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Crooken Sands · Dracula's Guest & Other Weird Tales

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Crook and Sands. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
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the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot
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org. Recording by Kate mac Kenzie Crooke and Sands by Bram Stoker. Mister
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Arthur Fernley Markham, who took what was known as the Red House above the
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mains of Crookan, was a London merchant, and, being essentially a Cockney,
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thought it necessary when he went for the summer holidays to Scotland, to
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provide an entire rig out as a Highland chieftain, as manifested in Cromolythograss and
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on the music hall stage. He had once seen in the Empire the Great
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Prince the Bounder King, bring down their house by appearing as the muc slogan
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of that ilk and singing the celebrated Scotch song There's nothing like hagister make yermun
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dry. And he had ever since preserved in his mind a faithful image of
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the pictureresque and warlike appearance which he presented. Indeed, if the true inwardness
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of mister Markham's mind on the subject of his selection of Aberdeenshire as a summer
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resort. When known, it would be found that in the foreground of the
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holiday locality which his fancy painted stalked the many hued figure of the MCS slogan
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of that ilk. However, be this as it may, A very kind
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fortune, certainly so far as external beauty was concerned, led him to the
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choice of Crookhan Bay. It is a lovely spot between Aberdeen and peter Head,
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just under the rock bound headland, whence the long dangerous reefs known as
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the Spurs, run out into the North Sea. Between this and the mains
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of Crookhan, a village sheltered by the northern cliffs, lies the deep bay,
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backed with a multitude of bent grown dunes, where the rabbits are to
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be found in thousands. Thus, at either end of the bay is a
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rocky promontory, and when the dawn of the sunset falls on the rocks of
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red cyanite, the effect is very lovely. The bay itself is floored with
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level sand, and the tide runs far out, leaving a smooth waste of
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hard sand on which are dotted here and there the stake nets and bagnets of
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the salmon fishers. At one end of the bay, there is a little
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group of cluster of rocks whose heads are raised something above high water, except
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when in rough weather the waves come over them green. At low tide they
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are exposed down to sun level, and here is perhaps the only little bit
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of dangerous sand on this part of the Eastern coast. Between the rocks,
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which are apart about some fifty feet, is a small quicksand which, like
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the good winds, is dangerous only with the incoming tide. It extends outwards
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till it is lost in the sea, and inwards till it fades away in
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the hard sand of the upper beach. On the slope of the hill which
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rises beyond the dunes midway between the spurs and the Port of Crooken, is
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the Red House. It rises from the midst of a clump of fir trees
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which protect it on three sides, leaving the whole sea front open. A
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trim, old fashioned garden stretches down to the roadway, on crossing which a
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grassy path which can be used for light vehicles, threads away to the shore,
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winding amongst the sand hills. When the Markham family arrived at the Red
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House after their thirty six hours of pitching on the Aberdeen steamer Van Rye from
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Blackwall, with the subsequent train to Yelen and drive of a dozen miles,
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they all agreed that they had never seen a more delightful spot. The general
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satisfaction was more marked as that very time. None of the family were,
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for several reasons, inclined to find favorable anything or any place over the Scottish
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border. Though the family was a large one, the prosperity of the business
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allowed them all sorts of personal luxuries, amongst which was a wide latitude in
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the way of dress. The frequency of the Markham girl's new frocks was a
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source of envy to their bosom friends and of joy to themselves. Arthur Ferley
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Markham had not taken his family into his confidence regarding his new costume. He
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was not quite certain that he should be free from ridicule, or at least
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from sarcasm, and as he was sensitive on the subject, he thought it
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better to be actually in the suitable environment before he allowed the full splendor to
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burst upon them. He had taken some pains to ensure the completeness of the
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Highland costume. For the purpose he had paid many visits to the scotch All
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Wool Tartan clothing mart which had been lately established in Cocktole Court by the masters
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McCallum More and Roderick mcdoo. He had anxious consultations with the head of the
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firm, McCallum, as he called himself, resenting any such additions as mister
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or a squire. The known stock of buckles, button straps, brooches and
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ornaments of all kinds were examined in critical detail, and at last an eagle's
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feather of sufficiently magnificent proportions was discovered and the equipment was complete. It was
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only when he saw the finished costume, with the vivid hues of the Tartan,
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seemingly modified into comparative sobriety by the multitude of silver fittings, the cair
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Goone brooches, the Phillip beg Dirk and Sparren, that he was fully and
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absolutely satisfied with his choice. At first, he had thought of the Royal
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Stewart dressed Tartan, but abandoned it on the mcallum pointing out that if he
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should happen to be in the neighborhood of balmoral, it might lead to complications.
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The Macallum, who by the way spoke with a remarkable Cockney accent,
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suggested other plates in turn. But now that the other question of accuracy had
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been raised, mister Markham foresaw difficulties if he should by chance find himself in
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the locality of the clan whose colors he had usurped. The Macallum at last
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undertook to have at Markham's expense a special pattern woven which would not be exactly
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the same as any existing tartan, though partaking of the characteristics of many.
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It was based on the Royal Stewart, but contained suggestions as to simplicity of
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pattern from the Mcallis, to Ogilvy clans, and as to neutrality of color
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from the clans of Buchanan, Macbeth, chief of Macintosh and MacLeod. When
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the specimen had been shown to Markham, he had feared somewhat lest it should
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strike the eye of his domestic circle as Gordon. But as Roderick mc dow
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fell into perfect ecstasies over its beauty, he did not make any objection to
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the completion of the piece. He thought and wisely, that if a genuine
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scotchman like McDow liked it. It must be right, especially as the junior
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partner was a man very much of his own build and appearance. When the
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mcallum was receiving his check, which by the way, was a pretty stiff
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one, he remarked, I've I've taken the liberty of having some more of
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the staff woven in case, sir, you are any your friends shall want
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it. Markham was gratified and told him that he should be only too happy
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if the beautiful stuff which they had originated between them should become a favorite,
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as he had no doubt it would. In time he might make him sell
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as much as he would. Markham tried the dress on in his office one
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evening after the clerks had all gone home. He was pleased. They were
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a little frightened at the result. The macallum had done his work thoroughly,
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and there was nothing omitted that could add to the martial dignity of the wearer.
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I shall not, of course take the claim or on pistols with me
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on ordinary occasions, said Markham to himself, as he began to undress.
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He determined that he would wear the dress for the first time on landing in
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Scotland, and accordingly, on the morning, when the ban rye was hanging
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off the girl Nest Lighthouse waiting for the tie to enter the port of Aberdeen,
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he emerged from his cabin in all the glaudy splendor of his new costume.
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The first comment he heard was from one of his own sons, who
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did not recognize him at first. He is a guar gray Scott. It's
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the governor, And the boy fled forthwith and tried to bury his laughter under
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a cushion in the saloon. Markham was a good sailor and had not suffered
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from the pitching of the boat, so that his naturally rubicund face was even
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more rosy by the conscious blush which suffused his cheeks. When he had found
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himself at once the sinosure of all eyes, he could have wished that he
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had not been so bold, for he knew from the cold that there was
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a big bear spot under one side of his jauntly worn Glengarry cap. However,
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he faced the group of strangers boldly. He was not outwardly upset,
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even when some of the comments reached his ears. He's off his blooming champ,
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said a cockney in a suit of exaggerated blood. There's flies on him,
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said a tall, thin Yankee, pale with sea sickness. He was
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on his way to take up his residence for a time, as close as
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he could get to the gates of Balmoral. Happy thought, let us fill
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on mole's how's the chance, said a young Oxford man on his way home
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to Inverness. But presently mister Markham heard the voice of his eldest daughter,
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Where is he? Where is he? That she came tearing along the deck,
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with her hat blown behind her her face. She had signs of agitation,
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for her mother had just been telling her of her father's condition. But
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when she saw him, she instantly burst into laughter, so violent that it
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ended in a fit of hysterics. Something of the same kind happened to each
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of the other children. When they had all had their turn. Mister Markham
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went to his cabin and sent his wife's maid to tell each member of the
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family that he wanted to see them at one time. They all made their
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appearance, suppressing their feelings as well as they could. He said to them,
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very quietly, my DearS, don't not provide you all with ample allowances
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yes, father, they all answered gravely. No one could be more generous.
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Don't not let you dress as you please? Yes, father, is
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a little cheepishly. Their mody is, don't you think it will be nicer
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and kinder of you not to try and make me feel uncomfortable, even if
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I do assume address which is ridiculous in your eyes, were quite common enough
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in a country where we are a boat. To Sir Jean, there was
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no answer except that which appeared in their hanging heads. He was a good
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father, and they all knew it. He was quite satisfied and went on
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there. Now run away and enjoy yourselves, which don't have another word about
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it. Then he went on deck again and stood bravely the fire of ridicule,
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which he recognized around him, though nothing more was said within his hearing.
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The astonishment and the amusement which is yet up occasioned on the ban Rai,
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however, nothing to that which it created in Aberdeen. The boys and
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loafers, women with babies who waited at the landing shed followed en mass as
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the Markham party took their way to the railway station. Even the porters,
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with their old fashioned knots and their new fashion barrows, who await the traveler
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at the foot of the gangplank, followed in wondering delight. Fortunately, the
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Peterhead train was just about to start, so that the martyrdom was not unnecessarily
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prolonged. In the carriage, the glorious Highland costume was unseen, and as
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there were but few persons at the station at Yellen, all went well there.
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When, however, the carriage drew near to the mains of crook And
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and the fisherfolk could run to their doors to see who it was that was
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passing, the excitement exceeded all bounds. The children, with one impulse,
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waved their bonnets and ran shouting behind the carriage. The men forsook their nets
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and their baiting and followed. The women clutched their babies and followed also.
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The horses were tired after their long journey to Yelling and back, and the
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hill was steep, so that there was ample time for the crowd to gather
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and even to pass on ahead. Missus Markham and the elder girls would have
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liked to make some protest, or to do something to relieve their feelings of
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chagrin at the ridicule which they saw on all faces. But there was a
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look of fixed determination on the face of the seeming highlunder, which awed them
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a little, and they were silent. It might have been that the eagle's
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feather, even when arising above the bald head, the care gone brooch,
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even on the fat shoulder, and the clay or dirk and pistols, even
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when belted round the extensive paunch and protruding from the stocking of the sturdy cough,
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fulfilled their existence as symbols of martial and terrifying import When the party arrived
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at the gate of the Red House, there awaited them a crowd of crooken
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inhabitants, hatless and respectfully silent. The remainder of the population was painfully toiling
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up the hill. The silence was broken by only one sound, that of
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a man with the deep voice. Man, but he's forgotten their pipes.
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The servants has arrived some days before, and all things were in readiness.
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In the glow consequent on the good lunch after a hard journey, all the
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disagreeables of trouble, and all the shagrin consequent on the adoption of the obnoxious
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costume, were forgotten. That afternoon, Markham still clad in full array,
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walked through the mains of crook, and he was all alone. For strange
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to say, His wife and both daughters had sick headaches, and were,
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as he was told, lying down to rest after the fatigue of the journey.
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His eldest son, who claimed to be a young man, had gone
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out by himself to explore the surroundings of the place, and one of the
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boys could not be found. The other boy, on being told that his
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father had sent for him to come for a walk, had managed, by
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accident, of course, to fall into the water butt and had to be
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dried and rigged out afresh, his clothes not having been as yet unpacked.
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This was, of course impossible without delay. Mister Markham was not quite satisfied
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with his walk. He could not meet any of his neighbors. It was
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not that there were not enough people about, for every house and cottage seemed
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to be full, but the people, when in the open, were either
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in their doorways some distance behind him, or on the roadway a long distance
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in front. As he passed, he could see the tops of heads and
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the whites of eyes in the windows all round the corners of doors. The
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only interview which he had was anything but a pleasant one. This was with
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an odd sort of old man, who was hardly ever heard to speak,
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except to join in the amens in the meetinghouse. His sole occupation seemed to
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be to wait at the window of the post office from eight o'clock in the
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morning till the arrival of the mail at one, when he carried the letter
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back to a neighboring baronial castle. The remainder of his day was spent on
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a seat in a drafty part of the port, where the offal of the
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fish, the refuse of the bait, and the house of rubbish was thrown,
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and where the ducks were accustomed to hold high revel. When saf Tammy
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beheld him coming, he raised his eyes, which were generally fixed on the
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nothing which lay on the roadway opposite his seat, and, seeming dazzled as
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if by a burst of sunshine, rubbed them and shaded them with his hand.
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Then he started up and raised his hand aloft in a denunciatory as he
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spoke, vanity of vanities, saith the preacher, all is vanity. One
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be warned in time. Behold the lilies of the field. They toil,
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not neither do they spin. Yet Solomon, in all his glory, was
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not arrayed like one of these mon mon. Thy vanity is as the quicksand
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which swallows a pall which comes within its spell. Beware vanity, Beware of
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the quicksand which yawneth for thee, and which will swallow thee. Up.
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See thyself, learn thine own vanity, meet thyself face to face, and
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then in that moment thou shalt learn the fatal force of thy vanity. Learn
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it, know it. Then repenty the quicksand swallow thee. Then, without
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another word, he went back to his seat and sapp there, immovable in
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expressionless as before. Malkham could not but feel a little upset by this tirade,
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only that it was spoken by a seeming badman. He would have put
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it down to some eccentric exhibition of Scottish humor or impudence, but the gravity
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of the message, for it seemed nothing else, made such a reading impossible.
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He was, however, determined not to give in to ridicule, and
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although he had not yet seen anything in Scotland to remind him even of a
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kilt, he determined to wear his Highland dress when he returned home. In
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less than half an hour, he found that every member of the family was,
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despite the head aches, out taking a walk. He took the opportunity
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afforded by the absence of locking himself in his dressing room, took off the
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Highland dress, and, putting on a suit of flannels, lit a cigar
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and had a snooze. He was awakened by the noise of the family coming
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in, and at once, donning his dress, made his appearance in the
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drawing room for tea. He did not go out again that afternoon, but
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after dinner he put on his dress again. He had, of course dressed
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for dinner as usual, and went by himself for a walk on the sea
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shore. He had by this time come to the conclusion that he would get
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by degrees accustomed to the Highland dress before making it his ordinary wear. The
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moon was up and he easily followed the path through the sand hills and shortly
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struck the shore. The tide was out in the beach firm as a rock,
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so he strolled southwards to nearly the end of the bay. Here he
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was attracted by two isolated rocks some little way out from the edge of the
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dunes, so he strolled towards them when he reached the nearest when he climbed
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it, and, sitting there elevated some fifteen or twenty feet above the waste
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of sand, enjoyed the lovely, peaceful prospect. The moon was rising behind
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the headland of Pennifold, and its light was just touching the top of the
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furthest most rock of the Spurs, some three quarters of a mile out.
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The rest of the rocks were in dark shadow. As the moon rose over
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the headland, the rocks of the spurs, and then the beach by degrees,
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became flooded with light. For a good while mister Markham sat and looked
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at the rising moon and the growing light area of light which followed its rise.
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Then he turned and faced eastwards, and sat with his chin in his
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hand, looking seawards and reveling in the peace and beauty and freedom of the
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scene. The roar of London, the darkness and the strife and the weariness
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of London life seemed to have passed quite away, and he lived at the
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moment of freer and higher life. He looked at the glistening water as it
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stole its way over the flatway of sand, coming closer and closer. Insensibly
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the tide had turned. Presently, he heard a distant shouting along the beach,
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very far off. Fisherman calling to each other, he said to himself,
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and looked around. As he did so, he got a horrible shock,
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for though just then a cloud sailed across the moon, he saw,
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in spite of the sudden darkness around him, his own image for an instant
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on the top of the opposite rock. He could see the bald back of
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the head and the glengarry cap with the immense eagull's feather. As he staggered
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back, his foot slipped and he began to slide down towards the sand between
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the two rocks. He took no concern as to failing, for the sand
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was really only a few feet below him, and his mine was occupied with
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a figure or similar crum with himself, which had already disappeared as the easiest
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way of reaching Terra Firma, he prepared to jump the remainder of the distance.
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All this had taken but a second, but the brain works quickly,
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and even as he gathered himself for the spring, he saw the sand below
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him lying so marbly level, shake and shiver in an odd way. A
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sudden fear overcame him. His knees failed, and instead of jumping, he
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slid miserably down the rock, scratching his bare legs as he went. His
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feet touched the sun and threw it like water, and he was down below
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his knees before he realized that he was in a quicksand wildly he gasped up
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the rock to keep himself from singing further. Unfortunately, there was a jutting
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spur or edge, which he was able to grasp instinctively. To this he
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clung in grim desperation. He tried to shout, but his breath would not
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come till after a great effort, his voice rang out again. He shouted,
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and it seemed as if the sound of his own voice gave him new
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courage, for he was able to hold on to the rock for a longer
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time than he thought possible, though he held on only in blind desperation.
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He was, however, beginning to find his grasp weakening, when joy of
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joys, his shout was answered by a rough voice from just above him.
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God be thank it, I'm laioll late, and the fisherman with great thigh
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boots came hurriedly climbing over the rock. In an instant he recognized the gravity
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of the danger, and with a cheering what fast, come on, I'm
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coming, scrambled down till he found a firm foothold. Then, with one
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strong hand holding the rock above, he leaned down and, catching Makham's wrist,
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called out to him, Hood to me, mon, Hood to me
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wire the hunt. Then he lent his great strength and with a steady,
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sturdy pull, dragged him out of the hungry quicksand and placed him safe upon
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the rock. Hardly giving time to draw beth. He pulled and pushed him,
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never letting him go for an instant over the rock into the firm sand
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beyond it, and finally deposited him, still shaking from the magnitude of his
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danger, high upon the beach. Then he began to speak, come on,
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but I was just in time. If Idner laughed at you foolish lads,
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and begins to in at the first, you'd have been sinking into the
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bowels of the earth for the new will they bake this locked you was against
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and Tom McPhail swill he was only like a goblin on a puddick steel,
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nah, said I yan's butlered after Englishman that looney, that escape is for
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the waxworks. I was thinking that being strange and silly, if not a
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hole made feel he'd nilk in the ways of the quicksand shouted to warn you,
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and they ran to Jagy. Half if need be God me thank it
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be a fool or only half daft? Were you vanity? I was not
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that late, and he reverently lifted his cap as he spoke. Mister Markham
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was deeply touched and thankful for his escape from a horrible death. But the
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sting of the charge of vanity thus made once more against him come through his
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humility. He was about to reply angrily, when suddenly a great awe fell
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upon him as he remembered the warning words of the half crazy letter carrier,
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Meet thyself face to face and repent ere the quicksand shall swallow thee. Here
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too, he remembered the image of himself that he had seen, and the
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sudden danger from the deadly quicksand that had followed. He was silent a full
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minute, and then said, my good fellow, I owe you my life.
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The answer came with the reverence from the hardy fisherman. Nah, nah,
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you're that to God press to me. I'm only too glad to be
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the humble instrument of his mercy. But you will let me thank you,
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said mister Markham, taking both the great hands of his deliverer in his and
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holding them tight. My heart is too full as yet, and my nerves
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are too much shaken to let me say much. But believe me, I'm
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very, very grateful. It was quite evident that the poor old fellow was
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deeply touched, for the tears were running down his cheeks. The fisherman said,
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with a rough but true courtesy. Ay, sir, thank me,
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and you will if it'll do your poor heart good. And I'm thinking that
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if it were me, i'd be thankful too. But so as for me,
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I need no thanks. I'm glad, So I am that Arthur Furling
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Markham was really thankful and grateful was shown practically later on. Within a week's
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time, they're sailed into Port Crooking. Their finest fishing smack had ever been
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seen in the harbor of Peterhead. She was fully found with sails and gear
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of all kinds, and with nets of the best. Her master and men
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went away by the coach, after having left with sevenfisher's wife the papers which
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made her over to him. As mister Markham and the salmon fisher walked together
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along the shore, the former asked his companion not to mention the fact that
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he had been in such an imminent danger, for that it would only distress
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his dear wife and children. He said that he would warn them are of
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the quicksand, and for that purpose he then and there asked questions about it
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till he felt that his information on the subject was complete. Before they parted,
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he asked his companion if he had happened to see a second figure dressed
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like himself on the other rock, because he'd approached to sucker him. Yeah,
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nah, came the answer, theresny sack another fool in these parts?
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Now has there been since the time of Jamie fleming him that were full to
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the Laird of Udney, why sick of heathenish dress as you have on till
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he has nay seen in these pets with the memory of man. And I'm
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thinking that sick of Jess was never for sitting on the code rock as you've
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done beyond on, but being a fear of a rheumatism of the lumbergame a
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flopping doing on the code stains with your bare flesh. I was thinking that
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it was daft you were when I see the moon and doing the pot.
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It's full idiot, you won't be for the look of that. Mister Markham
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did not care to argue the point, and as they were now close to
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his own home, yesked the summon fisher to have a lat of whiskey,
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which he did, and they parted for the night. He took good care
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to warn all his family of the quicksand telling them that he had himself been
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in some danger from it. All that night he never slept. He heard
23:18
the hour strike one after the other, but try how he would, he
23:21
could not get to sleep. Over and over again he went through the horrible
23:26
episode of the quicksand from the time that saf Tami had broken his habitual silence
23:30
to preach to him of the sin of vanity and to warn him, the
23:34
question kept ever arising in his mind, are my friends so vain as to
23:38
be in the ranks of the foolish? And the answer ever came in the
23:41
words of the crazy prophet Vanity of vanities. All his vanity meet thyself face
23:48
to face and repent to other quicksand shall swallow thee Somehow a feeling of doom
23:53
began to shape itself in his mind, that he would yet perish in that
23:56
same quicksand for there already met himself face to face in the grave of the
24:02
morning, he dozed off, but it was evident that he continued the subject
24:06
in his dreams, for he was fully awakened by his wife, who said,
24:08
do sleep quietly, God blessed all on. A suit has gone your
24:11
brine. Don't talk an you sleep if you can help it. He was
24:15
somehow conscious of a glad feeling, as if some terrible weight had been lifted
24:18
from him, but he did not know any cause of it. He asked
24:22
his wife what he had said in his sleep, and she answered, he
24:26
said it often enough. Godness knows for one to remember it. Not face
24:30
to face, a silver eagle plume over the bald head, there is hope
24:33
yet, not face to face, go to sleep, do And then he
24:37
did go to sleep, for he seemed to realize that the prophecy of the
24:40
crazy man had not yet been fulfilled. He had not met himself face to
24:44
face as yet at all events. He was awakened early by a maid who
24:48
came to tell him that there was a fisherman at the door who wanted to
24:51
see him. He dressed himself as quickly as he could, for he was
24:53
not yet expert with the Highland dress, and hurried down, not wishing to
24:57
keep the sun official waiting. He was surprised and not altogether pleased, to
25:02
find that his visitor was in another than soft Tammy, who at once opened
25:06
fire on him. I'm on gang about the post, but I thought that
25:10
I would waste an arrow on you, and carene to see if you were
25:11
still that foo with vanities on the nihigumbay. And I see that you know
25:15
learned the lesson well. Time is coming sure, and however I have all
25:21
the time in the minings to main sail, so I look ruined jest till
25:25
I say how you gang ye, and get to the quicksand and then to
25:26
the dell. I'm after my work the new and he went straight away,
25:30
leaving mister Markham considerably vexed, for the maids with an earshot were vainly trying
25:36
to conceal their giggles. He had fairly made up his mind to wear on
25:38
that day ordinary clothes. But the visit of soft tamy reserved his decision.
25:42
He would show them all that he was not a coward, and he would
25:47
go on as he had begun, come what might. When he came to
25:49
breakfast in full marshal panoply, the children one and all held down their heads,
25:55
and the backs of the necks became very red. Indeed, as however,
25:57
none of them laughed, except Titus, the youngest boy, who was
26:02
seized with a fit of hysterical choking, and was promptly banished from the room.
26:06
He could not reprove them, but began to break his egg with a
26:07
sternly determined air. It was unfortunate that, as his wife was handing him
26:12
a cup of tea, one of the buttons of his sleeve caught in the
26:15
lace of a morning wrapper, with the result that the hot tea was spilt
26:18
over his bur knees. Not unnaturally, he made use of a swear word,
26:22
whereupon his wife, somewhat nettled, spoke out, well, offer,
26:26
if you will make such an idiot of yourself with that ridiculous costume, what
26:29
else can you expect? You are not cast into it, and you never
26:33
will be In answer, he began an indignant speech with madam, but he
26:37
got no further, For now that the subject was brot, missus Markham intended
26:41
to have her say out it was not a pleasant say, and truth to
26:45
tell, it was not said in a pleasant manner. A wife's manner seldom
26:48
is pleasant when she undertakes to tell what she considers truths to her husband.
26:52
The result was that Arthur Fernley Markham undertook then and there that during his stay
26:56
in Scotland he would wear no other than the one she abused woman like his
27:03
wife had the last word given in this case with tears very well offur,
27:08
of course, you will do as you choose, make me as ridiculous as
27:12
you can, and spoil for poor girl's chances in life. Young men does
27:17
seem to care as a general role for an idiot father in law. But
27:21
I must warn you for your vanity we someday get a rude shock if indeed
27:23
you are not before then and in a solemn or dead. It was manifest
27:27
after a few days that mister Markham would have to take the major part of
27:30
his outdoor exercise by himself. The girls now and again took a walk with
27:34
him, chiefly in the early morning, or late at night, or on
27:38
a wet day when there will be no one about. They profess to be
27:41
willing to go out at all times, but somehow something always seemed to occur
27:47
to prevent it. The boys could never be found at all on such occasions,
27:51
and as to missus Markham, she sternly refused to go out with him
27:53
on any consideration, so long as he should continue to make a fool of
27:56
himself. Sunday he dressed himself in his habitual broadcloth, for he rightly felt
28:03
that church was not a place for angry feelings. But on Monday morning he
28:07
resumed his Highland garb. By this time he would have given a good deal
28:11
if he had never thought of the dress, But his British officers in his
28:15
sea was strong, and he would not give in. Saftami called at his
28:18
house every morning, and, not being able to see him nor have any
28:21
message to take into him, he used to call back in the afternoon when
28:23
the letter bag had been delivered, and watched for his going out. On
28:27
such occasions. He never failed to warn him against his vanity in the same
28:30
words which he had used at the first before many days were over, mister
28:34
Markham had come to look upon him as a little short of a scourge.
28:37
By the time the week was out, the enforced part of solitude, the
28:41
constant shagrin, and the never ending brooding which was thus engendered, began to
28:45
make mister Arkham quite ill. He was too proud to take any of his
28:48
family into his confidence, since they had, in his view, treated him
28:52
very badly. Then he did not sleep well at night, and when he
28:56
did sleep he had constantly bad dreams. Merely to assure himself that his pluck
29:00
was not feeling him, he made it to practice to visit the quicksand at
29:03
least once every day. He hardly ever failed to go there the last thing
29:06
at night. It was perhaps this habit that wrought the quicksand with its terrible
29:10
experience, so perpetually into his dreams. More and more vivid these became,
29:14
till on waking at times he could hardly realize that he had not been actually
29:17
in the flesh to visit the fatal spot. He sometimes thought that he might
29:19
have been walking in his sleep. One night, his dream was so vivid
29:23
that when he awoke he could not believe that it had only been a dream.
29:27
He showed his eyes again and again, but each time the vision,
29:30
if it was a vision, or the reality, if it was a reality,
29:33
would rise before him. The moon was shining full and yellow over the
29:37
quicksand as he approached it, he could see the expanse of light, shaken
29:41
and disturbed and full of black shadows, as the liquid sand quivered and trembled
29:44
and wrinkled and edded, as was its wont between its pauses of marble calm.
29:48
As he took close to it, another figure came towards it from the
29:51
opposite side with equal footsteps. He saw that it was his own figure,
29:55
his very self, and in silent terror, compelled by what force he knew
29:59
not, he advanced, charmed as the birds by the snake, mesmerized or
30:03
hypnotized to meet this other self. As he felt the yielding sand closing over
30:07
him, he awoke in the agony of death, trembling with fear and strange
30:11
to say, with the silly man's prophecy seeming to sound in his ears,
30:15
the vanity of vanities, all his vanity, see their self and repent till
30:18
the quicksand swallow thee. So convinced was he that this was no dream that
30:22
he arose bearly as it was, and, dressing himself without disturbing his wife,
30:26
took his way to the shore. His heart fell when he came across
30:30
a series of footsteps on the sands, which he at once recognized as his
30:33
own. There was the same white heel, the same square toe. He
30:38
had no doubt now that he had actually been there, and, half horrified
30:42
and half in a state of dreamy stupor, he followed the footsteps and found
30:47
them lost in the edge of the yielding quicksand this gave him a terrible shock,
30:52
for there were no return steps marked on the sand, and he felt
30:56
that there was some dread mystery which he could not penetrate, and the penetration
30:59
of which would he fear undo him. In this state of affairs, he
31:03
took two wrong causes. Firstly, he kept his trouble to himself, and
31:07
as none of his family had any clue to it, every innocent word or
31:10
expression which they used supplied fuel to the consuming fire of his imagination. Secondly,
31:15
he began to read books professing to bear upon the mysteries of dreaming and
31:19
of mental phenomena, generally, with the result that every wild imagination of every
31:23
crank or half crazy philosopher became a living germ of unrest in the fertilizing soil
31:27
of his disordered brain. Thus, negatively and positively, all things began to
31:32
work to a common end. Not the least of his disturbing causes was saff
31:36
Timy, who would now become at certain times of the day of fixture at
31:38
his gait. After a while, being interested in the previous state of this
31:41
individual, he made inquiries regarding his past, with the following result. Faf
31:47
Timey was popularly believed to be the son of a lad of one of the
31:49
counties around the Firth of Forth. He had been partially educated for the ministry,
31:53
but for some cause which no one ever knew, threw up his prospects
31:56
suddenly, and going to peter Head, in its days of whaling prosperity,
32:00
had there taken service on a whaler. Here after and on he had remained
32:05
for some years, getting gradually more and more silent in his habits, till
32:07
finally his shipmates protested against so taciturn a mate, and he had found serviced
32:13
amongst the fishing smacks of the Northern Fleet. He had worked for many years
32:15
at the fishing, with always the reputation of being a wee bit daft,
32:20
till at length he had gradually settled down at Crooking, whether led doubtless knowing
32:22
something of his family history, had given him a job which practically made him
32:27
a pensioner. The minister who gave the information to finished, thus it is
32:30
a very strange thing, But the man seems to have some odd kind of
32:34
gift, whether it be that second side which we scotch people as so prone
32:37
to believe in, or some other occult form of knowledge or not. But
32:40
nothing ever, disasters tendency ever occurs in this place. But the men with
32:45
whom he lives able to court after the events and saying of his which suddenly
32:47
appears to have foretold it, he gets un easier excited, wakes up in
32:52
fact when death is in the air. This did not in any way tend
32:57
to lessen mister Markham's concern, but on the contrary, he seemed to impress
33:00
the prophecy more deeply on his mind. Of all the books which he had
33:02
read on his new subject study, none interested in him so much as a
33:07
German one. The Duppelganger by doctor Heinrich von Aschenberg family of Bond. Here
33:12
he learned for the first time of Cat's where men had led a double existence,
33:15
each nature being quite apart from the other, the body being always a
33:19
reality with one spirit and a similar croom with the other. Needless to say
33:22
that mister Markham realized this theory as exactly suiting his own case. The glimpse
33:27
which he had had of his own back the night of his escape from the
33:29
quicksand his own footmarks disappearing into the quicksand with no return steps of visible.
33:34
The prophecy of saft Tammy about his meeting himself and perishing in the quicksand all
33:37
lent aid to the conviction that he was, in his own person, an
33:42
instance of the duppel Ganger. Being then conscious of a double life, he
33:45
took steps to prove his existence to his own satisfaction. To this end,
33:49
when one night, before going to bed, he wrote his name and chalk
33:52
on the soles of his shoes. That night he dreamed of the quicksand and
33:55
of his visiting it, dreamed so vividly that, on walking in the gray
34:00
of the dawn, he could not believe that he had not been there.
34:02
Arising without disturbing his wife, he sought his shoes. The chokingreatures were undisturbed.
34:09
He dressed himself and stole out softly. This time the tide was in,
34:13
so he crossed the dunes and struck the shore on the further side of
34:15
the quicksand there, oh, horror of horrors, he saw his own footprints
34:21
dying into the abyss. He went home a desperately sad man. It seemed
34:24
incredible that he, an elderly commercial man, who had passed a long and
34:29
uneventful life in the pursuit of business, in the midst of roaring practical London,
34:32
should thus find himself enmeshed in mystery and horror, and that he should
34:37
discover that he had two existences. He could not speak of his trouble even
34:42
to his own wife, for well he knew that she would at once require
34:44
the fullest particular as of the other life, the one which she did not
34:47
know, and that she would at the start not only imagine but charge him
34:51
with all manner of infidelities on the head of it. And so his brooding
34:54
grew deeper and deeper still one evening, the tide, then going out in
34:59
the moon at the full He was sitting waiting for dinner when the maid announced
35:02
that Saft Tammy was making a disturbance outside because he would not be let in
35:07
to see him. He was very indignant, but did not like the maid
35:09
to think that he had any fear on the subject, and so told her
35:13
to bring him in. Tammy entered, walking more briskly than ever, with
35:16
his head up and a look of vigorous decision in the eyes that were so
35:19
generally cast down. As soon as he entered, he said, I have
35:22
come to see you once again, once again, and there you sit still,
35:27
just like a cock of two on a pet. Whil monna forgee?
35:30
Mind you that I forgear? And without a word more, he turned and
35:32
walked out of the house, leaving the master in speechless indignation. After dinner,
35:37
he determined to pay another visit to the quicksand he would not allow even
35:42
to himself that he was afraid to go, And so about nine o'clock,
35:45
in full array, he marched the beach, and, passing over the sands,
35:47
sat on the skirt of the near a rock. The full moon was
35:51
behind him, and its light lit up the bay so that its fringe of
35:52
foam, The dark outline of the headline, and the stakes of the salmon
35:55
nets were all emphasized in the brilliant lott glow. The lights in the windows
36:00
of put Crooking, and in those of the distant castle of the Lead,
36:02
trembled like stars through the sky. For a long time, he sat and
36:06
drank in the beauty of the scene, and his soul seemed to feel a
36:08
peace that he had not known for many days. All the pettiness and annoyance
36:12
and silly fears of the past weeks seemed blotted out, and a new holy
36:15
calm took the vacant place. In this sweet and solemn mood, he reviewed
36:20
his late action calmly, and felt ashamed of himself for his vanity and for
36:23
the oppostinacy which had followed it. And then and there he made up his
36:28
mind that the present would be the last time he would wear the costume which
36:30
had estranged him from those whom he loved, and which had caused him so
36:32
many hours and days of shakerin vexation and pain. But almost as soon as
36:37
he arrived at this conclusion, another voice seemed to speak within him, and
36:42
mockingly to ask him if he should ever get the chance to wear the suit
36:44
again, that it was too late. He had chosen his course and must
36:47
now abide the issue. He's not too late, came the quick answer of
36:52
his better self, and full of the thought, he rose up to go
36:53
home and divest himself of the now hateful costume. Right away. He paused
36:58
for one look at the beautiful scene. The light lay pale and mellow,
37:01
softening every outline of rock and tree and house top, and deepening the shadows
37:06
into velvety black and lighting as with a pale flame the incoming tide that now
37:12
crept fringe like across the flat waste of sand. Then he left the rock
37:15
and stepped out for the shore. But as he did so, a fragleed
37:19
spasm of horror shook him, and for an instant, the blood rushing to
37:21
his head shut out all the light of the full moon. Once more he
37:24
saw that fatal image of himself moving beyond the quicksand from the opposite rock to
37:28
the shore. The shock was all the greater for the contrast with the spell
37:31
of peace, which he had just enjoyed, and almost paralyzed in every sense.
37:36
He stood and watched the fatal vision and the wrinkly crawl and quicksand that
37:38
seemed to writhe and yearn for something that lay between. There could be no
37:43
mistake this time, for though the moon behind threw the face into shadow,
37:46
he could see there the same shaven cheeks as his own, and the small,
37:50
stubby mustache of a few weeks growth. The light shone on the brilliant
37:53
tartan and on the eagle's plume. Even the bald space at one side of
37:57
the Glengarry cap glistened, as did the cake hang on brooch on the shoulder,
38:00
and the tops of the silver buttons. As he looked, he felt
38:05
his feet slightly sinking, for he was still near the edge of the belt
38:07
of quicksand, and he stepped back. As he did so, the other
38:10
figure stepped forward, so that the space between them was preserved. So the
38:14
two stood facing each other, as though in some weird fascination, and in
38:17
the rushing of the blood through his brain, Markham seemed to hear the words
38:21
of the prophecy, see thy self face to face. They repent ere the
38:24
quicksand swallow thee He did stand face to face with himself. He had repented,
38:30
and now he was sinking in the quicksand the warning of prophecy were coming
38:36
true. Above him, the seagulls screamed, circling round the fringe of the
38:39
incoming tide, and the sound being entirely morsel, recalled to himself. On
38:44
the instant, he stepped back a few quick steps, for as yet only
38:46
his feet were merged in the soft sand. As he did so, the
38:50
other figure stepped forward, and, coming with him the deadly grip of the
38:52
quicksand began to sink. It seemed to Markham that he was looking at himself
38:55
going down to his doom, and on the instant the anguish of his soul
38:59
fan in a terrible cry. There was at the same instant a terrible cry
39:02
from the other figure, and as Markham threw up his hands, the figure
39:06
did the same. With horror struck eyes, he saw him sink deeper into
39:09
the quicksand, and then, impelled by what power he knew not, he
39:13
advanced again towards the sun to meet his fate. But at his more forward
39:16
foot began to sink. He hid again the cries of the seagulls, which
39:20
seemed to restore his benumbed faculties with a mighty effort, he drew his foot
39:23
out of the sand which seemed to clutch it, leaving his shoe behind,
39:27
and then, in sheer terror, he turned and ran from the place,
39:30
never stopping till his breath and strength failed him, and he sank half swimming
39:34
on the grassy path through the sand hills. Arthur Markham made up his mind
39:37
not to tell his family of his terrible adventure until at least such time as
39:40
he should be complete master of himself. Now that the fatal double his other
39:45
self, had been engulfed in the quicksand he felt something like his old peace
39:50
of mind. That night he slept soundly and did not dream at all,
39:53
and in the morning was quite his old self. It really seemed as though
39:57
his newer and worser self had disappeared forever. Strangely enough, saft Tammy was
40:00
absent from his post that morning and never appeared there again, but sat in
40:05
his old place, watching nothing as of old, with lack luster eye.
40:07
In accordance with his resolution, he did not wear his Highland suit again,
40:12
but one evening tied it up in a bundle play more Dirk phili beg and
40:15
All, and bringing it secretly with him threw it into the quicksand, with
40:20
a feeling of intense pleasure, he saw it sucked below the sand, which
40:22
closed above it into marble smoothness. Then he went home and announced cheerily to
40:27
his family, assembled for evening prayers. Well, my DearS, you'll be
40:30
glad to hever I've abandoned my idea of weary, violent dress. See now,
40:34
what a vain old fool I was an how ridiculous a man myself shall
40:37
never see it again? Where is it? Father asked one of the girls,
40:40
wishing to say something so that such a self sacrificing announcement as her father's
40:45
should not be passed in absolute silence. His answer was so sweetly given that
40:49
the girl rose from her seat and came and kissed him. It was in
40:52
the quicksand, my dear, and I hope that my worser self was very,
40:55
very along with it. Forever the remainder of the summer was pasted,
40:59
it crooken with delight by all the family, And on his return to town,
41:02
mister Markham had almost forgotten the whole of the incident of the quicksand and
41:07
all touching on it, when one day he got a letter from the mcallum
41:10
more, which caused him much thought, though he said nothing of it to
41:14
his family and left it for certain reasons unanswered. It ran as followed the
41:20
McCallum more and Roderick macdow the Scotch all Waltartan Clothing mart Coptolecourt, e c.
41:25
Thirtieth of September eighteen ninety two. Dear Sir, I trust you will
41:30
pardon the liberty which which I take in writing to you. But I am
41:34
so desirous of making inquiry, and I am informed that you have been sojourning
41:37
during the summer in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and b My partner, mister Roderick
41:42
mcdo as he appears with business reasons on our billheads and in our advertisements,
41:46
his real name being Emmanuel Moses Marks of London, went early last months to
41:50
Scotland and b for a tour. But as I have only once heard from
41:53
him shortly after his departure, I am anxious lest any misfortune may have befallen
41:59
him. As I have been unable to obtain any news of him, while
42:01
making all inquiries in my power, I venture to appeal to you. His
42:06
letter was written in deep dejection of spirit, and mentioned that he feared a
42:09
judgment had come upon him for wishing to appear as a scotchman on Scottish soil,
42:14
as he had one moonlight night shortly after his arrival seen his wraith.
42:17
He evidently alluded to the fact that before his departure he had procured for himself
42:22
a highland costume similar to that which we had the honor to supply to you,
42:25
with which, as perhaps you will remember, he was much struck.
42:29
He may, however, never have worn it, as he was, to
42:30
my own knowledge, diffident about putting it on, and even went so far
42:34
as to tell me that he would at first only venture to wear it late
42:37
at night or very early in the morning, and then only in remote places
42:39
until such time as he should get accustomed to it. Unfortunately, he did
42:44
not advise me of his route, so that I am in complete ignorance of
42:46
his whereabouts, and I venture to ask if you may have seen or heard
42:51
of a highland costume similar to your own having been seen anywhere in the neighborhood
42:53
in which I am told you have recently purchased the estate which he temporarily occupied.
42:58
I shall not expect an answers to this letter unless you can give me
43:01
some information regarding my friend and partner. So pray do not trouble to reply
43:06
unless there because I am encouraged to think that he may have been in your
43:08
neighborhood, as though his letter is not dated. The envelope is marked with
43:14
a postmark of Yellen, which I find is in Abadinsha and not far from
43:17
the mains of Crook And I have the honor to be dear sir yours very
43:22
respectfully, Joshua Shehini Cohen, Benjamin the McCallum more end of Crook and Sands
43:30
end of Dracula's Guest and Other Weird Tales by Bram Stoker