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to bear from these cursed traditions as it is； without adding one
which has no foundation whatever to justify ita mere contemptible
piece of superstition。〃
〃No member of our family has a right to call any tradition
contemptible which is connected with that place； and you know it；〃
answered Alan； and though he spoke low； his voice trembled with
some strong emotion。 A first impulse of hesitation which I had had
I checked； feeling that as I had heard so much it was fairer to go
on； and I advanced to the top of the staircase。 Alan stood by the
fireplace facing me； but far too occupied to see me。 His last
speech had seemingly aroused George to fury； for the latter turned
on him now with savage passion。
〃Damn it all； Alan！〃 he cried； 〃can't you be quiet？ I will be
master in my own house。 Take care； I tell you； the curse may not
be quite fulfilled yet after all。〃
As George uttered these words； Alan lifted his eyes to him with a
glance of awful horror： his face turned ghastly white； his lips
trembled for a moment； and then he answered back with one half…
whispered word of supreme appeal〃George！〃 There was a long…
drawn； unutterable anguish in his tone； and his voice； though
scarcely audible； penetrated to every corner of the room； and
seemed to hang quivering in the air around one after the sound had
ceased。 Then there was a terrible stillness。 Alan stood trembling
in every limb； incapable apparently of speech or action； and George
faced him； as silent and motionless as he was。 For an instant they
remained thus； while I looked breathlessly on。 Then George； with a
muttered imprecation； turned on his heel and left the room。 Alan
followed him as he went with dull lifeless eyes； and as the door
closed he breathed deeply； with a breath that was almost a groan。
Taking my courage in both hands； I now descended the stairs； and at
the sound of my footfall he glanced up； started； and then came
rapidly to meet me。
〃Evie！ you here；〃 he said； 〃I did not notice you。 How long have
you been here？〃 He was still quite white； and I noticed that he
panted for breath as he spoke。
〃Not long；〃 I answered； timidly； and rather spasmodically； 〃I only
heard a sentence or two。 You wanted George to do something about
some tradition or other；and he was angry；and he said something
about the curse。〃
While I spoke Alan kept his eyes fixed on mine； reading through
them； as I knew； into my mind。 When I had finished he turned his
gaze away satisfied； and answered very quietly； 〃Yes； that was it。〃
Then he went back to the fireplace； rested his arm against the high
mantelpiece above it； and leaning his forehead on his arm； remained
silently looking into the fire。 I could see by his bent brow and
compressed lips that he was engaged upon some earnest train of
thought or reasoning； and I stood waitingworried； puzzled；
curious； but above all things； pitiful； and oh！ longing so
intensely to help him if I could。 Presently he straightened
himself a little； and addressed me more in his ordinary tone of
voice； though without looking round。 〃So I hear they have changed
your room。〃
〃Yes；〃 I answered。 And then； flushing rather； 〃Is that what you
and George have been quarreling about？〃 I received no reply； and
taking this silence for assent； I went on deprecatingly； 〃Because
you know； if it was； I think you are rather foolish； Alan。 As I
understand； two girls are said to have died in that room more than
a hundred years ago； and for that reason there is a prejudice
against putting a girl to sleep there。 That is all。 Merely a
vague； unreasonable tradition。〃
Alan took a moment to answer。
〃Yes；〃 he said at length； speaking slowly； and as if replying to
arguments in his own mind as much as to those which I had uttered。
〃Yes； it is nothing but a tradition after all； and that of the very
vaguest and most unsupported kind。〃
〃Is there even any proof that girls have not slept there since
those two died？〃 I asked。 I think that the suggestion conveyed in
this question was a relief to him； for after a moment's pause； as
if to search his memory； he turned round。
〃No；〃 he answered； 〃I don't think that there is any such proof； and
I have no doubt that you are right； and that it is a mere prejudice
that makes me dislike your sleeping there。〃
〃Then；〃 I said； with a little assumption of sisterly superiority；
〃I think George was right； and that you were wrong。〃
Alan smiled；a smiled which sat oddly on the still pale face； and
in the wearied； worn…looking eyes。 〃Very likely；〃 he said； 〃I
daresay that I am superstitious。 I have had things to make me so。〃
Then coming nearer to me； and laying his hands on my shoulders； he
went on； smiling more brightly； 〃We are a queer…tempered； bad…
nerved race； we Mervyns； and you must not take us too seriously；
Evie。 The best thing that you can do with our odd ways is to
ignore them。〃
〃Oh； I don't mind；〃 I answered； laughing； too glad to have won him
back to even temporary brightness； 〃as long as you and George don't
come to blows over the question of where I am to sleep； which after
all is chiefly my concern；and Lucy's。〃
〃Well； perhaps it is；〃 he replied； in the same tone； 〃and now be
off to the drawing…room； where Lucy is defending the tea…table
single…handed all this time。〃
I obeyed； and should have gone more cheerfully had I not turned at
the doorway to look back at him； and caught one glimpse of his face
as he sank heavily down into the large arm…chair by the fireside。
However； by dinner…time he appeared to have dismissed all painful
reflections from his mind； or to have buried them too deep for
discovery。 The people staying in the house were； in spite of my
sense of grievance at their arrival； individually pleasant； and
after dinner I discovered them to be socially well assorted。 For
the first hour or two； indeed； after their arrival； each glared at
the other across those triple lines of moral fortification behind
which every well…bred Briton takes refuge on appearing at a
friend's country…house。 But flags of truce were interchanged over
the soup； an armistice was agreed upon during the roast； and the
terms of a treaty of peace and amity were finally ratified under
the sympathetic influence of George's best champagne。 For the
achievement of this happy result Alan certainly worked hard； and
received therefor many a grateful glance from his sister…in…law。
He was more excited than I had ever seen him before； and talked
brilliantly and wellthough perhaps not as exclusively to his
neighbors as they may have wished。 His eyes and his attention
seemed everywhere at once： one moment he was throwing remarks
across to some despairing couple opposite； and the next he was
breaking an embarrassing pause in the conversation by some rapid
sally of nonsense addressed to the table in general。 He formed a
great contrast to his brother； who sat gloomy and dejected； making
little or no response to the advances of the two dowagers between
whom he was placed。 After dinner the younger members of the party
spent the evening by Alan's initiative； and chiefly under his
direction； in a series of lively and rather riotous games such as
my nursery days had delighted in； and my schoolroom ones had
disdained。 It was a great and happy surprise to discover that；
grown up； I might again enjoy them。 I did so； hugely； and when
bedtime came all memories more serious than those of 〃musical
chairs〃 or 〃follow my leader〃 had vanished from my mind。 I think；
from Alan's glance as he handed me my bed candle； that the pleasure
and excitement must have improved my looks。
〃I hope you have enjoyed your first evening of gayety； Evie；〃 he
said。
〃I have；〃 I answered； with happy conviction； 〃and really I believe
that it is chiefly owing to you； Alan。〃 He met my smile by
another； but I think that there must have been something in his
look which recalled other thoughts； for as I started up the stairs
I threw a mischievous glance back at him and whispered； 〃Now for
the horrors of the haunted chamber。〃
He laughed rather loudly； and saying 〃Good…night； and good…luck；〃
turned to attend to the other ladies。
His wishes were certainly fulfilled。 I got to bed quickly； andas
soon as my happy excitement was sufficiently calmed to admit of it
to sleep。 The only thing which disturbed me was the wind； which
blew fiercely and loudly all the earlier portion of the night； half
arousing me more than once。 I spoke of it at breakfast the next
morning； but the rest of the world seemed to have slept too heavily
to have been aware of it。
IV
The men went out shooting directly after breakfast； and we women
passed the day in orthodox country…house fashion；working and
eating； walking and riding； driving and playing croquet； and above；
beyond； and through all things； chattering。 Beyond a passing sigh
while I was washing my hands； or a moment of mournful remembrance
while I changed my dress； I had scarcely time even to regret the
quiet happiness of the week that was past。 In the evening we
danced in the great hall。 I had two valses with Alan。 During a
pause for breath； I found that we were standing near the fireplac