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。