Chapter IV: The Lady Arabella March

by Bram Stoker

　　"Now, there is no hurry, but so soon as you are both ready we shallstart," Mr. Salton said when breakfast had begun. "I want to takeyou first to see a remarkable relic of Mercia, and then we'll go toLiverpool through what is called 'The Great Vale of Cheshire.' Youmay be disappointed, but take care not to prepare your mind"--thisto Adam--"for anything stupendous or heroic. You would not thinkthe place a vale at all, unless you were told so beforehand, and hadconfidence in the veracity of the teller. We should get to theLanding Stage in time to meet the West African, and catch Mr.Caswall as he comes ashore. We want to do him honour--and, besides,it will be more pleasant to have the introductions over before we goto his fete at the Castle."The carriage was ready, the same as had been used the previous day,but there were different horses--magnificent animals, and keen forwork. Breakfast was soon over, and they shortly took their places.The postillions had their orders, and were quickly on their way atan exhilarating pace.Presently, in obedience to Mr. Salton's signal, the carriage drew upopposite a great heap of stones by the wayside."Here, Adam," he said, "is something that you of all men should notpass by unnoticed. That heap of stones brings us at once to thedawn of the Anglian kingdom. It was begun more than a thousandyears ago--in the latter part of the seventh century--in memory of amurder. Wulfere, King of Mercia, nephew of Penda, here murdered histwo sons for embracing Christianity. As was the custom of the time,each passer-by added a stone to the memorial heap. Pendarepresented heathen reaction after St. Augustine's mission. SirNathaniel can tell you as much as you want about this, and put you,if you wish, on the track of such accurate knowledge as there is."Whilst they were looking at the heap of stones, they noticed thatanother carriage had drawn up beside them, and the passenger--therewas only one--was regarding them curiously. The carriage was an oldheavy travelling one, with arms blazoned on it gorgeously. The mentook off their hats, as the occupant, a lady, addressed them."How do you do, Sir Nathaniel? How do you do, Mr. Salton? I hopeyou have not met with any accident. Look at me!"As she spoke she pointed to where one of the heavy springs wasbroken across, the broken metal showing bright. Adam spoke up atonce:"Oh, that can soon be put right.""Soon? There is no one near who can mend a break like that.""I can.""You!" She looked incredulously at the dapper young gentleman whospoke. "You--why, it's a workman's job.""All right, I am a workman--though that is not the only sort of workI do. I am an Australian, and, as we have to move about fast, weare all trained to farriery and such mechanics as come into travel--I am quite at your service.""I hardly know how to thank you for your kindness, of which I gladlyavail myself. I don't know what else I can do, as I wish to meetMr. Caswall of Castra Regis, who arrives home from Africa to-day.It is a notable home-coming; all the countryside want to do himhonour." She looked at the old men and quickly made up her mind asto the identity of the stranger. "You must be Mr. Adam Salton ofLesser Hill. I am Lady Arabella March of Diana's Grove." As shespoke she turned slightly to Mr. Salton, who took the hint and madea formal introduction.So soon as this was done, Adam took some tools from his uncle'scarriage, and at once began work on the broken spring. He was anexpert workman, and the breach was soon made good. Adam wasgathering the tools which he had been using--which, after the mannerof all workmen, had been scattered about--when he noticed thatseveral black snakes had crawled out from the heap of stones andwere gathering round him. This naturally occupied his mind, and hewas not thinking of anything else when he noticed Lady Arabella, whohad opened the door of the carriage, slip from it with a quickgliding motion. She was already among the snakes when he called outto warn her. But there seemed to be no need of warning. The snakeshad turned and were wriggling back to the mound as quickly as theycould. He laughed to himself behind his teeth as he whispered, "Noneed to fear there. They seem much more afraid of her than she ofthem." All the same he began to beat on the ground with a stickwhich was lying close to him, with the instinct of one used to suchvermin. In an instant he was alone beside the mound with LadyArabella, who appeared quite unconcerned at the incident. Then hetook a long look at her, and her dress alone was sufficient toattract attention. She was clad in some kind of soft white stuff,which clung close to her form, showing to the full every movement ofher sinuous figure. She wore a close-fitting cap of some fine furof dazzling white. Coiled round her white throat was a largenecklace of emeralds, whose profusion of colour dazzled when the sunshone on them. Her voice was peculiar, very low and sweet, and sosoft that the dominant note was of sibilation. Her hands, too, werepeculiar--long, flexible, white, with a strange movement as ofwaving gently to and fro.She appeared quite at ease, and, after thanking Adam, said that ifany of his uncle's party were going to Liverpool she would be mosthappy to join forces."Whilst you are staying here, Mr. Salton, you must look on thegrounds of Diana's Grove as your own, so that you may come and gojust as you do in Lesser Hill. There are some fine views, and not afew natural curiosities which are sure to interest you, if you are astudent of natural history--specially of an earlier kind, when theworld was younger."The heartiness with which she spoke, and the warmth of her words--not of her manner, which was cold and distant--made him suspicious.In the meantime both his uncle and Sir Nathaniel had thanked her forthe invitation--of which, however, they said they were unable toavail themselves. Adam had a suspicion that, though she answeredregretfully, she was in reality relieved. When he had got into thecarriage with the two old men, and they had driven off, he was notsurprised when Sir Nathaniel spoke."I could not but feel that she was glad to be rid of us. She canplay her game better alone!""What is her game?" asked Adam unthinkingly."All the county knows it, my boy. Caswall is a very rich man. Herhusband was rich when she married him--or seemed to be. When hecommitted suicide, it was found that he had nothing left, and theestate was mortgaged up to the hilt. Her only hope is in a richmarriage. I suppose I need not draw any conclusion; you can do thatas well as I can."Adam remained silent nearly all the time they were travellingthrough the alleged Vale of Cheshire. He thought much during thatjourney and came to several conclusions, though his lips wereunmoved. One of these conclusions was that he would be very carefulabout paying any attention to Lady Arabella. He was himself a richman, how rich not even his uncle had the least idea, and would havebeen surprised had he known.The remainder of the journey was uneventful, and upon arrival atLiverpool they went aboard the West African, which had just come tothe landing-stage. There his uncle introduced himself to Mr.Caswall, and followed this up by introducing Sir Nathaniel and thenAdam. The new-comer received them graciously, and said what apleasure it was to be coming home after so long an absence of hisfamily from their old seat. Adam was pleased at the warmth of thereception; but he could not avoid a feeling of repugnance at theman's face. He was trying hard to overcome this when a diversionwas caused by the arrival of Lady Arabella. The diversion waswelcome to all; the two Saltons and Sir Nathaniel were shocked atCaswall's face--so hard, so ruthless, so selfish, so dominant. "Godhelp any," was the common thought, "who is under the domination ofsuch a man!"Presently his African servant approached him, and at once theirthoughts changed to a larger toleration. Caswall looked indeed asavage--but a cultured savage. In him were traces of the softeningcivilisation of ages--of some of the higher instincts and educationof man, no matter how rudimentary these might be. But the face ofOolanga, as his master called him, was unreformed, unsoftenedsavage, and inherent in it were all the hideous possibilities of alost, devil-ridden child of the forest and the swamp--the lowest ofall created things that could be regarded as in some form ostensiblyhuman. Lady Arabella and Oolanga arrived almost simultaneously, andAdam was surprised to notice what effect their appearance had oneach other. The woman seemed as if she would not--could not--condescend to exhibit any concern or interest in such a creature.On the other hand, the negro's bearing was such as in itself tojustify her pride. He treated her not merely as a slave treats hismaster, but as a worshipper would treat a deity. He knelt beforeher with his hands out-stretched and his forehead in the dust. Solong as she remained he did not move; it was only when she went overto Caswall that he relaxed his attitude of devotion and stood byrespectfully.Adam spoke to his own man, Davenport, who was standing by, havingarrived with the bailiff of Lesser Hill, who had followed Mr. Saltonin a pony trap. As he spoke, he pointed to an attentive ship'ssteward, and presently the two men were conversing."I think we ought to be moving," Mr. Salton said to Adam. "I havesome things to do in Liverpool, and I am sure that both Mr. Caswalland Lady Arabella would like to get under weigh for Castra Regis.""I too, sir, would like to do something," replied Adam. "I want tofind out where Ross, the animal merchant, lives--I want to take asmall animal home with me, if you don't mind. He is only a littlething, and will be no trouble.""Of course not, my boy. What kind of animal is it that you want?""A mongoose.""A mongoose! What on earth do you want it for?""To kill snakes.""Good!" The old man remembered the mound of stones. No explanationwas needed.When Ross heard what was wanted, he asked:"Do you want something special, or will an ordinary mongoose do?""Well, of course I want a good one. But I see no need for anythingspecial. It is for ordinary use.""I can let you have a choice of ordinary ones. I only asked,because I have in stock a very special one which I got lately fromNepaul. He has a record of his own. He killed a king cobra thathad been seen in the Rajah's garden. But I don't suppose we haveany snakes of the kind in this cold climate--I daresay an ordinaryone will do."When Adam got back to the carriage, carefully carrying the box withthe mongoose, Sir Nathaniel said: "Hullo! what have you got there?""A mongoose.""What for?""To kill snakes!"Sir Nathaniel laughed."I heard Lady Arabella's invitation to you to come to Diana'sGrove.""Well, what on earth has that got to do with it?""Nothing directly that I know of. But we shall see." Adam waited,and the old man went on: "Have you by any chance heard the othername which was given long ago to that place.""No, sir.""It was called-- Look here, this subject wants a lot of talkingover. Suppose we wait till we are alone and have lots of timebefore us.""All right, sir." Adam was filled with curiosity, but he thought itbetter not to hurry matters. All would come in good time. Then thethree men returned home, leaving Mr. Caswall to spend the night inLiverpool.The following day the Lesser Hill party set out for Castra Regis,and for the time Adam thought no more of Diana's Grove or of whatmysteries it had contained--or might still contain.The guests were crowding in, and special places were marked forimportant people. Adam, seeing so many persons of varied degree,looked round for Lady Arabella, but could not locate her. It wasonly when he saw the old-fashioned travelling carriage approach andheard the sound of cheering which went with it, that he realisedthat Edgar Caswall had arrived. Then, on looking more closely, hesaw that Lady Arabella, dressed as he had seen her last, was seatedbeside him. When the carriage drew up at the great flight of steps,the host jumped down and gave her his hand.It was evident to all that she was the chief guest at thefestivities. It was not long before the seats on the dais werefilled, while the tenants and guests of lesser importance hadoccupied all the coigns of vantage not reserved. The order of theday had been carefully arranged by a committee. There were somespeeches, happily neither many nor long; and then festivities weresuspended till the time for feasting arrived. In the intervalCaswall walked among his guests, speaking to all in a friendlymanner and expressing a general welcome. The other guests came downfrom the dais and followed his example, so there was unceremoniousmeeting and greeting between gentle and simple.Adam Salton naturally followed with his eyes all that went on withintheir scope, taking note of all who seemed to afford any interest.He was young and a man and a stranger from a far distance; so on allthese accounts he naturally took stock rather of the women than ofthe men, and of these, those who were young and attractive. Therewere lots of pretty girls among the crowd, and Adam, who was ahandsome young man and well set up, got his full share of admiringglances. These did not concern him much, and he remained unmoveduntil there came along a group of three, by their dress and bearing,of the farmer class. One was a sturdy old man; the other two weregood-looking girls, one of a little over twenty, the other not quiteso old. So soon as Adam's eyes met those of the younger girl, whostood nearest to him, some sort of electricity flashed--that divinespark which begins by recognition, and ends in obedience. Men callit "Love."Both his companions noticed how much Adam was taken by the prettygirl, and spoke of her to him in a way which made his heart warm tothem."Did you notice that party that passed? The old man is MichaelWatford, one of the tenants of Mr. Caswall. He occupies Mercy Farm,which Sir Nathaniel pointed out to you to-day. The girls are hisgrand-daughters, the elder, Lilla, being the only child of his elderson, who died when she was less than a year old. His wife died onthe same day. She is a good girl--as good as she is pretty. Theother is her first cousin, the daughter of Watford's second son. Hewent for a soldier when he was just over twenty, and was draftedabroad. He was not a good correspondent, though he was a goodenough son. A few letters came, and then his father heard from thecolonel of his regiment that he had been killed by dacoits inBurmah. He heard from the same source that his boy had been marriedto a Burmese, and that there was a daughter only a year old.Watford had the child brought home, and she grew up beside Lilla.The only thing that they heard of her birth was that her name wasMimi. The two children adored each other, and do to this day.Strange how different they are! Lilla all fair, like the old Saxonstock from which she is sprung; Mimi showing a trace of her mother'srace. Lilla is as gentle as a dove, but Mimi's black eyes can glowwhenever she is upset. The only thing that upsets her is whenanything happens to injure or threaten or annoy Lilla. Then hereyes glow as do the eyes of a bird when her young are menaced."