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with confidence； opened a little way； opened a good way； … always
clapped…to again without a word of explanation。 They were reading；
they were writing； they were eating； they were drinking； they were
talking； they were dozing； the door was always opened at an
unexpected moment； and they looked towards it； and it was clapped…
to again； and nobody was to be seen。 When this had happened fifty
times or so； Mr。 Goodchild had said to his companion； jestingly：
'I begin to think； Tom； there was something wrong with those six
old men。'
Night had come again； and they had been writing for two or three
hours： writing； in short； a portion of the lazy notes from which
these lazy sheets are taken。 They had left off writing； and
glasses were on the table between them。 The house was closed and
quiet。 Around the head of Thomas Idle； as he lay upon his sofa；
hovered light wreaths of fragrant smoke。 The temples of Francis
Goodchild； as he leaned back in his chair； with his two hands
clasped behind his head； and his legs crossed； were similarly
decorated。
They had been discussing several idle subjects of speculation； not
omitting the strange old men； and were still so occupied； when Mr。
Goodchild abruptly changed his attitude to wind up his watch。 They
were just becoming drowsy enough to be stopped in their talk by any
such slight check。 Thomas Idle； who was speaking at the moment；
paused and said； 'How goes it？'
'One；' said Goodchild。
As if he had ordered One old man； and the order were promptly
executed （truly； all orders were so； in that excellent hotel）； the
door opened； and One old man stood there。
He did not come in； but stood with the door in his hand。
'One of the six； Tom； at last！' said Mr。 Goodchild； in a surprised
whisper。 … 'Sir； your pleasure？'
'Sir； YOUR pleasure？' said the One old man。
'I didn't ring。'
'The bell did；' said the One old man。
He said BELL； in a deep； strong way； that would have expressed the
church Bell。
'I had the pleasure； I believe； of seeing you； yesterday？' said
Goodchild。
'I cannot undertake to say for certain；' was the grim reply of the
One old man。
'I think you saw me？ Did you not？'
'Saw YOU？' said the old man。 'O yes； I saw you。 But； I see many
who never see me。'
A chilled； slow； earthy； fixed old man。 A cadaverous old man of
measured speech。 An old man who seemed as unable to wink； as if
his eyelids had been nailed to his forehead。 An old man whose eyes
… two spots of fire … had no more motion than if they had been
connected with the back of his skull by screws driven through it；
and rivetted and bolted outside； among his grey hair。
The night had turned so cold； to Mr。 Goodchild's sensations； that
he shivered。 He remarked lightly； and half apologetically； 'I
think somebody is walking over my grave。'
'No；' said the weird old man； 'there is no one there。'
Mr。 Goodchild looked at Idle； but Idle lay with his head enwreathed
in smoke。
'No one there？' said Goodchild。
'There is no one at your grave； I assure you；' said the old man。
He had come in and shut the door； and he now sat down。 He did not
bend himself to sit； as other people do； but seemed to sink bolt
upright； as if in water； until the chair stopped him。
'My friend； Mr。 Idle；' said Goodchild； extremely anxious to
introduce a third person into the conversation。
'I am；' said the old man； without looking at him； 'at Mr。 Idle's
service。'
'If you are an old inhabitant of this place；' Francis Goodchild
resumed。
'Yes。'
'Perhaps you can decide a point my friend and I were in doubt upon；
this morning。 They hang condemned criminals at the Castle； I
believe？'
'I believe so；' said the old man。
'Are their faces turned towards that noble prospect？'
'Your face is turned；' replied the old man； 'to the Castle wall。
When you are tied up； you see its stones expanding and contracting
violently； and a similar expansion and contraction seem to take
place in your own head and breast。 Then； there is a rush of fire
and an earthquake； and the Castle springs into the air； and you
tumble down a precipice。'
His cravat appeared to trouble him。 He put his hand to his throat；
and moved his neck from side to side。 He was an old man of a
swollen character of face； and his nose was immoveably hitched up
on one side； as if by a little hook inserted in that nostril。 Mr。
Goodchild felt exceedingly uncomfortable； and began to think the
night was hot； and not cold。
'A strong description； sir；' he observed。
'A strong sensation；' the old man rejoined。
Again； Mr。 Goodchild looked to Mr。 Thomas Idle； but Thomas lay on
his back with his face attentively turned towards the One old man；
and made no sign。 At this time Mr。 Goodchild believed that he saw
threads of fire stretch from the old man's eyes to his own； and
there attach themselves。 （Mr。 Goodchild writes the present
account of his experience； and； with the utmost solemnity； protests
that he had the strongest sensation upon him of being forced to
look at the old man along those two fiery films； from that moment。）
'I must tell it to you；' said the old man； with a ghastly and a
stony stare。
'What？' asked Francis Goodchild。
'You know where it took place。 Yonder！'
Whether he pointed to the room above； or to the room below； or to
any room in that old house； or to a room in some other old house in
that old town； Mr。 Goodchild was not； nor is； nor ever can be；
sure。 He was confused by the circumstance that the right
forefinger of the One old man seemed to dip itself in one of the
threads of fire； light itself； and make a fiery start in the air；
as it pointed somewhere。 Having pointed somewhere； it went out。
'You know she was a Bride；' said the old man。
'I know they still send up Bride…cake；' Mr。 Goodchild faltered。
'This is a very oppressive air。'
'She was a Bride；' said the old man。 'She was a fair； flaxen…
haired； large…eyed girl； who had no character； no purpose。 A weak；
credulous； incapable； helpless nothing。 Not like her mother。 No；
no。 It was her father whose character she reflected。
'Her mother had taken care to secure everything to herself； for her
own life； when the father of this girl （a child at that time） died
… of sheer helplessness； no other disorder … and then He renewed
the acquaintance that had once subsisted between the mother and
Him。 He had been put aside for the flaxen…haired； large…eyed man
（or nonentity） with Money。 He could overlook that for Money。 He
wanted compensation in Money。
'So； he returned to the side of that woman the mother； made love to
her again； danced attendance on her； and submitted himself to her
whims。 She wreaked upon him every whim she had； or could invent。
He bore it。 And the more he bore； the more he wanted compensation
in Money； and the more he was resolved to have it。
'But； lo！ Before he got it； she cheated him。 In one of her
imperious states； she froze； and never thawed again。 She put her
hands to her head one night； uttered a cry； stiffened； lay in that
attitude certain hours； and died。 And he had got no compensation
from her in Money； yet。 Blight and Murrain on her！ Not a penny。
'He had hated her throughout that second pursuit； and had longed
for retaliation on her。 He now counterfeited her signature to an
instrument； leaving all she had to leave； to her daughter … ten
years old then … to whom the property passed absolutely； and
appointing himself the daughter's Guardian。 When He slid it under
the pillow of the bed on which she lay； He bent down in the deaf
ear of Death； and whispered： 〃Mistress Pride； I have determined a
long time that； dead or alive； you must make me compensation in
Money。'
'So； now there were only two left。 Which two were； He； and the
fair flaxen…haired； large…eyed foolish daughter； who afterwards
became the Bride。
'He put her to school。 In a secret； dark； oppressive； ancient
house； he put her to school with a watchful and unscrupulous woman。
〃My worthy lady；〃 he said； 〃here is a mind to be formed； will you
help me to form it？〃 She accepted the trust。 For which she； too；
wanted compensation in Money； and had it。
'The girl was formed in the fear of him； and in the conviction；
that there was no escape from him。 She was taught； from the first；
to regard him as her future husband … the man who must marry her …
the destiny that overshadowed her … the appointed certainty that
could never be evaded。 The poor fool was soft white wax in their
hands； and took the impression that they put upon her。 It hardened
with time。 It became a part of herself。 Inseparable from herself；
and only to be torn away from her； by tearing life away from her。
'Eleven years she had lived in the dark house and its gloomy
garden。