Curious Warnings - The Great Ghost Stories Of M.R. James by M.R. James Read Free Book Online Page A

that, Mrs. Bunch; and to be sure, many a time I’ve heard the tale from the men in the shipyards about the rat that could speak. I never laid no confidence in that before; but tonight, if I’d demeaned myself to lay my ear to the door of the further bin, I could pretty much have heard what they was saying.”
    “Oh, there, Mr. Parkes, I’ve no patience with your fancies! Rats talking in the wine-cellar indeed!”
    “Well, Mrs. Bunch, I’ve no wish to argue with you: all I say is, if you choose to go to the far bin, and lay your ear to the door, you may prove my words this minute.”
    “What nonsense you do talk, Mr. Parkes—not fit for children to listen to! Why, you’ll be frightening Master Stephen there out of his wits.”
    “What! Master Stephen?” said Parkes, awaking to the consciousness of the boy’s presence. “Master Stephen knows well enough when I’m a-playing a joke with you, Mrs. Bunch.”
    In fact, Master Stephen knew much too well to suppose that Mr. Parkes had in the first instance intended a joke. He was interested, not altogether pleasantly, in the situation; but all his questions were unsuccessful in inducing the butler to give any more detailed account of his experiences in the wine-cellar.
    We have now arrived at March 24, 1812.
    It was a day of curious experiences for Stephen: a windy, noisy day, which filled the house and the gardens with a restless impression.
    As Stephen stood by the fence of the grounds, and looked out into the park, he felt as if an endless procession of unseen people were sweeping past him on the wind, borne on restlessly and aimlessly, vainly striving to stop themselves, to catch at something that might arrest their flight and bring them once again into contact with the living world of which they had formed a part.
    After luncheon that day Mr. Abney said:
    “Stephen, my boy, do you think you could manage to come to me tonight as late as eleven o’clock in my study? I shall be busy until that time, and I wish to show you something connected with your future life which it is mostimportant that you should know. You are not to mention this matter to Mrs. Bunch nor to anyone else in the house; and you had better go to your room at the usual time.”
    Here was a new excitement added to life; Stephen eagerly grasped at the opportunity of sitting up till eleven o’clock.
    He looked in at the library door on his way upstairs that evening, and saw a brazier, which he had often noticed in the corner of the room, moved out before the fire; an old silver-gilt cup stood on the table, filled with red wine, and some written sheets of paper lay near it. Mr. Abney was sprinkling some incense on the brazier from a round silver box as Stephen passed, but did not seem to notice his step.
    The wind had fallen, and there was a still night and a full moon. At about ten o’clock Stephen was standing at the open window of his bedroom, looking out over the country. Still as the night was, the mysterious population of the distant moonlit woods was not yet lulled to rest.
    From time to time strange cries as of lost and despairing wanderers sounded from across the mere. They might be the notes of owls or water-birds, yet they did not quite resemble either sound.
    Were not they coming nearer? Now they sounded from the nearer side of the water, and in a few moments they seemed to be floating about among the shrubberies.
    Then they ceased. But just as Stephen was thinking of shutting the window and resuming his reading of
Robinson Crusoe
, he caught sight of two figures standing on the graveled terrace that ran along the garden side of the Hall—the figures of a boy and girl, as it seemed. They stood side by side, looking up at the windows.
    Something in the form of the girl recalled irresistibly his dream of the figure in the bath. The boy inspired him with more acute fear.
    While the girl stood still, half-smiling, with her hands clasped over her heart, the boy, a thin shape, with black hair