Page:The Strand Magazine (Volume 6).djvu/474

n the early part of the spring of this vear, Florence was full of visitors, drawn thither by the presence of that august personage, Queen Victoria of Great Britain and Ireland and Empress of India, at the Villa Palmieri. Many of these strangers flocked to the hotels in the town, while others rented the numerous villas that stud the hills by which this ancient and interesting city is surrounded. Among these villas there are some very old ones, having been built centuries ago; although, to suit the inhabitants of the present day, the hands of modern architects have obliterated the external façades and altered the internal arrangements of these ancient structures.

On a hill on the old road to Fiesole there was a large, square-built villa, that formerly belonged to a wealthy Italiian, who could trace his fanuly name to the Etruscan period. He died a few years since, leaving the whole of his property, which was very considerable, in trust to his only son, a mere babe then, and now not yet out of his teens. The villa in question, which is part of the inheritance, standing as I have already stated on the summit of a hill, is a two-story one, and stands in its own grounds, which are very extensive and woody. From the terrace, which is level with the ground floor, there is a magnificent view of Florence and the neighbouring hills that surround it; but with all its grandeur of situation and comfort, there has been some mystery about it—at least, people have imagined so—and this handsome habitation has remained unlet for many years.

This spring, however, an exception was made, and the villa was let for two months, to a scion of once of the noblest families in Europe, his charming consort and retinue. Before signing the contract they were ignorant of the many rumours that were afloat about the villa, but soon after taking possession, they were informed by kind, or rather unkind, neighbours and others that the house was said to be haunted. Some said that there were subterranean chambers and passages which were frequented by malefactors, such as counterfeit coiners and other rogues. Another that there was a secret vault, where most of the valuable property left the late proprietor had been stored, to avoid property taxes, which in Italy would amount to enormous sums; and thus, for fear of discovery, the villa was kept unlet.

These rumours did not conduce to the peace of mind of the new tenants; this was especially so with one, who was the hostess's companion, and was a young lady of nervous temperament, and very imaginative. In fact, on the very first night after taking possession of their temporary abode, this young lady's rest was disturbed by unaccountable, and as she called them, unearthly, noises.

It is necessary here to state that the whole of the noble family and followers slept on the first floor, and that the noises seemed to emanate either from the ground floor or basement. There was said to be howling, slamming of doors, tapping, and noises as if furniture was being dragged along the floor.

At first they endeavoured to ascertain for themselves the causes of these nocturnal disturbances, but failing to make any discoveries, they consulted an old monk, who had inhabited that neighbourhood for years; but this religious luminary, instead of alleviating ther fears, made them still more nervous by relating how a former owner of the villa had confessed to him, before he departed from this mortal sphere, that there were secret passages, chambers, and stairs in the villa. This made matters worse, if anything, and as some of the inmates became quite prostrate for want of sleep, they next consulted a high local official, who informed them that it was suspected that under a villa near Florence there were counterfert coiners, but that they had never been able to ascertain the exact place, and he promised them assistance and sent officers from time to time, but during their presence there of a night no noises were heard, and they utterly failed to elucidate the mystery. At last they obtained the services of an Englishman who has had much