The Chost Of Marney Castlq.

The Chost of Marney Castlq .

THE CASTLE . @ Ky ^ AB"STEY Castle was a gloomy but magnificent | | S j | | ruin , lying on the borders of tho New ' SSJ-i ^ S- ' Forest . Ifc had been practically uninhabited Br - 4 for years , with tho exception of a few rooms $ in one of the farther wings , which had been «• fitted up for Lord Marney for shooting

purposes . Tbe remainder of the castle was a wonderful hut discordant ruin , inasmuch as until tho beginning of this century it had beeu occupied , and so had been repaired anil restored . Thus you saw fche debased ideas of the Caroline and Georgian period commingling with the older aspect and character of Mediaeval architecture .

Marney Castle had two courts—the . ' outcrand the inner . The outer , which was separated by a castellated wall and a moat from the village green , was almost entirely iu ruins . In tlio inner court on one side were the rooms which still were occupied , and on the other was a great armoury connecting itself with an immense banqueting

hall , which again communicatee ! with tho eastern side , in which some old panelled rooms , as I said before , still were used from time to time . Under the great armoury were vaults , which no one hael penetrated into for years , and as theso vast structures were not professedly kept in repair , and many of tho windows were blown in , and all tho furniture and armour had

long since gone to adorn Lord Mamc 3 *' s other place , Streighton Hall , in Wiltshire , they were as sad and desolate as * . \ ell conkl be , dreary and disconsolate beyond description . But such was the great castle which dominated the village of Mar-icy , anel of which , for the purpose of my story , 1 have given a sullicient description .

Tins LEGEND . Now this great castlo hacl a legend , which was firmly believed in by the peasantry for miles around , and if not believed in by the upper classes as fully perhaps , it was said so dcprecatingly and hesitatingly . The truth was , I believe , that everybody credited it , but did not like to

admit , it ; for , say what vve will , such is the innate credulity of man , that he . is ready to believe anything , however incredible , per , < e . Ancl in this , our age , wo have witnessed the strange paradox or rampant absurdity that , whereas some affect to disbelieve the supernatural clement of the Bible , simply because it is supernatural ,

they will believe greedily in any imposture of table , rapping or so-called spiritualism , and swallow with avielity the nauseous lies of the impostor , the swindler , and thc charlatan ! But to tho legend itself . A very wicked Lord Marney had a still more wicked wife . She was what

someone has called an " out-and-outer , for she was credited not only with every possible crime , lint even with witchcraft itself ! Her main idea was to make herself as odious to the of hers generally , anil part icttlai-ly to her husband , us well could he I Accordingly , she led him ajin ' sorabli'lji ' c . Shehroiiirhtinto tho Castlo n

Confessor , who was said to be addicted to tho "forbidden art . " She fitted up a laboratory in one of tho lower vaults to which she had access by a private passage , and there she carried on what the people about , in undertones , declared wore her " sorceries and her devilries . " At last , one day , the patience of her lord was exhausted .

Ho fonnd her preparing sonic horrible "philtre" or broth , and , supposing it was for himself , he drove her before him with a fearful iron belt , striking her until sho screamed again , —until she jumped into the lake , and so ended her wicked life and the misery of the neighbourhood . Tho Church would not bury her , and so she lay

in unconsecrated ground . Lord Marney lost his life before the walls of Ascalon . Such was thc legend ; and tho superstition of thc neighbourhood hacl added to it tho belief that the unquiet spirit , of that most unquiet woman walked in tho great hall or long gallery , uttering piercing shrieks ,

which wero supposed to bc still inflicted by tho iron belt of Lord Marney . Indeed , such was tho strong persuasion of all in the immediate vicinity thafc nono would venture into tho great hall or armoury at night , and as the family , for some reason or other , had left Marney Castlo about the beginning of the century ,

under peculiar circumstances of haste and anxiet y , it was further generally believed that to somo such appearance might be attributed the non-residence of that noble house . With tho exception of an occasional visit for shoot ing , even tho rooms which still woro inhabited were seldom visited , and it was stated that nothing bufc extra wajres induced old John Hall and his wife Ann to

keep them in order . An explanation had been tendered hy a hold coastguard ollieer that the alarm in the beginning of the century had been created by smugglers , hut this explanation was generally neon led by the lovers of the marvellous as most unworthy of acceptance ; and at the time my story opens the belief in tho White Lad y of Marney was widespread and lii-mly held .

THE FIIIST AITKAKAXCK OF TIIK GHOST . LOUD Marney had written to say that he was coming for a few days' shooting , and therefore . 11 r . liuMsworthy , the agent , a highly respectable man , had gone over to see that the upholsterer hail sent in the necessary additions , and that nil was ready and comfortable for bis lordship ' s reception on the following day . Mr .

The Chost Of Marney Castlq.

Goldsworthy lived a few miles distance from Marney . in fche New Forest , and therefore drove over in his dogcart , meaning to return homo for his supper at nine ; but as ho often went from place to place , and from farmhouse to farmhouse , in his long rounds , his family

never expected him after nine . Ho reached the castlo in the early afternoon , having dined at a friend ' s , " en route , " and , putting up his horse in tho stable , knocked at thc door , which , after some time , was opened by old Hall .

Mr . Hall was evidently in a most uneasy state . " What ' s the matter , Hall ? " said Mr . Goldsworthy . " Nothing , sir ; nothing , nothing , " stammered the old man . "All , hut there is something , " replied the astute steward ; " I see ifc by your manner and voice . " " Nothing , sir ; nothing , nothing , " again repeated

Hall , in a tremble . " Come , Hall , out wifch it , " said Mr . Goldsworthy , laughingly ; " you ' ve seen tho ghost ! " "I—I—I—sir , " said Hall ; " no , sir , but my missis has . " Mr . Goldsworthy burst out laughing . " Where is your okl woman ? " lie said , at last ; " let ' s hear her wonderful story . "

But when the old woman appeared she would say nothing . She only shook her head , aud declared that her husband was an " old gooso . " It suddenly flashed across the steward ' s mind that there was a trick in all this , and ho determined to try and find it out . So having dismissed the subject , apparently , and gone through thc rooms , and seen that

the fires were lighted , ancl the beds aired , and the servants' rooms got ready , ancl that the provisions were ordered in , as the cook and others were expected in the morning , he asked old Mrs . Hall to give him some tea ; and after tea he quietl y told her that , as he had somo accounts to make tip for Lord Muruey , he would sleep there for tho night .

Much to his astonishment the old woman seemed delighted , but she said nothing . And so , " -electing a small panelled bedroom at , the entl of the passage nearest tho old gallery , he lighted a pipe , took out his papers , and sot to work . At nine Mrs . Hall brought him up a couple of mutton chops and a jug of Marney beer , anil , wilh a bit of cheese , he made a very good

supper , the old lady having offered him a curious old black bottle , which , she said , was one of many in tho cellar , for old Hall had once been the butler , and still kept the keys , and which same bottle turned out to bo . Schiedam . Mr . Goldsworthy made himself a comfortable " night-cap , " and at ten o'clock , as was his wont , turned iu .

Ho wns woke after some hours by a sort of grating noise . As lie had a repeater , he struck it , and it sounded two . All of a sudden a door iu the panel seemed to open , aud a woman in white , tittering a shriek , appeared , and then vanished . There vvas a creaking of locks and as of chains , and then all was still again .

J ' ooi- Mr . Goldsworthy had fainted away . In tho morning he was in a very depressed condition , and the okl woman said triumphantly to her husband , " I said nothing yesterday , but I knew ho woulel see her . " When Lord Marney was told tho ] story , he said , " It is quite- clear to mc that old Goldsworth y drank too much Schiedam . "

Tint SECOXD APPEAHAXCK or THE GHOST . WIIEX Mr . Goldsworthy got home next day , his family was not slow in lindingout that something had happened . His eldest daughter , Julia , who was his favourite , soon extracted from tho agitated Goldsworthy what hael really taken place . She had engaged herself to thc llevcrend James Morley , the Curate of Marney , and , as

he was slnying-nt the house , she went afc once to him for " spiritual " consolation . Ho was a very worthy young man , with too great a trust in his own powers of argument and persuasion , which were more limited in other people ' s opinion than he would have liked to think or to know . But ho was not without " pluck , " and so ho volunteered to go and call on Lord Marney , and offer to

sleep in tho same room , as ho felt sure that ifc was a gross imposture or Satanic agency . Julia naturally objected on principle to this encounter of her " 3 'oimg man " with tho " Woman in White , " but her scruples were overruled , for , as Mr . Morley said heroically , "he had his duty to perform . " Therefore , bold in a good cause , ho started to pay his respects to

Lord Marney and offer to endeavour to solve tho mystery . No sooner had ho reached the castle , and seen Lord Marney-, and told him his mission , than Lord Marney , who treated tho whole affair as an excellent joke , and whoso ladies were coming that very evening as well as some j-ouiig officers from London asked Mr . Morley to

stay , and ordered Mr . Goldsworth y ' s room to be prepared for his reception . There was n sardonic smile on old Mrs . Hall's face when she heard the news , and she said , "I warrant me , Ihe parson won't like the Lady in While when he sees her . " Lord Marney told til ! his guests , when they arrivi'i ] , the sbiry , so lhat Mr . Morley was for once a hero . He was potted and pitied alleriialely , and when they all separated for thc niirht

Lord Marnoy said , If you want help , Mr . Mot-ley , wake up these idle nephews of mine , or my son , who will immediately come to your aid . " The Curate went t . u his room about half-past eleven or a quarter to twelve , and having looked carefully round the room and dipped Ihe panelling io ii-yif fhei-e was a secret door , affer e'oiiiiiieiiiliiig himself to God ' s protection , he went io bed . He had slept for sonic

The Chost Of Marney Castlq.

time , when he , too , was woke by a grating noise , and then again , all of a sudden , a door in tho wainscot was thrown open and a female figure in white , shrieking loudly , appeared in the room of tho startled Curate . The Curate knew nothing more until he opened his eyes and saw daylight streaming in through tho windows . He got quietly up , examined tho walls again carefully ,

and , finding nothing ( by this timo ho hacl become comparatively composed ) sat down and wrote his statement of what he saw until oblivion overcame him ! When he descended to breakfast his pale looks assured the company that something had happened , and when , after breakfast , Lord Marney asked him to come into his little study , and when tho door was closed , he again

asked him what ho had seen , Mr . Morley showed him his statement , which made Lord Marney smile—for he believed that tho young men , and perhaps the young ladies , hacl played a trick on a timid Curate . Finding that the Curate was anxious io got home , ho soon after let him go , expressing his conviction to his family that he had been frightened hy old Goldsworthy , or perhaps by a trick . '

" A trick , " said Lady Lucy , his favourite daughter ; " who could or dared play such a trick here , papa ? " Captain Sfc . Denis , a gay Guardsman , who was preseut , said he had a mind to try and find out tho ghost , and as Lord Marncy ' s nephew , Charles Marnoy , offered to keep him company , it was settled that , without saying a word about it to thc servants , these two should occupy the chamber after twelve .

THE THIRD APPEARANCE OF THE GHOST . AT twelve precisely , Captain St . Denis and Charles Marney proceeded to the haunted room . They took with them some cigars and li . ancl S ., anel two good sticks . They made a closo examination of the room , but could discover nothing , except that two paucls seemed to give , on minute inspection , a more hollow

sound than the others . " This , then , ia the door , " said Captain St . Denis , and he tried to open it , bufc all in vain . One o ' clock struck , and still the two young men sat talking ancl smoking . Soon after one , Charles Marnoy said , " I ' m very sleepy , and will lie down ou the bed , " and soon after went to sleep ; and Captain St . Denis

tired of keeping awake , soon followed his example . The next thing Captain St . Denis remembered was finding himself surrounded by a flash of light , Charles Marnoy calling out , and a woman in while shrieking loudly , staring at them both . The unearthly appearance which had so unmanned Charles Marney seemed for the moment to have paralysed the bold Guardsman , for ,

before bo could collect his scattered thoughts , a clanking of chains and a creaking of bolts were heard and tho vision had disappeared , aud thoy were both in utter darkness . " By George , " said Captain St . Denis , "wo aro in for it . Yet , after nil , I believe it is a hoax . " A solemn voice was heard to say , " Madman , on tlio

peril of your life , be . silent , and then all was again quiet as the grave . When Lord Marney heard tho story in tho morning ho shook his hoad , and , leaving Marnoy in a few days , has never since returned to visit it . Captain St . Donis , who married Lady Lucy , never likes the subject mentioned ; Charles Marney still turns palo when Marney Castlo is mentioned ; and thc Whito Lad y is a

forbidden subject of conversation iu tho Marney family . I am speaking of somo years ago . Probably now these terrors have passed away from thoir minds , for , as Science and civilisation spread their wholesome sway each yoar , more and moro , " somo dear delusion fades and dies . " You will not wonder that all these events combined to create a deep impression in tho neighbourhood of Marney Castle , and increased thc belief of tbo

" Woman in White . "

"" ¦ 'ENVOI . NOTWITHSTANDING tho universal belief in the county of the ghost , there woro thoso who had thoir doubts ; but still , as credulity has its fanatics as well as unboliof , for somo time , at any rate , ho was a bold man who ventured to dispute the three appearances of tho Whito Lady of Marney Castlo . Indeed , I believe nothing

would ever havo shaken tho moro educated from their belief , or , rather , their doubts—and many firmly cling to the ghost still , despite everything—had not a curious trial at the county assizes induced many people to think , after all , that the Whito Lady of Marnoy Castle was a siibtantiality in tho flesh , and therefore no ghost or spirit at all .

Atrial before tho Lord Chief Justice for " coining " took place , ancl tho county police , assisted by somo of the police of Scotland Yard , had broken up one of the most desperate gangs of smashers which hud ever troubled either the metropolis or the provinces ! It was then I made acquaintance with Detective Iiobiiisou —Inspector I believe he is now—who had been sent

to assist the county police . Alter the trial I was talking to him of tho ghost story . " Ah , " he said , " I think I cau give you a clue to tho Lady in White . Why , she was the wife of that chap we got fourteen years for . " " His wife , " I said ; but how then do you account for

her appearances and her sci-oamings ?" " Well , " he replied , " in this way . No doubt sho dressed herself for the part , ami it was their game to keep lhat portion of tho castlo free from intrusion , for they had , in those old vaults , a splendid place for then - practical operations . When wc were examining the old