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of nourishment； and the body was covered with livid bruises。 It
seemed that one winter night the child had sought to escape； crept
out into the back yard； tried to scale the wall； fallen back
exhausted； and been found at morning on the stones in a dying
state。 But though there was some evidence of cruelty； there was
none of murder； and the aunt and her husband had sought to palliate
cruelty by alleging the exceeding stubbornness and perversity of
the child； who was declared to be half…witted。 Be that as it may；
at the orphan's death the aunt inherited her brother's fortune。
Before the first wedded year was out； the American quitted England
abruptly； and never returned to it。 He obtained a cruising vessel；
which was lost in the Atlantic two years afterwards。 The widow was
left in affluence； but reverses of various kinds had befallen her：
a bank broke； an investment failed； she went into a small business
and became insolvent； then she entered into service； sinking lower
and lower； from housekeeper down to maid…of…all…work；never long
retaining a place； though nothing decided against her character was
ever alleged。 She was considered sober； honest； and peculiarly
quiet in her ways； still nothing prospered with her。 And so she
had dropped into the workhouse； from which Mr。 J had taken her；
to be placed in charge of the very house which she had rented as
mistress in the first year of her wedded life。
Mr。 J added that he had passed an hour alone in the unfurnished
room which I had urged him to destroy； and that his impressions of
dread while there were so great； though he had neither heard nor
seen anything； that he was eager to have the walls bared and the
floors removed as I had suggested。 He had engaged persons for the
work； and would commence any day I would name。
The day was accordingly fixed。 I repaired to the haunted house；
we went into the blind； dreary room； took up the skirting； and then
the floors。 Under the rafters； covered with rubbish； was found a
trapdoor； quite large enough to admit a man。 It was closely nailed
down； with clamps and rivets of iron。 On removing these we
descended into a room below； the existence of which had never been
suspected。 In this room there had been a window and a flue； but
they had been bricked over； evidently for many years。 By the help
of candles we examined this place； it still retained some moldering
furniture；three chairs； an oak settle； a table；all of the
fashion of about eighty years ago。 There was a chest of drawers
against the wall； in which we found； half rotted away； old…
fashioned articles of a man's dress； such as might have been worn
eighty or a hundred years ago by a gentleman of some rank； costly
steel buckles and buttons； like those yet worn in court dresses； a
handsome court sword； in a waistcoat which had once been rich with
gold lace； but which was now blackened and foul with damp； we found
five guineas； a few silver coins； and an ivory ticket； probably for
some place of entertainment long since passed away。 But our main
discovery was in a kind of iron safe fixed to the wall； the lock of
which it cost us much trouble to get picked。
In this safe were three shelves and two small drawers。 Ranged on
the shelves were several small bottles of crystal； hermetically
stopped。 They contained colorless； volatile essences； of the
nature of which I shall only say that they were not poisons；
phosphor and ammonia entered into some of them。 There were also
some very curious glass tubes； and a small pointed rod of iron；
with a large lump of rock crystal； and another of amber；also a
loadstone of great power。
In one of the drawers we found a miniature portrait set in gold；
and retaining the freshness of its colors most remarkably；
considering the length of time it had probably been there。 The
portrait was that of a man who might be somewhat advanced in middle
life； perhaps forty…seven or forty…eight。 It was a remarkable
face；a most impressive face。 If you could fancy some mighty
serpent transformed into man； preserving in the human lineaments
the old serpent type； you would have a better idea of that
countenance than long descriptions can convey： the width and
flatness of frontal； the tapering elegance of contour disguising
the strength of the deadly jaw； the long； large； terrible eye；
glittering and green as the emerald；and withal a certain ruthless
calm； as if from the consciousness of an immense power。
Mechanically I turned round the miniature to examine the back of
it； and on the back was engraved a pentacle； in the middle of the
pentacle a ladder； and the third step of the ladder was formed by
the date 1765。 Examining still more minutely； I detected a spring；
this； on being pressed； opened the back of the miniature as a lid。
Within…side the lid were engraved； 〃Marianna to thee。 Be faithful
in life and in death to 。〃 Here follows a name that I will not
mention； but it was not unfamiliar to me。 I had heard it spoken of
by old men in my childhood as the name borne by a dazzling
charlatan who had made a great sensation in London for a year or
so； and had fled the country on the charge of a double murder
within his own house；that of his mistress and his rival。 I said
nothing of this to Mr。 J； to whom reluctantly I resigned the
miniature。
We had found no difficulty in opening the first drawer within the
iron safe； we found great difficulty in opening the second： it was
not locked； but it resisted all efforts； till we inserted in the
chinks the edge of a chisel。 When we had thus drawn it forth； we
found a very singular apparatus in the nicest order。 Upon a small；
thin book； or rather tablet； was placed a saucer of crystal； this
saucer was filled with a clear liquid；on that liquid floated a
kind of compass； with a needle shifting rapidly round； but instead
of the usual points of a compass were seven strange characters； not
very unlike those used by astrologers to denote the planets。 A
peculiar but not strong nor displeasing odor came from this drawer；
which was lined with a wood that we afterwards discovered to be
hazel。 Whatever the cause of this odor； it produced a material
effect on the nerves。 We all felt it； even the two workmen who
were in the room；a creeping； tingling sensation from the tips of
the fingers to the roots of the hair。 Impatient to examine the
tablet； I removed the saucer。 As I did so the needle of the
compass went round and round with exceeding swiftness； and I felt a
shock that ran through my whole frame； so that I dropped the saucer
on the floor。 The liquid was spilled； the saucer was broken； the
compass rolled to the end of the room； and at that instant the
walls shook to and fro； as if a giant had swayed and rocked them。
The two workmen were so frightened that they ran up the ladder by
which we had descended from the trapdoor； but seeing that nothing
more happened； they were easily induced to return。
Meanwhile I had opened the tablet： it was bound in plain red
leather； with a silver clasp； it contained but one sheet of thick
vellum； and on that sheet were inscribed； within a double pentacle；
words in old monkish Latin； which are literally to be translated
thus： 〃On all that it can reach within these walls； sentient or
inanimate； living or dead； as moves the needle； so works my will！
Accursed be the house； and restless be the dwellers therein。〃
We found no more。 Mr。 J burned the tablet and its anathema。
He razed to the foundations the part of the building containing the
secret room with the chamber over it。 He had then the courage to
inhabit the house himself for a month； and a quieter； better…
conditioned house could not be found in all London。 Subsequently
he let it to advantage； and his tenant has made no complaints。
A drowning man clutching at a strawsuch is Dr。 Fenwick； hero of
Bulwer…Lytton's 〃Strange Story〃 when he determines to lend himself
to alleged 〃magic〃 in the hope of saving his suffering wife from
the physical dangers which have succeeded her mental disease。 The
proposition has been made to him by Margrave； a wanderer in many
countries； who has followed the Fenwicks from England to Australia。
Margrave declares that he needs an accomplice to secure an 〃elixir
of life〃 which his own failing strength demands。 His mysterious
mesmeric or hypnotic influence over Mrs。 Fenwick had in former days
been marked； and on the basis of this undeniable fact； he has
endeavored to show that his own welfare and Mrs。 Fenwick's are； in
some occult fashion； knit together； and that only by aiding him in
some extraordinary experiment can the physician snatch his beloved
Lilian from her impending doom。
As the first chapter opens； Fenwick is learning his wife's
condition from his friend； Dr。 Faber。
Bulwer…Lytton
The Incantation
I
〃I believe that for at least twelve hours there will be no change
in her state。 I believe also that if she recover from it； calm and
refreshed； as from a sleep； the danger of death will have passed
away。〃
〃And for twelve hours my presence would be hurtful？〃
〃Rather say fatal； if my diagnosis be right。〃
I wrung my friend's hand； and we p