The Mystery of the Moaning Mansion and Other Stories

Lord Langley invited me to accompany him to a Party given by one of his colleagues. About midnight all of us sat around the fireplace, chatting or staring into the glowing embers. The conversation turned to ghost stories and everybody became attentive. Finally, my friend's turn came. With a despondent air he related his story.

"We were, four children in our family," he began, "three boys and a girl. I was the oldest, but the difference between us were only a few years. All of us adored our sister, but my two brothers disliked each other intensely. They fought and competed whenever they could. It happened about twenty-five years ago". Emotion overcame him and he shaded his eyes to hide a tear. "I was away at Cambridge, when my brothers became enamored with the same girl. The young lady couldn't make up her mind which of them she preferred. They exchanged verbal insults, then blows and finally drew pistols and began to shoot at each other. My sister heard the commotion and hurried into the room to throw herself between them. But one of the bullets ricocheted and penetrated her head, killing her instantly. In the meantime, my brothers also succeeded in hitting each other in the chest. I was called back hastily from the university to attend a triple funeral. The lady my brothers desired to marry so ardently was brokenhearted, and it fell to me to guide her over the disastrous experience. My exhortations met with more success then I had anticipated. In the end we fell in love and married. I went back to Cambridge, but after graduation and internship, returned to our family seat. My parents were ailing and needed my support. As I had nothing to do, I invested my time in research. Three years had gone by since I returned to live at home. My parents died, one after the other, succumbing to their grief. We still stayed on, having gotten used to a life of leisure. It was the fifth year after the tragedy had occurred and time had started to ease the memories of the events. We went to bed early, as always, at about ten o'clock, when in the middle of the night my wife woke me up. Did you hear it?" she whispered, holding fast to me, Trembling. I opened my eyes sleepily, but a chill grasped me when I heard a moaning sweep through the room. Somebody was moaning in Pain. I overcame my terror and turned on the light. There was nobody in the room. I crawled out of bed while my wife hid her head under the blankets. Our bedroom was situated at the corner of the second floor and I went to the window and looked into the garden. It was dark. Only the treetops moved in the wind. I closed the curtains and faced my wife who had stepped behind me. We didn't go to bed again but sat up the whole night staring at each other.

Eventually, morning came and we left the bedroom. There was nobody outside, but Lady Langley insisted that I escort her to the bathroom and wait for her. The same day we departed for London, leaving the mansion in the hands of the caretaker. The estate was managed by an experienced superintendent, and there was nothing to keep us there." Here he paused and took a deep breath. "We had no children," he continued, "and as I had the time and vocation, I opened a clinic in Chelsea. I became busy with my patients while Lady Langley occupied herself with invitations and court appearances. Slowly, we began to forget the reason for moving to London. One year friends asked us if they could stay at the mansion for a week. Gladly, I gave them permission, but it was a mistake. They were badly frightened and blamed us for not warning them that the house was haunted; they never forgave us. I asked for expert advice and was told that it must be the spirit of my sister who cannot rest in peace because she was so suddenly taken away. I couldn't agree with this because if that were so, all the innocent victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki would have moaned to heaven about their sudden demise, Lady Langley and I recently separated, it seems the past had caught up with us." He filled his glass with Cognac and took a sip. "This is my story. I would be grateful if anybody could give me an explanation." There was silence. Nobody said a word, as if embarrassed by his show of emotion. The guests started to leave and Lord Langley and I walked out into the chilly night.

"What happened when you came home from Cambridge?" I asked. "Was there an autopsy?"

"No, after the shooting stopped, my parents and the servants rushed in. They called for the family doctor who lived in the nearby village. My brothers had shot each other into the heart and the doctor couldn't do anything for them nor for my sister. At least she passed away without suffering, not knowing what hit her. As my parents abhorred the idea that somebody should cut their children up, the doctor wrote accidental death on the death-certificates and the tragedy was hushed up. When I came home they ware in their coffins in the family chapel. My brothers looked angry even in death, while my sister had a peaceful expression on her face as if she were only sleeping. I kissed her good bye. Tears streamed down my cheeks and the servants had to tear me away. I couldn't believe that she was really dead. During the ceremony I had to hold back not to cry out loud. My parents were upset enough. I didn't want to irritate them more. After the service the coffins were closed and carried to their resting place."

"Is the cemetery far away from the mansion?"

"They were not buried in the graveyard," my friend answered. "We have a vault under the chapel and all the Langleys of the last three generations are there. My grandfather initiated this practice and we continued it. My parents, brothers and sister are there, reunited with their respective grandparents." He paused, "but you can be assured they are all dead and the moaning must have some other explanation." He hesitated. "I forgot to mention another victim of the shooting was the caretaker who was very devoted to my sister. He was about thirty-five years of age when the tragedy occurred. He became surly and hard of hearing and had to use a hearing aid. He is still there guarding the empty house. I do not know if he has anything to do with the moaning. I hope not, because I would hate to send him away. If you have any theory, feel free to express yourself."

"It is hard to explain seemingly supernatural occurrences from far away, I would have to be there and hear it with my own ears to form an opinion."

We were walking side by side, silently, when Lord Langley turned abruptly to me. "The five-year cycles is soon coming again. If you wish, I can offer you the opportunity to experience it by yourself. But be forewarned! I do not want to lose a friend on account of some ghostly happenings!"

"Be assured," I answered, "our friendship will not suffer under the strain."

The medical congress had ended and the participants dispersed t all corners of the world. I notified my delegation that I still wanted to remain and wished them bon voyage.