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death。
Thus； though the parents on both sides thought the young people
not old enough to be married at once； they saw no reason why Ada
and Alfred should not be engaged to each other； with the
understanding that they should be united when young Monkton came
of age； in two years' time。 The person to be consulted in the
matter； after the parents； was my father； in his capacity of
Ada's guardian。 He knew that the family misery had shown itself
many years ago in Mrs。 Monkton； who was her husband's cousin。 The
_illness；_ as it was significantly called； had been palliated by
careful treatment； and was reported to have passed away。 But my
father was not to be deceived。 He knew where the hereditary taint
still lurked； he viewed with horror the bare possibility of its
reappearing one day in the children of his friend's only
daughter； and he positively refused his consent to the marriage
engagement。
The result was that the doors of the Abbey and the doors of Mrs。
Elmslie's house were closed to him。 This suspension of friendly
intercourse had lasted but a very short time when Mrs。 Monkton
died。 Her husband； who was fondly attached to her； caught a
violent cold while attending her funeral。 The cold was neglected；
and settled on his lungs。 In a few months' time he followed his
wife to the grave； and Alfred was left master of the grand old
Abbey and the fair lands that spread all around it。
At this period Mrs。 Elmslie had the indelicacy to endeavor a
second time to procure my father's consent to the marriage
engagement。 He refused it again more positively than before。 More
than a year passed away。 The time was approaching fast when
Alfred would be of age。 I returned from college to spend the long
vacation at home； and made some advances toward bettering my
acquaintance with young Monkton。 They were evadedcertainly with
perfect politeness； but still in such a way as to prevent me from
offering my friendship to him again。 Any mortification I might
have felt at this petty repulse under ordinary circumstances was
dismissed from my mind by the occurrence of a real misfortune in
our household。 For some months past my father's health had been
failing； and； just at the time of which I am now writing； his
sons had to mourn the irreparable calamity of his death。
This event； through some informality or error in the late Mr。
Elmslie's will； left the future of Ada's life entirely at her
mother's disposal。 The consequence was the immediate ratification
of the marriage engagement to which my father had so steadily
refused his consent。 As soon as the fact was publicly announced；
some of Mrs。 Elmslie's more intimate friends； who were acquainted
with the reports affecting the Monkton family； ventured to mingle
with their formal congratulations one or two significant
references to the late Mrs。 Monkton and some searching inquiries
as to the disposition of her son。
Mrs。 Elmslie always met these polite hints with one bold form of
answer。 She first admitted the existence of these reports about
the Monktons which her friends were unwilling to specify
distinctly； and then declared that they were infamous calumnies。
The hereditary taint had died out of the family generations back。
Alfred was the best； the kindest； the sanest of human beings。 He
loved study and retirement； Ada sympathized with his tastes； and
had made her choice unbiased； if any more hints were dropped
about sacrificing her by her marriage； those hints would be
viewed as so many insults to her mother； whose affection for her
it was monstrous to call in question。 This way of talking
silenced people； but did not convince them。 They began to
suspect； what was indeed the actual truth； that Mrs。 Elmslie was
a selfish； worldly； grasping woman； who wanted to get her
daughter well married； and cared nothing for consequences as long
as she saw Ada mistress of the greatest establishment in the
whole county。
It seemed； however； as if there was some fatality at work to
prevent the attainment of Mrs。 Elmslie's great object in life。
Hardly was one obstacle to the ill…omened marriage removed by my
father's death before another succeeded it in the shape of
anxieties and difficulties caused by the delicate state of Ada's
health。 Doctors were consulted in all directions； and the result
of their advice was that the marriage must be deferred； and that
Miss Elmslie must leave England for a certain time； to reside in
a warmer climatethe south of France； if I remember rightly。
Thus it happened that just before Alfred came of age Ada and her
mother departed for the Continent； and the union of the two young
people was understood to be indefinitely postponed。 Some
curiosity was felt in the neighborhood as to what Alfred Monkton
would do under these circumstances。 Would he follow his
lady…love？ would he go yachting？ would he throw open the doors of
the old Abbey at last； and endeavor to forget the absence of Ada
and the postponement of his marriage in a round of gayeties？ He
did none of these things。 He simply remained at Wincot； living as
suspiciously strange and solitary a life as his father had lived
before him。 Literally； there was now no companion for him at the
Abbey but the old priestthe Monktons； I should have mentioned
before； were Roman Catholicswho had held the office of tutor to
Alfred from his earliest years。 He came of age； and there was not
even so much as a private dinner…party at Wincot to celebrate the
event。 Families in the neighborhood determined to forget the
offense which his father's reserve had given them； and invited
him to their houses。 The invitations were politely declined。
Civil visitors called resolutely at the Abbey； and were as
resolutely bowed away from the doors as soon as they had left
their cards。 Under this combination of sinister and aggravating
circumstances people in all directions took to shaking their
heads mysteriously when the name of Mr。 Alfred Monkton was
mentioned； hinting at the family calamity； and wondering
peevishly or sadly； as their tempers inclined them； what he could
possibly do to occupy himself month after month in the lonely old
house。
The right answer to this question was not easy to find。 It was
quite useless； for ex ample； to apply to the priest for it。 He
was a very quiet； polite old gentleman； his replies were always
excessively ready and civil； and appeared at the time to convey
an immense quantity of information； but when they came to be
reflected on； it was universally observed that nothing tangible
could ever be got out of them。 The housekeeper； a weird old
woman； with a very abrupt and repelling manner； was too fierce
and taciturn to be safely approached。 The few indoor servants had
all been long enough in the family to have learned to hold their
tongues in public as a regular habit。 It was only from the
farm…servants who supplied the table at the Abbey that any
information could be obtained； and vague enough it was when they
came to communicate it。
Some of them had observed the 〃young master〃 walking about the
library with heaps of dusty papers in his hands。 Others had heard
odd noises in the uninhabited parts of the Abbey； had loo