The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-02-22
ONE AWFUL NIGHTS
WORK..
ILondon Saturday Review.l

next morning leIt my room with hair
as gray as it is now, though forty-two
years have passed away since then.
In one night an awful horror struck
me suddenly with the weight of scores
Of years.
My father was Mr.. Marriott, a ship
broker. who lived in Russell square with
his family, consisting of my mother and
four children, of whom was the eldest.
One morning. in the December of 1942,
while we were sitting at breakfast, my
mother said, as she finished reading a
letter which had just been delivered,
'Its from Judith. She wants Ellen to
go and stay a month at The Willows.
But do not like the idea She never
even called on us when she came back
to England last sumsner. Besides, we
have known almost nothing of her for
years past
"Ohl | should like immensely to see
Aunt Judith" cried.
but You have never seen, and don't
know anything about her," replied my
mother. ut is nearly ten years now
since | saw her, and she didn't leave a
very pleasant impression on my mind.
! had not seen her. of course, since l
was a child, but. as l have often told
you. there was something curious and
weird about her that was not to my lik-
ing. In fact. she did not seem like a
sister of mine"
Aunt Judith was my mothers elder
sister by fifteen years When she was
about twenty she married German
baron who was a professor in univer-
sity Why it was nobody knew. but
some two years or SO after her marriage
Aunt Judith became very apathetic as
regarded her relations in England, and
but rarely corresponded with them
Her husband. the baron and professor,
died about three years before the time of
which | speak. Mourning cards were
unknown in those days: still she might
have sent word to inform her sister of
her bereavement. To our great aston
ishment, it was only from a friend who
attended his funeral that we heard, cas-
ually. that he was dead and that she was
a widow.
Well, both my father and my mother
were unwilling to let me go to The Will
lows: my mother, because she had, or
seemed to me to have, prejudice
against her sister; my father, for no
reason that could make out, except that
he echoed my mother. At all events, /
oyercame their opposition at last, and
started. onefine, or rather gloomy, morn
ing-for the clouds were dark and heavy,
remember, as left London--for The
- -. I'll
which had been left to my Aunt Judith
by my grandfather. Travelling was slower
in those days than it is now, and it was
no. until nearly 6 o'clock in the evening
that ! drove, in the numbering coach
which conveyed me. up the dreary car
riage path which led to The Willows.
Aunt Judith had only returned to live
there during the past six months, SO l
was not surprised to find the place in
very untidy state. Such, at least, was
my impression from what saw through
the darkness of the evening.
Things, however, seemed to change
for the better when we drew up at the
house itself. 1t was great, struggling
building, which had stood for more than
a century. and was cold and forbidding
to look at from the outside. But from
the windows, and what could see of
the hall, it seemed to be well Lit, warm
and well appointed within. A female
servant came out to meet me as the coach
stopped at the door.
"Mlle. Marriott" she inquired, in
German voice, as descended.
"Yes," replied.
"Ah! your aunt would like well to see
you," she said. 81 shall take you to her.
She is dressing for dinner 1 followed
her up stairs, and into large bedroom.
Standing before glass at the end of the
room was q tall woman whom, from the
description had heard of her, imme-
diately recognized as Aunt Judith
Her figure was very erect, almost ma
jestic. but her face puzzled me. The
features were very regular, and clearly
drawn. There was in them a consider
able amount of power, and yet, what
could not understand, a curious, wizened,
almost craven expression, which just
bordered on being sinister. / was only
girl at the time, and knew nothing of
physiognomy. but, instinctively, felt
i
gray eyes, which seemed never to rest
for moment, but to wander about as if
ut the bidding of an uneasy spirit, though
her demeanor was otherwise curiously
calm and self possessed.
"Your room is not ready yet, but it
will be presently" she said, when we
had greeted each other; "you can dress
here. We have few friends to dinner
tonight. Your parents are well, hope"
"Your parentsr' and this in allusion to
her own sister, whom she had not seen
for years. Her greeting--in fact, her
manner, everything about her-was per-
fectly polite, but strangely cold.
eyes" replied, "they are quite well.
thank you"
"You can come down stairs when you
are ready" she continued, as she stood
before the glass, giving the last touches
to her toilet. Dinner will be on the
table in about twenty minutes. I had
better go down-they will be waiting for
NE" saying which she left the room.
A curious woman, I thought, when she
/, was gone; and, altogether, did not care
much about her-perhaps, also, was q
little sorry that, against the wishes of
my parents, had come to The Willows
at all. When came into the drawing
room j found party of about dozen
people assembled there. There were. be-
sides my aunt and an elderly German
lady, who was a. relative of her late hus-
band, the clergyman Of the parish with
his wife and two daughters, the local
doctor--a good looking young man of
about six or seven and twenty; the squire
and three or four others, who, like myself,
were staying on visit at the house.
Dinner passed very pleasantly. We had
music and dance when the gentlemen
came up stairs. Altogether I enjoyed
myself very much, and it was past mid
night when we rose from the supper
table. One thing did notice almost I'M
consciously during the evening, and this
was a strange, absent, and at the same
time searching, expression which some
tunes came upon Aunt Judith's face. 1t
was as though she were looking at or for
something which was invisible to every
body else.
wen, Wnen supper was over, and those
Oh the guests who were leaving the house
had taken their departure, l went with
Aunt judith to her bedroom, "to see.n
she said, whether Sophia had rot NV
room ready yet"