Miss Woodward

“ I was born in the house. When I first remember the young Count, he was a fine, merry boy of about twelve; Lady Alix, his orphan cousin, was a little, dark-eyed girl of nine or ten. I was destined to be her attendant, but now my intercourse with my little mistress was limited to an occasional game of play with her and my young master. They were a charming pair, so full of life and fun, of love for each other, and devotion to my Lady Countess. ”

“ Never does a dark, stormy night come by, never do the rain and wind beat round the house, but I fancy that I hear the pattering of little weird feet by my door, the gushing of angry waters, the moans of a little child, and the death-screams of the last Countess of Carlan. ”

“ There was a splash and a scream! We rushed to the window, and saw her struggling in the water with the boy in her arms. At this instant my Lord and Lady Alix appeared in the passage. One glance sufficed; and then their wild cries of agony mingled with those rising from the moat. Every means of saving them was tried, in vain: many hours elapsed before the bodies could be even found. When they were, the little boy was still clasped as in a vice in the arms of his dead mother. Her face was terrible to look at. ”

“ As I rode through the deserted park, I could almost fancy I saw the haughty Countess and her beautiful children pacing the broad terrace, or a gleam of the white robe of the Lady Alix as she swept round the garden walks by the side of her cousin.
I know not what has become of the Château des Carlans now, or of the old dame who guided me through it; she is doubtless long since in her grave, for these are the remembrances of an old man. This I can tell you. ”

“ Lady Alix stood by her aunt, and threw her arms round her new cousin’s neck with sweet innocent joy and greeting; then she turned to Count Henry and kissed him too, as she always did. I thought then, and I am sure of it now, that there was a peculiar look in Lady Gabrielle’s face when she first saw her cousin Alix. That look haunted me long afterwards. The dominion of the two ladies did not last long together, however; before very long my lady Countess died. God only knows why He did not take the younger lady! ”

“ Crowds of people came to see the beautiful young Countess, as she lay with her little son in the last sleep of death, and to show their sympathy with her bereaved husband. I and the children’s attendant were, besides my master and Lady Alix, the only people who ever knew the truth; and I knew what none could know besides, though they probably guessed it. After the body was found, however, they questioned me, and I told them all I knew. They listened with sad scared faces; and then my young lady called me in, and told me how, about a month ago, she had quarrelled with her affianced lover ”

“ The huge bed, with its deep crimson hangings, the walls of similar colour, the carved ebony chest, the cupboards, the closet in the corner, looked deep and mysterious enough for anything. However, as my hostess and her attendant never seemed even to suspect that I should dislike sleeping so far from all companionship, I was ashamed to confess my superstitious feelings, and called out a careless “Good night” to them down the passage, just as if I were quite at my ease. ”

“ My hostess seemed to enjoy my surprise, and for some minutes looked on in silence. At last, beckoning me across the room, she drew aside a curtain, and pointed to a picture on the wall. It was the portrait of a lady, and underneath the escutcheon on the gilded frame was written, “Gabrielle de Plessie, Comtesse de Carlan.” Very beautiful and very haughty was the young Countess, with her fair hair and flashing eyes, and short curling lip. On her head, thrown back with an almost defiant air, she wore a velvet hat, such as one sees in portraits of Marie Antoinette ”

“ She first looked surprised, and then pleased to see me; and, after asking whether I wished to see the castle, directed me to ride along the terrace, to a smaller door, where I should find some one to take my horse. A young man in a peasant’s dress made his appearance, and I then came back to the great door where she still stood, and entered the hall with her. It was a large, long hall, with doors opening on to it from every side, and a fine wide staircase with carved oak balustrade leading from the lower end to the apartments above. ”

“ If the young ladies ever come here, they will find their mother’s rooms just as they were when she last left them. I was born here, and shall die here too, I hope, for I am used to the place, and even its nightly visitants do not frighten me, for they never harm me. ”

“ She died of fits brought on by fright. Soon after the old Baroness de Lisle came, and took my sweet lady to her future home. The Count went abroad, and the castle was shut up. I married a young man who had been my fiancé for some months, and they gave us the place in charge. My lord was a broken-hearted man; he never held up his head again, and died, I believe, in Italy. Carlan then belonged to the Lady Alix, but she never came here.
“I had lived in hopes of seeing her again, but one day a youth came here with an old attendant. ”