heservantsfromtownwerehalffrightenedoutoftheirwitsattheideaoflivinginsuchadismal,agan-lookinglace;eseciallywhentheygottogetherintheservantshallintheevening,andcomarednotesonallthehobgoblinstoriesickeduinthecourseoftheday。Theywereafraidtoventurealoneaboutthegloomy,black-lookingchambers。Myladysmaid,whowastroubledwithnerves,declaredshecouldneversleealoneinsucha
"ghastly,rummagingoldbuilding
";andthefootman,whowasakind-heartedyoungfellow,didallinhisowertocheerheru。
Myauntwasstruckwiththelonelyaearanceofthehouse。Beforegoingtobed,therefore,sheexaminedwellthefastnessesofthedoorsandwindows;lockeduthelatewithherownhands,andcarriedthekeys,togetherwithalittleboxofmoneyandjewels,toherownroom;forshewasanotablewoman,andalwayssawtoallthingsherself。Havingutthekeysunderherillow,anddismissedhermaid,shesatbyhertoiletarrangingherhair;forbeinginsiteofhergriefformyuncle,ratherabuxomwidow,shewassome-whatarticularabouthererson。Shesatforalittlewhilelookingatherfaceintheglass,firstononeside,thenontheother,asladiesareattodowhentheywouldascertainwhethertheyhavebeeningoodlooks;foraroisteringcountrysquireoftheneighborhood,withwhomshehadflirtedwhenagirl,hadcalledthatdaytowelcomehertothecountry。
Allofasuddenshethoughtsheheardsomethingmovebehindher。Shelookedhastilyround,buttherewasnothingtobeseen。Nothingbutthegrimlyaintedortraitofheroordearman,hangingagainstthewall。
Shegaveaheavysightohismemory,asshewasaccustomedtodowhenevershesokeofhimincomany,andthenwentonadjustinghernightdress,andthinkingofthesquire。Hersighwasreechoed,oranswered,byalong,drawnbreath。Shelookedroundagain,butnoonewastobeseen。Sheascribedthesesoundstothewindoozingthroughtheratholesoftheoldmansion,androceededleisurelytoutherhairinaers,when,allatonce,shethoughtsheerceivedoneoftheeyesoftheortraitmove。
"Thebackofherheadbeingtowardsit!
"saidthestorytellerwiththeruinedhead,
"good!
"
"Yes,sir,
"relieddrylythenarrator,
"herbackbeingtowardstheortrait,buthereyesfixedonitsreflectionintheglass。
"Well,asIwassaying,sheerceivedoneoftheeyesoftheortraitmove。Sostrangeacircumstance,asyoumaywellsuose,gaveherasuddenshock。Toassureherselfofthefact,sheutonehandtoherforeheadasifrubbingit;eeedthroughherfingers,andmovedthecandlewiththeotherhand。Thelightofthetaergleamedontheeye,andwasreflectedfromit。
Shewassureitmoved。Nay,more,itseemedtogiveherawink,asshehadsometimesknownherhusbandtodowhenliving。Itstruckamomentarychilltoherheart;forshewasalonewoman,andfeltherselffearfullysituated。