What is your favorite opening to a gothic novel?

[Lord stumbleforth]

IT was winter-that is,about the second week in November-and great gusts were
Rattling at the windows,and wailing and thundering among our tall trees and
Ivied chimneys-a very dark night...

From Uncle silas

[Charybdis]

We could turn this into a game: someone quotes an opening line and the others need to guess from which gothic it is. Then the person who knew or correctly guessed may place the next "question". If it turns out too difficult, hints may be given later on.
Fun?
I'd never have guessed yours, BTW, even though I've read the book recently.

Let me start with an easy one:

Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.

[The Ming]

Let me start with an easy one:

Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.

Too easy, it's Rebecca-and one of my favourite openings to a novel.

Another easy one

"There was no possibility of taking a walk that day."

[Charybdis]

Well, I suppose it's good to have the easiest ones out of the way first.

Jane Eyre!

While trying to find a next one and checking them through Google, I'm realizing that often the first page is quoted on Amazon and other such sites, which will make it harder to find difficult ones. Therefore, the next one comes from my small to-be-read pile:

It was a great, dark stretch of unknown water we reached by nightfall and I glanced out of the coach window, searching in vain for the fabled floating city of Venice.

[The Ming]

Well, I suppose it's good to have the easiest ones out of the way first.

Jane Eyre!

While trying to find a next one and checking them through Google, I'm realizing that often the first page is quoted on Amazon and other such sites, which will make it harder to find difficult ones. Therefore, the next one comes from my small to-be-read pile:

It was a great, dark stretch of unknown water we reached by nightfall and I glanced out of the coach window, searching in vain for the fabled floating city of Venice.

Too hard for me, any hints?????

[Charybdis]

Ummm..., it's one of a series.

[The Ming]

It's not by Balzac is it?

[Charybdis]

Nope.

Hint 2: The book has been published under two different titles.

[Lord stumbleforth]

"It never occurred to me until much later that a person might be enjoying life
to its very utmost, while unknown to him the forces of destruction are waiting
Patiently for their turn to move into the game."

The Curse of Mallory Hall by Dorothy Daniels