the notch on the ax and on being found out-第58章

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he　had　set　me。　　He　continued　for　some　time　in　the　same　vein；　but　as
we　approached　the　house　the　effort　seemed　to　become　too　much　for
him；　and　we　relapsed　again　into　silence。

This　time　I　was　the　first　to　break　it。　　〃I　suppose；〃　I　said；
drearily；　〃all　those　horrid　people　will　have　come　by　now。〃

〃Horrid　people；〃　he　repeated；　with　rather　an　uncertain　laugh；　and
through　the　darkness　I　saw　his　figure　bend　forward　as　he　stretched
out　his　hand　to　caress　my　horse's　neck。　　〃Why；　Evie；　I　thought　you
were　pining　for　gayety；　and　that　it　was；　in　fact；　for　the　purpose
of　meeting　these　'horrid　people'　that　you　came　here。〃

〃Yes；　I　know；〃　I　said；　wistfully；　〃but　somehow　the　last　week　has
been　so　pleasant　that　I　cannot　believe　that　anything　will　ever　be
quite　so　nice　again。〃

We　had　arrived　at　the　house　as　I　spoke；　and　the　groom　was　standing
at　our　horses'　heads。　　Alan　got　off　and　came　round　to　help　me　to
dismount；　but　instead　of　putting　up　his　arm　as　usual　as　a　support
for　me　to　spring　from；　he　laid　his　hand　on　mine。　　〃Yes；　Evie；〃　he
said；　〃it　has　been　indeed　a　pleasant　time。　　God　bless　you　for　it。〃
For　an　instant　he　stood　there　looking　up　at　me；　his　face　full　in
the　light　which　streamed　from　the　open　door；　his　gray　eyes　shining
with　a　radiance　which　was　not　wholly　from　thence。　　Then　he
straightened　his　arm；　I　sprang　to　the　ground；　and　as　if　to　preclude
the　possibility　of　any　answer　on　my　part；　he　turned　sharply　on　his
heel；　and　began　giving　some　orders　to　the　groom。　　I　went　on　alone
into　the　house；　feeling；　I　knew　not　and　cared　not　to　know　why；　that
the　gloom　had　fled　from　my　spirit；　and　that　the　last　ride　had　not
after　all　been　such　a　melancholy　failure　as　it　had　bid　fair　at　one
time　to　become。


III


In　the　hall　I　was　met　by　the　housekeeper；　who　informed　me　that；
owing　to　a　misunderstanding　about　dates；　a　gentleman　had　arrived
whom　Lucy　had　not　expected　at　that　time；　and　that　in　consequence　my
room　had　been　changed。　　My　things　had　been　put　into　the　East　Room；
the　haunted　room；the　room　of　the　Closed　Cabinet；　as　I　remembered
with　a　certain　sense　of　pleased　importance；　though　without　any
surprise。　　It　stood　apart　from　the　other　guest…rooms；　at　the　end　of
the　passage　from　which　opened　George　and　Lucy's　private　apartment；
and　as　it　was　consequently　disagreeable　to　have　a　stranger　there；
it　was　always　used　when　the　house　was　full　for　a　member　of　the
family。　　My　father　and　mother　had　often　slept　there：　there　was　a
little　room　next　to　it；　though　not　communicating　with　it；　which
served　for　a　dressing…room。　　Though　I　had　never　passed　the　night
there　myself；　I　knew　it　as　well　as　any　room　in　the　house。　　I　went
there　at　once；　and　found　Lucy　superintending　the　last　arrangements
for　my　comfort。

She　was　full　of　apologies　for　the　trouble　she　was　giving　me。　　I
told　her　that　the　apologies　were　due　to　my　maid　and　to　her　own
servants　rather　than　to　me；　〃and　besides；〃　I　added；　glancing　round；
〃I　am　distinctly　a　gainer　by　the　change。〃

〃You　know；　of　course；〃　she　said；　lightly；　〃that　this　is　the　haunted
room　of　the　house；　and　that　you　have　no　right　to　be　here？〃

〃I　know　it　is　the　haunted　room；〃　I　answered；　〃but　why　have　I　no
right　to　be　here？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　know；〃　she　said。　　〃There　is　one　of　those　tiresome
Mervyn　traditions　against　allowing　unmarried　girls　to　sleep　in　this
room。　　I　believe　two　girls　died　in　it　a　hundred　and　fifty　years
ago；　or　something　of　that　sort。〃

〃But　I　should　think　that　people；　married　or　unmarried；　must　have
died　in　nearly　every　room　in　the　house；〃　I　objected。

〃Oh；　yes；　of　course　they　have；〃　said　Lucy；　〃but　once　you　come
across　a　bit　of　superstition　in　this　family；　it　is　of　no　use　to　ask
for　reasons。　　However；　this　particular　bit　is　too　ridiculous　even
for　George。　　Owing　to　Mr。　Leslie　having　come　to…day；　we　must　use
every　room　in　the　house：　it　is　intolerable　having　a　stranger　here；
and　you　are　the　only　relation　staying　with　us。　　I　pointed　all　that
out　to　George；　and　he　agreed　that；　under　the　circumstances；　it
would　be　absurd　not　to　put　you　here。〃

〃I　am　quite　agreeable；〃　I　answered；　〃and；　indeed；　I　think　I　am
rather　favored　in　having　a　room　where　the　last　recorded　death
appears　to　have　taken　place　a　hundred　and　fifty　years　ago；
particularly　as　I　should　think　that　there　can　be　scarcely　anything
now　left　in　it　which　was　here　then；　except；　of　course；　the
cabinet。〃

The　room　had；　in　fact；　been　entirely　done　up　and　refurnished　by　my
uncle；　and　was　as　bright　and　modern…looking　an　apartment　as　you
could　wish　to　see。　　It　was　large；　and　the　walls　were　covered　with
one　of　those　white　and　gold　papers　which　were　fashionable　thirty
years　ago。　　Opposite　us；　as　we　stood　warming　our　backs　before　the
fire；　was　the　beda　large　double　one；　hung　with　a　pretty　shade　of
pale　blue。　　Material　of　the　same　color　covered　the　comfortable
modern　furniture；　and　hung　from　gilded　cornices　before　the　two
windows　which　pierced　the　side　of　the　room　on　our　left。　　Between
them　stood　the　toilet…table；　all　muslin；　blue　ribbons；　and　silver。
The　carpet　was　a　gray　and　blue　Brussels　one。　　The　whole　effect　was
cheerful；　though　I　fear　inartistic；　and　sadly　out　of　keeping　with
the　character　of　the　house。　　The　exception　to　these　remarks　was；　as
I　had　observed；　the　famous　closed　cabinet；　to　which　I　have　more
than　once　alluded。　　It　stood　against　the　same　wall　of　the　room　as
that　in　which　the　fireplace　was；　and　on　our　rightthat　is；　on　that
side　of　the　fireplace　which　was　farthest　from　the　windows。　　As　I
spoke；　I　turned　to　go　and　look　at　it；　and　Lucy　followed　me。　　Many
an　hour　as　a　child　had　I　passed　in　front　of　it；　fingering　the　seven
carved　brass　handles；　or　rather　buttons；　which　were　ranged　down　its
center。　　They　all　slid；　twisted；　or　screwed　with　the　greatest　ease；
and　apparently　like　many　another　ingeniously　contrived　lock；　but
neither　I　nor　any　one　else　had　ever　yet　succeeded　in　sliding；
twisting；　or　screwing　them　after　such　a　fashion　as　to　open　the
closed　doors　of　the　cabinet。　　No　one　yet　had　robbed　them　of　their
secret　since　first　it　was　placed　there　three　hundred　years　ago　by
the　old　lady　and　her　faithful　Italian。　　It　was　a　beautiful　piece　of
workmanship；　was　this　tantalizing　cabinet。　　Carved　out　of　some　dark
foreign　wood；　the　doors　and　panels　were　richly　inlaid　with　lapis…
lazuli；　ivory；　and　mother…of…pearl；　among　which　were　twisted
delicately　chased　threads　of　gold　and　silver。　　Above　the　doors；
between　them　and　the　cornice；　lay　another　mystery；　fully　as
tormenting　as　was　the　first。　　In　a　smooth　strip　of　wood　about　an
inch　wide；　and　extending　along　the　whole　breadth　of　the　cabinet；
was　inlaid　a　fine　pattern　in　gold　wire。　　This　at　first　sight　seemed
to　consist　of　a　legend　or　motto。　　On　looking　closer；　however；
though　the　pattern　still　looked　as　if　it　was　formed　out　of
characters　of　the　alphabet　curiously　entwined　together；　you　found
yourself　unable　to　fix　upon　any　definite　word；　or　even　letter。　　You
looked　again　and　again；　and　the　longer　that　you　looked　the　more
certain　became　your　belief　that　you　were　on　the　verge　of　discovery。
If　you　could　approach　the　mysterious　legend　from　a　slightly
different　point　of　view；　or　look　at　it　from　another　distance；　the
clew　to　the　puzzle　would　be　seized；　and　the　words　would　stand　forth
clear　and　legible　in　your　sight。　　But　the　clew　never　had　been
discovered；　and　the　motto；　if　there　was　one；　remained　unread。

For　a　few　minutes　we　stood　looking　at　the　cabinet　in　silence；　and
then　Lucy　gave　a　discontented　little　sigh。　　〃There's　another
tiresome　piece　of　superstition；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃by　far　the
handsomest　piece　of　furniture　in　the　house　stuck　away　here　in　a
bedroom　which　is　hardly　ever　used。　　Again　and　again　have　I　asked
George　to　let　me　have　it　moved　downstairs；　but　he　won't　hear　of
it。〃

〃Was　it　not　placed　here　by　Dame　Alice　herself？〃　I　inquired　a　little
reproachfully；　for　I　felt　that　Lucy　was　not　treating　the　cabinet
with　the　respect　which　it　really　deserved。

〃Yes；　so　they　say；〃　she　answered；　and　the　tone　of　light　contempt　in
which　she　spoke　was　now　pierced　by　a　not　unnatural　pride　in　the
romantic　mysteries　of　her　husband's　family。　　〃She　placed　it　here；
and　it　is　said；　you　know；　that　when　the　closed　cabinet　is　opened；
and　the　mysterious　motto　is　read；　the　curse　will　depart　from　the
Mervyn　family。〃

〃But　why　don't　they　break　it　open？〃　I　asked；　impatiently。　　〃I　am
sure　that　I　would　never　have　remained　all　my　life　in　a　house　with　a
thing　like　that；　and　not　found　out　in　some　way　or　another　what　was
inside　it。〃

〃Oh；　but　that　would　be　quite　fatal；〃　answered　she。　　〃The　curse　can
only　be　removed　when　the　cabinet　is　opened　as　Dame　Alice　intended
it　to　be；　in　an　orthodox　fashion。　　If　you　were　to　force　it　open；
that　could　never　happen；　and　the　curse　would　therefore　remain　for
ever。〃

〃And　what　is　the　curse？〃　I　asked；　with　very　different　feelings　to
those　with　which　I　had　timidly　approached　the　same　subject　with
Alan。　　Lucy　was　not　a　Mervyn；　and　not　a　person　to　inspire　awe　under
any　circumstances。　　My　instincts　were　right　again；　for　she　turned
away　with　a　slight　shrug　of　her　shoulders。

〃I　have　no　idea；〃　she　said。　　〃George　and　Alan　always　look
portentously　solemn　and　gloomy　whenever　one　mentions　the　subject；
so　I　don't。　　If　you　ask　me　for　the　truth；　I　believe　it　to　be　a　pure
invention；　devised　by　the　Mervyns　for　the　purpose　of　delicately
accounting　for　some　of　the　disreputable　actions　of　their　ancestors。
For　you　know；　Evie；〃　she　added；　with　a　little　laugh；　〃the　less　said
about　the　character　of　the　family　into　which　your　aunt　and　I　have
married　the　better。〃

The　remark　made　me　angry；　I　don't　know　why；　and　I　answered　stiffly；
that　as　far　as　I　was　acquainted　with　them；　I　at　least　saw　nothing
to　complain　of。

〃Oh；　as　regards　the　present　generation；　no；except　for　that　poor；
wretched　Jack；〃　acquiesced　Lucy；　with　her　usual　imperturbable　good…
humor。

〃And　as　regards　the　next？〃　I　suggested；　smiling；　and　already
ashamed　of　my　little　temper。

〃The　next　is　perfect；　of　course；poor　dear　boys。〃　　She　sighed　as
she　spoke；　and　I　wondered　whether　she　was　really　as　unconscious　as
she　generally　appeared　to　be　of　the　strange　dissatisfaction　with
which　her　husband　seemed　to　regard　his　children。　　Anyhow　the
mention　of　them　had　evidently　changed　her　mood；　and　almost　directly
afterwards；　with　the　remark　that　she　must　go　and　look　after　her
guests；　who　had　all　arrived　by　now；　she　left　me　to　myself。

For　some　minutes　I　sat　by　the　bright　fire；　lost　in　aimless；
wandering　thought；　which　began　with　Dame　Alice　and　her　cabinet；　and
which　ended　somehow　with　Alan's　face；　as　I　had　last　seen　it　looking
up　at　me　in　front　of　the　hall…door。　　When　I　had　reached　that　point；
I　roused　myself　to　decide　that　I　had　dreamt　long　enough；　and　that
it　was　quite　time　to　go　down　to　the　guests　and　to　tea。　　I
accordingly　donned　my　best　teagown；　arranged　my　hair；　and　proceeded
towards　the　drawing…room。　　My　way　there　lay　through　the　great
central　hall。　　This　apartment　was　approached　from　most　of　the
bedrooms　in　the　house　through　a　large；　arched　doorway　at　one　end　of
it；　which　communicated　directly　with　the　great　staircase。　　My
bedroom；　however；　which；　as　I　have　said；　lay　among　the　private
apartments　of　the　house；　opened　in