The ghost of Charlotte Cray, and other storiesMarryat, Florence
Science
The ghost of Charlotte Cray, and other stories
Marryat, Florence
English fiction -- 19th century; Ghost stories, English; Short stories, English
downstairs, and occupies two rooms that look out upon the moonlit
terraces. She cannot imagine why the natives are so averse to this
proceeding on her part. They gesticulate and chatter--all in Double
Dutch, as far as she is concerned--but she will have her own way, for
she feels less lonely when her apartments are all together. Her Dye
goes on her knees to entreat her mistress to sleep upstairs instead of
down; but Ethel is growing tired of all this demonstration about what
she knows nothing, and sharply bids her do as she is told. Yet, as the
days go on, there is something unsatisfactory--she cannot tell
what--about the whole affair. The servants are gloomy and
discontented, and huddle together in groups, whispering to one
another. The Dye is always crying and hugging the child, while she
drops mysterious hints about their never seeing Mudlianah again, which
make Ethel’s heart almost stop beating, as she thinks of native
insurrections and rebellions, and wonders if the servants mean to
murder her and Katie in revenge for having been forced to accompany
them to Mandalinati.
Meanwhile, some mysterious circumstances occur for which Mrs. Dunstan
cannot account. One day, as she is sitting at her solitary dinner with
two natives standing behind her chairs, she is startled by hearing a
sudden rushing wind, and, looking up, sees the eight doors in the
gallery open and slam again, apparently of their own accord, whilst
simultaneously the eight doors on the ground floor which were standing
open shut with a loud noise. Ethel looks round; the two natives are
green with fright; but she believes that it is only the wind, though
the evening is as calm as can be. She orders them to open the lower
doors again, and having done so, they have hardly returned to their
station behind her chair before the sixteen doors open and shut as
before. Mrs. Dunstan is now very angry; she believes the servants are
playing tricks upon her, and she is not the woman to permit such an
impertinence with impunity. She rises from table majestically and
leaves the room, but reflection shows her that the only thing she can
do is to write to her husband on the subject, for she is in the power
of her servants so long as she remains at the castle, where they
cannot be replaced.
She stays in the garden that evening, thinking over this occurrence
and its remedy, till long after her child has been put to bed--and as
she re-enters the castle she visits Katie’s room before she retires to
her own, and detects the Dye in the act of hanging up a large black
shawl across the window that looks out upon the terrace.
“What are you doing that for?” cries Ethel impetuously, her suspicions
ready to be aroused by anything, however trivial.
The woman stammers and stutters, and finally declares she cannot sleep
without a screen drawn before the window.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account