The House of Walderne Part 30

Hubert smiled approval.

"My Almeric," he said, 'I have ever been of opinion that ghostly apparitions are delusions, and always thought that I should like to put the matter to a test. Wherefore I welcome your proposal with joy, for I doubted whether any of you would willingly stay with me.

We will remain here tonight."

"Nay," said the old withered retainer of the house of Fievrault; "bethink thee, my lord, of what befell thy own father."

"And for that very reason his son would fain avenge him," said Hubert flippantly, "and flout the ghosts, if such things there be.

And if men--Frenchmen or the like--see fit to attire themselves in masquerade, no coward fear will blunt the edge of our swords."

"Wilful must have his way," said the old servitor with a sigh.

"What is to be will be, only remember, all of you, the old man has warned you, and only permits you to remain because he has no power to send you forth."

"Nay, be not so inhospitable."

"A churl will be a churl," said Almeric.

The old man shook his head sadly, and went about his business, whatever that may have been.

The party now broke up to examine the castle, and to make sure that all was as it seemed, and that no earthly inmates were there to play pranks in the night. They ascended the ruined towers, and gazed upon a wilderness of leaves, as far as the eye could reach, save where a wild fantastic range of mountains upreared its riven peaks in the dim distance, the Puy de Dome, the highest point. Then they descended the steps and explored the vaults and dungeons: dismal habitations dug by the hands of cruel men in the solid rock upon which the castle was built. In one they shuddered to behold a human skeleton, from which the rats had long since eaten the flesh, chained by steel manacles around its wrists and ankles to the wall, and hence still retaining its upright position: and in each of these dark chambers they found sufficient evidence of the fell character of the house of Fievrault.

In one large cell, which had evidently been the torture chamber, they found the rusty implements of cruelty--curious arrangements of ropes and pulleys; a rack which had fallen to pieces with age; a brazier with rusty pincers, which had once been heated red hot therein, to tear the quivering flesh from some victim, who had long since carried his plaint to the bar of G.o.d, where the oppressors had also long since followed him.

Hubert and his followers shuddered; but they were a little more hardened to the sight of such things, which were not unknown in those times even in "merry England," than we should be.

"Where does that trap door lead to?" said Almeric, pointing to an arrangement of two folding doors in front of a rude image.

"It looks firm."

"Nay, trust it not. Here is a rude stump, once used as a seat. Roll it upon the trap doors."

The round, short log was rolled on the trap, which gave way at once. Down went the log, and, after what seemed minutes to those above, came a hollow boom. It had reached the bottom. The oubliette--Almeric shuddered, and the colour faded from his face.

"What if I had tried the strength with my own weight!" thought he.

They returned to the upper air. The sun had set, and the shades of night were gathering around the h.o.a.ry pile, and, with deepening shades, every soul present felt a sense of gloom and depression creep over him; a sort of apprehension which had no visible cause, and could not easily be explained, but which led one to start at shadows, and look round at each unexpected footfall.

For over all there came a sense of fear, A sense of mystery the spirit daunted, And said as plain as whisper in the ear-- "This place is haunted."

"Bring wood. Kindle a fire on the hearth here. Set torches in those cressets. Bring out the remains of our dinner. There is yet plenty of the vin de pays; let us eat drink, and be merry."

Wood was plentiful, pine torches easily procured in such a locality, and soon the hall was bright with the firelight and vocal with the sound of voices in melody. So the hours sped on until it was quite dark. It was a very still night, but the clouds were thick, and there were no stars abroad.

At length they had burned all the wood which had been brought in.

"Go, Tristam, and bring more wood from the great pile in the courtyard," said Hubert.

Tristam, a grizzled man-at-arms, went out.

All at once a cry of horror was heard. All started to their feet, but before they could run to Tristam's aid the door was dashed open, and he ran in, his hair erect with horror, and his eyes starting from their sockets.

"It is after me!" he shrieked, as he slammed the door behind him.

"What was it?" said Hubert, while the sight of the man's infectious terror sent a thrill through all of them.

But he couldn't tell; he only stood and gibbered and shuddered, as if he had lost his senses, then crept to the innermost corner of the large fireplace, where they made room for him, and moaned like some wounded animal.

"The wood must be brought," said Hubert. "We are not going to let the fire go out, nor to be frightened at shadows.

"Almeric, you will come with me and fetch it."

"Yes, master," said Almeric, not without a shudder, which did not promise well.

"Say a Pater and an Ave, Almeric. Sign thyself with the Cross.

Now!"

And they went forth.

The night was, as we have said, intensely dark, and they each carried a fat, resinous pine torch, which diffused a lurid light around. The stones of the courtyard were slimy from long neglect; and the light, drizzly rain which was falling churned the dust and slime into thin mud. As they drew near the wood pile, Hubert going boldly first, they both fancied a presence--a presence which caused a sickening dread--between them and the pile.

"Look, master," said Almeric, in tones half choked with horror.

Hubert followed the direction of Almeric's glance, and saw that a footmark impressed itself in the slime before their own advancing tread, just as if some invisible being were walking before them. So sickening a dread, yet quite an inexplicable one, a dread of the vague unknown, came upon them that, brave men as they were, they could not proceed to the wood pile, and, like Tristam, returned empty handed.

"Where is the wood?" was the general cry.

"Let no one go out for wood tonight," said Hubert. "We must break up the forms, the floors, nay, our dining board, to sustain the fire--for fire we must have. Now, remember we are warriors of the Cross, pledged to a holy cause, and that no demon can hurt us if we are true to ourselves. Join me in the holy psalms of the night watch, then spread our cloaks and sleep here."

They said the well-known compline psalms, familiar then in England from their nightly use. Then, replenis.h.i.+ng the fire at the expense of some rude oaken benches, and barring the door, they all strove to sleep. A watch seemed needless. The fear was that they would all be found watching when they should be sleeping.

But yet whether from extreme fatigue or any other cause, they did all fall asleep.

In the dead hour of the night Hubert alone awoke, with the consciousness that someone was gazing upon him. He looked up. There was the figure which had so often tormented his poor father, the slain Frenchman, the last Sieur de Fievrault, pale and gory, his hand on the wound in his side.

"Speak, dread phantom! What dost thou want with me? I go to do thy bidding, to fulfil thy vow."

"Thank G.o.d! Thou hast spoken, and I may speak, too. Thou goest to do my bidding in love for thy father, to fulfil my vow. Alas, many trials await thee. Canst thou face them?"

"I can do all man can do."

"So I imagine from thy bold bearing in this haunted castle of my ancestors. It is well. Only go forward, whatever happens. Thou shalt not perish. Thou shalt deliver thy father and me, condemned as yet to walk this lower earth, till the vow my own misconduct made me unworthy to fulfil is fulfilled by thee. Fare thee well, and fear not."

And the figure disappeared.

Hubert felt a sense of blessed relief, under which he fell asleep again, and did not awake until aroused by a cry of terror. He started up. Almeric and all the men were on their feet, like frenzied beings, gazing into the darkness which enveloped the end of the hall. Then they rushed with a wild cry at the door, which they unbarred with eager hands, and issued into the darkness. He heard a heavy fall, as if one, perhaps two, had missed the steps and gone headlong into the courtyard.

Terror is contagious, but Hubert saw nothing as yet to fear.

"Come back, ye cowards! Shame on ye!" he cried, but cried in vain--he was alone in the haunted hall.