第16章

ItoldhimthatIhadbutdonemyduty，andurgedhimtoproceedtothematterwhichweigheduponhismind。Hethenspokenearlyasfollows：

’IcameindrunkonFridaynightlast，andgottomybedhere；Idon’trememberhow。SometimeinthenightitseemedtomeIwakened，andfeelingunasyinmyself，Igotupoutofthebed。Iwantedthefreshair；butIwouldnotmakeanoisetoopenthewindow，forfearI’dwakenthecrathurs。Itwasverydarkandthroublesometofindthedoor；butatlastIdidgetit，andIgropedmywayout，andwentdownasasyasIcould。I

feltquitesober，andIcountedthestepsoneafteranother，asIwasgoingdown，thatImightnotstumbleatthebottom。

’WhenIcametothefirstlanding-place——Godbeaboutusalways!——thefloorofitsunkunderme，andIwentdown——down——

down，tillthesensesalmostleftme。IdonotknowhowlongIwasfalling，butitseemedtomeagreatwhile。WhenI

camerightlytomyselfatlast，Iwassittingnearthetopofagreattable；

andIcouldnotseetheendofit，ifithadany，itwassofaroff。Andtherewasmenbeyondreckoning，sittingdownallalongbyit，ateachside，asfarasI

couldseeatall。Ididnotknowatfirstwasitintheopenair；buttherewasaclosesmotheringfeelinitthatwasnotnatural。Andtherewasakindoflightthatmyeyesightneversawbefore，redandunsteady；andIdidnotseeforalongtimewhereitwascomingfrom，untilIlookedstraightup，andthenIseenthatitcamefromgreatballsofblood-colouredfirethatwererollinghighoverheadwithasortofrushing，tremblingsound，andIperceivedthattheyshoneontheribsofagreatroofofrockthatwasarchedoverheadinsteadofthesky。WhenIseenthis，scarceknowingwhatIdid，Igotup，andIsaid，“Ihavenorighttobehere；Imustgo。“

Andthemanthatwassittingatmylefthandonlysmiled，andsaid，“Sitdownagain；youcanNEVERleavethisplace。“Andhisvoicewasweakerthananychild’svoiceIeverheerd；andwhenhewasdonespeakinghesmiledagain。

’ThenIspokeoutveryloudandbold，andIsaid，“InthenameofGod，letmeoutofthisbadplace。“AndtherewasagreatmanthatIdidnotseebefore，sittingattheendofthetablethatIwasnear；andhewastallerthantwelvemen，andhisfacewasveryproudandterribletolookat。

Andhestoodupandstretchedouthishandbeforehim；andwhenhestoodup，allthatwasthere，greatandsmall，boweddownwithasighingsound，andadreadcameonmyheart，andhelookedatme，andI

couldnotspeak。IfeltIwashisown，todowhathelikedwith，forIknewatoncewhohewas；andhesaid，“Ifyoupromisetoreturn，youmaydepartforaseason；“andthevoicehespokewithwasterribleandmournful，andtheechoesofitwentrollingandswellingdowntheendlesscave，andmixingwiththetremblingofthefireoverhead；sothatwhenhesatdowntherewasasoundafterhim，allthroughtheplace，liketheroaringofafurnace，andIsaid，withallthestrengthIhad，“I

promisetocomeback——inGod’snameletmego!“

’AndwiththatIlostthesightandthehearingofallthatwasthere，andwhenmysensescametomeagain，I

wassittinginthebedwiththebloodalloverme，andyouandtherestprayingaroundtheroom。’

Herehepausedandwipedawaythechilldropsofhorrorwhichhunguponhisforehead。

Iremainedsilentforsomemoments。

Thevisionwhichhehadjustdescribedstruckmyimaginationnotalittle，forthiswaslongbeforeVathekandthe’HallofEblis’haddelightedtheworld；

andthedescriptionwhichhegavehad，asIreceivedit，alltheattractionsofnoveltybesidetheimpressivenesswhichalwaysbelongstothenarrationofanEYE-WITNESS，whetherinthebodyorinthespirit，ofthesceneswhichhedescribes。Therewassomething，too，inthesternhorrorwithwhichthemanrelatedthesethings，andintheincongruityofhisdescription，withthevulgarlyreceivednotionsofthegreatplaceofpunishment，andofitspresidingspirit，whichstruckmymindwithawe，almostwithfear。Atlengthhesaid，withanexpressionofhorrible，imploringearnestness，whichIshallneverforget——

’Well，sir，isthereanyhope；isthereanychanceatall？or，ismysoulpledgedandpromisedawayforever？isitgoneoutofmypower？mustIgobacktotheplace？’

Inansweringhim，Ihadnoeasytasktoperform；forhoweverclearmightbemyinternalconvictionofthegroundlessnessofhistears，andhoweverstrongmyscepticismrespectingtherealityofwhathehaddescribed，Ineverthelessfeltthathisimpressiontothecontrary，andhishumilityandterrorresultingfromit，mightbemadeavailableasnomeanenginesintheworkofhisconversionfromprodigacy，andofhisrestorationtodecenthabits，andtoreligiousfeeling。

Ithereforetoldhimthathewastoregardhisdreamratherinthelightofawarningthaninthatofaprophecy；thatoursalvationdependednotuponthewordordeedofamoment，butuponthehabitsofalife；that，infine，ifheatoncediscardedhisidlecompanionsandevilhabits，andfirmlyadheredtoasober，industrious，andreligiouscourseoflife，thepowersofdarknessmightclaimhissoulinvain，forthattherewerehigherandfirmerpledgesthanhumantonguecouldutter，whichpromisedsalvationtohimwhoshouldrepentandleadanewlife。

Ilefthimmuchcomforted，andwithapromisetoreturnuponthenextday。I

didso，andfoundhimmuchmorecheerfulandwithoutanyremainsofthedoggedsullennesswhichIsupposehadarisenfromhisdespair。Hispromisesofamendmentweregiveninthattoneofdeliberateearnestness，whichbelongstodeepandsolemndetermination；anditwaswithnosmalldelightthatIobserved，afterrepeatedvisits，thathisgoodresolutions，sofarfromfailing，didbutgatherstrengthbytime；andwhenIsawthatmanshakeofftheidleanddebauchedcompanions，whosesocietyhadforyearsformedalikehisamusementandhisruin，andrevivehislongdiscardedhabitsofindustryandsobriety，Isaidwithinmyself，thereissomethingmoreinallthisthantheoperationofanidledream。

Oneday，sometimeafterhisperfectrestorationtohealth，Iwassurprisedonascendingthestairs，forthepurposeofvisitingthisman，tofindhimbusilyemployedinnailingdownsomeplanksuponthelanding-place，throughwhich，atthecommencementofhismysteriousvision，itseemedtohimthathehadsunk。I

perceivedatoncethathewasstrengtheningthefloorwithaviewtosecuringhimselfagainstsuchacatastrophe，andcouldscarcelyforbearasmileasIbid’Godblesshiswork。’

Heperceivedmythoughts，Isuppose，forheimmediatelysaid：

’Icanneverpassoverthatfloorwithouttrembling。I’dleavethishouseifI

could，butIcan’tfindanotherlodginginthetownsocheap，andI’llnottakeabettertillI’vepaidoffallmydebts，pleaseGod；butIcouldnotbeasyinmymindtillImadeitassafeasIcould。You’llhardlybelieveme，yourhonour，thatwhileI’mworking，maybeamileaway，myheartisinaflutterthewholewayback，withthebarethoughtsofthetwolittlestepsI

havetowalkuponthisbitofafloor。Soit’snowonder，sir，I’dthrytomakeitsoundandfirmwithanyidletimberI

have。’

Iapplaudedhisresolutiontopayoffhisdebts，andthesteadinesswithwhichheperusedhisplansofconscientiouseconomy，andpassedon。

Manymonthselapsed，andstillthereappearednoalterationinhisresolutionsofamendment。Hewasagoodworkman，andwithhisbetterhabitsherecoveredhisformerextensiveandprofitableemployment。

Everythingseemedtopromisecomfortandrespectability。Ihavelittlemoretoadd，andthatshallbetoldquickly。IhadoneeveningmetPatConnell，ashereturnedfromhiswork，andasusual，afteramutual，andonhissiderespectfulsalutation，I

spokeafewwordsofencouragementandapproval。Ilefthimindustrious，active，healthy——whennextIsawhim，notthreedaysafter，hewasacorpse。

Thecircumstanceswhichmarkedtheeventofhisdeathweresomewhatstrange——Imightsayfearful。Theunfortunatemanhadaccidentallymetanearlyfriendjustreturned，afteralongabsence，andinamomentofexcitement，forgettingeverythinginthewarmthofhisjoy，heyieldedtohisurgentinvitationtoaccompanyhimintoapublic-house，whichlayclosebythespotwheretheencounterhadtakenplace。

Connell，however，previouslytoenteringtheroom，hadannouncedhisdeterminationtotakenothingmorethanthestrictesttemperancewouldwarrant。

Butoh!whocandescribetheinveteratetenacitywithwhichadrunkard’shabitsclingtohimthroughlife？Hemayrepent——hemayreform——hemaylookwithactualabhorrenceuponhispastprofligacy；

butamidallthisreformationandcompunction，whocantellthemomentinwhichthebaseandruinouspropensitymaynotrecur，triumphingoverresolution，remorse，shame，everything，andprostratingitsvictimoncemoreinallthatisdestructiveandrevoltinginthatfatalvice？

Thewretchedmanlefttheplaceinastateofutterintoxication。Hewasbroughthomenearlyinsensible。andplacedinhisbed，wherehelayinthedeepcalmlethargyofdrunkenness。Theyoungerpartofthefamilyretiredtorestmuchaftertheirusualhour；butthepoorwiferemainedupsittingbythefire，toomuchgrievedandshockedattheoccur-

renceofwhatshehadsolittleexpected，tosettletorest；fatigue，however，atlengthovercameher，andshesankgraduallyintoanuneasyslumber。Shecouldnottellhowlongshehadremainedinthisstate，whensheawakened，andimmediatelyonopeninghereyes，sheperceivedbythefaintredlightofthesmoulderingturfembers，twopersons，oneofwhomsherecognisedasherhusband，noiselesslyglidingoutoftheroom。

’Pat，darling，whereareyougoing？’

saidshe。Therewasnoanswer——thedoorclosedafterthem；butinamomentshewasstartledandterrifiedbyaloudandheavycrash，asifsomeponderousbodyhadbeenhurleddownthestair。Muchalarmed，shestartedup，andgoingtotheheadofthestaircase，shecalledrepeatedlyuponherhusband，butinvain。Shereturnedtotheroom，andwiththeassistanceofherdaughter，whomIhadoccasiontomentionbefore，shesucceededinfindingandlightingacandle，withwhichshehurriedagaintotheheadofthestaircase。

Atthebottomlaywhatseemedtobeabundleofclothes，heapedtogether，motionless，lifeless——itwasherhusband。Ingoingdownthestair，forwhatpurposecannevernowbeknown，hehadfallenhelplesslyandviolentlytothebottom，andcomingheadforemost，thespineattheneckhadbeendislocatedbytheshock，andinstantdeathmusthaveensued。Thebodylayuponthatlanding-placetowhichhisdreamhadreferred。Itisscarcelyworthendeavouringtoclearupasinglepointinanarrativewhereallismystery；

yetIcouldnothelpsuspectingthatthesecondfigurewhichhadbeenseenintheroombyConnell’swifeonthenightofhisdeath，mighthavebeennootherthanhisownshadow。Isuggestedthissolutionofthedifficulty；butshetoldmethattheunknownpersonhadbeenconsiderablyinadvanceoftheother，andonreachingthedoor，hadturnedbackasiftocommunicatesomethingtohiscompanion。Itwasthenamystery。

Wasthedreamverified？——whitherhadthedisembodiedspiritsped？——whocansay？Weknownot。ButIleftthehouseofdeaththatdayinastateofhorrorwhichIcouldnotdescribe。ItseemedtomethatIwasscarceawake。Iheardandsaweverythingasifunderthespellofanight-mare。Thecoincidencewasterrible。

EndThePurcellPapers，Volume2

byJosephSheridanLeFanuWithaMemoirbyALFREDPERCEVALGRAVES

CONTENTSOFVOL。II——

PASSAGEINTHESECRETHISTORYOFANIRISHCOUNTESS

THEBRIDALOFCARRIGVARAH

STRANGEEVENTINTHELIFEOFSCHALKENTHEPAINTER

SCRAPSOFHIBERNIANBALLADS

THEPURCELLPAPERS。

PASSAGEINTHE

SECRETHISTORYOFANIRISH

COUNTESS。

BeingaFifthExtractfromtheLegacyofthelateFrancisPurcell，P。P。ofDrumcoolagh。

Thefollowingpaperiswritteninafemalehand，andwasnodoubtcommunicatedtomymuch-regrettedfriendbytheladywhoseearlyhistoryitservestoillustrate，theCountessD。Sheisnomore——shelongsincedied，achildlessandawidowedwife，and，asherlettersadlypredicts，nonesurvivetowhomthepublicationofthisnarrativecanprove’injurious，orevenpainful。’