THE TAPESTRIED CHAMBER(挂花毯的房间)

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THE TAPESTRIED CHAMBER

THE TAPESTRIED

CHAMBER

by Sir Walter Scott

THE TAPESTRIED CHAMBER

INTRODUCTION.

This is another little story from The Keepsake of 1828. It was told to

me many years ago by the late Miss Anna Seward, who, among other

accomplishments that rendered her an amusing inmate in a country house,

had that of recounting narratives of this sort with very considerable effect-

-much greater, indeed, than any one would be apt to guess from the style

of her written performances. There are hours and moods when most

people are not displeased to listen to such things; and I have heard some of

the greatest and wisest of my contemporaries take their share in telling

them.

AUGUST 1831

THE TAPESTRIED CHAMBER

The following narrative is given from the pen, so far as memory

permits, in the same character in which it was presented to the author's ear;

nor has he claim to further praise, or to be more deeply censured, than in

proportion to the good or bad judgment which he has employed in

selecting his materials, as he has studiously avoided any attempt at

ornament which might interfere with the simplicity of the tale.

At the same time, it must be admitted that the particular class of stories

which turns on the marvellous possesses a stronger influence when told

than when committed to print. The volume taken up at noonday, though

rehearsing the same incidents, conveys a much more feeble impression

than is achieved by the voice of the speaker on a circle of fireside auditors,

who hang upon the narrative as the narrator details the minute incidents

which serve to give it authenticity, and lowers his voice with an affectation

of mystery while he approaches the fearful and wonderful part. It was

with such advantages that the present writer heard the following events

related, more than twenty years since, by the celebrated Miss Seward of

Litchfield, who, to her numerous accomplishments, added, in a remarkable

degree, the power of narrative in private conversation. In its present

form the tale must necessarily lose all the interest which was attached to it

by the flexible voice and intelligent features of the gifted narrator. Yet

still, read aloud to an undoubting audience by the doubtful light of the

closing evening, or in silence by a decaying taper, and amidst the solitude

of a half- lighted apartment, it may redeem its character as a good ghost

story. Miss Seward always affirmed that she had derived her information

from an authentic source, although she suppressed the names of the two

persons chiefly concerned. I will not avail myself of any particulars I

may have since received concerning the localities of the detail, but suffer

them to rest under the same general description in which they were first

related to me; and for the same reason I will not add to or diminish the

narrative by any circumstance, whether more or less material, but simply

rehearse, as I heard it, a story of supernatural terror.

THE TAPESTRIED CHAMBER

About the end of the American war, when the officers of Lord

Cornwallis's army, which surrendered at Yorktown, and others, who had

been made prisoners during the impolitic and ill-fated controversy, were

returning to their own country, to relate their adventures, and repose

themselves after their fatigues, there was amongst them a general officer,

to whom Miss S. gave the name of Browne, but merely, as I understood, to

save the inconvenience of introducing a nameless agent in the narrative.

He was an officer of merit, as well as a gentleman of high consideration

for family and attainments.

Some business had carried General Browne upon a tour through the

western counties, when, in the conclusion of a morning stage, he found

himself in the vicinity of a small country town, which presented a scene of

uncommon beauty, and of a character peculiarly English.

The little town, with its stately old church, whose tower bore

testimony to the devotion of ages long past, lay amidst pastures and

cornfields of small extent, but bounded and divided with hedgerow timber

of great age and size. There were few marks of modern improvement.

The environs of the place intimated neither the solitude of decay nor the

bustle of novelty; the houses were old, but in good repair; and the

beautiful little river murmured freely on its way to the left of the town,

neither restrained by a dam nor bordered by a towing-path.

Upon a gentle eminence, nearly a mile to the southward of the town,

were seen, amongst many venerable oaks and tangled thickets, the turrets

of a castle as old as the walls of York and Lancaster, but which seemed to

have received important alterations during the age of Elizabeth and her

successor, It had not been a place of great size; but whatever

accommodation it formerly afforded was, it must be supposed, still to be

obtained within its walls. At least, such was the inference which General

Browne drew from observing the smoke arise merrily from several of the

ancient wreathed and carved chimney-stalks. The wall of the park ran

alongside of the highway for two or three hundred yards; and through the

different points by which the eye found glimpses into the woodland

scenery, it seemed to be well stocked. Other points of view opened in

succession--now a full one of the front of the old castle, and now a side

THE TAPESTRIED CHAMBER

glimpse at its particular towers, the former rich in all the bizarrerie of the

Elizabethan school, while the simple and solid strength of other parts of

the building seemed to show that they had been raised more for defence

than ostentation.

Delighted with the partial glimpses which he obtained of the castle

through the woods and glades by which this ancient feudal fortress was

surrounded, our military traveller was determined to inquire whether it

might not deserve a nearer view, and whether it contained family pictures

or other objects of curiosity worthy of a stranger's visit, when, leaving the

vicinity of the park, he rolled through a clean and well-paved street, and

stopped at the door of a well-frequented inn.

Before ordering horses, to proceed on his journey, General Browne

made inquiries concerning the proprietor of the chateau which had so

attracted his admiration, and was equally surprised and pleased at hearing

in reply a nobleman named, whom we shall call Lord Woodville. How

fortunate! Much of Browne's early recollections, both at school and at

college, had been connected with young Woodville, whom, by a few

questions, he now ascertained to be the same with the owner of this fair

domain. He had been raised to the peerage by the decease of his father a

few months before, and, as the General learned from the landlord, the term

of mourning being ended, was now taking possession of his paternal estate

in the jovial season of merry, autumn, accompanied by a select party of

friends, to enjoy the sports of a country famous for game.

This was delightful news to our traveller. Frank Woodville had been

Richard Browne's fag at Eton, and his chosen intimate at Christ Church;

their pleasures and their tasks had been the same; and the honest soldier's

heart warmed to find his early friend in possession of so delightful a

residence, and of an estate, as the landlord assured him with a nod and a

wink, fully adequate to maintain and add to his dignity. Nothing was

more natural than that the traveller should suspend a journey, which there

was nothing to render hurried, to pay a visit to an old friend under such

agreeable circumstances.

The fresh horses, therefore, had only the brief task of conveying the

General's travelling carriage to Woodville Castle. A porter admitted them

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THETAPESTRIEDCHAMBER1THETAPESTRIEDCHAMBERbySirWalterScottTHETAPESTRIEDCHAMBER2INTRODUCTION.ThisisanotherlittlestoryfromTheKeepsakeof1828.ItwastoldtomemanyyearsagobythelateMissAnnaSeward,who,amongotheraccomplishmentsthatrenderedheranamusinginmateinacountryhouse,hadthatofrecountingnarrativesofthissort...

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