Part 4 (1/2)
Fostina, trembling with fear, hastily arose, and was on the point of rus.h.i.+ng to the apartment of Mrs. Cameron, to ascertain the cause of the disturbance. But the fear of encountering some one in the pa.s.sage, caused her to remain silent. She listened, and distinctly heard the voices of several persons conversing in a low tone. A few moments elapsed, all was silent; she then retired, but not to rest; the circ.u.mstances which had taken place that night, together with the fact that the disturbance had caused no excitement in the family, gave Fostina great cause for alarm. She lay in breathless anxiety until past midnight, when she heard the same persons ascend from below, and take their departure.
At an early hour the next morning Fostina entered the hall, where she met Mrs. Cameron, and inquired into the mystery of the proceedings the evening previous. She informed her that report had long been current that the castle was haunted, and as she had often heard the same disturbance during the night, she was confirmed in the belief that it was so.
Fostina could scarcely credit this intelligence, but made no farther inquiries upon the subject.
The day pa.s.sed heavily away, and Fostina observed that her friends were unusually silent. Toward evening, Mrs. Cameron entered the room where she was sitting, and asked if she would prefer a more retired room, where she could feel secure, if again they should be troubled with any supernatural visitations. She then ascended into a distant part of the castle, and entering a small room, told Fostina not to give herself any uneasiness, as she thought she might rest there without fear of being disturbed. She then closed the door and descended the stairs, leaving Fostina alone in her apartment.
After retiring, she soon fell asleep, and lay for several hours, until she was suddenly awakened by a repet.i.tion of the same noise which she had heard the evening previous. She listened, and could hear the sound of persons traversing the hall; but being now farther distant, she was unable to hear the conversation.
She listened attentively, as if to catch the sound of their voices, when her attention was suddenly arrested by a faint groan, seemingly not far distant from where she lay.
She now believed herself to be surrounded with the spirits of the departed. But not fearing any danger from this source, she again composed herself, and raising her head from the pillow, looked anxiously around the apartment, when, to her extreme horror, she discovered a light issuing from a small opening in the ceiling above!
She made an effort to rise, that she might discover some cause for its appearance, when, to her great surprise, she heard the sound of footsteps in the apartment above, followed by a long-suppressed groan!
Fostina remained motionless, and could scarcely realize the loneliness of her situation; she arose, and after pacing the room for some time in silence, seated herself on the sofa, anxiously awaiting the return of morning.
Nearly two hours had pa.s.sed away in silence, and Fostina rose from her seat and walked to the window; she drew back the shutter, and discovered that the morning had already dawned. She felt relieved on its approach, and looking down from the window, she saw Alvin, the servant, coming in the direction of the castle, and gently raising the window, requested him to come immediately to her room. He hastily obeyed the summons, and met Fostina at the door. After informing him what had taken place, she descended with him to the hall, where they met Mr. and Mrs. Cameron.
Fostina again informed them what she had seen and heard during the night; on hearing which, they seemed greatly embarra.s.sed, as if wis.h.i.+ng to avoid any conversation to which the subject might lead.
After breakfast was over, Mr. Cameron gave orders to have the carriage brought to the door, saying that he was going to the village, and should not return until the following morning. In a few moments the servant appeared with the carriage, and Mr. Cameron and his wife departed.
As soon as they had left the castle, Fostina returned to the hall, followed by Alvin, who now seemed anxious to improve the opportunity of conversing with her. She soon perceived this, and earnestly inquired of him the cause of the mysterious conduct of her friends, who, she believed, possessed more knowledge of the haunted castle than they were willing to disclose.
Alvin remained silent for some time, and then rising from his seat, closed the doors, and approaching Fostina, solicited a promise from her never to reveal any thing which he should make known to her concerning the family.
She answered him that she would never betray his confidence, and earnestly entreated him to tell her all he knew.
Then seating himself near Fostina, he unfolded to her the mysteries of the haunted castle as follows:--
He had been a servant in the family of Mr. Cameron two years, and had resided at the castle, where a band of robbers had nightly collected together for the purpose of dividing their booty, which they plundered from the neighboring village.
He then explained to her the cause of what she had seen and heard, in the apartment over which she had slept, stating that, about two months previous, a stranger, apparently an invalid, had been conveyed there and confined in an upper room in the castle, in which he was still held prisoner. For what purpose he knew not, as he had never dared to make any inquiries of the family, and had not been allowed to hold any conversation with the prisoner.