The Shadows on the Wall by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman
Section [1 | 2]
the Shadows on_the wall

by Mary E .Wilkins freeman

"Henry had words with Edward in_the study the night before Edward died," said Caroline Glynn .

she was elderly, tall, and harshly thin, with a hard colourlessness of face . she spoke not with acrimony, but with grave severity . Rebecca Ann Glynn, younger, stouter and rosy of face between her crinkling puffs of gray hair, gasped, by way of assent . she sat in a wide flounce of black silk in_the corner of_the sofa, and rolled terrified eyes from her sister Caroline to her sister Mrs Stephen Brigham, who had_been Emma Glynn, the one beauty of_the family . she was beautiful still, with a large, splendid, full- blown beauty; she filled a great rocking- chair with her superb bulk of femininity, and swayed gently back and forth, her black silks whispering and her black frills fluttering . even the shock of death ( for her brother Edward lay dead in_the house,) could_not disturb her outward serenity of demeanor . she was grieved over the loss of her brother: he had_been the youngest, and she had_been fond of him, but never had Emma Brigham lost sight of her own importance amidst the waters of tribulation . she was always awake to_the consciousness of her own stability in_the midst of vicissitudes and_the splendor of her permanent bearing .

but even her expression of masterly placidity changed before her sister Caroline's announcement and her sister Rebecca Ann's gasp of terror and distress in response .

" i_think Henry might_have controlled his temper, when poor Edward was so near his end," said she with an asperity which disturbed slightly the roseate curves of her beautiful mouth .

" of_course he_did_not know," murmured Rebecca Ann in a faint tone strangely out of keeping with her appearance .

one involuntarily looked again to_be_sure that such a feeble pipe came from_that full-swelling chest .

" of_course he_did_not know it," said Caroline quickly . she turned on her sister with a strange sharp look of suspicion ." how could he have known it ? " said she . then she shrank as_if from_the other's possible answer ." of_course you and I both know he_could_not," said she conclusively, but her pale face was paler than it had_been before .

Rebecca gasped again . the married sister, Mrs Emma Brigham, was now sitting up straight in her chair; she had ceased rocking, and was eyeing them both intently with a sudden accentuation of family likeness in her face . given one common intensity of emotion and similar lines showed forth, and_the three sisters of one race were evident .

" what do_you_mean ? " said she impartially to_them both . then she, too, seemed to shrink before a possible answer . she even laughed an evasive sort of laugh ."I guess you don't mean anything," said she, but her face wore still the expression of shrinking horror .

" nobody means anything," said Caroline firmly . she rose and crossed the room toward the door with grim decisiveness .

" where are_you going ? " asked Mrs Brigham .

" I_have something to_see to," replied Caroline, and_the others at once knew by her tone that she had some solemn and sad duty to perform in_the chamber of death .

"Oh," said Mrs Brigham .

after_the door had closed behind Caroline, she turned to Rebecca .

" did Henry have many words with_him ? " she asked .

" they were talking very loud," replied Rebecca evasively, yet with an answering gleam of ready response to_the other's curiosity in_the quick lift of her soft blue eyes .

Mrs Brigham looked at her . she had_not resumed rocking . she still sat up straight with a slight knitting of intensity on her fair forehead, between_the pretty rippling curves of her auburn hair .

" did you-- hear anything ? " she asked in a low voice with a glance toward the door .

" i_was just across the hall in_the south parlor, and_that door was open and this door ajar," replied Rebecca with a slight flush .

" then you_must_have--"

"I couldn't help it ."

" everything ? "

" most of it ."

" what_was it ? "

" the old story ."

"I suppose Henry was mad, as he always was, because Edward was living on here for nothing, when he had wasted all the money father left him ."

Rebecca nodded with a fearful glance at_the door .

when Emma spoke again her voice was still more hushed ." I_know how he_felt," said she ." he had always been so prudent himself, and worked hard at his profession, and there Edward had never done anything but spend, and it must_have looked to him as_if Edward was living at his expense, but he wasn't ."

" no, he wasn't ."

" it was_the way father left the property-- that all the children should_have a home here-- and he left money enough to_buy the food and all if_we had all come home ."

" yes ."

" and Edward had a right here according to_the terms of father's will, and Henry ought_to_have remembered it ."

" yes, he ought ."

" did he say hard things ? "

" pretty hard from what I heard ."

" what ? "

"I heard him tell Edward that he had no business here at all, and he thought he had better go away ."

" what did Edward say ? "

" that he_would stay here as long as he lived and afterward, too, if he_was a mind to, and he_would like to_see Henry get him out; and then--"

" what ? "

" then he laughed ."

" what did Henry say ."

"I didn't hear him say anything, but--"

" but what ? "

" I_saw him when he_came out of_this room ."

" he looked mad ? "

" you've seen him when he looked so ."

Emma nodded; the expression of horror on her face had deepened .

" do_you remember that_time he killed the cat because she had scratched him ? "

" yes .Don't ! "

then Caroline reentered the room . she went up_to_the stove in_which a wood fire was burning-- it_was a cold, gloomy day of fall-- and she warmed her hands, which were reddened from recent washing in cold water .

Mrs Brigham looked at her and hesitated . she glanced at_the door, which_was still ajar, as it did_not easily shut, being still swollen with_the damp weather of_the summer . she rose and pushed it together with a sharp thud which jarred the house . Rebecca started painfully with a half exclamation .Caroline looked at her disapprovingly .

" it_is time you controlled your nerves, Rebecca," said she .

" I_can't help it," replied Rebecca with almost a wail ." I_am nervous . there's enough to_make me so, the lord knows ."

" what do_you_mean by_that ? " asked Caroline with her old air of sharp suspicion, and something between challenge and dread of_its being met .

Rebecca shrank .

" nothing," said she .

" then I wouldn't keep speaking in_such a fashion ."

Emma, returning from_the closed door, said imperiously that_it ought_to_be fixed, it shut so hard .

" it_will shrink enough after we_have_had the fire a few_days," replied Caroline ." if anything is done to_it it_will_be too small; there_will_be a crack at_the sill ."

" i_think Henry ought_to_be ashamed of himself for talking as he_did to Edward," said Mrs Brigham abruptly, but in an almost inaudible voice .

" hush ! " said Caroline, with a glance of actual fear at_the closed door .

" nobody can hear with_the door shut ."

" he_must_have heard it shut, and--"

" well, I_can_say what i_want to before he comes down, and I_am not afraid of him ."

"I don't know who_is afraid of him ! what reason is_there for anybody to_be afraid of Henry ? " demanded Caroline .

Mrs Brigham trembled before her sister's look . Rebecca gasped again ." there isn't any reason, of_course . why should there be ? "

"I wouldn't speak so, then . somebody might overhear you and think it_was queer .Miranda joy is in_the south parlor sewing, you_know ."

" i_thought she went upstairs to stitch on_the machine ."

" she did, but she has_come down again ."

" well, she_can't hear ."

" I_say again i_think Henry ought_to_be ashamed of himself .I shouldn't think he'd ever get over it, having words with poor Edward the very night before he died . Edward was enough sight better disposition than Henry, with all his faults .I always thought a great deal of poor Edward, myself ."

Mrs Brigham passed a large fluff of handkerchief across her eyes; Rebecca sobbed outright .

" Rebecca," said Caroline admonishingly, keeping her mouth stiff and swallowing determinately .

"I never heard him speak a cross word, unless he spoke cross to Henry that last night .I don't know, but he_did from what Rebecca overheard," said Emma .

" not so_much cross as sort of soft, and sweet, and aggravating," sniffled Rebecca .

" he never raised his voice," said Caroline; " but he had his way ."

" he had a right to in this_case ."

" yes, he_did ."

" he had as_much of a right here as Henry," sobbed Rebecca, " and now he's gone, and he_will never be in_this home that poor father left him and_the rest of us again ."

" what do_you really think ailed Edward ? " asked Emma in hardly more than a whisper . she did_not look at her sister .

Caroline sat down in a nearby armchair, and clutched the arms convulsively until her thin knuckles whitened .

" i_told you," said she .

Rebecca held her handkerchief over her mouth, and looked at them above it with terrified, streaming eyes .

" I_know you said that he had terrible pains in_his stomach, and had spasms, but what do_you_think made him have them ? "

"Henry called it gastric trouble . you_know Edward has always had dyspepsia ."

Mrs Brigham hesitated a moment ." was there any talk of an-- examination ? " said she .

then Caroline turned on her fiercely .

" no," said she in a terrible voice ." no ."

the three sisters' souls seemed to meet on one common ground of terrified understanding through their eyes . the old- fashioned latch of_the door was heard to rattle, and a push from without made the door shake ineffectually ." it's Henry," Rebecca sighed rather than whispered .Mrs Brigham settled herself after a noiseless rush across the floor into her rocking- chair again, and was swaying back and forth with her head comfortably leaning back, when_the door at last yielded and Henry Glynn entered . he cast acovertly sharp, comprehensive glance at Mrs Brigham with her elaborate calm; at Rebecca quietly huddled in_the corner of_the sofa with her handkerchief to her face and only_one small reddened ear as attentive as a dog's uncovered and revealing her alertness for_his presence; at Caroline sitting with a strained composure in her armchair by_the stove . she met his eyes quite firmly with a look of inscrutable fear, and Defiance of_the fear and of him .

Henry Glynn looked more like this sister than_the others . both had the same hard delicacy of form and feature, both were tall and almost emaciated, both had a sparse growth of gray blond hair far back from high intellectual foreheads, both had an almost noble aquilinity of feature . they confronted each_other with_the pitiless immovability of two statues in whose marble lineaments emotions were fixed for all eternity .

then Henry Glynn smiled and_the smile transformed his face . he looked suddenly years younger, and an almost boyish recklessness and irresolution appeared in_his face . he flung himself into a chair with a gesture which_was bewildering from its incongruity with_his general appearance . he leaned his head back, flung one leg over the other, and looked laughingly at Mrs Brigham .

"I declare, Emma, you grow younger every year," he_said .

she flushed a little, and her placid mouth widened at_the corners . she was susceptible to praise .

" our thoughts to- day ought to belong to_the one of us who_will never grow older," said Caroline in a hard voice .

Henry looked at her, still smiling ." of_course, we none of us forget that," said he, in a deep, gentle voice, " but we_have to_speak to_the living, Caroline, and I_have_not seen Emma for_a_long_time, and_the living are as dear as_the dead ."

" not to_me," said Caroline .

she rose, and went abruptly out_of_the room again . Rebecca also rose and hurried after her, sobbing loudly .

Henry looked slowly after them .

"Caroline is completely unstrung," said he .Mrs Brigham rocked .a confidence in him inspired by his manner was stealing over her . out of_that confidence she spoke quite easily and naturally .

" his death was very sudden," said she .

Henry's eyelids quivered slightly but his gaze was unswerving .

" yes," said he; " it_was very sudden . he_was sick only a few hours ."

" what did you call it ? "

" gastric ."

" you_did_not think of an examination ? "

" there_was no need . I_am perfectly certain as_to_the cause of_his death ."

suddenly Mrs Brigham felt a creep as of some live horror over her very soul . her flesh prickled with cold, before an inflection of_his voice . she rose, tottering on weak knees .

" where are_you going ? " asked Henry in a strange, breathless voice .

Mrs Brigham said something incoherent about some sewing which she had to_do, some black for_the funeral, and was out_of_the room . she went up_to_the front chamber which she occupied .Caroline was there . she went close to her and took her hands, and_the two sisters looked at each_other .

"Don't speak, don't, I won't have it ! " said Caroline finally in an awful whisper .

"I won't," replied Emma .

that afternoon the three sisters were in_the study, the large front room on_the ground floor across the hall from_the south parlor, when_the dusk deepened .

Mrs Brigham was hemming some black material . she sat close to_the west window for_the waning light . at last she laid her work on her lap .

" it's no use, I cannot_see to sew another stitch until we_have a light," said she .

Caroline, who was writing some letters at_the table, turned to Rebecca, in her usual place on_the sofa .

" Rebecca, you had better get a lamp," she said .

Rebecca started up; even in_the dusk her face showed her agitation .

" it doesn't seem to_me that we_need a lamp quite yet," she said in a piteous, pleading voice like a child's .

" yes, we_do," returned Mrs Brigham peremptorily ." we_must_have a light . I_must finish this to- night or I_can't go to_the funeral, and I_can't see to sew another stitch ."

"Caroline can_see to write letters, and she_is farther from_the window than you_are," said Rebecca .

" are_you trying to save kerosene or are_you lazy, Rebecca Glynn ? " cried Mrs Brigham ." I_can go and get the light myself, but I_have this work all in my lap ."

Caroline's pen stopped scratching .

" Rebecca, we_must_have the light," said she .

" had we better have it in here ? " asked Rebecca weakly .

" of_course ! why_not ? " cried Caroline sternly .

" I_am_sure I don't want to_take my sewing into_the other room, when it_is all cleaned up for to- morrow," said Mrs Brigham .

" why, I never heard such a to- do about lighting a lamp ."

Rebecca rose and left the room . presently she entered with a lamp-- a large one with a white porcelain shade . she set it on a table, an old- fashioned card- table which_was placed against the opposite wall from_the window . that wall was clear of bookcases and books, which were only on three sides of_the room . that opposite wall was taken up with three doors, the one small space being occupied by_the table . above the table on_the old- fashioned paper, of a white satin gloss,

Section [1 | 2]