Two Ghostly Mysteries | Page 6

all the attendant pomp and circumstance of wealth,
rank, and grandeur. According to the usage of the times, now humanely
reformed, the ceremony was made until long past midnight, the season
of wild, uproarious, and promiscuous feasting and revelry. Of all this I
have a painfully vivid recollection, and particularly of the little
annoyances inflicted upon me by the dull and coarse jokes of the wits
and wags who abound in all such places, and upon all such occasions. I
was not sorry, when, after a few days, Lord Glenfallen's carriage
appeared at the door to convey us both from Ashtown; for any change
would have been a relief from the irksomeness of ceremonial and
formality which the visits received in honour of my newly acquired
titles hourly entailed upon me. It was arranged that we were to proceed
to Cahergillagh, one of the Glenfallen estates, lying, however, in a
southern county, so that a tedious journey (then owing to the
impracticability of the roads,) of three days intervened. I set forth with
my noble companion, followed by the regrets of some, and by the envy
of many, though God knows I little deserved the latter; the three days
of travel were now almost spent, when passing the brow of a wild
heathy hill, the domain of Cahergillagh opened suddenly upon our view.
It formed a striking and a beautiful scene. A lake of considerable extent
stretching away towards the west, and reflecting from its broad, smooth
waters, the rich glow of the setting sun, was overhung by steep hills,
covered by a rich mantle of velvet sward, broken here and there by the
grey front of some old rock, and exhibiting on their shelving sides, their
slopes and hollows, every variety of light and shade; a thick wood of
dwarf oak, birch, and hazel skirted these hills, and clothed the shores of
the lake, running out in rich luxuriance upon every promontory, and
spreading upward considerably upon the side of the hills.

"There lies the enchanted castle," said Lord Glenfallen, pointing
towards a considerable level space intervening between two of the
picturesque hills, which rose dimly around the lake. This little plain
was chiefly occupied by the same low, wild wood which covered the
other parts of the domain; but towards the centre a mass of taller and
statelier forest trees stood darkly grouped together, and among them
stood an ancient square tower, with many buildings of an humbler
character, forming together the manor-house, or, as it was more usually
called, the court of Cahergillagh. As we approached the level upon
which the mansion stood, the winding road gave us many glimpses of
the time-worn castle and its surrounding buildings; and seen as it was
through the long vistas of the fine old trees, and with the rich glow of
evening upon it, I have seldom beheld an object more picturesquely
striking. I was glad to perceive, too, that here and there the blue curling
smoke ascended from stacks of chimneys now hidden by the rich, dark
ivy, which, in a great measure, covered the building; other indications
of comfort made themselves manifest as we approached; and indeed,
though the place was evidently one of considerable antiquity, it had
nothing whatever of the gloom of decay about it.
"You must not, my love," said Lord Glenfallen, "imagine this place
worse than it is. I have no taste for antiquity, at least I should not
choose a house to reside in because it is old. Indeed I do not recollect
that I was even so romantic as to overcome my aversion to rats and
rheumatism, those faithful attendants upon your noble relics of
feudalism; and I much prefer a snug, modern, unmysterious bed-room,
with well-aired sheets, to the waving tapestry, mildewed cushions, and
all the other interesting appliances of romance; however, though I
cannot promise you all the discomfort generally pertaining to an old
castle, you will find legends and ghostly lore enough to claim your
respect; and if old Martha be still to the fore, as I trust she is, you will
soon have a supernatural and appropriate anecdote for every closet and
corner of the mansion; but here we are--so, without more ado, welcome
to Cahergillagh."
We now entered the hall of the castle, and while the domestics were
employed in conveying our trunks and other luggage which we had
brought with us for immediate use to the apartments which Lord
Glenfallen had selected for himself and me, I went with him into a

spacious sitting room, wainscoted with finely polished black oak, and
hung round with the portraits of various of the worthies of the
Glenfallen family. This room looked out upon an extensive level
covered with the softest green sward, and irregularly bounded by the
wild wood I