any one to get over it. It was constructed of severaltier of hewed timbers, and both sides of it were as smooth as glass.On the top, long spikes were thickly driven in, sharpened at both ends.It was surrounded on the outside by a deep wide moat, which was nearlyfilled with water. Over this moat was a draw-bridge, on the road leadingto the gate, which was drawn up, and John had the key.
The events of the past night, therefore, remained inscrutable. It mustbe that her aunt was the agent who had managed this extraordinarymachinery.
She found John at the house when she returned. "Does madam want anything to-day?" asked he. "Has my aunt returned?" enquired Melissa. "Notyet," he replied. "How long has she been gone?" she asked. "Four days,replied John, after counting his fingers, and she will not be back underfour or five more." "Has the key of the gate been constantly in yourpossession?" asked she. "The key of the gate and draw-bridge, hereplied, have not been out of my possession for a moment since your aunthas been gone." "Has any person been to enquire for me or my aunt, sheenquired, since I have been here?"--"No, madam, said he, not a singleperson." Melissa knew not what to think; she could not give up the ideaof false keys--perhaps her aunt had returned to her father's.--Perhapsthe draw-bridge had been let down, the gate opened, and the houseentered by means of false keys. Her father would as soon do this as toconfine her in this solitary place; and he would go all lengths toinduce her, either by terror, persuasion or threats, to relinquishAlonzo and marry Beauman.
A thought impressed her mind which gave her some consolation. It waspossible to secure the premises so that no person could enter even bythe aid of false keys. She asked John if he would assist her that day."In anything you wish, madam," he replied. She then directed him to goto work. Staples and iron bars were found in different parts of thebuilding, with which he secured the doors and windows, so that theycould be opened only on the inside. The gate, which swung in, wassecured in the same manner. She then asked John if he was willing toleave the key of the gate and the draw-bridge with her. "Perhaps I mayas well," said he; "for if you bar the gate and let down the bridge,I cannot get in myself until you let me in." John handed her the keys."When I come," said he, "I will halloo, and you must let me in." Thisshe promised to do, and John departed.[A]
[Footnote A: Of the place where Melissa was confined, as described in the foregoing pages, scarce a trace now remains. By the events of the revolution, the premises fell into other hands. The mansion, out houses and walls were torn down, the cemetery levelled, the moat filled up; the locusts and elm trees were cut down; all obstructions were removed, and the yard and garden converted into a beautiful meadow. An elegant farm-house is now erected on the place where John's hut then stood and the neighbourhood is thinly settled.]
* * * * *
That night Melissa let down the bridge, locked and barred the gate, andthe doors and windows of the house: she also went again over all partsof the building, strictly searching every place, though she was wellconvinced she should find nothing extraordinary. She then retired to herchamber, seated herself at a western window, and watched the slowdeclining sun, as it leisurely sunk behind the lofty groves. Pensivetwilight spread her misty mantle over the landscape; the western horizonglowed with the spangles of evening. Deepening glooms advanced. The lastbeam of day faded from the view, and the world was enveloped in night.The owl hooted solemnly in the forest, and the whippoorwill sungcheerfully in the garden. Innumerable stars glittered in the firmament,intermingling their quivering lustre with the pale splendours of themilky way.
Melissa did not retire from the window until late; she then shut it andwithdrew within the room. She determined not to go to bed that night. Ifshe was to be visited by beings, material or immaterial, she chose notagain to encounter them in darkness, or to be surprised when she wasasleep. But why should she fear? She knew of none she had displeasedexcept her father, her aunt and Beauman. If by any of those the lateterrifying scenes had been wrought, she had now effectually precluded arecurrence thereof, for she was well convinced that no human being couldnow enter the enclosure without her permission. But if supernaturalagents had been the actors, what had she to fear from them? The nightpassed away without any alarming circumstances, and when daylightappeared she flung herself upon the bed, and slept until the morning wasconsiderably advanced. She now felt convinced that her formerconjectures were right; that it was her aunt, her father, or both, whohad caused the alarming sounds she had heard, a repetition of which hadonly been prevented by the precautions she had taken.
When she awoke, the horizon was overclouded, and it began to rain. Itcontinued to rain until towards evening, when it cleared away. She wentto the gate, and found all things as she had left them: She returned,fastened the doors as usual, examined all parts of the house, and againwent to her chamber.
She sat up until a late hour, when growing very drowsy, and convincedthat she was safe and secure, she went to bed; leaving, however, twocandles burning in the room. As she, for two nights, had been deprivedof her usual rest, she soon fell into a slumber.
She had not long been asleep before she was suddenly aroused by theapparent report of a pistol, seemingly discharged close to her head.Awakened so instantaneously, her recollection, for a time, was confusedand imperfect. She was only sensible of a strong, sulphureous scent: butshe soon remembered that she had left two candles burning, and everyobject was now shrouded in darkness. This alarmed her exceedingly. Whatcould have become of the candles? They must have been blown out or takenaway. What was the sound she had just heard?----What the sulphureousstench which had pervaded the room?----While she was thus musing inperplexity, a broad flash like lightning, transiently illuminated thechamber, followed by a long, loud, and deep roar, which seemed to shakethe building to its centre. It did not appear like thunder; the soundsseemed to be in the rooms directly over her head. Perhaps, however,it was thunder.
Perhaps a preceding clap had struck near the building, broken thewindows, put out the lights, and filled the house with the electriceffluvium. She listened for a repetition of the thunder--but a verydifferent sound soon grated on her ear. A hollow, horrible groan echoedthrough her apartment, passing off in a faint dying murmur. It wasevident that the groan proceeded from some person in the chamber.Melissa raised herself up in the bed; a tall white form moved from theupper end of the room, glided slowly by her bed, and seemed to pass offnear the foot. She then heard the doors below alternately open and shut,slapping furiously, and in quick succession, followed by violent noisesin the rooms below, like the falling of heavy bodies and the crash offurniture. Clamorous voices succeeded, among which she could distinguishboisterous menaces and threatenings, and the plaintive tone ofexpostulation.--A momentary silence ensued, when the cry of "_Murder!murder! murder!!_" echoed through the building, followed by the reportof a pistol, and shortly after, the groans of a person apparently in theagonies of death, which grew fainter and fainter until it died away in aseemingly expiring gasp. A dead silence prevailed for a few minutes, towhich a loud hoarse peal of ghastly laughter succeeded--then again allwas still. But she soon heard heavy footsteps ascending the stairs toher chamber door. It was now she became terrified and alarmed beyond anyformer example.----"Gracious heaven, defend me! she exclaimed; what am Icoming to!" Knowing that every avenue to the enclosure was effectuallysecured; knowing that all the doors and windows of the house, as alsothat which opened into her chamber, were fast locked, strictly boltedand barred; and knowing that all the keys were in her possession, shecould not entertain the least doubt but the noises she had heard wereproduced by supernatural beings, and, she had reason to believe, of themost mischievous nature. She was now convinced that her father or heraunt could have no agency in the business. She even wished her aunt hadreturned. It must be exceedingly difficult to cross the moat, as thedraw bridge was up; it must be still more difficult to surpass the wallof the enclosure; it was impossible for any human being to enter thehouse, and still more impossible to enter
her chamber.
While she lay thus ruminating in extreme agitation, momentarilyexpecting to have her ears assailed with some terrific sound, a palelight dimly illuminated her chamber. It grew brighter. She raisedherself up to look towards the door;--the first object which met hereye, was a most horrible form, standing at a little distance from herbedside. Its appearance was tall and robust, wrapped in a tattered whiterobe, spotted with blood. The hair of its head was matted with clottedgore. A deep wound appeared to have pierced its breast, from which freshblood flowed down its garment. Its pale face was gashed and gory! itseyes fixed, glazed, and glaring;--its lips open, its teeth set, and inits hand was a bloody dagger.
Melissa, uttering a shriek of terror, shrunk into the bed, and in aninstant the room was involved in pitchy darkness. A freezing ague