of the heirlooms of our family.'

A hale, good-humoured, erect old woman
was Martha, and an agreeable contrast to
the grim, decrepid hag which my fancy had
conjured up, as the depository of all the
horrible tales in which I doubted not this
old place was most fruitful.

She welcomed me and her master with a
profusion of gratulations, alternately kissing
our hands and apologising for the liberty,
until at length Lord Glenfallen put an end
to this somewhat fatiguing ceremonial by
requesting her to conduct me to my
chamber if it were prepared for my reception.

I followed Martha up an old-fashioned
oak staircase into a long, dim passage, at
the end of which lay the door which
communicated with the apartments which had
been selected for our use; here the old
woman stopped, and respectfully requested
me to proceed.

I accordingly opened the door, and was
about to enter, when something like a mass
of black tapestry, as it appeared, disturbed
by my sudden approach, fell from above the
door, so as completely to screen the