though　the　pattern　still　looked　as　if　it　was　formed　out　of
  characters　of　the　alphabet　curiously　entwined　together；　you　found
  yourself　unable　to　fix　upon　any　definite　word；　or　even　letter。　　You
  looked　again　and　again；　and　the　longer　that　you　looked　the　more
  certain　became　your　belief　that　you　were　on　the　verge　of　discovery。
  If　you　could　approach　the　mysterious　legend　from　a　slightly
  different　point　of　view；　or　look　at　it　from　another　distance；　the
  clew　to　the　puzzle　would　be　seized；　and　the　words　would　stand　forth
  clear　and　legible　in　your　sight。　　But　the　clew　never　had　been
  discovered；　and　the　motto；　if　there　was　one；　remained　unread。
  For　a　few　minutes　we　stood　looking　at　the　cabinet　in　silence；　and
  then　Lucy　gave　a　discontented　little　sigh。　　〃There's　another
  tiresome　piece　of　superstition；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃by　far　the
  handsomest　piece　of　furniture　in　the　house　stuck　away　here　in　a
  bedroom　which　is　hardly　ever　used。　　Again　and　again　have　I　asked
  George　to　let　me　have　it　moved　downstairs；　but　he　won't　hear　of
  it。〃
  〃Was　it　not　placed　here　by　Dame　Alice　herself？〃　I　inquired　a　little
  reproachfully；　for　I　felt　that　Lucy　was　not　treating　the　cabinet
  with　the　respect　which　it　really　deserved。
  〃Yes；　so　they　say；〃　she　answered；　and　the　tone　of　light　contempt　in
  which　she　spoke　was　now　pierced　by　a　not　unnatural　pride　in　the
  romantic　mysteries　of　her　husband's　family。　　〃She　placed　it　here；
  and　it　is　said；　you　know；　that　when　the　closed　cabinet　is　opened；
  and　the　mysterious　motto　is　read；　the　curse　will　depart　from　the
  Mervyn　family。〃
  〃But　why　don't　they　break　it　open？〃　I　asked；　impatiently。　　〃I　am
  sure　that　I　would　never　have　remained　all　my　life　in　a　house　with　a
  thing　like　that；　and　not　found　out　in　some　way　or　another　what　was
  inside　it。〃
  〃Oh；　but　that　would　be　quite　fatal；〃　answered　she。　　〃The　curse　can
  only　be　removed　when　the　cabinet　is　opened　as　Dame　Alice　intended
  it　to　be；　in　an　orthodox　fashion。　　If　you　were　to　force　it　open；
  that　could　never　happen；　and　the　curse　would　therefore　remain　for
  ever。〃
  〃And　what　is　the　curse？〃　I　asked；　with　very　different　feelings　to
  those　with　which　I　had　timidly　approached　the　same　subject　with
  Alan。　　Lucy　was　not　a　Mervyn；　and　not　a　person　to　inspire　awe　under
  any　circumstances。　　My　instincts　were　right　again；　for　she　turned
  away　with　a　slight　shrug　of　her　shoulders。
  〃I　have　no　idea；〃　she　said。　　〃George　and　Alan　always　look
  portentously　solemn　and　gloomy　whenever　one　mentions　the　subject；
  so　I　don't。　　If　you　ask　me　for　the　truth；　I　believe　it　to　be　a　pure
  invention；　devised　by　the　Mervyns　for　the　purpose　of　delicately
  accounting　for　some　of　the　disreputable　actions　of　their　ancestors。
  For　you　know；　Evie；〃　she　added；　with　a　little　laugh；　〃the　less　said
  about　the　character　of　the　family　into　which　your　aunt　and　I　have
  married　the　better。〃
  The　remark　made　me　angry；　I　don't　know　why；　and　I　answered　stiffly；
  that　as　far　as　I　was　acquainted　with　them；　I　at　least　saw　nothing
  to　complain　of。
  〃Oh；　as　regards　the　present　generation；　no；except　for　that　poor；
  wretched　Jack；〃　acquiesced　Lucy；　with　her　usual　imperturbable　good…
  humor。
  〃And　as　regards　the　next？〃　I　suggested；　smiling；　and　already
  ashamed　of　my　little　temper。
  〃The　next　is　perfect；　of　course；poor　dear　boys。〃　　She　sighed　as
  she　spoke；　and　I　wondered　whether　she　was　really　as　unconscious　as
  she　generally　appeared　to　be　of　the　strange　dissatisfaction　with
  which　her　husband　seemed　to　regard　his　children。　　Anyhow　the
  mention　of　them　had　evidently　changed　her　mood；　and　almost　directly
  afterwards；　with　the　remark　that　she　must　go　and　look　after　her
  guests；　who　had　all　arrived　by　now；　she　left　me　to　myself。
  For　some　minutes　I　sat　by　the　bright　fire；　lost　in　aimless；
  wandering　thought；　which　began　with　Dame　Alice　and　her　cabinet；　and
  which　ended　somehow　with　Alan's　face；　as　I　had　last　seen　it　looking
  up　at　me　in　front　of　the　hall…door。　　When　I　had　reached　that　point；
  I　roused　myself　to　decide　that　I　had　dreamt　long　enough；　and　that
  it　was　quite　time　to　go　down　to　the　guests　and　to　tea。　　I
  accordingly　donned　my　best　teagown；　arranged　my　hair；　and　proceeded
  towards　the　drawing…room。　　My　way　there　lay　through　the　great
  central　hall。　　This　apartment　was　approached　from　most　of　the
  bedrooms　in　the　house　through　a　large；　arched　doorway　at　one　end　of
  it；　which　communicated　directly　with　the　great　staircase。　　My
  bedroom；　however；　which；　as　I　have　said；　lay　among　the　private
  apartments　of　the　house；　opened　into　a　passage　which　led　into　a
  broad　gallery；　or　upper　chamber；　stretching　right　across　the　end　of
  the　hall。　　From　this　you　descended　by　means　of　a　small　staircase　in
  oak；　whose　carved　balustrade；　bending　round　the　corner　of　the　hall；
  formed　one　of　the　prettiest　features　of　the　picturesque　old　room。
  The　barrier　which　ran　along　the　front　of　the　gallery　was　in　solid
  oak；　and　of　such　a　height　that；　unless　standing　close　up　to　it；　you
  could　neither　see　nor　be　seen　by　the　occupants　of　the　room　below。
  On　approaching　this　gallery　I　heard　voices　in　the　hall。　　They　were
  George's　and　Alan's；　evidently　in　hot　discussion。　　As　I　issued　from
  the　passage；　George　was　speaking；　and　his　voice　had　that
  exasperated　tone　in　which　an　angry　man　tries　to　bring　to　a　close　an
  argument　in　which　he　has　lost　his　temper。　　〃For　heaven's　sake　leave
  it　alone；　Alan；　I　neither　can　nor　will　interfere。　　We　have　enough
  to　bear　from　these　cursed　traditions　as　it　is；　without　adding　one
  which　has　no　foundation　whatever　to　justify　ita　mere　contemptible
  piece　of　superstition。〃
  〃No　member　of　our　family　has　a　right　to　call　any　tradition
  contemptible　which　is　connected　with　that　place；　and　you　know　it；〃
  answered　Alan；　and　though　he　spoke　low；　his　voice　trembled　with
  some　strong　emotion。　　A　first　impulse　of　hesitation　which　I　had　had
  I　checked；　feeling　that　as　I　had　heard　so　much　it　was　fairer　to　go
  on；　and　I　advanced　to　the　top　of　the　staircase。　　Alan　stood　by　the
  fireplace　facing　me；　but　far　too　occupied　to　see　me。　　His　last
  speech　had　seemingly　aroused　George　to　fury；　for　the　latter　turned
  on　him　now　with　savage　passion。
  〃Damn　it　all；　Alan！〃　he　cried；　〃can't　you　be　quiet？　　I　will　be
  master　in　my　own　house。　　Take　care；　I　tell　you；　the　curse　may　not
  be　quite　fulfilled　yet　after　all。〃
  As　George　uttered　these　words；　Alan　lifted　his　eyes　to　him　with　a
  glance　of　awful　horror：　his　face　turned　ghastly　white；　his　lips
  trembled　for　a　moment；　and　then　he　answered　back　with　one　half…
  whispered　word　of　supreme　appeal〃George！〃　　There　was　a　long…
  drawn；　unutterable　anguish　in　his　tone；　and　his　voice；　though
  scarcely　audible；　penetrated　to　every　corner　of　the　room；　and
  seemed　to　hang　quivering　in　the　air　around　one　after　the　sound　had
  ceased。　　Then　there　was　a　terrible　stillness。　　Alan　stood　trembling
  in　every　limb；　incapable　apparently　of　speech　or　action；　and　George
  faced　him；　as　silent　and　motionless　as　he　was。　　For　an　instant　they
  remained　thus；　while　I　looked　breathlessly　on。　　Then　George；　with　a
  muttered　imprecation；　turned　on　his　heel　and　left　the　room。　　Alan
  followed　him　as　he　went　with　dull　lifeless　eyes；　and　as　the　door
  closed　he　breathed　deeply；　with　a　breath　that　was　almost　a　groan。
  Taking　my　courage　in　both　hands；　I　now　descended　the　stairs；　and　at
  the　sound　of　my　footfall　he　glanced　up；　started；　and　then　came
  rapidly　to　meet　me。
  〃Evie！　you　here；〃　he　said；　〃I　did　not　notice　you。　　How　long　have
  you　been　here？〃　　He　was　still　quite　white；　and　I　noticed　that　he
  panted　for　breath　as　he　spoke。
  〃Not　long；〃　I　answered；　timidly；　and　rather　spasmodically；　〃I　only
  heard　a　sentence　or　two。　　You　wanted　George　to　do　something　about
  some　tradition　or　other；and　he　was　angry；and　he　said　something
  about　the　curse。〃
  While　I　spoke　Alan　kept　his　eyes　fixed　on　mine；　reading　through
  them；　as　I　knew；　into　my　mind。　　When　I　had　finished　he　turned　his
  gaze　away　satisfied；　and　answered　very　quietly；　〃Yes；　that　was　it。〃
  Then　he　went　back　to　the　fireplace；　rested　his　arm　against　the　high
  mantelpiece　above　it；　and　leaning　his　forehead　on　his　arm；　remained
  silently　looking　into　the　fire。　　I　could　see　by　his　bent　brow　and
  compressed　lips　that　he　was　engaged　upon　some　earnest　train　of
  thought　or　reasoning；　and　I　stood　waitingworried；　puzzled；
  curious；　but　above　all　things；　pitiful；　and　oh！　longing　so
  intensely　to　help　him　if　I　could。　　Presently　he　straightened
  himself　a　little；　and　addressed　me　more　in　his　ordinary　tone　of
  voice；　though　without　looking　round。　　〃So　I　hear　they　have　changed
  your　room。〃
  〃Yes；〃　I　answered。　　And　then；　flushing　rather；　〃Is　that　what　you
  and　George　have　been　quarreling　about？〃　　I　received　no　reply；　and
  taking　this　silence　for　assent；　I　went　on　deprecatingly；　〃Because
  you　know；　if　it　was；　I　think　you　are　rather　foolish；　Alan。　　As　I
  understand；　two　girls　are　said　to　have　died　in　that　room　more　than
  a　hundred　years　ago；