The Old Nurse’s Story by Elizabeth Gaskell (1860)

The Old Nurse’s Story is one of Elizabeth Gaskell’s most celebrated ghost stories, first published in 1852. It is a chilling tale of haunted memories, guilt, and the supernatural, set in a desolate mansion on the remote Cumberland Fells. Narrated by a devoted nurse, the story revolves around the mysterious occurrences at Furnivall Manor, where a child’s innocent curiosity unearths long-buried family secrets. Gaskell’s masterful blend of Gothic elements with psychological depth creates a haunting atmosphere that lingers with readers long after the story ends.

Plot Summary

The wind howled through the desolate landscape of the Cumberland Fells as Hester and little Miss Rosamond made their way to Furnivall Manor, a grand but decaying house hidden in the wilds of the north. The two had come to live with the elderly Miss Furnivall after the sudden death of Rosamond’s parents. Hester, only a young nursemaid herself, had promised her late mistress that she would care for Rosamond, and so she followed the child to this strange and isolated place, far from the warmth and familiarity of their former home.

Furnivall Manor was a shadow of its former glory. The once-grand estate now stood dark and forlorn, surrounded by ancient, twisted trees whose branches scraped against the stone walls as if trying to break through. The great hall was vast and cold, filled with the relics of a time long past—massive andirons, a dusty organ, and an eerie quiet that clung to the air. Miss Furnivall, the aged mistress of the house, lived with her stern companion, Mrs. Stark, who managed the household with a grim efficiency. The two old women were distant and formal, their faces lined with years of sorrow and secrets, and they seemed to take little notice of Rosamond, except to occasionally smile at the child’s beauty.

Despite the bleakness of her new home, Rosamond’s innocent joy brightened the manor’s dark halls. She played and explored, delighting in the odd corners of the house, though Hester never let her wander far. The child’s laughter echoed through the rooms, a stark contrast to the silence of the elderly ladies. But as autumn deepened into winter, strange things began to happen in Furnivall Manor, unsettling the tranquility that Hester tried to preserve for her young charge.

It started with the music. Late in the evenings, as the wind shrieked outside and the fire burned low, Hester would hear the faint strains of organ music drifting through the house. No one played the old instrument in the great hall—it was broken, its keys long silent. Yet the music swelled through the air, eerie and haunting, filling the manor with a sense of unease. Hester, brave though she was, could not explain it, and when she asked Dorothy, the kindly old servant, about the sounds, she was met with fearful looks and hurried answers.

One cold winter afternoon, when the snow fell thickly outside, Rosamond disappeared. Hester had left her with Miss Furnivall and Mrs. Stark while she went to church, but when she returned, the child was nowhere to be found. Frantic, Hester searched the house, calling out for Rosamond. No one had seen her, and the great halls seemed emptier and more menacing with every passing moment. Finally, outside in the snow, Hester spotted the tiny footprints of a child leading away from the house and toward the Fells.

Terrified, Hester followed the prints, her heart pounding in her chest. She feared the worst for her beloved Rosamond, who had ventured out into the bitter cold. As she ran through the snow, she encountered a shepherd carrying Rosamond in his arms, wrapped in his woolen cloak. The child was pale and lifeless, her small body frozen by the elements. The shepherd had found her under the holly trees on the hillside, where she had wandered, drawn by some unseen force.

Hester brought the child back to the manor, her heart breaking with fear, but as she warmed Rosamond by the fire and held her close, the child stirred and slowly returned to life. Rosamond, still weak, told Hester in a trembling voice that she had seen a little girl outside, a girl even smaller than herself, who had beckoned her to come out into the snow. The girl had taken her hand and led her up the hill, toward the holly trees, where they had met a beautiful lady who wept as she held Rosamond in her arms. The lady had tried to soothe her, singing softly to lull her to sleep.

At first, Hester dismissed the tale as a feverish dream, but Rosamond insisted that it had been real, her blue eyes wide with the memory of the strange child. Hester, though skeptical, could not ignore the chill that ran through her at the mention of the girl. She recalled the stories whispered by the servants, tales of a tragic past that haunted Furnivall Manor.

The winter deepened, and so did the disturbances in the house. The ghostly music grew louder, the sound of the organ swelling in the dead of night, and Rosamond often spoke of seeing the little girl at the windows, begging to be let inside. The child seemed to call to her, and more than once, Hester had to restrain Rosamond from running to open the door. A growing sense of dread settled over the house, and even the stern Mrs. Stark seemed unnerved by the strange happenings.

One stormy night, the mystery reached its terrifying climax. Hester, fearing for Rosamond’s safety, took the child to the drawing-room where Miss Furnivall and Mrs. Stark sat, hoping that being in their presence would keep her safe. But as the wind howled outside, a terrible cry echoed through the halls, followed by the sound of furious voices and the heavy tread of footsteps. The air grew thick with tension, and Miss Furnivall, usually so frail and withdrawn, stood and cried out in agony, as if reliving some terrible memory.

Suddenly, the great doors of the hall flew open, and through the blinding snowstorm, Hester saw a terrifying vision. A tall, fierce-looking man appeared, driving before him a beautiful woman and a small child. The woman pleaded for mercy, but the man, filled with rage, struck the child with his crutch. Rosamond, trembling in Hester’s arms, recognized the figures—the woman was the lady from the holly trees, and the child, her spectral companion.

As the phantoms moved through the hall, Miss Furnivall cried out, begging for forgiveness, but it was too late. The sins of the past had returned, and the old woman collapsed, her frail body unable to bear the weight of her guilt. The ghostly figures disappeared into the night, leaving behind only the cold wind and the distant echo of organ music.

Miss Furnivall never recovered. She lingered for a short time, muttering in her delirium about a long-ago betrayal, about pride, jealousy, and a daughter cast out into the snow. In the end, she died with her face turned to the wall, her soul burdened by the knowledge that the past, once done, could never be undone.

Main Characters

• Hester (the Nurse): Hester is the story’s narrator, a loyal and caring nurse who takes on the role of protector for her young charge, Rosamond. Her no-nonsense attitude is tempered by a growing fear as she encounters the supernatural events at Furnivall Manor. Her emotional connection to Rosamond and her determination to shield her from danger are central to the narrative.

• Miss Rosamond: A sweet and curious young girl, Miss Rosamond is the ward of the nurse, Hester. Her innocent nature contrasts sharply with the dark secrets of the house. Her interactions with the ghostly child in the snow drive much of the story’s tension, making her both a victim and a catalyst for the unfolding events.

• Miss Grace Furnivall: The elderly and mysterious owner of the manor, Miss Furnivall is frail and haunted by past sins. She is depicted as emotionally distant and melancholic, but as the story progresses, it becomes clear that she harbors deep guilt and sorrow over past actions. Her role in the tragic family history that haunts the house is revealed in a chilling climax.

• Mrs. Stark: Miss Furnivall’s stern and cold companion, Mrs. Stark manages much of the household and keeps a tight grip on Miss Furnivall. She is secretive and unsympathetic, maintaining a cold, hard demeanor throughout the story. Her presence amplifies the unsettling atmosphere in the manor.

• The Ghostly Child and Lady: These spectral figures are central to the story’s supernatural aspect. The ghost of a young girl and her mother appear repeatedly, representing the tragic past of the Furnivall family. Their appearances are linked to the guilt and unresolved emotional trauma of Miss Furnivall.

Theme

• Guilt and Retribution: The theme of guilt is pivotal to the story, particularly in how it affects Miss Furnivall. Her past actions—marked by jealousy, pride, and cruelty—manifest in the form of the ghostly apparitions. The supernatural events suggest that unresolved guilt can haunt not only the individual but also their descendants, as seen with the impact on Rosamond.

• The Supernatural and the Uncanny: Gaskell weaves the supernatural into everyday life with a masterful subtlety. The ghostly presence in the house is introduced slowly, through strange sounds and unexplained events. The supernatural occurrences in the story are not just for shock value; they reflect deeper emotional and psychological truths about the characters.

• Class and Duty: As is common in Victorian literature, the story explores the roles of servants and the class system. Hester, though a nurse and a servant, takes on a motherly role for Rosamond and becomes the moral compass of the story. Her duty and loyalty are juxtaposed against the moral decay of the aristocratic Furnivall family.

• Isolation and Loneliness: The remote setting of Furnivall Manor and its desolation echo the emotional isolation of the characters, particularly Miss Furnivall. The cold, barren landscape mirrors the internal coldness of the household, and the distance from civilization amplifies the eerie and lonely atmosphere of the story.

Writing Style and Tone

Elizabeth Gaskell’s writing style in The Old Nurse’s Story is characteristic of the Gothic genre, marked by vivid descriptions, eerie settings, and an air of suspense that steadily builds throughout the tale. Gaskell employs a first-person narrative, which adds an intimate and personal dimension to the unfolding horror. Hester, as the narrator, brings a practical, matter-of-fact tone to the storytelling, but as the supernatural elements intensify, her voice reflects growing fear and uncertainty. Gaskell masterfully uses this shift to enhance the reader’s immersion into the eerie atmosphere of the tale.

Her descriptive language is precise yet rich, especially in conveying the foreboding landscape of the Cumbrian Fells and the decaying grandeur of Furnivall Manor. She contrasts the warmth and simplicity of Hester’s background with the cold, desolate environment of the manor, highlighting the social and emotional divides within the story. The tone of the narrative is somber and melancholic, underscoring the themes of guilt, lost innocence, and the inescapability of past wrongs. Even the moments of warmth, such as Hester’s care for Rosamond, are tinged with an undercurrent of dread.