Thewallswerepapered,thefloorwascarpeted;thewindowswereneitherlessperfectnormoredimthanthoseofthedrawing–roombelow;thefurniture,thoughnotofthelatestfashion,washandsomeandcomfortable,andtheairoftheroomaltogetherfarfromuncheerful.
Herheartinstantaneouslyateaseonthispoint,sheresolvedtolosenotimeinparticularexaminationofanything,asshegreatlydreadeddisobligingthegeneralbyanydelay.
Herhabitthereforewasthrownoffwithallpossiblehaste,andshewaspreparingtounpinthelinenpackage,whichthechaise–seathadconveyedforherimmediateaccommodation,whenhereyesuddenlyfellonalargehighchest,standingbackinadeeprecessononesideofthefireplace.
Thesightofitmadeherstart;and,forgettingeverythingelse,shestoodgazingonitinmotionlesswonder,whilethesethoughtscrossedher:
“Thisisstrangeindeed!Ididnotexpectsuchasightasthis!Animmenseheavychest!Whatcanithold?Whyshoulditbeplacedhere?
Sheadvancedandexamineditclosely:itwasofcedar,curiouslyinlaidwithsomedarkerwood,andraised,aboutafootfromtheground,onacarvedstandofthesame.
Thelockwassilver,thoughtarnishedfromage;ateachendweretheimperfectremainsofhandlesalsoofsilver,brokenperhapsprematurelybysomestrangeviolence;and,onthecentreofthelid,wasamysteriouscipher,inthesamemetal.
Shecouldnot,inwhateverdirectionshetookit,believethelastlettertobeaT;andyetthatitshouldbeanythingelseinthathousewasacircumstancetoraisenocommondegreeofastonishment.
Herfearfulcuriositywaseverymomentgrowinggreater;andseizing,withtremblinghands,thehaspofthelock,sheresolvedatallhazardstosatisfyherselfatleastastoitscontents.
Withdifficulty,forsomethingseemedtoresistherefforts,sheraisedthelidafewinches;butatthatmomentasuddenknockingatthedooroftheroommadeher,starting,quitherhold,andthelidclosedwithalarmingviolence.
Thisill–timedintruderwasMissTilney’smaid,sentbyhermistresstobeofusetoMissMorland;andthoughCatherineimmediatelydismissedher,itrecalledhertothesenseofwhatsheoughttobedoing,andforcedher,inspiteofheranxiousdesiretopenetratethismystery,toproceedinherdressingwithoutfurtherdelay.
Herprogresswasnotquick,forherthoughtsandhereyeswerestillbentontheobjectsowellcalculatedtointerestandalarm;andthoughshedarednotwasteamomentuponasecondattempt,shecouldnotremainmanypacesfromthechest.
Atlength,however,havingslippedonearmintohergown,hertoiletteseemedsonearlyfinishedthattheimpatienceofhercuriositymightsafelybeindulged.
Onemomentsurelymightbespared;and,sodesperateshouldbetheexertionofherstrength,that,unlesssecuredbysupernaturalmeans,thelidinonemomentshouldbethrownback.
Herresoluteeffortthrewbackthelid,andgavetoherastonishedeyestheviewofawhitecottoncounterpane,properlyfolded,reposingatoneendofthechestinundisputedpossession!
ShewasgazingonitwiththefirstblushofsurprisewhenMissTilney,anxiousforherfriend’sbeingready,enteredtheroom,andtotherisingshameofhavingharbouredforsomeminutesanabsurdexpectation,wasthenaddedtheshameofbeingcaughtinsoidleasearch.
HowitcametobefirstputinthisroomIknownot,butIhavenothaditmoved,becauseIthoughtitmightsometimesbeofuseinholdinghatsandbonnets.
Catherinehadnoleisureforspeech,beingatonceblushing,tyinghergown,andformingwiseresolutionswiththemostviolentdispatch.
MissTilneygentlyhintedherfearofbeinglate;andinhalfaminutetheyrandownstairstogether,inanalarmnotwhollyunfounded,forGeneralTilneywaspacingthedrawing–room,hiswatchinhishand,andhaving,ontheveryinstantoftheirentering,pulledthebellwithviolence,ordered“Dinnertobeontabledirectly!”
Catherinetrembledattheemphasiswithwhichhespoke,andsatpaleandbreathless,inamosthumblemood,concernedforhischildren,anddetestingoldchests;andthegeneral,recoveringhispolitenessashelookedather,spenttherestofhistimeinscoldinghisdaughterforsofoolishlyhurryingherfairfriend,whowasabsolutelyoutofbreathfromhaste,whentherewasnottheleastoccasionforhurryintheworld:butCatherinecouldnotatallgetoverthedoubledistressofhavinginvolvedherfriendinalectureandbeenagreatsimpletonherself,tilltheywerehappilyseatedatthedinner–table,whenthegeneral’scomplacentsmiles,andagoodappetiteofherown,restoredhertopeace.
Thedining–parlourwasanobleroom,suitableinitsdimensionstoamuchlargerdrawing–roomthantheoneincommonuse,andfittedupinastyleofluxuryandexpensewhichwasalmostlostontheunpractisedeyeofCatherine,whosawlittlemorethanitsspaciousnessandthenumberoftheirattendants.
Oftheformer,shespokealoudheradmiration;andthegeneral,withaverygraciouscountenance,acknowledgedthatitwasbynomeansanill–sizedroom,andfurtherconfessedthat,thoughascarelessonsuchsubjectsasmostpeople,hedidlookuponatolerablylargeeating–roomasoneofthenecessariesoflife;hesupposed,however,“thatshemusthavebeenusedtomuchbetter–sizedapartmentsatMr.Allen’s?”
“No,indeed,”wasCatherine’shonestassurance;“Mr.Allen’sdining–parlourwasnotmorethanhalfaslarge,”andshehadneverseensolargearoomasthisinherlife.Thegeneral’sgoodhumourincreased.
Why,ashehadsuchrooms,hethoughtitwouldbesimplenottomakeuseofthem;but,uponhishonour,hebelievedtheremightbemorecomfortinroomsofonlyhalftheirsize.
Theeveningpassedwithoutanyfurtherdisturbance,and,intheoccasionalabsenceofGeneralTilney,withmuchpositivecheerfulness.
ItwasonlyinhispresencethatCatherinefeltthesmallestfatiguefromherjourney;andeventhen,eveninmomentsoflanguororrestraint,asenseofgeneralhappinesspreponderated,andshecouldthinkofherfriendsinBathwithoutonewishofbeingwiththem.
Thenightwasstormy;thewindhadbeenrisingatintervalsthewholeafternoon;andbythetimethepartybrokeup,itblewandrainedviolently.
Catherine,asshecrossedthehall,listenedtothetempestwithsensationsofawe;and,whenshehearditrageroundacorneroftheancientbuildingandclosewithsuddenfuryadistantdoor,feltforthefirsttimethatshewasreallyinanabbey.
Yes,thesewerecharacteristicsounds;theybroughttoherrecollectionacountlessvarietyofdreadfulsituationsandhorridscenes,whichsuchbuildingshadwitnessed,andsuchstormsusheredin;andmostheartilydidsherejoiceinthehappiercircumstancesattendingherentrancewithinwallssosolemn!
Inahousesofurnished,andsoguarded,shecouldhavenothingtoexploreortosuffer,andmightgotoherbedroomassecurelyasifithadbeenherownchamberatFullerton.
Thuswiselyfortifyinghermind,assheproceededupstairs,shewasenabled,especiallyonperceivingthatMissTilneysleptonlytwodoorsfromher,toenterherroomwithatolerablystoutheart;andherspiritswereimmediatelyassistedbythecheerfulblazeofawoodfire.
“Howmuchbetteristhis,”saidshe,asshewalkedtothefender—“howmuchbettertofindafirereadylit,thantohavetowaitshiveringinthecoldtillallthefamilyareinbed,assomanypoorgirlshavebeenobligedtodo,andthentohaveafaithfuloldservantfrighteningonebycominginwithafaggot!
Ifithadbeenlikesomeotherplaces,Idonotknowthat,insuchanightasthis,Icouldhaveansweredformycourage:butnow,tobesure,thereisnothingtoalarmone.”
Itcouldbenothingbuttheviolenceofthewindpenetratingthroughthedivisionsoftheshutters;andshesteppedboldlyforward,carelesslyhummingatune,toassureherselfofitsbeingso,peepedcourageouslybehindeachcurtain,sawnothingoneitherlowwindowseattoscareher,andonplacingahandagainsttheshutter,feltthestrongestconvictionofthewind’sforce.
Aglanceattheoldchest,assheturnedawayfromthisexamination,wasnotwithoutitsuse;shescornedthecauselessfearsofanidlefancy,andbeganwithamosthappyindifferencetoprepareherselfforbed.
Butshewouldnotmakeupherfire;thatwouldseemcowardly,asifshewishedfortheprotectionoflightaftershewereinbed.”
Thefirethereforediedaway,andCatherine,havingspentthebestpartofanhourinherarrangements,wasbeginningtothinkofsteppingintobed,when,ongivingapartingglanceroundtheroom,shewasstruckbytheappearanceofahigh,old–fashionedblackcabinet,which,thoughinasituationconspicuousenough,hadnevercaughthernoticebefore.
Henry’swords,hisdescriptionoftheebonycabinetwhichwastoescapeherobservationatfirst,immediatelyrushedacrossher;andthoughtherecouldbenothingreallyinit,therewassomethingwhimsical,itwascertainlyaveryremarkablecoincidence!
Itwasnotabsolutelyebonyandgold;butitwasjapan,blackandyellowjapanofthehandsomestkind;andassheheldhercandle,theyellowhadverymuchtheeffectofgold.
Thekeywasinthedoor,andshehadastrangefancytolookintoit;not,however,withthesmallestexpectationoffindinganything,butitwassoveryodd,afterwhatHenryhadsaid.
So,placingthecandlewithgreatcautiononachair,sheseizedthekeywithaverytremuloushandandtriedtoturnit;butitresistedherutmoststrength.
Alarmed,butnotdiscouraged,shetrieditanotherway;aboltflew,andshebelievedherselfsuccessful;buthowstrangelymysterious!Thedoorwasstillimmovable.
Thewindroareddownthechimney,therainbeatintorrentsagainstthewindows,andeverythingseemedtospeaktheawfulnessofhersituation.
Toretiretobed,however,unsatisfiedonsuchapoint,wouldbevain,sincesleepmustbeimpossiblewiththeconsciousnessofacabinetsomysteriouslyclosedinherimmediatevicinity.
Again,therefore,sheappliedherselftothekey,andaftermovingitineverypossiblewayforsomeinstantswiththedeterminedcelerityofhope’slasteffort,thedoorsuddenlyyieldedtoherhand:herheartleapedwithexultationatsuchavictory,andhavingthrownopeneachfoldingdoor,thesecondbeingsecuredonlybyboltsoflesswonderfulconstructionthanthelock,thoughinthathereyecouldnotdiscernanythingunusual,adoublerangeofsmalldrawersappearedinview,withsomelargerdrawersaboveandbelowthem;andinthecentre,asmalldoor,closedalsowithalockandkey,securedinallprobabilityacavityofimportance.
Withacheekflushedbyhope,andaneyestrainingwithcuriosity,herfingersgraspedthehandleofadraweranddrewitforth.Itwasentirelyempty.
Wellreadintheartofconcealingatreasure,thepossibilityoffalseliningstothedrawersdidnotescapeher,andshefeltroundeachwithanxiousacutenessinvain.
Theplaceinthemiddlealoneremainednowunexplored;andthoughshehad“neverfromthefirsthadthesmallestideaoffindinganythinginanypartofthecabinet,andwasnotintheleastdisappointedatherillsuccessthusfar,itwouldbefoolishnottoexamineitthoroughlywhileshewasaboutit.”
Itwassometimehoweverbeforeshecouldunfastenthedoor,thesamedifficultyoccurringinthemanagementofthisinnerlockasoftheouter;butatlengthitdidopen;andnotvain,ashitherto,washersearch;herquickeyesdirectlyfellonarollofpaperpushedbackintothefurtherpartofthecavity,apparentlyforconcealment,andherfeelingsatthatmomentwereindescribable.
Sheseized,withanunsteadyhand,thepreciousmanuscript,forhalfaglancesufficedtoascertainwrittencharacters;andwhilesheacknowledgedwithawfulsensationsthisstrikingexemplificationofwhatHenryhadforetold,resolvedinstantlytoperuseeverylinebeforesheattemptedtorest.
Thedimnessofthelighthercandleemittedmadeherturntoitwithalarm;buttherewasnodangerofitssuddenextinction;ithadyetsomehourstoburn;andthatshemightnothaveanygreaterdifficultyindistinguishingthewritingthanwhatitsancientdatemightoccasion,shehastilysnuffedit.Alas!Itwassnuffedandextinguishedinone.
Aviolentgustofwind,risingwithsuddenfury,addedfreshhorrortothemoment.Catherinetrembledfromheadtofoot.
Inthepausewhichsucceeded,asoundlikerecedingfootstepsandtheclosingofadistantdoorstruckonheraffrightedear.Humannaturecouldsupportnomore.
Acoldsweatstoodonherforehead,themanuscriptfellfromherhand,andgropingherwaytothebed,shejumpedhastilyin,andsoughtsomesuspensionofagonybycreepingfarunderneaththeclothes.
Withacuriositysojustlyawakened,andfeelingsineverywaysoagitated,reposemustbeabsolutelyimpossible.Thestormtooabroadsodreadful!
Themanuscriptsowonderfullyfound,sowonderfullyaccomplishingthemorning’sprediction,howwasittobeaccountedfor?Whatcoulditcontain?Towhomcoulditrelate?
Tillshehadmadeherselfmistressofitscontents,however,shecouldhaveneitherreposenorcomfort;andwiththesun’sfirstraysshewasdeterminedtoperuseit.
Thestormstillraged,andvariouswerethenoises,moreterrificeventhanthewind,whichstruckatintervalsonherstartledear.
Theverycurtainsofherbedseemedatonemomentinmotion,andatanotherthelockofherdoorwasagitated,asifbytheattemptofsomebodytoenter.
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