where the spreading roots of a great beech…tree formed a natural
resting place upon the steep side of the ravine； I took my seat；
and Alan stretched himself upon the grass beside me。 Then looking
up at me〃I do not know what questions you would ask；〃 he said；
quietly； 〃but I will answer them； whatever they may be。〃
But I did not ask them yet。 I sat instead with my hands clasping
my knee； looking opposite at the glory of harmonious color； or down
the glen at the vista of far…off； dream…like loveliness； on which
it opened out。 The yellow autumn sunshine made everything golden；
the fresh autumn breezes filled the air with life； but to me a
loathsome shadow seemed to rest upon all； and to stretch itself out
far beyond where my eyes could reach； befouling the beauty of the
whole wide world。 At last I spoke。 〃You have known of it all； I
suppose； of this curse that is in the world；sin and suffering；
and what such words mean。〃
〃Yes；〃 he said； looking at me with wondering pity； 〃I am afraid
so。〃
〃But have you known them as they are known to some；agonized；
hopeless suffering； and sin that is all but inevitable？ Some time
in your life probably you have realized that such things are： it
has come home to you； and to every one else； no doubt； except a few
ignorant girls such as I was yesterday。 But there are some；yes；
thousands and thousands；who even now； at this moment； are feeling
sorrow like that； are sinking deep； deeper into the bottomless pit
of their soul's degradation。 And yet men who know this； who have
seen it； laugh； talk； are happy； amuse themselveshow can they；
how can they？〃 I stopped with a catch in my voice； and then
stretching out my arms in front of me〃And it is not only men。
Look how beautiful the earth is； and God has made it； and lets the
sun crown it every day with a new glory； while this horror of evil
broods over and poisons it all。 Oh； why is it so？ I cannot
understand it。〃
My arms drooped again as I finished； and my eyes sought Alan's。
His were full of tears； but there was almost a smile quivering at
the corners of his lips as he replied： 〃When you have found an
answer to that question； Evie； come and tell me and mankind at
large： it will be news to us all。〃 Then he continued〃But； after
all； the earth is beautiful； and the sun does shine： we have our
own happiness to rejoice in； our own sorrows to bear； the suffering
that is near to us to grapple with。 For the rest； for this
blackness of evil which surrounds us； and which we can do nothing
to lighten； it will soon； thank God； become vague and far off to
you as it is to others： your feeling of it will be dulled； and；
except at moments； you too will forget。〃
〃But that is horrible；〃 I exclaimed； passionately； 〃the evil will
be there all the same； whether I feel it or not。 Men and women
will be struggling in their misery and sin； only I shall be too
selfish to care。〃
〃We cannot go outside the limits of our own nature；〃 he replied；
〃our knowledge is shallow and our spiritual insight dark； and God
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
w