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in His mercy has made our hearts shallow too； and our imagination
dull。 If； knowing and trusting only as men do； we were to feel as
angels feel； earth would be hell indeed。〃
It was cold comfort； but at that moment anything warmer or brighter
would have been unreal and utterly repellent to me。 I hardly took
in the meaning of his words； but it was as if a hand had been
stretched out to me； struggling in the deep mire； by one who
himself felt solid ground beneath him。 Where he stood I also might
some day stand； and that thought seemed to make patience possible。
It was he who first broke the silence which followed。 〃You were
saying that you had questions to ask me。 I am impatient to put
mine in return； so please go on。〃
It had been a relief to me to turn even to generalizations of
despair from the actual horror which had inspired them； and to
which my mind was thus recalled。 With an effort I replied； 〃Yes； I
want to ask you about that roomthe room in which I slept； and
and the murder which was committed there。〃 In spite of all that I
could do； my voice sank almost to a whisper as I concluded； and I
was trembling from head to foot。
〃Who told you that a murder was committed there？〃 Something in my
face as he asked the question made him add quickly； 〃Never mind。
You are right。 That is the room in which Hugh Mervyn was murdered
by his wife。 I was surprised at your question； for I did not know
that anyone but my brothers and myself were aware of the fact。 The
subject is never mentioned： it is closely connected with one
intensely painful to our family； and besides； if spoken of； there
would be inconveniences arising from the superstitious terrors of
servants； and the natural dislike of guests to sleep in a room
where such a thing had happened。 Indeed it was largely with the
view of wiping out the last memory of the crime's locality； that my
father renewed the interior of the room some twenty years ago。 The
only tradition which has been adhered to in connection with it is
the one which has now been violated in your personthe one which
precludes any unmarried woman from sleeping there。 Except for
that； the room has； as you know； lost all sinister reputation； and
its title of 'haunted' has become purely conventional。
Nevertheless； as I said； you are rightthat is undoubtedly the
room in which the murder was committed。〃
He stopped and looked up at me； waiting for more。
〃Go on； tell me about it； and what followed。〃 My lips formed the
words； my heart beat too faintly for my breath to utter them。
〃About the murder itself there is not much to tell。 The man； I
believe； was an inhuman scoundrel； and the woman first killed him
in desperation； and afterwards herself in despair。 The only detail
connected with the actual crime of which I have ever heard； was the
gale that was blowing that nightthe fiercest known to this
countryside in that generation； and it has always been said since
that any misfortune to the Mervynsespecially any misfortune
connected with the cursecomes with a storm of wind。 That was why
I so disliked your story of the imaginary tempests which have
disturbed your nights since you slept there。 As to what
followed；〃he gave a sigh；〃that story is long enough and full of
incident。 On the morning after the murder； so runs the tale； Dame
Alice came down to the Grange from the tower to which she had
retired when her son's wickednesses had driven her from his house；
and there in the presence of the two corpses she foretold the curse
which should rest upon their descendants for generations to come。
A clergyman who was present； horrified； it is said at her words；
adjured her by the mercy of Heaven to place some term to the doom
which she had pronounced。 She replied that no mortal might reckon
the fruit of a plant which drew its life from hell； that a term
there should be； but as it passed the wisdom of man to fix it； so
it should pass the wit of man to discover it。 She then placed in
the room this cabinet； constructed by herself and her Italian
follower； and said that the curse should not depart from the family
until the day when its doors were unlocked and its legend read。
〃Such is the story。 I tell it to you as it was told to me。 One
thing only is certain； that the doom thus traditionally foretold
has been only too amply fulfilled。〃
〃And what was the doom？〃
Alan hesitated a little； and when he spoke his voice was almost
awful in its passionless sternness； in its despairing finality； it
seemed to echo the irrevocable judgment which his words pronounced：
〃That the crimes against God and each other which had destroyed the
parents' life should enter into the children's blood； and that
never thereafter should there fail a Mervyn to bring shame or death
upon one generation of his father's house。
〃There were two sons of that ill…fated marriage；〃 he went on after
a pause； 〃boys at the time of their parents' death。 When they grew
up they both fell in love with the same woman； and one killed the
other in a duel。 The story of the next generation was a peculiarly
sad one。 Two brothers took opposite sides during the civil
troubles； but so fearful were they of the curse which lay upon the
family； that they chiefly made use of their mutual position in
order to protect and guard each other。 After the wars were over；
the younger brother； while traveling upon some parliamentary
commission； stopped a night at the Grange。 There； through a
mistake； he exchanged the report which he was bringing to London
for a packet of papers implicating his brother and several besides
in a royalist plot。 He only discovered his error as he handed the
papers to his superior； and was but just able to warn his brother
in time for him to save his life by flight。 The other men involved
were taken and executed； and as it was known by what means
information had reached the Government； the elder Mervyn was
universally charged with the vilest treachery。 It is said that
when after the Restoration his return home was rumored the
neighboring gentry assembled； armed with riding whips； to flog him
out of the country if he should dare to show his face there。 He
died abroad； shame…stricken and broken…hearted。 It was his son；
brought up by his uncle in the sternest tenets of Puritanism； who；
coming home after a lengthened journey； found that during his
absence his sister had been shamefully seduced。 He turned her out
of doors； then and there； in the midst of a bitter January night；
and the next morning her dead body and that of her new…born infant
were found half buried in the fresh…fallen snow on the top of the
wolds。 The 'white lady' is still supposed by the villagers to
haunt that side of the glen。 And so it went on。 A beautiful；
heartless Mervyn in Queen Anne's time enticed away the affections
of her sister's betrothed； and on the day of her own wedding with
him； her forsaken sister was found drowned by her own act in the
pond at the bottom of the garden。 Two brothers were soldiers
together in some Continental war； and one was involuntarily the
means of discovering and exposing the treason of the other。 A girl
was betrayed into a false marriage； and her life ruined by a man
who came into the house as her brother's friend； and whose infamous
designs were forwarded and finally accomplished by that same
brother's active though unsuspecting assistance。 Generation after
generation； men or women； guilty or innocent； through the action of
their own will or in spite of it； the curse has never yet failed of
its victims。〃
〃Never yet？ But surely in our own timeyour father？〃 I did not
dare to put the question which was burning my lips。
〃Have you never heard of the tragic end of my poor young uncles？〃
he replied。 〃They were several years older than my father。 When
boys of fourteen and fifteen they were sent out with the keeper for
their first shooting lesson； and the elder shot his brother through
the heart。 He himself was delicate； and they say that he never
entirely recovered from the shock。 He died before he was twenty；
and my father； then a child of seven years old； became the heir。
It was partly； no doubt； owing to this calamity having thus
occurred before he was old enough to feel it； that his comparative
skepticism on the whole subject was due。 To that I suppose； and to
the fact that he grew up in an age of railways and liberal
culture。〃
〃He didn't believe； then； in the curse？〃
〃Well； rather； he thought nothing about it。 Until； that is； the
time came when it took effect； to break his heart and end his
life。〃
〃How do you mean？〃
There was silence for a little。 Alan had turned away his head； so
that I could not see his face。 Then
〃I suppose you have never been told the true story of why Jack left
the country？〃
〃No。 Was heis he？〃
〃He is one victim of the curse in this generation； and I； God help
me； am the other； and perhaps more wretched one。〃
His voice trembled and broke； and for the first time that day I
almost forgot the mysterious horror of the night before； in my pity
for the actual； tangible suffering before me。 I stretched out my
hand to his； and his fingers closed