Catherine's Quest Page #5

"Catherine's Quest" is a captivating novella by Joseph Thomas Sheridan Le Fanu, revolving around the titular character, Catherine. The story explores themes of love, identity, and the supernatural as Catherine embarks on a journey marked by mystery and intrigue. Set against a backdrop of rich Gothic elements, the narrative delves into her encounters with enigmatic figures and the struggles she faces in her search for truth and fulfillment. Le Fanu's evocative prose and gripping storytelling create an engaging tale that combines romance with an exploration of the darker facets of human nature.

• Horror

								

children, a son Francis, and a daughter Catherine, commonly called
Francis and Catherine l'Estrange. And I hereby declare that Agatha
Thornhaugh was not legally married to me as she imagined, my lawful wife
being alive at the time; neither do I leave to her son by her first
husband, Ralph Thornhaugh, any part or share in my inheritance."

Both the will and the writing at the foot of it were dated the 14th of
May, 1668.

This accumulation of mysteries caused me for a time to feel quite
bewildered and unable to think, but Mr. Fleet was in his element.

"Here is a case worth entering into," said he, and he further went on to
state that he had no doubt that the L'Estranges mentioned in the will
were our Catherine's ancestors, the Christian names being similar
rendering it more than probable. She was most likely a direct descendant
of Francis l'Estrange, the heir mentioned in the will, who was no doubt
also the fair-haired boy Catherine had seen in her vision.

The bones were those of his sister, the murdered Catherine l'Estrange,
and of her murderess Agatha Thornhaugh, herself immured by her own son;
but the matter ought not to rest on mere surmise, and the first place to
go to for corroborating evidence was Craymoor church.

The rapidity with which Mr. Fleet came to his conclusions increased my
bewilderment, and I was at a loss to know what evidence he expected to
gain from Craymoor church. He reminded me, however, of Catherine's
statement that "the wicked woman" of her vision resembled the effigy on
the monument there.

Thither, then, the lawyer repaired, accompanied by Mr. Fanshawe and
George. It was thought best to keep the sequel of the story from
Catherine and the others until it was explained more fully, as Mr. Fleet
boldly affirmed it should be. I awaited anxiously the result of their
researches, and they exceeded I think even our good investigator's
hopes.

Not only had they deciphered the inscription round the old monument, but
with leave from the clergyman and the assistance of the sexton they had
disinterred the coffin and found it to be filled with stones.

I am aware that this was rather an illegal proceeding, but as Mr. Fleet
was only acting en amateur and not professionally, he did not stick at
trifles.

The inscription was in Latin, and stated that the tomb was erected in
memory of Agatha, wife of Reginald, Viscount St. Aubyn, who was buried
beneath, and who died on the 31st day of December, 1649--exactly two
hundred years before the day on which Catherine had seen the vision.

I could not help thinking it shocking that the villagers had for two
centuries been worshipping in the presence of a perpetual lie, but Mr.
Fleet thought only of the grand corroboration of his "case." He applied
to Mr. Fanshawe to take the next step, namely, to write to Catherine's
aunt and only living relative, to tell her the whole story, and beg
her to assist in elucidating matters by giving all the information she
could respecting the L'Estrange family.

This was done, and we anxiously awaited the answer. Meantime, all my
guests were clamorous to hear the contents of the will, and I had to
appease them as best I could, by promising that they should know all
soon.

In a few days, old Miss l'Estrange's answer came. She said her brother,
father, and grandfather had all served in India, and that she believed
her great-grandfather, who was a Francis l'Estrange, to have passed most
of his life abroad, there having been a cloud over his early youth. What
this was, however, she could not say. She affirmed that the L'Estranges
had in old times resided in ----shire; and she further stated that her
father's family had consisted of herself and her brother, whose only
child Catherine was.

This was certainly not much information, but it was enough for our
purpose. We no longer remained in doubt as to the truth of Mr. Fleet's
version of the story, and when he himself told it to all our
family-party one evening, every one agreed that he had certainly
succeeded in making out a very clever case.

As for Catherine, on being told that the figures she had beheld in the
vision were thought to be those of her ancestors, she was not so much
surprised as I expected, but said that she had had a presentiment all
along that the tragedies she had witnessed were in some way connected
with her own family.

I must not forget to say that on ascertaining that the parish church of
Haslet was still standing, we searched the register, and another link of
evidence was made clear by the finding of the looked-for entry.

There remains little more to be told. The charge of the old will was
committed to Mr. Fleet, and Catherine's story has been carefully laid up
among the archives of our family. I say advisedly of our family, for
the line of the L'Estranges, alias St. Aubyns, has been united to ours
by the marriage of Catherine to my son George, which took place in 1850.

I who write this am an old woman now, but I still live with my son and
daughter-in-law.

George has bought Craymoor Grange, thus rendering justice after the
lapse of two centuries, and restoring the inheritance of her fathers to
the rightful owner.

I have but one more incident to relate, and I have done. A short time
ago, old Miss l'Estrange died, bequeathing all her worldly possessions
to Catherine. Among these were some old family relics. Catherine was
looking over them as George unpacked them, and she presently came to a
miniature of a young and beautiful girl with fair hair and blue eyes,
and a wistful expression, and with it a necklace of pearls strung in a
diamond pattern. On seeing these she became suddenly grave, and handing
them to me, said: "They are the same; the young girl, and the pearl
necklace I told you of." No more was said at the time, for the children
were present, and we had always avoided alluding to the horrible family
tragedy before them; but if we had still retained any doubt about its
truth--which we had not--this would have set it at rest.

If you were to visit Craymoor Grange now, you would find no old laundry.
The part of the house containing it has been pulled down, and children
play and chickens peckett on the ground where it once stood.

The oaken chest has also long since been destroyed.
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