenthegate——atthattimeanecessarytrouble；forinthemiddleofthelastcenturyporter’slodgeswerenotcommoninthesouthofIreland，andlocksandkeysalmostunknown。Hehadjustsucceededinrollingbacktheheavyoakengatesoastoadmitthevehicle，whenamountedservantroderapidlydowntheavenue，anddrawingupatthecarriage，askedofthepostillionwhothepartywere；

andonhearing，heroderoundtothecarriagewindowandhandedinanote，whichLadyD——received。Bytheassistanceofoneofthecoach-lampstheysucceededindecipheringit。Itwasscrawledingreatagitation，andranthus：

’MYDEARSISTER——MYDEARSISTERS

BOTH，——InGod’snamelosenotime，Iamfrightenedandmiserable；Icannotexplainalltillyoucome。Iamtoomuchterrifiedtowritecoherently；butunderstandme——hasten——donotwasteaminute。I

amafraidyouwillcometoolate。

’E。A。’

Theservantcouldtellnothingmorethanthatthecastlewasingreatconfusion，andthatLadyArdaghhadbeencryingbitterlyallthenight。SirRobertwasperfectlywell。AltogetheratalossastothecauseofLadyArdagh’sgreatdistress，theyurgedtheirwayupthesteepandbrokenavenuewhichwoundthroughthecrowdingtrees，whosewildandgrotesquebranches，nowleftstrippedandnakedbytheblastsofwinter，stretcheddrearilyacrosstheroad。Asthecarriagedrewupintheareabeforethedoor，theanxietyoftheladiesalmostamountedtoagony；andscarcelywaitingfortheassistanceoftheirattendant，theysprangtotheground，andinaninstantstoodatthecastledoor。

Fromwithinweredistinctlyaudiblethesoundsoflamentationandweeping，andthesuppressedhumofvoicesasifofthoseendeavouringtosoothethemourner。

Thedoorwasspeedilyopened，andwhentheladiesentered，thefirstobjectwhichmettheirviewwastheirsister，LadyArdagh，sittingonaforminthehall，weepingandwringingherhandsindeepagony。Besideherstoodtwoold，witheredcrones，whowereeachendeavouringintheirownwaytoadministerconsolation，withoutevenknowingorcaringwhatthesubjectofhergriefmightbe。