Complete Works of Bram Stoker (396 page)

“I see!” said Mrs. Salton.  “You are taking no chances.”

“None, my dear.  All I have learned at foreign courts, and amongst civilised and uncivilised people, is going to be utilised within the next couple of hours.”

Sir Nathaniel’s voice was full of seriousness, and it brought to Mimi in a convincing way the awful gravity of the occasion

In due course, they set out in a carriage drawn by a fine pair of horses, who soon devoured the few miles of their journey.  Before they came to the gate, Sir Nathaniel turned to Mimi.

“I have arranged with Adam certain signals which may be necessary if certain eventualities occur.  These need be nothing to do with you directly.  But bear in mind that if I ask you or Adam to do anything, do not lose a second in the doing of it.  We must try to pass off such moments with an appearance of unconcern.  In all probability, nothing requiring such care will occur.  The White Worm will not try force, though she has so much of it to spare.  Whatever she may attempt to-day, of harm to any of us, will be in the way of secret plot.  Some other time she may try force, but  —  if I am able to judge such a thing  —  not to-day.  The messengers who may ask for any of us will not be witnesses only, they may help to stave off danger.”  Seeing query in her face, he went on: “Of what kind the danger may be, I know not, and cannot guess.  It will doubtless be some ordinary circumstance; but none the less dangerous on that account.  Here we are at the gate.  Now, be careful in all matters, however small.  To keep your head is half the battle.”

There were a number of men in livery in the hall when they arrived.  The doors of the drawing-room were thrown open, and Lady Arabella came forth and offered them cordial welcome.  This having been got over, Lady Arabella led them into another room where tea was served.

Adam was acutely watchful and suspicious of everything, and saw on the far side of this room a panelled iron door of the same colour and configuration as the outer door of the room where was the well-hole wherein Oolanga had disappeared.  Something in the sight alarmed him, and he quietly stood near the door.  He made no movement, even of his eyes, but he could see that Sir Nathaniel was watching him intently, and, he fancied, with approval.

They all sat near the table spread for tea, Adam still near the door.  Lady Arabella fanned herself, complaining of heat, and told one of the footmen to throw all the outer doors open.

Tea was in progress when Mimi suddenly started up with a look of fright on her face; at the same moment, the men became cognisant of a thick smoke which began to spread through the room  —  a smoke which made those who experienced it gasp and choke.  The footmen began to edge uneasily towards the inner door.  Denser and denser grew the smoke, and more acrid its smell.  Mimi, towards whom the draught from the open door wafted the smoke, rose up choking, and ran to the inner door, which she threw open to its fullest extent, disclosing on the outside a curtain of thin silk, fixed to the doorposts.  The draught from the open door swayed the thin silk towards her, and in her fright, she tore down the curtain, which enveloped her from head to foot.  Then she ran through the still open door, heedless of the fact that she could not see where she was going.  Adam, followed by Sir Nathaniel, rushed forward and joined her  —  Adam catching his wife by the arm and holding her tight.  It was well that he did so, for just before her lay the black orifice of the well-hole, which, of course, she could not see with the silk curtain round her head.  The floor was extremely slippery; something like thick oil had been spilled where she had to pass; and close to the edge of the hole her feet shot from under her, and she stumbled forward towards the well-hole.

When Adam saw Mimi slip, he flung himself backward, still holding her.  His weight told, and he dragged her up from the hole and they fell together on the floor outside the zone of slipperiness.  In a moment he had raised her up, and together they rushed out through the open door into the sunlight, Sir Nathaniel close behind them.  They were all pale except the old diplomatist, who looked both calm and cool.  It sustained and cheered Adam and his wife to see him thus master of himself.  Both managed to follow his example, to the wonderment of the footmen, who saw the three who had just escaped a terrible danger walking together gaily, as, under the guiding pressure of Sir Nathaniel’s hand, they turned to re-enter the house.

Lady Arabella, whose face had blanched to a deadly white, now resumed her ministrations at the tea-board as though nothing unusual had happened.  The slop-basin was full of half-burned brown paper, over which tea had been poured.

Sir Nathaniel had been narrowly observing his hostess, and took the first opportunity afforded him of whispering to Adam:

“The real attack is to come  —  she is too quiet.  When I give my hand to your wife to lead her out, come with us  —  and caution her to hurry.  Don’t lose a second, even if you have to make a scene.  Hs-s-s-h!”

Then they resumed their places close to the table, and the servants, in obedience to Lady Arabella’s order, brought in fresh tea.

Thence on, that tea-party seemed to Adam, whose faculties were at their utmost intensity, like a terrible dream.  As for poor Mimi, she was so overwrought both with present and future fear, and with horror at the danger she had escaped, that her faculties were numb.  However, she was braced up for a trial, and she felt assured that whatever might come she would be able to go through with it.  Sir Nathaniel seemed just as usual  —  suave, dignified, and thoughtful  —  perfect master of himself.

To her husband, it was evident that Mimi was ill at ease.  The way she kept turning her head to look around her, the quick coming and going of the colour of her face, her hurried breathing, alternating with periods of suspicious calm, were evidences of mental perturbation.  To her, the attitude of Lady Arabella seemed compounded of social sweetness and personal consideration.  It would be hard to imagine more thoughtful and tender kindness towards an honoured guest.

When tea was over and the servants had come to clear away the cups, Lady Arabella, putting her arm round Mimi’s waist, strolled with her into an adjoining room, where she collected a number of photographs which were scattered about, and, sitting down beside her guest, began to show them to her.  While she was doing this, the servants closed all the doors of the suite of rooms, as well as that which opened from the room outside  —  that of the well-hole into the avenue.  Suddenly, without any seeming cause, the light in the room began to grow dim.  Sir Nathaniel, who was sitting close to Mimi, rose to his feet, and, crying, “Quick!” caught hold of her hand and began to drag her from the room.  Adam caught her other hand, and between them they drew her through the outer door which the servants were beginning to close.  It was difficult at first to find the way, the darkness was so great; but to their relief when Adam whistled shrilly, the carriage and horses, which had been waiting in the angle of the avenue, dashed up.  Her husband and Sir Nathaniel lifted  —  almost threw  —  Mimi into the carriage.  The postillion plied whip and spur, and the vehicle, rocking with its speed, swept through the gate and tore up the road.  Behind them was a hubbub  —  servants rushing about, orders being shouted out, doors shutting, and somewhere, seemingly far back in the house, a strange noise.  Every nerve of the horses was strained as they dashed recklessly along the road.  The two men held Mimi between them, the arms of both of them round her as though protectingly.  As they went, there was a sudden rise in the ground; but the horses, breathing heavily, dashed up it at racing speed, not slackening their pace when the hill fell away again, leaving them to hurry along the downgrade.

It would be foolish to say that neither Adam nor Mimi had any fear in returning to Doom Tower.  Mimi felt it more keenly than her husband, whose nerves were harder, and who was more inured to danger.  Still she bore up bravely, and as usual the effort was helpful to her.  When once she was in the study in the top of the turret, she almost forgot the terrors which lay outside in the dark.  She did not attempt to peep out of the window; but Adam did  —  and saw nothing.  The moonlight showed all the surrounding country, but nowhere was to be observed that tremulous line of green light.

The peaceful night had a good effect on them all; danger, being unseen, seemed far off.  At times it was hard to realise that it had ever been.  With courage restored, Adam rose early and walked along the Brow, seeing no change in the signs of life in Castra Regis.  What he did see, to his wonder and concern, on his returning homeward, was Lady Arabella, in her tight-fitting white dress and ermine collar, but without her emeralds; she was emerging from the gate of Diana’s Grove and walking towards the Castle.  Pondering on this and trying to find some meaning in it, occupied his thoughts till he joined Mimi and Sir Nathaniel at breakfast.  They began the meal in silence.  What had been had been, and was known to them all.  Moreover, it was not a pleasant topic.

A fillip was given to the conversation when Adam told of his seeing Lady Arabella, on her way to Castra Regis.  They each had something to say of her, and of what her wishes or intentions were towards Edgar Caswall.  Mimi spoke bitterly of her in every aspect.  She had not forgotten  —  and never would  —  never could  —  the occasion when, to harm Lilla, the woman had consorted even with the nigger.  As a social matter, she was disgusted with her for following up the rich landowner  —  “throwing herself at his head so shamelessly,” was how she expressed it.  She was interested to know that the great kite still flew from Caswall’s tower.  But beyond such matters she did not try to go.  The only comment she made was of strongly expressed surprise at her ladyship’s “cheek” in ignoring her own criminal acts, and her impudence in taking it for granted that others had overlooked them also.

CHAPTER XXIV  —  A STARTLING PROPOSITION

The more Mimi thought over the late events, the more puzzled she was.  What did it all mean  —  what could it mean, except that there was an error of fact somewhere.  Could it be possible that some of them  —  all of them had been mistaken, that there had been no White Worm at all?  On either side of her was a belief impossible of reception.  Not to believe in what seemed apparent was to destroy the very foundations of belief . . . yet in old days there had been monsters on the earth, and certainly some people had believed in just such mysterious changes of identity.  It was all very strange.  Just fancy how any stranger  —  say a doctor  —  would regard her, if she were to tell him that she had been to a tea-party with an antediluvian monster, and that they had been waited on by up-to-date men-servants.

Adam had returned, exhilarated by his walk, and more settled in his mind than he had been for some time.  Like Mimi, he had gone through the phase of doubt and inability to believe in the reality of things, though it had not affected him to the same extent.  The idea, however, that his wife was suffering ill-effects from her terrible ordeal, braced him up.  He remained with her for a time, then he sought Sir Nathaniel in order to talk over the matter with him.  He knew that the calm common sense and self-reliance of the old man, as well as his experience, would be helpful to them all.

Sir Nathaniel had come to the conclusion that, for some reason which he did not understand, Lady Arabella had changed her plans, and, for the present at all events, was pacific.  He was inclined to attribute her changed demeanour to the fact that her influence over Edgar Caswall was so far increased, as to justify a more fixed belief in his submission to her charms.

As a matter of fact, she had seen Caswall that morning when she visited Castra Regis, and they had had a long talk together, during which the possibility of their union had been discussed.  Caswall, without being enthusiastic on the subject, had been courteous and attentive; as she had walked back to Diana’s Grove, she almost congratulated herself on her new settlement in life.  That the idea was becoming fixed in her mind, was shown by a letter which she wrote later in the day to Adam Salton, and sent to him by hand.  It ran as follows:

“DEAR MR. SALTON,

“I wonder if you would kindly advise, and, if possible, help me in a matter of business.  I have been for some time trying to make up my mind to sell Diana’s Grove, I have put off and put off the doing of it till now.  The place is my own property, and no one has to be consulted with regard to what I may wish to do about it.  It was bought by my late husband, Captain Adolphus Ranger March, who had another residence, The Crest, Appleby.  He acquired all rights of all kinds, including mining and sporting.  When he died, he left his whole property to me.  I shall feel leaving this place, which has become endeared to me by many sacred memories and affections  —  the recollection of many happy days of my young married life, and the more than happy memories of the man I loved and who loved me so much.  I should be willing to sell the place for any fair price  —  so long, of course, as the purchaser was one I liked and of whom I approved.  May I say that you yourself would be the ideal person.  But I dare not hope for so much.  It strikes me, however, that among your Australian friends may be someone who wishes to make a settlement in the Old Country, and would care to fix the spot in one of the most historic regions in England, full of romance and legend, and with a never-ending vista of historical interest  —  an estate which, though small, is in perfect condition and with illimitable possibilities of development, and many doubtful  —  or unsettled  —  rights which have existed before the time of the Romans or even Celts, who were the original possessors.  In addition, the house has been kept up to the
dernier cri
.  Immediate possession can be arranged.  My lawyers can provide you, or whoever you may suggest, with all business and historical details.  A word from you of acceptance or refusal is all that is necessary, and we can leave details to be thrashed out by our agents.  Forgive me, won’t you, for troubling you in the matter, and believe me, yours very sincerely.