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love of drink； or wilfully deprive him of his reason； and yet a man
with drunkenness or madness in his blood thinks nothing of bringing
children into the world tainted as deeply with the curse as if he
had inoculated them with it directly。 There is no responsibility
so completely ignored as this one of marriage and fatherhood； and
yet how heavy it is and far…reaching。〃
〃Well；〃 I said； smiling； 〃let us console ourselves with the thought
that we are not all lunatics and drunkards。〃
〃No；〃 he answered； 〃but there are other evils besides these； moral
taints as well as physical； curses which have their roots in worlds
beyond our own；sins of the fathers which are visited upon the
children。〃
He had lost all violence and bitterness of tone now； but the weary
dejection which had taken their place communicated itself to my
spirit with more subtle power than his previous mood had owned。
〃That is why；〃 he went on； and his manner seemed to give more
purpose to his speech than hitherto；〃that is why； so far as I am
concerned； I mean to shirk the responsibility and remain
unmarried。〃
I was hardly surprised at his words。 I felt that I had expected
them； but their utterance seemed to intensify the gloom which
rested upon us。 Alan was the first to arouse himself from its
influence。
〃After all；〃 he said； turning round to me and speaking lightly；
〃without looking so far and so deep； I think my resolve is a
prudent one。 Above all things； let us take life easily； and you
know what St。 Paul says about 'trouble in the flesh；'a remark
which I am sure is specially applicable to briefless barristers；
even though possessed of a modest competence of their own。 Perhaps
one of these days； when I am a fat old judge； I shall give my cook
a chance if she is satisfactory in her clear soups； but till then I
shall expect you； Evie； to work me one pair of carpet…slippers per
annum； as tribute due to a bachelor cousin。〃
I don't quite know what I answered；my heart was heavy and
aching；but I tried with true feminine docility to follow the lead
he had set me。 He continued for some time in the same vein； but as
we approached the house the effort seemed to become too much for
him； and we relapsed again into silence。
This time I was the first to break it。 〃I suppose；〃 I said；
drearily； 〃all those horrid people will have come by now。〃
〃Horrid people；〃 he repeated； with rather an uncertain laugh； and
through the darkness I saw his figure bend forward as he stretched
out his hand to caress my horse's neck。 〃Why； Evie； I thought you
were pining for gayety； and that it was； in fact； for the purpose
of meeting these 'horrid people' that you came here。〃
〃Yes； I know；〃 I said； wistfully； 〃but somehow the last week has
been so pleasant that I cannot believe that anything will ever be
quite so nice again。〃
We had arrived at the house as I spoke； and the groom was standing
at our horses' heads。 Alan got off and came round to help me to
dismount； but instead of putting up his arm as usual as a support
for me to spring from； he laid his hand on mine。 〃Yes； Evie；〃 he
said； 〃it has been indeed a pleasant time。 God bless you for it。〃
For an instant he stood there looking up at me； his face full in
the light which streamed from the open door； his gray eyes shining
with a radiance which was not wholly from thence。 Then he
straightened his arm； I sprang to the ground； and as if to preclude
the possibility of any answer on my part； he turned sharply on his
heel； and began giving some orders to the groom。 I went on alone
into the house； feeling； I knew not and cared not to know why； that
the gloom had fled from my spirit； and that the last ride had not
after all been such a melancholy failure as it had bid fair at one
time to become。
III
In the hall I was met by the housekeeper； who informed me that；
owing to a misunderstanding about dates； a gentleman had arrived
whom Lucy had not expected at that time； and that in consequence my
room had been changed。 My things had been put into the East Room；
the haunted room；the room of the Closed Cabinet； as I remembered
with a certain sense of pleased importance； though without any
surprise。 It stood apart from the other guest…rooms； at the end of
the passage from which opened George and Lucy's private apartment；
and as it was consequently disagreeable to have a stranger there；
it was always used when the house was full for a member of the
family。 My father and mother had often slept there： there was a
little room next to it； though not communicating with it； which
served for a dressing…room。 Though I had never passed the night
there myself； I knew it as well as any room in the house。 I went
there at once； and found Lucy superintending the last arrangements
for my comfort。
She was full of apologies for the trouble she was giving me。 I
told her that the apologies were due to my maid and to her own
servants rather than to me； 〃and besides；〃 I added； glancing round；
〃I am distinctly a gainer by the change。〃
〃You know； of course；〃 she said； lightly； 〃that this is the haunted
room of the house； and that you have no right to be here？〃
〃I know it is the haunted room；〃 I answered； 〃but why have I no
right to be here？〃
〃Oh； I don't know；〃 she said。 〃There is one of those tiresome
Mervyn traditions against allowing unmarried girls to sleep in this
room。 I believe two girls died in it a hundred and fifty years
ago； or something of that sort。〃
〃But I should think that people； married or unmarried； must have
died in nearly every room in the house；〃 I objected。
〃Oh； yes； of course they have；〃 said Lucy； 〃but once you come
across a bit of superstition in this family； it is of no use to ask
for reasons。 However； this particular bit is too ridiculous even
for George。 Owing to Mr。 Leslie having come to…day； we must use
every room in the house： it is intolerable having a stranger here；
and you are the only relation staying with us。 I pointed all that
out to George； and he agreed that； under the circumstances； it
would be absurd not to put you here。〃
〃I am quite agreeable；〃 I answered； 〃and； indeed； I think I am
rather favored in having a room where the last recorded death
appears to have taken place a hundred and fifty years ago；
particularly as I should think that there can be scarcely anything
now left in it which was here then； except； of course； the
cabinet。〃
The room had； in fact； been entirely done up and refurnished by my
uncle； and was as bright and modern…looking an apartment as you
could wish to see。 It was large； and the walls were covered with
one of those white and gold papers which were fashionable thirty
years ago。 Opposite us； as we stood warming our backs before the
fire； was the beda large double one； hung with a pretty shade of
pale blue。 Material of the same color covered the comfortable
modern furniture； and hung from gilded cornices before the two
windows which pierced the side of the room on our left。 Between
them stood the toilet…table； all muslin； blue ribbons； and silver。
The carpet was a gray and blue Brussels one。 The whole effect was
cheerful； though I fear inartistic； and sadly out of keeping with
the character of the house。 The exception to these remarks was； as
I had observed； the famous closed cabinet； to which I have more
than once alluded。 It stood against the same wall of the room as
that in which the fireplace was； and on our rightthat is； on that
side of the fireplace which was farthest from the windows。 As I
spoke； I turned to go and look at it； and Lucy followed me。 Many
an hour as a child had I passed in front of it； fingering the seven
carved brass handles； or rather buttons； which were ranged down its
center。 They all slid； twisted； or screwed with the greatest ease；
and apparently like many another ingeniously contrived lock； but
neither I nor any one else had ever yet succeeded in sliding；
twisting； or screwing them after such a fashion as to open the
closed doors of the cabinet。 No one yet had robbed them of their
secret since first it was placed there three hundred years ago by
the old lady and her faithful Italian。 It was a beautiful piece of
workmanship； was this tantalizing cabinet。 Carved out of some dark
foreign wood； the doors and panels were richly inlaid with lapis…
lazuli； ivory； and mother…of…pearl； among which were twisted
delicately chased threads of gold and silver。 Above the doors；
between them and the cornice； lay another mystery； fully as
tormenting as was the first。 In a smooth strip of wood about an
inch wide； and extending along the whole breadth of the cabinet；
was inlaid a fine pattern in gold wire。 This at first sight seemed
to consist of a legend or motto。 On looking closer； however；
though the pattern still looked as if it was formed out of
characters of t