The Face of the Abbot | Page 8

was coming to an end I made a suggestion.
"We have come here," I said, "on a serious matter. We propose to start
an investigation of a very grave character. It is well known that ghosts
prefer to reveal themselves to one man or woman alone, and not to a
company. I propose, therefore, that we three should occupy rooms as
far as possible each from the other in the castle, and that the windows
of our three bedrooms should command the centre square."
De Castro shrugged his shoulders and a look of dismay spread for a
moment over his face; but Helen fixed her great eyes on mine, her lips
moved slightly as though she would speak, then she pulled herself
together.
"You are right, Mr. Druce," she said. "Having come on this inquiry, we
must fear nothing."
"Well, come at once, and we will choose our bedrooms. You as the
lady shall have the first choice."
De Castro called Gonsalves, who appeared holding a lantern in his
hand. A few words were said to the man in his own dialect, and he led
the way, going up many stone stairs, down many others, and at last he
flung open a huge oak door and we found ourselves in a vast chamber
with five windows, all mullioned and sunk in deep recesses. On the
floor was a heavy carpet. A four-post bed-head with velvet hangings
was in a recess. The rest of the furniture was antique and massive,
nearly black with age, but relieved by brass mountings, which, strange
to say, were bright as though they had recently been rubbed.
"This was poor Sherwood's own bedroom," said De Castro. "Do you
mind sleeping here?"
He turned to Helen.

"No, I should like it," she replied, emphatically.
"I am glad that this is your choice," he said, "for I don't believe,
although I am a man and you are a woman, that I could myself endure
this room. It was here I watched by his dead body. Ah, poor fellow, I
loved him well."
"We won't talk of memories to-night,"said Helen. "I am very tired, and
I believe I shall sleep. Strange as it may sound, I am not afraid. Mr.
Druce, where will you locate yourself? I should like, at least, to know
what room you will be in."
I smiled at her. Her bravery astonished me. I selected a room at right
angles to Helen's. Standing in one of her windows she could, if
necessary, get a glimpse of me if I were to stand in one of mine.
De Castro chose a room equally far away from Helen's on the other
side. We then both bade the girl good-night.
"I hate to leave her so far from help," I said, glancing at De Castro.
"Nothing will happen," he replied. "I can guarantee that. I am dead
tired; the moment I lay my head on my pillow, ghost or no ghost, I
shall sleep till morning."
He hurried off to his own room.
The chamber that I had selected was vast, lofty, and might have
accommodated twenty people. I must have been more tired even than I
knew, for I fell asleep when my head touched the pillow.
When I awoke it was dawn, and, eager to see my surroundings by the
light of day, I sprang up, dressed, and went down to the courtyard.
Three sides of this court were formed by the castle buildings, but along
the fourth ran a low balustrade of stone. I sauntered towards it. I shall
never forget the loveliness of the scene that met my eyes. I stood upon
what was practically a terrace--a mere shelf on the scarping of rock on
the side of a dizzy cliff that went down below me a sheer two thousand

feet. The Mondego River ran with a swift rushing noise at the foot of
the gorge, although at the height at which I stood it looked more like a
thread of silver than any thing else. Towering straight in front of me,
solemnly up into the heavens, stood the great peak of the Serra da
Estrella, from which in the rosy sunrise the morning clouds were
rolling into gigantic white wreaths. Behind me was the great irregular
pile of the castle, with its battlements, turrets, and cupolas, hoar and
grey with the weight of centuries, but now transfigured and bathed in
the golden light. I had just turned lo glance at them when I saw De
Castro approaching me.
"Surely," I said, "there never was such a beautiful place in the world
before! We can never let it go out of the family. Helen shall live here."
De Castro came close to me; he took my arm, and pointed to a spot on
the stone flags.