CHAPTER XV
_Showing the pranks played in the Haunted House by the two Skeletons._
When Mrs. Belmont awoke from the swoon into which she had fallen, atsight of the terrible apparition which had visited her, daylight wasshining through the windows of her chamber. She immediately recalled tomind the events of the preceding night, and resolved to remove withoutdelay from a house which was troubled with such fearful visitants.
Her maid Susan soon entered, to assist her in dressing; and she learnedthat the girl had neither seen nor heard anything of a mysterious orghostly nature, during the night. But when the lady related what _she_had seen, the terror of poor Susan knew no bounds, and she declared herdetermination not to sleep alone in the house another night.
While at breakfast, a visitor was announced, who proved to be thelandlord, Mr. Hedge. The old gentleman entered with many apologies forhis intrusion, and said--
'To confess the truth, my dear madam, I am anxious to learn how youpassed the night. Were you disturbed by any of the goblins or spectreswhich are supposed to haunt the house?'
Julia related everything which had occurred, and Mr. Hedge expressedgreat astonishment and concern.
'It is singular--very singular, and fearful,' said he musingly--'aterrible blot seems to rest upon this house; I must abandon the hope ofever having it occupied, as I presume you now desire to remove from it,as a matter of course?'
'Such _was_ my intention,' replied Julia, 'but you will be surprisedwhen I assure you that within the last hour I have changed my mind, andam now resolved to remain here. To me there is a charm in mystery, evenwhen that mystery, as in the present instance, is fraught with terror. Ithink I need entertain no apprehension of receiving personal injury fromthese ghostly night-walkers, for if they wished to harm me, they couldhave done so last night. Hereafter, my maid shall sleep in my chamberwith me; I shall place a dagger under my pillow, with which to defendmyself in case of any attempted injury or outrage--and I shall await thecoming of my spectral friend with feelings of mingled dread andpleasure.'
'I am delighted to hear you say so,' rejoined the old gentleman, as hesurveyed the animated countenance and fine form of the courageous womanwith admiration. In truth, Julia looked very charming that morning; shewas dressed in voluptuous _dishabille_, which partially revealed a bustwhose luxurious fullness and exquisite symmetry are rarely equalled bythe divine creations of the sculptor's art.
'She is very beautiful,' thought the old gentleman; and the sluggishcurrent of his blood began to course thro' his veins with something ofthe ardor of youth.
Mr. Hedge was a wealthy old bachelor;--and like the majority ofindividuals, who belong to that class, he adored pretty women, but hadalways adored them _at a distance_. To him, woman was a divinity; hebowed at her shrine, but dared not presume to taste the nectar of herlips, or inhale the perfume of her sighs. He had always regarded suchfamiliarity as a type of sacrilege. But now, seated _tete-a-tete_ withthat charming creature, and feasting his eyes upon her voluptuousbeauty, his awe of the divinity merged into a burning admiration of thewoman.
Julia knew that Mr. Hedge was rich. 'He admires me,' thought she,--'heis old, but wealthy; I will try to fascinate him, and if he desires meto become either his wife or mistress, I will consent, for a connectionwith him would be to my pecuniary advantage.'
And she _did_ fascinate him, as much by her sparkling wit and gracefuldiscourse, as by her charms of person. She related to him a verypleasing little fiction entirely the offspring of her own fertileimagination, which purported to be a history of her own past life. Shestated that she was the widow of an English gentleman; she had recentlycome to America, and had but few acquaintances, and still fewer friends;she felt the loneliness of her situation, and admitted that she muchdesired a friend to counsel and protect her; the adroit adventuressconcluded her extemporaneous romance by adroitly insinuating that herincome was scarcely adequate to her respectable maintenance.
Mr. Hedge listened attentively to this narrative, and religiouslybelieved every word of it. While the lady was speaking, he had drawn hischair close to hers, and taken one of her small, delicate hands in his.We must do him the justice to observe, that though her beauty hadinspired him with passion, he nevertheless sincerely sympathised withher on account of her pretended misfortunes--and, supposing her to bestrictly virtuous, he entertained not the slightest wish to takeadvantage of her unprotected situation.
'My dear young lady,' said he--'although I have known you but a veryshort time, I have become exceedingly interested in you. I am an oldman--old enough to be your father; and as a father I now speak toyou.--What I am about to say, might seem impertinent and offensive in ayoung man, but you will pardon it in me. You have unconscientiouslydropped a hint touching the insufficiency of your income to maintain youas a lady should be maintained. I am rich--deign to accept from me as agift--or as a loan, if you will--this scrap of paper; 'tis valueless tome, for I have more money than I need. The gift--or loan--shall berepeated as often as your necessities require it.'
He squeezed a bank-note into her hand--and when she, with affectedearnestness, desired him to take it back, assuring him that she neededno immediate pecuniary aid, he insisted that she should retain it; andshortly afterwards he arose and took his leave, having easily obtainedpermission to call upon her the next day.
'Egad, she would make me a charming wife--if she would only have me,'thought the old gentleman, as he left the house.
'Five hundred dollars!' exclaimed Julia, as she examined the bank-notewhich he had given her--'how liberal! I have fairly entrapped the sillyold man; he is too honorable to propose that I should become hismistress, and he will probably offer me his hand in marriage. I willaccept him at once--and to avoid detection, I shall remove with myvenerable husband to Boston, which I have heard is a charming city,where a woman of fashion and intrigue can lead a glorious and brilliantcareer.'
That night she retired early to rest, and her maid Susan shared herchamber--an arrangement highly satisfactory to the abigail, who was gladof company in a house where ghosts were in the habit of perambulatingduring the night.
Neither mistress nor maid closed an eye in slumber--but midnight came,and they had not seen nor heard anything of a ghostly nature. Yetstrange events were taking place in the house,--events which will throwlight upon the fearful mysteries of the place.
It was about an hour after midnight, when a large stone among those ofwhich the foundation of the house was built, turned slowly upon pivots,revealing an aperture in the wall, and at the same instant the glare ofa lantern shone into the cellar.
From the aperture emerged two persons of frightful appearance, one ofwhom carried the lantern; they were both dressed in tight-fittinggarments of black cloth, upon which was daubed in white paint the figureof a skeleton; and each of their faces had been blacked, and then drawnover with the representation of a skull. Seen by an imperfect light,they exactly resembled two skeletons.
'By Jesus!' exclaimed one of them, in a tone which was anything buthollow or sepulchral--'let's put for the pantry and see what there is to_ate_, for be the powers I'm starved wid hunger!'
'That's the talk, Bloody Mike--- so we will,' responded the otherworthy, who was no other than our old friend Ragged Pete, though hisnearest relatives would never have recognized him in the disguise hethen wore.
Mike and Pete ascended to the pantry, and began a diligent search afterprovisions.
'Glory to ould Ireland, here's grand illigant ham!' exclaimed the firstmentioned individual, as he dragged from a shelf a large dish containingthe article he had named.
'And blow me tight if here isn't a cold turkey and a pan of pudding,'rejoined Pete, whose researches had also been crowned with success.
'Faith, it's ourselves, Peter, dear, that'll have a supper fit for thebishop of Cork, an' that's a big word,' remarked Mike, as hetriumphantly placed upon a table the savory viands above mentioned, and'fell to' with surpassing vigor, an example in which he w
as followed byhis comrade.
'This playing the ghost is a good business, by jingo!' said Pete, withhis mouth full of ham.
'True for ye!' replied the Irish skeleton, his articulation renderedindistinct by the masses of turkey which were fast travelling down histhroat to his capacious stomach.
The repast was not finished until they had devoured every atom of theprovisions; and then Pete went in quest of something to 'wash thewittles down with,' as he expressed it.
Upon a sideboard in the adjoining room he found wines and liquors ofexcellent quality, which he and his companion were soon engaged indiscussing, with as much ease and comfort as if they were jointproprietors of the whole concern.
The two gentlemen grew quite cosey and confidential over their wine, andas their conversation mainly referred to matters in which the readerperhaps feels an interest, we shall so far intrude upon their privacy asto report the same.
'I've news to tell you, Mike,' said Pete--'the Dead Man has somehow orother found out that the lady who moved into this house yesterday, isthe wife of Mr. Sydney, the rich chap that he hates so infernally 'causehe had him arrested once. Well, you know that last night some one cutthe ropes that hoists the platform from the Vaults, so that the Dead Manfell and came nigh breaking his neck; and as it is, he's so awfullybruised that he won't have the use of his limbs for some time tocome--besides, he fell into the sewers, and would have been drowned, ifI hadn't heerd him, and dragged him out. The chap wot played him thattrick was this same Sydney; for a note was found this morning in Anthonystreet crib, bragging about it, and signed with his name. Now it seemsthat his wife that lives in this house, and who we are trying to skeerout of it, as we have done all the others that ever lived here--it seemsthat _she_ hates Sydney like thunder and wants to be revenged on him forsomething--and that the Dead Man found that out, too. So 'our boss'thinks he'll try and set up a partnership with this Mrs. Belmont, as shecalls herself--and with her aid he calculates to get Mr. Sydney into hispower. If the lady and him sets up business together, our services asghosts won't be wanted any longer; and I'm very sorry for it, becausewe've had glorious times in this house, frightening people, and makingthem believe the place was haunted.'
As this long harangue rendered Pete thirsty, he extinguished hiseloquence for a few moments in a copious draught of choice Burgundy.
'That row at Pat Mulligan's last night was a divilish nate affair,'remarked Mike.
'Yes,' said Pete--'and we all got bundled off to the watch-house; butthe Captain let me go--he always does, because I vote for his party.After I got clear, I came here, wrapped in a great sheet, and went upinto Mrs. Belmont's chamber; after frightening the poor woman almost todeath, I goes up to the bed, puts my hand on her face, and tells herthat she'd see me agin--whereupon she gives a great shriek, and I cut mypuck through the hole in the cellar.'
'Be the powers,' remarked Bloody Mike--'it's a great convenienceentirely, to have thim sacret passages from the Vault into intarior ofhouses; there's two of thim, one under the crib in Anthony street, andthe other under this dacent house in _Rade_ street.'
'Yes, you're right,' said Pete--'but come, let's do our business and beoff--it's near three o'clock.'
The two worthies mounted the stairs with noiseless steps, and pausingbefore Mrs. Belmont's chamber, Ragged Pete gave utterance to an awfulgroan. A stifled shriek from the interior of the room convinced them theinmates were awake and terribly frightened.
Pete's groan was followed by a violent _hiccuping_ on the part of BloodyMike--for, to confess the truth, that convivial gentleman had imbibed sofreely that he was, in vulgar parlance, most essentially drunk.
'Stop that infernal noise, and follow me into the room,' whispered Pete,who, having confined himself to wine instead of brandy, wascomparatively sober.
'Lade on, I'm after ye!' roared the Irish skeleton. Pete, finding thedoor locked gave it a tremendous kick, and it burst open with a loudcrash.
Julia and her maid screamed with horror and affright, as they beheld twohideous forms resembling skeletons come rushing into the room.
Ragged Pete advanced to the bedside of Mrs. Belmont, and threw himselfinto an approved pugilistic attitude, as if challenging that lady totake a 'set to' with him; while Bloody Mike stumbled over the prostrateform of the lady's maid, who occupied a temporary bed upon the floor.Forgetting his assumed part, he yelled out for something to drink, andforthwith began to sing in tones of thunder, the pathetic Hibernianballad commencing with--
'A sayman courted a farmer's daughter, That lived convenient to the Isle of Man.'
'The devil!--you'll spoil all,' muttered Pete, as he seized Mike, andwith difficulty dragged him from the room. 'Ain't you a nice skeleton,to get drunk and sing love songs,' he whispered contemptuously, pullinghis inebriated comrade downstairs after him: 'No dacent ghost ever getsas corn'd as you be,' he added, as they entered the 'hole in the wall;'after which the stone was turned into its place, which it fitted soexactly, that the most critical eye could not have discovered anythingto indicate that it had ever been moved at all.
Mrs. Belmont was now fully satisfied in her own mind that there wasnothing supernatural about the nocturnal intruders, but that they werein reality substantial flesh and blood, and though she could not divinehow they had entered the house, she was much relieved and comforted bythe assurance that it was with _living_ men she had to deal--aconviction which was amply confirmed the next morning, when the havocdone to the eatables and drinkables was announced to her by theindignant Susan.
In the afternoon Mr. Hedge called upon her as appointed, and dined withhis interesting and fascinating tenant.
After dinner, Julia caused the sofa to be wheeled in front of theglorious fire which glowed in the grate (for the weather was intenselycold) and seating herself, invited the old gentleman to place himself ather side.
Then she exerted all her fine powers of discourse to increase hisadmiration, and draw from him a declaration of love, and an offer ofmarriage.
Wine was brought in, and gradually their spirits became enlivened by thesparkling genii of the grape. The old man felt the fires of youthcareering through his veins, and his withered cheek was suffused with aflush of passion.
'Beautiful Julia,' said he--'I observe that you have a magnificentpiano; will you favor me with an air?'
She smiled an assent, and her aged admirer conducted her to theinstrument with the most ceremonious politeness. After a brilliantprelude, executed with artistic delicacy and skill, she dashed off intoa superb Italian air, which raised her listener (who was passionatelydevoted to music,) into the seventh heaven of ecstasy.
'Glorious!--grand!' were his exclamations of delight, when she hadfinished the air and she needed no urgent persuasion to induce her tofavor him with another.
Artfully and admirably did she compose an extempore song, adapted toimmediate circumstances, beginning--'I love no vain and fickle youth,'and beautifully depicting the love of a young woman for a man advancedin years. She sung it with a most touching air, and threw into hercountenance and style an expression of melting tenderness.
Ere she had terminated, the old gentleman was kneeling at her feet; andpressing her fair hand to his lips.
'Divine creature,' he murmured--'can you pardon the presumption andfoolishness of an old man, who dares to love you? Your beauty and yourfascinations have conquered and bewildered me. I know that the proposalcoming from me, is madness--I know that you will reject my suit withdisdain--yet hear me Julia; I am an old, rich and solitary man--I needsome gentle ray of sunshine to gild my few remaining years--I need somebeautiful creature, like yourself, to preside over my gloomy household,and cheer me in my loneliness by her delightful society and the music ofher voice. Boundless wealth shall be at your command; no restraint shallever be placed upon the number of your servants, the splendor of yourcarriages and equipages, the costliness of your jewels; and themagnificence of your amusements. Speak--and seal my destiny.'
And Julia _did_ spea
k, and became the affianced wife of Mr. Hedge. Heroperations thus far had been crowned with triumphant success.
It was arranged that their marriage should take as privately as possiblein one month, from that day.--Julia suggested that, immediately aftertheir union, they should remove to Boston, and take up their permanentresidence in that city, to which proposal the old gentleman gave acheerful consent.
'And if you have no objection, my dear Julia,' said he, 'we will beunited by Dr. Sinclair, the young and excellent rector of St. Paul's, towhich church I belong.'
Julia signified her compliance with the arrangement. She had both seenand admired the young rector, and thought him handsome--very handsome.
Previous to Mr. Hedge's departure that evening, he presented her with alarge sum of money, to defray, he said, the expenses necessary to beincurred in her preparations for the marriage. Then the enamored oldgentleman kissed her hand, and took his leave.
When he was gone, Julia abandoned herself to the pleasing thoughtsengendered by her present brilliant prospects. While in the midst ofthese agreeable meditations, she was interrupted by the sound of afootstep behind her; and turning, she beheld a man of an aspect sohideous and revolting, that she screamed with terror.
'Hush! be silent, madam--I mean you no harm,' said the man, as he closedthe door, and seated himself at her side upon the sofa. Julia gazed onhim with surprise and dread. His face, which at best was the mostloathsome and horrible ever worn by man, was mangled and bruised as ifby some severe and terrible injury; he moved with evident pain anddifficulty, and carried one of his arms in a sling.
'Our interview shall be brief, and to the point,' said the mysteriousvisitor. 'I am he who is called the _Dead Man_, and I am not disposed toquarrel with the title, for I like it.--You and your history are knownto me; it matters not how I obtained my information; you are styled Mrs.Belmont, a widow--but you are the discarded wife of Francis Sydney, andhalf an hour ago you engaged yourself in marriage to Mr. Hedge, theowner of this house.'
Julia started with alarm, for she felt that she was in the power of thatterrible man.
'What is the object of your visit?' she asked.
'Listen and you shall know. I have a secret subterranean cavern whichcommunicates with the cellar of this building, and 'twas by that means Ientered the house to-night. Myself and friends often find it convenientto carry stolen goods through this house into our den; and in order tohave the place all to ourselves, we have heretofore frightened away thepeople who have come here to live; thus the house is reputed to behaunted. 'Twas our design to frighten you away, also; but havingdiscovered _who and what you are_, I've concluded to explain themystery, and set up a copartnership with you.'
'And in what business can _we_ possibly be connected together?' askedJulia, with ill-concealed disgust.
'In the business of _vengeance_!' thundered the Dead Man, foaming withrage. 'Tell me, woman--do you hate Sydney?'
'I do!--and would sell my soul to be revenged upon him,' she repliedwith flashing eyes.
'Enough!' cried the other, with triumphant joy--'I knew you would joinme in my plan of vengeance. Now, madam, from this moment we arefriends--_partners_, rather let me say--and there's my hand upon it.'And he gripped her hand almost fiercely, while she shuddered at theawful contact. It seemed as if she were touching a corpse.
'Hereafter,' continued the miscreant,--'you shall rest at night securelyin this house, undisturbed by pretended ghosts. Do you see these woundsand bruises?--for them I am indebted to Sydney; my wife is a ragingmaniac, and I am also indebted to him for _that_--and by eternal hell!when I get him in my power, he shall die by inches; he shall sufferevery slow torture which my ingenuity can devise; his brain shall burn,and when death shall end his torments, I have sworn to eat his heart;and by G----, _I'll do it_!'
'But how will you get him into your power?' asked Julia, delighted withthe prospect of revenging herself upon poor Frank.
'I will contrive some means of deluding him into this house; and once inhere, he shall never again behold the light of day,' replied the DeadMan, as he arose to withdraw.
'Stay a moment,' said Julia, with some embarrassment--'there is also acolored man in Sydney's house, and--'
'I know it--he shall be liberated,' interrupted the Dead Man, andadded--'you shall see me again to-morrow--farewell.'
He left the room, descended to the cellar, and passed through the secretpassage to the Dark Vaults.
That night at about the hour of twelve, the dark figure of a man crossedthe garden in the rear of Frank Sydney's house, and approached the irondoor of the wine-vault wherein Nero, the African, was imprisoned. By theaid of skeleton keys he unlocked the door, and bade the prisoner comeforth.
The negro obeyed, surprised and delighted at his unexpected deliverance.
'To whom am I indebted for this friendly act?' he asked.
'I have no time to answer questions,' replied the Dead Man, for it washe. 'Hasten to your mistress at No.--Reade street, and remember yourmotto as well as mine must be--'Vengeance on Sydney!''
'Yes--vengeance on Sydney,' muttered the black, from between hisclenched teeth, as he hurried away in the direction of Reade street.
'He will be another agent to assist me in torturing my enemy,' said theDead Man to himself, as he bent his rapid footsteps towards the DarkVaults.
Nero soon reached the residence of Mrs. Belmont, in Reade street. He wasadmitted into the house by Susan, who informed him that her mistress hadnot yet retired. The black quickly mounted the stairs, and entering theroom, was about to rush forward and clasp the lady in his arms, when shechecked him by a movement of disgust, desired him not to approach her,and pointing to a chair in a distant corner, coldly requested him toseat himself there.
Why did that unprincipled and licentious woman thus repulse the formerpartner of her guilty joys--he who had so long been the recipient of herfavors, and the object of her unhallowed love? Was it because he wasemaciated, filthy and in rags, the results of his long imprisonment in aloathsome dungeon? No--that was not the reason of her repulsing him.
Julia was a woman wildly capricious in her nature; she was a creature ofsudden impulses--her most passionate love would often instantly changeto bitterest hate. In this instance, her love for the African hadentirely and forever ceased, and she now viewed him with contemptuousdisgust, wondering that she could ever have had such a _penchant_ forhim.
''Tis strange,' she thought, 'that I ever could descend to an intriguewith that vile negro. Heavens! I loathe the very sight of him!'
Nero, on his part, was astounded at this unexpected reception; he hadanticipated a night of voluptuous bliss with his former paramour, and hecould not divine the cause of her sudden rejection of him.
'My dear Julia, why this coldness?--what have I done to offend you?' hedemanded, after a short pause.
'Presume not to call me _your dear Julia_, fellow,' she repliedscornfully. 'You have done nothing to offend me, but the days of ourfamiliarity are over. The liberties which I permitted you to take, andthe indulgences which I formerly granted to you, can never be repeated.I will not condescend to explain myself farther than to remark, that allmy former regard for you has ceased, and I now view you not only withindifference, but with positive dislike. I procured your liberation fromthat dungeon merely because it was on my account you were placed there.You can, if you choose, re-enter my service as footman, and your wagesshall be the same as those of any other servant of your class; butremember--henceforth I am the mistress, and you the menial, and anypresumption on your part, or attempt at familiarity, shall be instantlyfollowed by your discharge. Clean yourself of that filth, and begin yourduties to-morrow, as a respectful, orderly and obedient servant. You cango now.'
Nero left the room, humbled and crest-fallen, inwardly resolved torevenge himself upon that proud and abandoned woman, should theopportunity ever present itself.
Gentlest of readers, we now invite thee to accompany us to view otherscenes and other character
s in our grand drama of human life, and itsmany crimes.