, 1889-12-15
THE MIRRORED DEMON.

a hill thickly wooded with young pines,
l saw at last the gables and towers of The
Alders, an estate which occupies the fog
gy bottom Of the valleS l was coming
to take possession of this domain, aban-
doned for forty years past to the INSULT
cient care of a superannuated toward by
the late proprietor, my father, who had
recently died and whose heir 1 was.
Urging my horse forward, / commenced
to ascend the hill. The grade was steep,
and the animals iron shoes slipped peril
ously in the loose gravel of the road.
Under the dark and heavy sky, the pines
to right and left took on a gloomy hue;
below me, blurred in the haze of the val
ley, rose the chateau, a dark and broken
mass, which was almost hidden from
sight by the great forest about it. broken
here and there with open heaths and
reed fringed pools of a sickly greenish
hue. l remembered that my father had
always evinced a great distaste for The
Alders; the very name made him sbudder.
A cold, drizzling rain was now falling,
and | soon felt very uncomfortable, for
the morning had been fine and l had neg
lected to bring a top coat or travelling
wrap.
Arrived at the foot of the hill, | had
to pass through a little village of 100 or
$50 homes, the last cottages extending
quite to the main entrance of the chateau.
The noise of my horses hoofs brought to
the doors eight or ten peasants, who
stared at me curiously but with no sign of
a sa~lutation. | attributed to my long con-
temptation of the young pines, through
which l had been travelling, the singular
celebration which certain objects assumed
in my eyes; the arms and faces of the
miserable villagers, who stared at me
with a cowed and british persistence,
seemed very sallow, almost green. A
few women's heads and hands showed
amid the group of men. 1t seemed to me
that these heads and hands we're also
sallow n green.
The chateau gatesw were closed. Through
the bars, leper-blotched with rust, could
be seen the great seigneural court, grown
over with rank weeds, and further the
abandoned chateau. The rain, become
sharper now, was chilling me to the bone.
l descended from my horse, tied the poor
beast-which hung its head through sheer
fatigue-to a ring mortised into the stone
wall, and presently found the handle Of
a bell half concealed in the intricate
wrought iron work of the gate. 1 pulled
it violently several times; but, in place
of the expected cheerful peal, two slow,
heavy, and solemn strokes of an alarum
bell resounded om~inously in the distant
gloom-for it was already dusk.
From a little lodge at the right of the
l.-t-n, au- 80 Ia l.
held aloft a lamp. Very tall, very thin,
and enveloped rather than dressed in a
robe of coarse gray stuff, which looked
like a grimy shroud, she came to the gate
with the measured and noiselcss tread of
n specter. The lamp, which shone full
on her face, revealed to me beneath her
gray locks her eyes, dim and haggard;
her cheeks were very sallow.
"Welcome to your estate, sir" said she,
as a great key grated in the lock. She
was the managers wife.
Thanks, Nine. Charter" 1 responded;
but l come in evil weather"
I'm evil weather, indeed"
She conducted me to the little house;
the wet weeds reached to my knees.
"Who will look to my horse?" / asked.
81 will" she said.
You nave no servants, madame?"
NO"
"Who, then, looks after the chateau
and keeps the grounds in order?'
"There are no grounds" she replied.
We entered the living room, which was
dimly lighted and poorly warmed by the
fitful blaze of a peat fire. There was,
doubtless, but one lamp in the establish
mani that rrhinh Mn,a TIartiar hol
taken up when she came to meet me.
''Chartier, " said the woman, shaking
the shoulder of an old man who seemed
to be doing in the chimney corner;
"Chartier, get up; here is the new mas
ter"
The old man turned toward me; his
face was sallow, too, with the same dim
and haggard eyes.
''Welcome to your estate, sir" said
he, as he arose and offered me a chair;
warm yourself, sir, lest you take cold"
Nine. Charter who had gone out,
doubtless to lead my horse to the stable,
returned laden with dishes and glasses,
and quietly set about laying the table,
which she pulled up from the side of
the chimney.
''These seem to be very sullen peo-
pie" l thought, and l determined to send
away this lugubrious couple as soon as
possible.
"Well, Charter" 1 said, to break a
silence which had become disagreeable
to me, "do you get on well, and may /
hope to see you here for many days to
conner"
"You will not see me here for many
days to come" he replied.
"How SOP Do you then wish to leave
The Alders?"
sob, 1, sir-I shall never leave The
Alders. But you will depart very soon."
1 smiled, for my intention was to in
stall myself definitely in my new prop
erty.
Eyes, SIR said Nine. Charters voice
behind me, you will depart very soon."
l was about to exclaim against this
singular affirmation, when the old wom-
an added, DINNER is ready, sir" We
drew up about the table.
Do you expect some one?' 1 inquired,
for four cover had been laid.