Theservanthurriedtoobey，andinabouthalf-an-hourthecarriagewasatthedoor，andJacque，havingdirectedthecoachmantodrivetoB——n，asmalltownataboutthedistanceoftwelvemiles——thenearestpoint，however，atwhichpost-horsescouldbeobtained——
　　steppedintothevehicle，whichaccordinglyquittedthecastleimmediately。
　　Althoughitwasafinemoonlightnight，thecarriagemadeitswaybutveryslowly，andafterthelapseoftwohoursthetravellershadarrivedatapointabouteightmilesfromthecastle，atwhichtheroadstrikesthroughadesolateandheathyflat，slopingupdistantlyateithersideintobleakundulatoryhills，inwhosemonotonoussweeptheimaginationbeholdstheheavingofsomedarksluggishsea，arrestedinitsfirstcommotionbysomepreternaturalpower。Itisagloomyanddivestedspot；
　　thereisneithertreenorhabitationnearit；
　　itsmonotonyisunbroken，exceptbyhereandtherethegreyfrontofarockpeeringabovetheheath，andtheeffectisrenderedyetmoredrearyandspectralbytheexaggeratedandmistyshadowswhichthemooncastsalongtheslopingsidesofthehills。
　　Whentheyhadgainedaboutthecentreofthistract，Carlton，thecoachman，wassurprisedtoseeafigurestandingatsomedistanceinadvance，immediatelybesidetheroad，andstillmoresowhen，oncomingup，heobservedthatitwasnootherthanJacquewhomhebelievedtobeatthatmomentquietlyseatedinthecarriage；thecoachmandrewup，andnoddingtohim，thelittlevaletexclaimed：
　　’Carlton，Ihavegotthestartofyou；
　　theroadsareheavy，soIshalleventakecareofmyselftherestoftheway。Doyoumakeyourwaybackasbestyoucan，andIshallfollowmyownnose。’
　　Sosaying，hechuckedapurseintothelapofthecoachman，andturningoffatarightanglewiththeroad，hebegantomoverapidlyawayinthedirectionofthedarkridgethatloweredinthedistance。
　　Theservantwatchedhimuntilhewaslostintheshadowyhazeofnight；andneitherhenoranyoftheinmatesofthecastlesawJacqueagain。Hisdisappearance，asmighthavebeenexpected，didnotcauseanyregretamongtheservantsanddependantsatthecastle；andLadyArdaghdidnotattempttoconcealherdelight；
　　butwithSirRobertmattersweredifferent，fortwoorthreedayssubsequenttothiseventheconfinedhimselftohisroom，andwhenhedidreturntohisordinaryoccupations，itwaswithagloomyindifference，whichshowedthathedidsomorefromhabitthanfromanyinteresthefeltinthem。Heappearedfromthatmomentunaccountablyandstrikinglychanged，andthenceforwardwalkedthroughlifeasathingfromwhichhecouldderiveneitherprofitnorpleasure。Histemper，however，sofarfromgrowingwaywardormorose，became，thoughgloomy，very——
　　almostunnaturally——placidandcold；buthisspiritstotallyfailed，andhegrewsilentandabstracted。
　　Thesesombrehabitsofmind，asmighthavebeenanticipated，verymateriallyaffectedthegayhouse-keepingofthecastle；andthedarkandmelancholyspiritofitsmasterseemedtohavecommunicateditselftotheverydomestics，almosttotheverywallsofthemansion。
　　Severalyearsrolledoninthisway，andthesoundsofmirthandwassailhadlongbeenstrangerstothecastle，whenSirRobertrequestedhislady，tohergreatastonishment，toinvitesometwentyorthirtyoftheirfriendstospendtheChristmas，whichwasfastapproaching，atthecastle。LadyArdaghgladlycomplied，andhersisterMary，whostillcontinuedunmarried，andLadyD——wereofcourseincludedintheinvitations。LadyArdaghhadrequestedhersisterstosetforwardasearlyaspossible，inorderthatshemightenjoyalittleoftheirsocietybeforethearrivaloftheotherguests；
　　andincompliancewiththisrequesttheyleftDublinalmostimmediatelyuponreceivingtheinvitation，alittlemorethanaweekbeforethearrivalofthefestivalwhichwastobetheperiodatwhichthewholepartyweretomuster。
　　Forexpedition’ssakeitwasarrangedthattheyshouldpost，whileLadyD——’sgroomwastofollowwithherhorses，shetakingwithherselfherownmaidandonemaleservant。Theyleftthecitywhenthedaywasconsiderablyspent，andconsequentlymadebutthreestagesinthefirstday；uponthesecond，atabouteightintheevening，theyhadreachedthetownofK——k，distantaboutfifteenmilesfromCastleArdagh。Here，owingtoMissF——d’sgreatfatigue，shehavingbeenforaconsiderabletimeinaverydelicatestateofhealth，itwasdeterminedtoputupforthenight。They，accord-
　　ingly，tookpossessionofthebestsitting-
　　roomwhichtheinncommanded，andLadyD——remainedinittodirectandurgethepreparationsforsomerefreshment，whichthefatiguesofthedayhadrenderednecessary，whileheryoungersisterretiredtoherbed-chambertorestthereforalittletime，astheparlourcommandednosuchluxuryasasofa。
　　MissF——dwas，asIhavealreadystated，atthistimeinverydelicatehealth；
　　anduponthisoccasiontheexhaustionoffatigue，andthedrearybadnessoftheweather，combinedtodepressherspirits。
　　LadyD——hadnotbeenleftlongtoherself，whenthedoorcommunicatingwiththepassagewasabruptlyopened，andhersisterMaryenteredinastateofgreatagitation；shesatdownpaleandtremblingupononeofthechairs，anditwasnotuntilacopiousfloodoftearshadrelievedher，thatshebecamesufficientlycalmtorelatethecauseofherexcitementanddistress。Itwassimplythis。Almostimmediatelyuponlyingdownuponthebedshesankintoafeverishandunrefreshingslumber；imagesofallgrotesqueshapesandstartlingcoloursflittedbeforehersleepingfancywithalltherapidityandvarietyofthechangesinakaleidoscope。
　　Atlength，asshedescribedit，amistseemedtointerposeitselfbetweenhersightandtheever-shiftingscenerywhichsportedbeforeherimagination，andoutofthiscloudyshadowgraduallyemergedafigurewhosebackseemedturnedtowardsthesleeper；itwasthatofalady，who，inperfectsilence，wasexpressingasfaraspantomimicgesturecould，bywringingherhands，andthrowingherheadfromsidetoside，inthemannerofonewhoisexhaustedbytheoverindulgence，bytheverysicknessandimpatienceofgrief；theextremityofmisery。Foralongtimeshesoughtinvaintocatchaglimpseofthefaceoftheapparition，whothusseemedtostirandlivebeforeher。
　　Butatlengththefigureseemedtomovewithanairofauthority，asifabouttogivedirectionstosomeinferior，andindoingso，itturneditsheadsoastodisplay，withaghastlydistinctness，thefeaturesofLadyArdagh，paleasdeath，withherdarkhairalldishevelled，andhereyesdimandsunkenwithweeping。
　　TherevulsionoffeelingwhichMissF——dexperiencedatthisdisclosure——
　　foruptothatpointshehadcontemplatedtheappearanceratherwithasenseofcuriosityandofinterest，thanofanythingdeeper——wassohorrible，thattheshockawokeherperfectly。Shesatupinthebed，andlookedfearfullyaroundtheroom，whichwasimperfectlylightedbyasinglecandleburningdimly，asifshealmostexpectedtoseetherealityofherdreadfulvisionlurkinginsomecornerofthechamber。Herfearswere，however，verified，thoughnotinthewaysheexpected；yetinamannersufficientlyhorrible——forshehadhardlytimetobreatheandtocollectherthoughts，whensheheard，orthoughtsheheard，thevoiceofhersister，LadyArdagh，sometimessobbingviolently，andsometimesalmostshriekingasifinterror，andcallinguponherandLadyD——，withthemostimploringearnestnessofdespair，forGod’ssaketolosenotimeincomingtoher。Allthiswassohorriblydistinct，thatitseemedasifthemournerwasstandingwithinafewyardsofthespotwhereMissF——dlay。Shesprangfromthebed，andleavingthecandleintheroombehindher，shemadeherwayinthedarkthroughthepassage，thevoicestillfollowingher，untilasshearrivedatthedoorofthesitting-roomitseemedtodieawayinlowsobbing。
　　AssoonasMissF——dwastolerablyrecovered，shedeclaredherdeterminationtoproceeddirectly，andwithoutfurtherlossoftime，toCastleArdagh。ItwasnotwithoutmuchdifficultythatLadyD——atlengthprevaileduponhertoconsenttoremainwheretheythenwere，untilmorningshouldarrive，whenitwastobeexpectedthattheyoungladywouldbemuchrefreshedbyatleastremainingquietforthenight，eventhoughsleepwereoutofthequestion。LadyD——
　　wasconvinced，fromthenervousandfeverishsymptomswhichhersisterexhibited，thatshehadalreadydonetoomuch，andwasmorethaneversatisfiedofthenecessityofprosecutingthejourneynofurtheruponthatday。Aftersometimeshepersuadedhersistertoreturntoherroom，wheresheremainedwithheruntilshehadgonetobed，andappearedcomparativelycomposed。LadyD——
　　thenreturnedtotheparlour，andnotfindingherselfsleepy，sheremainedsittingbythefire。Hersolitudewasasecondtimebrokeninupon，bytheentranceofhersister，whonowappeared，ifpossible，moreagitatedthanbefore。ShesaidthatLadyD——hadnotlonglefttheroom，whenshewasrousedbyarepetitionofthesamewailingandlamentations，accom-
　　paniedbythewildestandmostagonizedsupplicationsthatnotimeshouldbelostincomingtoCastleArdagh，andallinhersister’svoice，andutteredatthesameproximityasbefore。Thistimethevoicehadfollowedhertotheverydoorofthesitting-room，anduntilsheclosedit，seemedtopourforthitscriesandsobsattheverythreshold。
　　MissF——dnowmostpositivelydeclaredthatnothingshouldpreventherproceedinginstantlytothecastle，addingthatifLadyD——wouldnotaccompanyher，shewouldgoonbyherself。
　　Superstitiousfeelingsareatalltimesmoreorlesscontagious，andthelastcenturyaffordedasoilmuchmorecongenialtotheirgrowththanthepresent。LadyD——wassofaraffectedbyhersister’sterrors，thatshebecame，atleast，uneasy；
　　andseeingthathersisterwasimmovablydetermineduponsettingforwardimmediately，sheconsentedtoaccompanyherforthwith。Afteraslightdelay，freshhorseswereprocured，andthetwoladiesandtheirattendantsrenewedtheirjourney，withstronginjunctionstothedrivertoquickentheirrateoftravellingasmuchaspossible，andpromisesofrewardincaseofhisdoingso。
　　Roadsweretheninmuchworseconditionthroughoutthesouth，eventhantheynoware；andthefifteenmileswhichmodernpostingwouldhavepassedinlittlemorethananhourandahalf，werenotcompletedevenwitheverypossibleexertionintwicethetime。MissF——dhadbeennervouslyrestlessduringthejourney。
　　Herheadhadbeenconstantlyoutofthecarriagewindow；andastheyap-
　　proachedtheentrancetothecastledemesne，whichlayaboutamilefromthebuilding，heranxietybegantocommunicateitselftohersister。Thepostillionhadjustdismounted，andwasendeavouringtoopenthegate——atthattimeanecessarytrouble；forinthemiddleofthelastcenturyporter’slodgeswerenotcommoninthesouthofIreland，andlocksandkeysalmostunknown。Hehadjustsucceededinrollingbacktheheavyoakengatesoastoadmitthevehicle，whenamountedservantroderapidlydowntheavenue，anddrawingupatthecarriage，askedofthepostillionwhothepartywere；
　　andonhearing，heroderoundtothecarriagewindowandhandedinanote，whichLadyD——received。Bytheassistanceofoneofthecoach-lampstheysucceededindecipheringit。Itwasscrawledingreatagitation，andranthus：
　　’MYDEARSISTER——MYDEARSISTERS
　　BOTH，——InGod’snamelosenotime，Iamfrightenedandmiserable；Icannotexplainalltillyoucome。Iamtoomuchterrifiedtowritecoherently；butunderstandme——hasten——donotwasteaminute。I
　　amafraidyouwillcometoolate。
　　’E。A。’
　　Theservantcouldtellnothingmorethanthatthecastlewasingreatconfusion，andthatLadyArdaghhadbeencryingbitterlyallthenight。SirRobertwasperfectlywell。AltogetheratalossastothecauseofLadyArdagh’sgreatdistress，theyurgedtheirwayupthesteepandbrokenavenuewhichwoundthroughthecrowdingtrees，whosewildandgrotesquebranches，nowleftstrippedandnakedbytheblastsofwinter，stretcheddrearilyacrosstheroad。Asthecarriagedrewupintheareabeforethedoor，theanxietyoftheladiesalmostamountedtoagony；andscarcelywaitingfortheassistanceoftheirattendant，theysprangtotheground，andinaninstantstoodatthecastledoor。
　　Fromwithinweredistinctlyaudiblethesoundsoflamentationandweeping，andthesuppressedhumofvoicesasifofthoseendeavouringtosoothethemourner。
　　Thedoorwasspeedilyopened，andwhentheladiesentered，thefirstobjectwhichmettheirviewwastheirsister，LadyArdagh，sittingonaforminthehall，weepingandwringingherhandsindeepagony。Besideherstoodtwoold，witheredcrones，whowereeachendeavouringintheirownwaytoadministerconsolation，withoutevenknowingorcaringwhatthesubjectofhergriefmightbe。