hall, with its two high grated windows, and its Christ carved in old brown oak with His arms extended and His head sorrowfully

ion disappeared, and my lips

sfortune always brings us to thoughts of

e in shadow. However, I recognized Van Spreckdal by his aquiline profile, illuminated by an oblique reflection from th

w table and was tickling the tip of his ear with the feather-end

nd Van Spreckdal, raisin

s, where did you

as then in his possession. It was handed

e author

. I heard his pen scratch over the paper, and I thought: "Why did they ask m

it?" asked Van Spreckda

ubject of

pied the details

I imagin

judge in a severe tone, "I a

spoken t

n, clerk," said

scratche

his woman who is being murdered at the s

tain

e never

ev

, sitting down again, he seemed to c

ness of the window, and the three men standing behind

ith me? What have I

preckdal said

back to the carriage; we

addres

ur thoughts and remember that if the law of man is inflexible, there still r

blow from a hammer. I fell b

a terrib

I fa

ded us. The two officers were always with me. One of them on the way offered a pinch of snuff to

ame, and I turned away my

n with the snuff-box, "we shall be

carriage now stopped, one of them got out, while the other held me by the collar;

I was far from predicting the seriousness of the accusation that hung over m

ll there ran a yellowish ooze, exhaling a fetid odour. I walked down this dark place with th

o natural feeling: it was a poignant anxiety, outside of na

policemen, laying his ha

ht before, with its walls furnished with hooks, its rubbish-heap of old iron, its chicken-coops, and its r

ruck by this st

feet lay the old woman extended on her back, her long, thin, grey hai

horrible

al, with solemn accents,

not

Theresa Becker, into this well, after hav

know this woman; I never saw

voice. And without saying another

the Raspelhaus, in a state of profound stupidity. I did not know what to think; my co

the officers

e window opposite me and the gallows in perspective, I heard the watchmen cry in the silence of the n

ut for the body, it makes no difference; on the contrary, it kicks, it curses its lot, it tries to escape, knowing well enough that its role ends

ed me with your fine promises. I should have had many happy moments that are now lost forever. Everything is over! You said to me: 'Control your passions.' Very well! I did control the

ad reflections

k. Outside the street became lively. This was a market-day; it was Friday. I heard the vegetable wagons pass and also the country people with their baskets.

rowd, housekeepers who assembled with baskets on their arms, coming a

rage. Some of my black thoughts disappeared.

turn, and, when seated in the oval edge of the window, with my legs bent and my head bowed, I could see the crowd, and all the life and movem

ess me to a wheelbarrow-let them put a ball and chai

tchers with bare arms, cutting up meat on their stalls; countrymen, with large hats on the backs of their heads, calm and grave with their hands behind their backs and resting on their sticks of hollywood, and tranquilly smoking their pipes. Then the tumult and noise of the crowd-those screaming, shri

ter of beef on his shoulders; his arms were bare, his elbows were raised upward and his head was bent under them.

he!"

indow trembling to the ends of my fingers, feeling my cheeks quive

have to die to expiate his crime. Oh,

lashed across my mind. I put my hand in the

murder with superhuman energy. No uncertainty, no hesitati

to my cell. His owl-like impass

he cried, standing

aid to him, pursuing my work

sel an

ng for you in t

cried, as I put the finishing tou

figure, foreshortened upon the wall, stood out fro

ler wen

appeared. They were stupefied. I, tremb

s the mu

s of silence, Van

is his

market; he is cutting up meat in the third stal

" said he, leaning

an," he replied

judges stood, examining the sketch. As for me, I had dropped on

d chills that I experienced at that moment. I should have distinguished the step of the murderer, walking between the guards, among a thousand others. They approached. The judges themselves seemed moved. I raised up my head, my heart feeling as if an iron hand had clutched it

howed him the s

his enormous arms, and jumped backward to overthrow the guards. There was a terrible struggle in the corridor; you could hear nothing but

d only abo

and his hands fastened behind his back. He looked again at the picture of the m

seen me," he sai

s sa

ve conquered my place in the world, and I earn my living honourably by painting works of art-the sole end, in my opinion, to which a true artist should aspire. But the m

know-at a place that I had never seen-have been re

what is chance but the effect of

; during the sleep of the body, it spreads its radiant wings and travels, God knows where! What it t

ious in her realities than man

N BR

a Ma

ht himself alone in the world, of all his people, but for a letter that came to him out of the west. True, he had never acc

ed except Gloom; and, for further token, was not the tune that which he hated above all others-the "Dance of the Dead"-for who but Gloom would be playing that, he hating it so, and the hour being late, and no one

ng and so often upon the crops, the rains that had swept the isle for grey days and grey weeks and grey months, the sobbing of the sea by day and its dark moan by night, its dim relinquishing sigh in the calm of dreary ebbs, its hollow, baffling roar

om, who had ever borne him a grudge because of his beauty, and because of his likeness to and reverent heed for Alison. Moreover, ever since he had come to love Katreen Macarthur, the daughter of Donald Macarthur who l

ved him. He thought, hoped, dreamed, almost believed that she did; but then there was her cousin Ian, who had long wooed her, and to whom old Donald Macarthur had given his blessing. Nevertheless, his heart would have been lighter than it had been for long, but for two things.

arthur is away in the north-sea with the whaler-captain who came to us at Eilanmore, and will not be back for three months yet. It will be better for him not to come back. But if he comes back he will have to reckon with the man who says that Katreen Macarthur is his. I would rather not have two men to speak to, and one my brother. It does not matter to you where I am. I want no money just now. But put aside my portion for me. Have it ready for me against the day I call for it. I will not be patient that day; so have it ready for me. In the place that I am I am content. You will be saying: why is my broth

r, who waits

LO

sa-na-Mairbh.' It was an ill hour for Manus when he heard the 'Dan-nan-Ro

igure on the rocks, waving a black scarf. Achanna shook his head; but just then his companion cried that at that moment he had seen the same thing. So the smack was put about, and when she was moving slowly through the haven again, Achanna sculled ashore in the little coggly punt. In vain he searched here and there, callin

ten behind him, he made his way to the boat

A horror came upon him, and he drove the boat through the water so that the sea splashed over the bows. When he ca

here, Callum Campb

t will be making t

t mu

d so did Anndra MacEwan. It was like the sound of

e Dance of

g that?" asked the man,

iving

iving

drowned here, and by the same token that it is Gloom,

h trembling with superstitious fear; but at l

will be t

ere one of the-

t the Kelpie sings or plays a strang

ground with long jerks, and crying and laughing wild. It was enough; the men, Campbell and MacEwan, would not now have waited longer if Achanna had offered t

ay in the seaward way to the north came a red gleam. It w

that, A

be open. The fire must be fed with wood, for no peats would give that flame; and there were none light

ould be do

more than you do,

f to all when the last glimmer of th

t as because they feared that a spell was upon him-a fate in the working of which they might become involved. It needed no vow of the one to

za Water in the Sleat of Skye. The farm was small but good, and he hoped that with

e, James Achanna of Ranza-beag was a very different person from the youngest of the Achanna-folk, who held by on lonely Eilanmore; moreover, the old man could not but think with pleasure tha

a hot noon-tide hour, through many a gloaming he went as one in a dream. Whenever he saw a birch swaying in the wind, or a wave leaping upon Loch Laith, that was near his home, or passed a bush covered with wild roses, or saw the moonbeams lying white on the boles of the pines, he thought of Katreen-his fawn for grace, and so lithe and tall, with sunbrown face and wavy, dark mass of hair, and shadowy

no sign of Ian Macarthur, it was al

ach weekend Katreen went down to Ramza-Mòr, and on every Monday morning at sunrise returned to her heather-girt eerie. It was on one of these visits that she endured a cruel shock. Her father told her that she must marry some one else than Sheumais Achanna. He had heard words about him which made a union impossible, and indeed, he hoped that the man would leave Ranza-beag. In the end he admitted that what he had heard was to the effect that Achanna was un

e yonder, father?" was

d what about

wk, so will I be mating with Ia

house, and went back to Cnoc-an-Fh

e first time he swam across L

ess of the precipitous corries to right and left. A boat was kept for this purpose, but it was fastened to a shore boulder by a padlocked iron chain, the key of which was kept by Donald Macarthur. Latterly he had refuse

h side. To cross it in a boat unseen, if any watcher were near, would be impossible, nor could even a swimmer hope to escape notice unless in the gloom of night or, mayhap, in the dusk. When, however, she saw, half-way across the wa

growth, she awaited him, that Katreen descried the face of her lover, as with one hand he parted the green

t followed. Katreen spent the days as in a dream. Not eve

. She thought he appeared taller and stronger than ever, though still not so tall as Sheumais, who would appear slim beside the Herculean Skyeman. But as she

the ice

are you glad to s

u are home once mo

me by coming to live with me, as

told you agai

grily for a few mome

n, daughter of my father's brother: do you l

the east or the west, but it won't te

man take you away from me, you

saying a

A

n kill James Achanna. What then? I too would die. You cannot separate us. I would

and I tell you this: if you love Achanna you'll save his life only by

l not say that thing to James Ac

oath the man tur

n-donn. I swear it by my mother's grave and by St. Mar

rnfully. Slowly she

you don't go it is I that will be emptying the pail on you, a

all be seeing as to that. And as for the milk, there wil

Sheumais nor Katreen knew of i

ance. He dreamed, gloatingly, on both the black thoughts that roamed like ravenous beasts through the solitudes of his heart. But he did not dream that another man was filled with hate because o

ne, and set in peace. An evening of quiet beauty followed, warm, fragrant, dusky from the a

Suddenly his ears caught the sound of cautious footsteps. Could it be old Donald, perhaps with some inkling of the way in which his daughter saw her lover in despite of all; or, mayhap, might it be Ian Macarthur, tracking him as a hu

a half hoped, half feared the approach of Katreen. It would be sweet to see her again, sweet to slay her lover before her eyes, b

ed among the bracken underneath a projecting mossy ledge close upon

r. The churring of a night-jar throbbed through the darkness. Somewhere a corncrake called its monotonous crek-craik; the dull, harsh sound emp

Then a lower but more continuous splash, or rather wa

d his head, stared through the shadows and listened in

hours before. With his left hand he swam slowly, or kept his equipoise in the water; with his right he guided the heavy ro

of the loch almost as soon as another clump of green branches. Doubtless t

spray blown down by the recent gale. But all at once the larger clump jerked awkwa

at last, the larger moved forward. It was too dark for the swimmer to see if an

at, and surged and swirled. Gasping cries came from the leaves. Again and again the gleaming thing leaped. At the third leap an awful scream shrilled through the silence. The echo of it wailed thrice, with horrible distinctness, in the

se he had become her lover. They were all dead now except himself, all the Achannas. He was "Achanna." When the day came that he would go back to Galloway, there would be a magpie on the first birk, and a screaming jay on the first rowan, and a croaking

e floating green branches, and as he disengaged himself from them and crawled upward through

oom was startled when, in a place of dense shadow, a

is, She

his arms. He could feel her

? What was that awful

lips to hers, and kiss

k. Some vague ins

heumais? Why d

her clos

love you, I who love you best

in the face. He staggered and i

cow

reen

you do, it will be

ool that you are, and is it yo

and Sheumais will be here, an' he would kil

Sheumais, or any man to co

ver-bore me I would strangle you with my h

d-cat; but I'll tame you yet, my lass! Aha

wild-cat, I am not to be seized by a fox; and that you will be finding to y

man-ha

o you

, white lass like yourself hav

ead-

fear. Slowly she drew closer, till her bre

oke a

a dea

is a

re not hearing his good-bye? I'

lie-it

ugh now. He's low among the weeds by no

s it for killing your o

fore he died. I saw it in the white face o' him. Then he sank. He's dead. Sheumais is dead. Look here, girl, I've always loved you. I swore the oath upon you. You

ack-mur

of it. I am loving you, and it's having you for mine I am! And if you won't co

n she strove to beat him back. His ar

bed against his ear. With a last despairing effort she screamed the name of the

soon as Sheumais comes to your call! Ah, it is mine you are now, K

oom still stood there, but as one frozen. Through the darkness she saw, at la

bsolute silence. Then a hoar

ing now who it is

h a great effort, slowly he turned his head. He saw a white splatch, the face of the corpse; in t

, and, free now of that awful clasp

downward through the wood toward the locha

anna swung to one side, stumbled,

t, listening to the crashing sound of his flight-the race

-FIFTEEN

a B.

he hospitable and thoroughly English roof of my excellent friend Jonathan Jelf, Esq., of Dumbleton Manor, Clayborough, East Anglia. My way lay by the Great East Anglian line as far as Clayborough station, where I was to be met by one of the Dumbleton carriages and conveyed across the remaining nine miles of country. Having arrived some seven minutes before the starting of the train, and, by the

an ungraceful stoop in the shoulders, and scant grey hair worn somewhat long upon the collar. He carried a

o the wife of my host. I thought, observing him by the vague mixture of lamplight and twilight, that Mrs. Jelf's cousin looked all the worse for the three years' wear and tear which had gone over his head since our last meeting. He was very pale, and had a restless light in his eye that I

Dwerrihous

y name," h

meeting you at Dumbleto

rrihous

ace," he said; "but your

ogether at Merchant Taylor's, and I generally spend a few weeks at Dumbleto

ravelling upon business. You have heard perhaps that we are ab

t Anglian direc

a director, I am a considerable shareholder, and, as the head of the firm o

e in the cause of the Stockbridge branch. I was entertained with a multitude of local details and local grievances. The rapacity of one squire, the impracticability of another, the indignation of the rector whos

thousand pound

wn," I repeated, in the liveliest tone

pointing significantly to his breast-pocket, "but a

seventy-five thousand pounds at this

rihouse, testily. "That money has to be paid over at half-past eight o'clock this e

rom Blackwater to Stockbridge with seve

had explained how this sum only carries us as far as Mallingford-the first stage, as it were, of our jour

ear my thoughts were wandering. So you

a conveyance from the 'B

me at Clayborough! Can I be the

hed I could have been your companion all the way, and

ing m

she need not burn the hall down in my honour this time, and that I shall be

conflagration on the occasion o

e flue was foul, and the rooks had built in it; so when I went up to dress for dinner

tation some few hundred yards ahead. There was another train before us blocking the way, and the guard was making use of the delay to

, sir!"

" I replied, holding o

e lantern, gave it back, looked, as I fancied, some

r yours," I said,

werrihouse; "they all know me,

orter, running along the platform bes

travelling-cap in his pocket, resumed his hat,

society," he said, with old-fashioned

I replied, put

ightly lifting his hat, stepped out upon the platform. Having don

had fallen, no doubt, from the pocket of his waterproof coat, and was made of dark morocco leather, w

gentleman who travelled down with me from town has dr

f, sir," replied the gua

rry me. It was a large station, and Mr. Dwerrihouse had

ir heads, and the light fell full upon their faces. I saw both distinctly-the face of Mr. Dwerrihouse and the face of his companion. Running, breathless, eager as I was, getting in the way of porters and passengers, and fearful every instant lest I should see the train going on without me, I yet observed that the new-comer was considerably younger

s before-and they were gone! I stood still. I looked to right and left; I saw no si

a moment ago," I said to a porter at m

emen, sir," rep

ard, far up on the platform, held up h

s train, sir," said the po

to move, was shoved in by the guard, and left breathless and b

alpably there, talking, with the gaslight full upon their faces-and the next moment they were gone. There was no door near, no w

and beating my brains for a solution of the enigma. I thought of it all the way from Blackwater to Clayborough. I thought of it all the way from Clayborough to D

ock was striking half-past seven. A couple of minutes more, and the warm glow of the lighted hall was flooding o

ot aware that an East Anglian banquet offers any exception to the rule. There was the usual country baronet and his wife; there were the usual

e scene. The conversation had all along been of the languidest, but at this moment it happened t

"I came down part of the way

t, slicing scientifically into the br

than your wife's cousin

ork. Mrs. Jelf looked at me in a strang

ke the trouble to burn the hall down in his honour, this time, but

ft unsaid, and that for some unexplained reason my words had evoked a general consternation. I sat confounded, not daring to utter another syllable, and for at le

the ladies left the room. I seized the opportunity to s

ered, "what was the matter

the name of Joh

had seen him not

at you should have seen him," said Capta

alking all the way between London and Bla

isper-"because John Dwerrihouse absconded three months ago with seventy-fiv

ny's money, yet told me that he carried that sum upon his person! Were ever facts so strangely incongruous, so difficult to reconcile? How should he have ventured

gast had not even a suggestion to offer. Jonathan Jelf, who seized the first opportunity of drawing me aside and learning all that I had to tell, was more amazed and bewildered than either

whether you can have mistaken

I should mistake some

he should have alluded to the fire in the blue room is pro

nsiderably older, pal

anxious, anyhow," said my friend,

I addressed him, and no uneasiness when the guard came round. His conversation was open to

cent on such subjects. He actually told you that he

di

an idea about it, an

t id

hat he did actually take the money, and that he has been concealing himself these three months in some wild part of the country, s

hat he has

he company's mercy, made restitution of the money, and, being forgiven, is p

a generous and delicate-minded woman, but not in the least like a b

ihood. However, we can run over to Clayborough tomorrow and see if anything is

, and her

mp, and said at once that it was beyond doubt Mr. Dwerrihous

e added-"a big J. transfixing a capital D.

vents, a proof that

and dreaming now. I am ashamed to ha

to go with you to Clayborough, or Blackwater, or Lon

nd, and it may be that I shall put yo

silent, uncomfortable meal; none of us had slept well, and all were thinking of the same subject. Within twenty minutes

orough. All the officials know that he is my wife's relation, and the subject just now is hardly a pleasant one. If you don't much mind, we will t

s, and, arriving at Blackwater about a quarter befor

who at once averred that he knew Mr. John Dwerrihouse perfectly well, and that

een down the line any time

-master sho

isn't a porter who doesn't know Mr. Dwerrihouse by sight as well as he knows his own face in the looking-glass, or who wouldn't telegraph for the police as so

took the Blackwater t

was the guard, B

e can I f

l one o'clock. He will be coming through with the up expres

irts of the town, from which the station was distant nearly a couple of miles. By one o'clock we were back again upon the platform and wa

about Mr. Dwerrihouse, Somers," said th

lance from my face to Jelf

the late director?" s

friend. "Should you k

here,

s in the 4:15 express

s not,

u answer so

t in it. This gentleman was," he added, turning sharply upon me. "I don't know that I ever saw him before in my life, but I

so remember the face of the gentleman who travelle

ou travelled down alone," said Som

it was in trying to restore him the cigar-case which he had dro

ing about a cigar-case, certai

cket just before we

id,

He sat in the corner next th

ed; I saw

the guard was in the ex-director's

have asked for his ticket," added Somers

lained that by saying--" I hesitated. I feared I mi

r exchanged glances. The former

on in four minutes

's fellow-traveller had been Mr. John Dwerrihouse and he had been sitting in the corner ne

uld have been q

ertain you did

an was quite alone in the carriage the whole way from London to Clayborough. Why, sir," he added, dropping his voice so as to be inaudible to the station-master, who had been called away

errihouse had a

ne in that compartment but yourse

e. In another minute the heavy panting of the engine bega

r some moments in silence.

knows more than he ch

do you t

ve come to the door without

ng not impossible

is t

allen asleep and dre

dream of a hundred and one business details that had no kind of i

broad. It might have made no impression upon you at the time, and might have come back

ey of the blue room-should I have

there is a difficul

about the

, it's a mysterious affair, and it will need a better detective than

and upon my time, but they had heard, it was clear, of my inquiries anent the missing director, and had a mind to put me through some sort of official examination upon the subject. Being still a guest at Dumbleton Hall, I had to go up to London for the purpos

specting Mr. John Dwerrihouse had come to the knowledge of the direction, and that they in consequence des

the inquiry of where I had seen him on the fourth day of December; to which I replied that I met him in a first-class compartment of the 4:15 down express, that he got in just as the train was leaving the London terminus, and that he alighted at Blackwater s

nto the room. He was then examined as carefully as myself. He declared that he knew Mr. John Dwerrihouse perfectly well, that he could not be mistaken in him, that he remembered going down with the 4:15 on the afternoon in question, that he remembered me, and that, there being one or two empty first-class compartments on that special afternoon, he had, in compliance with my request, placed me in a carriage by myself. He was positive that I remained alone in that compartment all the way from London to Clayborough. He was ready to take his oath that Mr. Dwerriho

," said the chairman. "It contradicts yours in

ite as positive of the truth of my own asserti

s in possession of a private key. Are you sure that he had not aligh

train had fairly entered the station, and the other Blackwater pa

u see that pers

disti

scribe his

shy moustache and beard, and he wore a loosely fitting suit of gre

leave the station in

w them standing aside under a gas-jet, talking earnestly. After that I lost

nother. One or two looked suspiciously at the guard. I could see that my evidence remained unsh

:15 express on the day in quest

eplied the guard, "fr

at Clayborough? I thought there was alw

me in force last midsummer, since when the guards i

turned to t

he said, "if we had the day-boo

n attendance to summon Mr. Raikes. From a word or two dropped by another o

t of light beard and moustache. He just showed himself at the door of the board-room, and, being

nd sudden, that it was not till the door had closed upon him that I found

same who met Mr. Dwerrihouse up

f surprise. The chairman looke

ford," he said; "tak

e of his identit

ou consider that you are bringing a charge of the gra

inute since is the same whom I saw talking with Mr. Dwerrihouse on the Blackwater pla

turned again

s in the train or on t

shook h

n the train," he said, "and I certai

urned next to

unter," he said. "Can you remember i

to speak positively. I have been away most afternoons myself lately, an

secretary returned with t

rman, "to the entries of the 4th instant, and se

or four successive columns of entries. Stopping suddenly at the foot of a page, he then read

looked the under-secretary full in the fa

u, Mr. Raikes, on

si

u on the afternoon and evening

unter's office. Wher

der-secretary's voice as he said this, bu

Raikes, that you were absent that afte

a day's holiday since September. M

e clerks in the adjoining office would be certain to know. Whereupon the senior c

Mr. Raikes had in no instance, to his knowledge, been absent durin

o me with a smile, in which a shade of

Mr. Langfor

t my conviction

fear that you 'dream dreams,' and mistake them for actual occurrences. It is a dangerous habit of mind, and might lead to dan

reply, but he g

lue throughout. The testimony of Benjamin Somers disproves his first statement, and the testimony of the last witness disproves the second. I think we may conclude that Mr. Langfor

's manner. Most intolerable of all, however, was the quiet smile lurking about the corners of Benjamin Somers's mouth, and the half-triumphant, half-malicious gleam in the eyes of the under-secretary. The man was evidently pu

g deserved, I begged leave to detain the attention of the board

. "The chairman's right enough; you dream

not usually productive of tangible results, and that I requested to know in what way the chairman conceived I had evolved from my dream so

ur evidence. It is your only strong point, however, and there is just a possibility that we

hat any other should bear precisely this monogram,

ce, and then passed it to Mr. Hunter. Mr. Hunt

n Dwerrihouse's cigar-case to a certainty. I remem

an; "yet how account for the way in which Mr. La

ed. It was in leaning out to look after him, that I trod upon it, and it was in running after him for the purp

athan Jelf pluck

" he whispered;

ing a moment before, and saw him, white as death, wi

his way, to take him by the shoulders as if he were a child, and turn his

k at his face! I ask no better w

man's bro

ernly, "if you know anyth

om my grasp, the under-secretary s

now nothing-you have no ri

ge brought against you is either true or false. If true, you will do well to throw

ung his hands in an ag

the time! I know nothing about it-I have nothing to con

y!" echoed the chairma

to Mr. Hunter-Mr. Hunter knows I had three weeks' leave of absence!

, the directors began to whisper gravely among themselves, whi

o do with the matter?" said the chai

er," said the secretary, "about the t

that he had disappea

lice. In the meanwhile, Mr. Raikes, being myself a magistrate and used to deal with these cases, I advise y

wretch fell u

my life, and I will confess all! I didn't mean to harm him! I didn't

tated. "Good Heavens!" he exclaimed, "what h

aven," said Jonathan Jelf, "it m

"Not murder! No jury that ever sat could bring it in murder. I thought I had only stu

lation, the chairman covered his face with his

aid at length, "you h

urged me to throw myself u

n, "and which this board has no power either to punish or forgive. All that I can do for you is to

heavily against the table. His answer came r

2nd of Se

and he in mine. I felt my own paling with a strange sense of

pered. "What was it, then,

tting leaves, at the bottom of a deserted chalk-pit about half-way between Blackwater and Mallingford. I know that it spoke and moved and looked as that man spoke and moved and looked in life; that I heard, or seemed to hear, things related which I could never otherwise have learned;

n to Clayborough had not been in use for several weeks, and was, in point of fact, the same in which poor John Dwerrih

aikes, in the files of the "Times" for 1856. Enough that the under-secretary, knowing the history of the new line, and following the negotiation step b

ith the life-preserver, and so killed him, and how, finding what he had done, he dragged the body to the verge of an out-of-the-way chalk-pit, and there flung it in and piled it over with branches and brambles, are facts still fresh in the memories of those who, like the connoisseurs in De Quincey's famous essay, regard murder as a fine art. Strangely enough, the murderer, having done his work, was afraid to leave the country. He declared that he had not intended to take the director's life, but only to stun and rob him; and that, finding th

ther acquaintance may see him any day (admirably done in wax) in the Chamber of Horrors at Madame Tussaud's exhibition, in Baker Street. He is there to be found in the midst of a select society of la

WERE

. Ma

intrigue. The evidence of my mother's shame was positive: he surprised her in the company of her seducer! Carried away by the impetuosity of his feelings, he watched the opportunity of a meeting taking place between them, and murdered both his wife and her seducer. Conscious that, as a serf, not even the provocation which he had received would be allowed as a justification of his conduct, he hastily collected together what money he could lay his hands upon, and, as we were then in the depth of winter, he put his horses to the sleigh, and taking his children with him, he set off in the middle of the night, and was far away before the tragical circumstance had transpired. Aware that he would be pursued, and that he had no chance of escape if he remained in any portion of his native country (in which the authorities could lay hold of him), he continued his flight without intermission until he had buried himself in the intricacies and seclusion of the Hartz Mountains. Of course, all that I have now told you I learned afterwards. My oldest recollections are knit to a rude, yet comfortable cottage, in which I lived with my father, br

y proved. You may suppose we were sadly neglected; indeed, we suffered much, for my father, fearful that we might come to some harm, would not allow us fuel, when he left the cottage; and we were obliged, therefore, to creep under the heaps of bears'-skins, and there to keep ourselves as warm as we could until he returned in the evening, when a blazing fire was our delight. That my father chose this restless sort of life may appear strange, but the fact was that he could not remain quiet; whether from re

e, myself seven, and my sister five, years old, when the circumstances occur

usied himself with the fire, which both my brother and I had deserted when our sister was so unkindly treated. A cheerful blaze was soon the result of his exertions; but we did not, as usual, crowd round it. Marcella, still bleeding, retired to a corner, and my brother and I took our seats beside her, while my father hung over the fire gloomily and alone. Such had been our position for about half-an-hour, when the howl of a wolf, close under the window of the cottage, fell on our ears. My father started up, and seized his gun; the howl was repeated, he examined the priming, and then hastily left the cottage, shutting the door after him. We all waited (anxiously listening), for we thought that if he

d, "Our father has followed the wolf, and will not be back for some time. Marcella, let us wash th

ut and see if father is coming," said my brother C?sar, going to the door. "Take care," said Marcella, "the wolves must be about now, and we cannot kill them, brother." My brother opened the door very cautiously, and but a few inches; he peeped out.-"

et now whether it was venison or bear's meat; but we cut off the usual quantity, and proceeded to dress it, as we used to do under our father's superintendence. We were all busied putting it into the platters before

w my father, it retreated slowly, growling and snarling. My father followed; the animal did not run, but always kept at some distance; and my father did not like to fire until he was pretty certain that h

y rare), my father continued the pursuit for several h

azzled his sight, and he let down his gun to look for the beast-but she was gone; how she could have escaped over the clearance, without his seeing her, was beyond his comprehension. Mortified at the ill success of his chase, he was about to retrace his steps, when he heard the distant sound of a horn. Astonishment at such a sound-at such an hour-in such a wilderness, made him forget for the moment his disappointment, and he remained riveted to the spot. In a minute the horn was blown a second time, and at no great distance; my father stood still, and listened: a third time it was blown. I forget the term used to express it, but it was the signal which, my father well knew, implied that the party was lost in the woods. In a few minutes more my father beheld a man on horseback, with a female seate

I have little to offer you besides a shelter from the weather; t

caped from Transylvania, where my daughter's

is own escape: he remembered the loss of his wife's honour, and the tragedy by which it was

horseman; "my daughter is chilled with the frost, and cann

my father, leading th

served my father; "it came to the very window of my hut

as we came out of the wood," s

rved the hunter; "but since it did us such good

ther walked at a rapid pace, the party arrived

self. "You have young cooks here, Mynheer." "I am glad that we shall not have to wait," replied my father. "Come, mistress, seat yourself by the fire; you require warmt

ht as a mirror; and her mouth, although somewhat large when it was open, showed the most brilliant teeth I have ever beheld. But there was something about her eyes, bright as they were, which made us children afraid; they were so restless, so furtive; I could not at that time tell why, but I felt as if there was cruelty in her eye; and when she beckoned us to

that the young lady would take possession of his bed, and he would remain at the fire, and sit up with her father. After some hesitation on

le Marcella, she was quiet, but I perceived that she trembled during the whole night, and sometimes I thought that she was checking a sob. My father had brought out some spirits, wh

from Transylvania?"

e of--; my master would insist upon my surrendering up my fair girl to

fortune," replied my father, taking the

ou, then, from

ed for my life. But min

" inquired

ant

now. Welcome, most welcome, Mynheer, and, I may say, my worthy kinsman. I am your sec

ied on in a low tone; all that we could collect from it was, that our new relative and his daughter were to take up their a

you hear?" said my

heard all. Oh! brother, I cannot bear to l

and shortly afterwards we

us. I thought she looked more beautiful than ever. She came up to little Marcella a

conquered his aversion to the sex, and was most attentive to Christina. Often, after her father and we were in bed, would he sit up with her, conversing in a low tone by the fire. I ought to have mentioned, that my father and the huntsman Wilfred, slept in another portion of the cottage, and that the bed which he formerly occupied, and which was in the same room as ours,

essing with her, and I shall then leave you and s

emain here

let that suffice, and ask no mor

will duly value her; but

r is there any law to bind; still must some ceremony pass between you, to satisfy a fa

replied

y the hand. Now,

repeated

rits of the Har

Heaven?" interr

d; "if I prefer that oath, less binding perhap

humour. Will you make me swear b

ristians," rejoined Wilfred; "say, will you be ma

lied my father

or evil, that I take Christina for my wedded wife; that I will ever protect her, che

ated the words

children; may they perish by the vulture, by the wolf, or other beasts of the forest; may thei

repeated the last sentence, she burst into tears. This sudden interruption appeared to discompose the party, part

ther. The next morning, the hunter Wi

hat our new mother-in-law did not show any kindness towards us; indeed, during my father's absence, she would often bea

ister awoke me

e matter?"

out," whispe

ne

ed the child; "I saw her get out of bed, look at my fath

wintry weather, with the snow deep on the ground, was to us incomprehensible; we l

aid C?sar, "she will

" cried

ella had stated. She let down the latch of the door, so as to make no noise, went to a pail

e from her bed, and leave the cottage-and after she was gone, we invariably heard the growl of a wolf under our window, and always saw her, on her return, wash herself before she retired to bed. We observed, als

ascertain what she did. Marcella and I endeavoured to dissuade him from this project; but he would not be controlled, and, the very next nigh

y trembling with anxiety. In a minute afterwards we saw our mother-in-law enter the cottage-her dress was bloody. I put my hand to Marcella's mouth to prevent her crying out, alt

" said my fath

law, "it is only me; I have lighted the fir

e garments she had worn into the fire; and we then perceived that her right leg was bleeding profusely, as if fro

was our brother, C?sar? How did my mother-in-law receive the wound unless from his gun? At last m

xclaimed he, "why

bserved our mother-in-law, "that I heard somebody open the latch

s gun was missing. For a moment he looked perplexed, then seizing a

e returned, bearing in his arms the mangled body of my

e body, while Marcella and I threw ourselv

your boy must have taken the gun down to shoot a wolf, and the animal has

but Marcella, who perceived my intention, held me by th

, although we could not comprehend it, were conscious that our

t the wolves should not be able to dig it up. The shock of this catastrophe was to my poor father very severe; for seve

t, my mother-in-law's nocturnal wanderings

to repair to the forest; but he soon

the whole race-have actually contrived to dig up the body of my

cella looked at me, and I saw in her in

our window every ni

not tell me, boy?-wake me

away; her eyes flashed fir

e of stones the little remnants of my poor brother which t

to whom, since the death of my brother, I was more ardently attached than ever; indeed I was afraid to leave her alone with my mother-in-law, who appeare

ought to observe that, as the spring advanced, so did my mother decrease her nocturnal rambles, a

ect some herbs my father wanted, and that Marcella must go to the cottage and watch the dinner. Marcella went, and my mother-in-law soon disappeared i

door, out darted a large white wolf, which fled with the utmost celerity. My father had no weapon; he rushed into the cottage, and there saw poor little Marcella expiring; her body was dreadfully mangled, and the blood pouring from it had formed a large pool on the cotta

ther-in-law came in. At the dreadful sight she expressed much concern, bu

t great white wolf which passed me just now, a

w it!" cried my

and for several days would not consign it to its grave, although frequently requested by my mother-in-law to do so. At last he yielde

r. I could not help thinking that my mother-in-law was implicated in both their deaths, although I could no

ime, then dressed myself, and looked out through the door, which I half-opened. The moon shone bright, and I could see the spot where my brot

r with all the ferocity of a wild beast. It was some time before I could collect my senses and decide what I should do. At last, I perceiv

ied I, "dress yourse

ther, "the wolves a

did not appear to perceive the absence of his wife. As soon as

pieces of the flesh, and devouring them with all the avidity of a wolf. She was too busy to be aware of our approach. My father dropped his gun, his hair stood on end; so did mine; he breathed heavily, and then his breath for a time stopp

king down upon the earth in a swoon,

red. "Where am I?" said he, "what has happened?-O

rror to find that instead of the dead body of my mother-in-law, as we expecte

f which decoyed me into the forest-I see it all now-I

e grave, and covered it over as before, having struck the head of the dead animal with the heel of his boot, and raving like a mad

oused by a loud knocking at the doo

ghter!-where is my daugh

father, starting up and displaying equal choler; "where she

m a potent spirit of the Hartz Mountains? P

I defy thee a

r oath-your solemn oath-never to rai

ompact with

e to meet the vengeance of the spirits. Your chi

out, d

blanch in the wil

seized his axe, and raised it

" continued the hu

he form of the hunter, and my father lost

guilty of a double murder-you shall pay the penalty attached to your marriage vow. Two of your children are gone; the third is yet

ITHER

as H

n Mil

s yet but early April, the feed lay entirely in water-meadows, and the cows were "in full pail." The hour was about six in the evenin

tomorrow, I hear. They've co

alled Cherry, but the speaker was a milking-woman, whos

y seen her?"

enough," she added; and as the milkmaid spoke she turned her face so that she could glance past her cow's t

tinued the second, with also a glance

the first woman murmured under her cow to her next neighbour, "

d. "He ha'n't spoke to

, set upright in the earth, and resembling a colossal antlered horn. The majority then dispersed in various directions homewa

ve the water-meads, and not far from the border of Egdon Heath, whose dar

wife home from Anglebury tomorrow," the woman observed. "I shall want to

d the boy. "Is fat

look, and tell me what's she

, mo

oman who has ever worked for a living, or one that has been always well off, and

es

which had been washed by many rains into channels and depressions that left none of the original flat fac

l the turves flamed. The radiance lit her pale cheek, and made her dark eyes, that had once been handsome, seem handsome anew. "Yes," she resumed, "see if she

is mother not observing that he was cutting a notc

Youn

ere a sharp ascent breaks its monotony. Farmers homeward-bound from the former mark

n in the prime of life, cleanly shaven like an actor, his face being toned to that bluish-vermilion hue which so often graces a thriving farmer's features when returning home after successful dealings in the town

creeping on at a snail's pace, and continually looking behind him-the heavy bundle he carried being some excuse for, if not the reason of, his dilatoriness. When the bouncing gig-party slowed at the bottom of the incline above mentioned,

mer, though he seemed annoyed at the boy's persistent presence, did not order him to get out of the way; and thus the lad preceded them, his hard gaze never le

stared at me!" sa

; I saw th

f the villag

I think he lives with his

who we are

o be stared at just at fi

ooked at us in the hope we might relieve him

weight in it. Now, then, another mile and I shall be able to show you our house in the distance-if it is not too dark before we get there." The wheels spun

ne some mile and half short of the white farmstead, ascended tow

and was washing cabbage at the door-way in the declining light. "Hol

bage-net, and as she filled its meshes with the dr

quite

e lady

ore. A lady

he yo

up, and her ways b

t colour is her

, and her face as com

en, are not d

th is very nice and red; and when

?" said the

ee. She was s

she's sure to be there. Go early and notice her walkin

ut why don't you go a

he were to pass my window this instant. She was

e same a

notice

on

first to enter. Taking his seat by the front, he watched all the parishioners file in. The well-to-do Farmer Lodge came nearly last; and his young wife, who accompanied him, wal

mother said, "Well?" befo

She is rather sh

s mother, wit

outhful freshness of the yeoman's wife had evidently made

the table-cloth. The hare you caught is very tender; but mind that

'em. She never to

he wear thi

for very shame at the noise, and pulled it in to keep it from touching; but when she pushed into her seat, it whewed more than ever. Mr. Lodge, he s

wever, that

he quarter where the farmhouse lay. Neither did she, at the daily milking in the dairyman's yard on Lodge's outlying second farm, ever speak on the subject of the recent marriage. The dairyman, who rented the cows of Lodge and knew perfectly the tall milkmaid's history, with manly kindliness always kept the gossip i

Vi

es that she had raked out in front of her to extinguish them. She contemplated so intently the new wife, as presented to her

young wife, in the pale silk dress and white bonnet, but with features shockingly distorted, and wrinkled as by age, was sitting upon her chest as she lay. The pressure of Mrs. Lodge's person grew heavier; the blue eyes peered cruelly into her face; and then the figure thrust forward its left hand mockin

hand, seized the confronting spectre by its obtrusive left arm, and whirled

g on the edge of the bed in a cold swea

ery flesh and bone of it, as it seemed. She looked on the floor whi

d haggard she looked. The milk that she drew quivered into the pail; her hand had not calmed even yet, an

er, mother, last night?" said her

anything fall?

the clock s

field on the farms. Between eleven and twelve the garden-gate clicked, and she lifted her eyes to the win

had almost expected to see the wrinkles, the scorn, and the cruelty on her

," said Mrs. Lodge, smiling. "But I w

her smile so tender, so unlike that of Rhoda's midnight visitant, that the latter could hardly believe the evidenc

r house is the nearest outside our own parish.

nd large frame, than in the soft-cheeked young woman before her. The conversation became quite confidential as regarded their powers and weaknesses;

h being usually good. "Though, now you remind me," she added, "I have one litt

d seized in her dream. Upon the pink round surface of the arm were faint marks of an unhealthy colour, as if produced by a rough g

ppen?" she sai

y shot into my arm there, and was so keen as to awaken me. I must have struck it in the daytime, I suppose, though I don't remember doing so." She a

.. On what nig

o on the morrow. "When I awoke I could not remember where

ilty thing. The artless disclosure startled her; she did not reason on the freaks of coinci

will?" She knew that she had been slily called a witch since her fall; but never having understood why that particular stigma ha

gges

Yet a fatality sometimes would direct the steps of the latter to the outskirts of Holmstoke whenever she left her house for any other purpose than her daily work; and hence it happened that their next encounter was out of doors. R

is no better at all; it is rather wor

e see it?" said

hing of the nature of a wound, but the arm at that point had a shrivelled look, and the outline of the four fingers appeared more distinct than at the former time. Moreover, she fanc

It looks almost like finger-marks," she said; adding with a faint laugh, "my husband says it

," she said hurriedly. "I wou

on, "if-if I hadn't a notion that it makes my husband-dislike

o-he fo

s very proud of

m covered fro

is there!" She tried to hide

arnestly hope it

out; but she did not wish to inflict upon her physical pain. For though this pretty young woman had rendered impossible any reparation

s by going to some clever man over in Egdon Heath. They did not know if he was still alive-and I cannot remember his name at this moment; but they said tha

e?" said her thin co

yes. Is h

" said Rhoda,

u call him

to say he was a-he had po

bouts of the exorcist. They suspected her, then. A short time ago this would have given no concern to a woman of her common-sense. But she had a haunting reason to be superstitious now; and she had been seized with su

ch men, but I should not mind just visiting him, from curiosity-tho

d Rhoda backwardly. "

uld not you go with me to show m

ed her that something to do with her fierce act in the dream might be revealed, and her

ously stand in the way of a possible remedy for her patron's strange affliction. It was agreed that, to escape suspicion of their myst

ror T

he south-eastern extension of the Egdon tract of country, where the fir plantation was. A slight figure, cloaked an

h stood high above the rich alluvial soil they had left half-an-hour before. It was a long walk; thick clouds made the

of her companion where hung the afflicted arm, mo

was a grey-bearded man, with a reddish face, and he looked singularly at Rhoda the first moment he beh

" he said promptly. "'Ti

into herself,

at enemy?" as

you like, I can show the person to you, though I shall not myse

mbler from the dresser, nearly filled it with water, and fetching an egg, prepared it in some private way; after which he broke it on the edge of the glass, so that the white went in and the yolk remained. As it was getting gloomy, he took the glass and its con

face or figure as you look?" deman

ible to Rhoda, and continued to gaze intently into t

s Rhoda's-against the sad dun shades of the upland's garniture. Trendle shut the door behind her, a

much?" she as

uld not take a farth

you see?" in

as remarkable; her face was so rigid as to wear an oldened a

re?" Mrs. Lodge suddenly inquired, after

a sense of triumph possessed her, and she did not altogether deplore that the young thing at h

nd that winter that Mrs. Lodge's gradual loss of the use of her left arm was owing to her being "overlooked" by Rhoda Brook. The latter kept her own

ond A

had wooed for her grace and beauty was contorted and disfigured in the left limb; moreover, she had brought him no child, which rendered it likely that he would be the

I once thought of adopting a boy; but he is too

he thought was revealed to her, by that solitary heath-man. She had never revisited Trendle since she had been conducted to the house of the solitary by Rhoda against her will; but it now suddenly occurred to Gertrude that she would, in a last desperate effort at deliverance from this seeming cur

arly got lost on the heath, and roamed

ences, I know," she said; "why can't you s

of the nature of a blight, not of the nature of a wound;

only c

never failed in kindred afflictions,-that I can declare.

me!" s

he limb the neck of a

ttle at the imag

er he's cut down," continu

n that

it for him when he's brought off the gallows. Lots have done it, though perhaps not such pretty women as you. I used

put her into a straight track homeward, turne

Ri

f all remedies that the white wizard could have suggested there was not one which would have filled

rson, and burglary, an assize seldom passed without a hanging, it was not likely that she could get access to the body of the criminal

ting her to try what, at any rate, could hardly do her any harm. "What came by a spell will go by a spell surely," she would say. Whenever her imagination pictured the act she shrank in terror from the poss

the experiment had been strongly condemned by the neighbouring clergy. April, May, June, passed; and it is no overstatement to say that by the end of the last-named month Gert

the jail. Though access for such purposes had formerly never been denied, the custom had fallen into desuetude; and in contemplating her possible difficulties, she was again almost driven to fall

ay fixed for the execution, Lodge remarked to her that he was going away from home for anot

surprise. Time had been when she would have shown deep disappointment at the loss of such

ed to ride, and avoid the beaten track, notwithstanding that in her husband's stables there was no animal just at present which by any stretch of imagination could be considered a lady's mount, in spite of his promise before marriage to always keep a ma

before going down looked at her shrivelled arm. "Ah!" she said to it, "i

get back tonight from the person I am going to visit. Don't be alarmed if I am not in by ten, and close up the house as usual. I shall be at home tomorrow

ord. Her cunning course at first was in precisely the opposite direction. As soon as she was out of sight, however, she turned to the left, by a road which led into Egdon, and o

all; the innkeeper supposed her some harum-skarum young woman who had come to attend "hang-fair" next day. Neither her husband nor herself ever dealt in Casterbridge market,

n there?" she as

e rope for

ponsively, and c

he man continued. "I could get you a

ng feeling that the condemned wretch's destiny was becoming interwoven w

. He had implied that she should use her beauty, impaired though it was, as a pass-key. In her inexperience she knew little about jail functionaries; she h

r-Side

ge official dwelt in a lonely cottage by a deep slow river flowing under the cliff on which the prison buildings were situate-the st

Passing thus the outskirts of the jail, she discerned on the level roof over the gateway three rectangular lines against the sky, where the specks had been moving in her distant view; she recognized what the erection

teps fixed against the end of the cottage, and began to ascend them, this being evidently the staircase to his bedroom. Gertrude hastened forward, but by the time she r

to you a

d) backed down the ladder. "I was just going to bed," he said; "'Early to bed and early to rise,' but I don't mind s

bably that she looked rural, he said, "If you want me to undertake country work I can't come, for I never

That's it

e continually, but I tell 'em one knot is as merciful as another if ye keep it under the ear. Is the unfort

ime is the

n after as the London mail-coach gets in. We

hope not!" she s

oes; only just turned eighteen, and only present by chance when the rick was fired. Howsomever, there's not much risk o

for a charm, a cure of an affliction, by the advice

s. But it didn't strike me that you looked of a sort to require blood-

uctantly showed t

ram!" said the han

" sai

nd to admit. I like the look of the place; it is truly as suitable for the

e all that's necessary?

or with 'ee, and given your name and address-that's how it used to be d

her do it this way, as I s

ot to kn

husb

I'll get 'ee a to

now?" she sai

de that little small winder up there in the g

er friends. "Yes, of course," sh

ane, not later than one o'clock. I will open it from the inside, as I shan't come home to dinner till he's cut down.

ing in the outer wall of the prison precincts. The steep was so great that, having reached the wicket, she stopped a moment to breathe; and, looking back upon the

and she returned to the W

-enc

n the second gate, which stood under a classic archway of ashlar, then comparatively modern, and bearing the inscription, "County Jail:

avoided the open space below the cliff where the spectators had gathered; but she could, even now, hear the multitudinous babble of their voices, out of which rose at intervals the hoarse

ections, she went out and crossed the inner paved court beyond the gatehouse, her knees trembling so

or could not, and, rigid in this position, she was conscious of a rough coffin passing her shoulder, borne by four men. It was open, and in it lay the body of a young man, wearing the smockfroc

e her eyes, on account of which, and the veil she wore, she could scarcely discern a

and she was just conscious that t

her poor cursed arm; and Davies, uncovering the face of the corpse, took Gertrude's hand, and held it so tha

aken place. But at that moment a second shriek rent the air of the enclosure

her eyes red with weeping. Behind Rhoda stood Gertrude's own h

e you doing here?

er at last!" And clutching the bare arm of the younger woman, she pulled her unresistingly back against the wall. Immediately Brook h

nd it was for this purpose that Lodge was awaiting the inquest with Rhoda. He had been summoned by her as soon as the young man was taken in the crime, and at different times since; and he had attended in court during the trial.

ched home alive. Her delicate vitality, sapped perhaps by the paralysed arm, collapsed under the double shock that followed the severe strain, physical and mental, to

d and thoughtful man. Soon after attending the funeral of his poor young wife he took steps towards giving up the farms in Holmstoke and the adjoining parish, and, having sold every head of his stock, he went away to Port-Bredy, at the other end of the county, living there in

the dairy was resumed, and followed for many long years, till her form became bent, and her once abundant dark hair white and worn away at the forehead-perhaps by long pressure against the cows. Here

RIM

hile

trange and terrible one; and though I am sixty-six years of ag

e age of twenty-four my life had been only a prolonged novitiate. Having completed my course of theology I successively received all the

hat there was something called Woman, but I never permitted my thoughts to dwell on such a subject, and I lived in a state of perfect

hed lover count the slow hours with more feverish ardour; I slept only to dream that I was saying mass; I believed there could be nothing in the w

an angel, and wondered at the sombre and thoughtful faces of my companions, for there were several of us. I had passed all the night in prayer, and was in a condition we

under both forms, the anointing of the palms of the hands with the Oil of

he further side of the sanctuary railing-a young woman of extraordinary beauty, and attired with royal magnificence. It seemed as though scales had suddenly fallen from my eyes. I felt like a blind man who unexpectedly recovers his sight. The bishop, so radiantly glorious but an instant before, suddenly vanished away

might not be influenced by external objects, for distraction had gr

lashes I still beheld her, all sparkling with prismatic colours, and su

rches of her eyebrows, which by a strange singularity were almost black, and admirably relieved the effect of sea-green eyes of unsustainable vivacity and brilliancy. What eyes! With a single flash they could have decided a man's destiny. They had a life, a limpidity, an ardour, a humid light which I have never seen in human eyes; they shot forth rays like arrows, which I could distinctly see enter my heart. I know not if the fire which illumined them came from heaven or from hell, but assuredly it came from one or the other. That woman was either an angel or a demon, perhaps both. Assuredly she never sprang from the flank of Eve, our common m

re peeped forth patrician hands of infinite delicacy, and so ideally transparent

othing escaped me; the faintest touch of shading, the little dark speck at the point of the chin, the imperceptible down at the corners of the lips, th

new order of things. A frightful anguish commenced to torture my heart as with red-hot pincers. Every successive minute seemed to me at once but a second and yet a century. Meanwhile the ceremony was proceeding, and with an effort of will sufficient to have uprooted a mountain, I strove to cry out that I

though to encourage me, she gave me a look replete with divine

aid t

thee. Tear off that funeral shroud in which thou art about to wrap thyself. I am Beauty, I am Youth, I am Life. Come to me!

eep in my bosom upon a bed of massy gold under a silver pavilion, for I love thee and would take thee away from t

t as though living lips had breathed them into my life. I felt myself willing to renounce God, and yet my tongue mechanically fulfilled all the formalities of the ceremony. The fai

mated; I had b

only manuscript of his finest work to fall into the fire, could not wear a look so despairing, so inconsolable. All the blood had abandoned her charming face, leaving it whiter than marble; her beautiful arms hung lifelessly on either side of her body as though their muscles had suddenly relaxed, and she sought the support of a pillar, for her y

an. It was cold as a serpent's skin, and yet its impress remained upon my wrist, burnt there as though branded by a glowing iron. I

arily turned in another direction, a negro page, fantastically garbed, approached me, and without pausing on his way slipped into my hand a little pocket-book with gold-embroidered corners, at the same time giving me a sign to hide it. I concealed it in my sleeve, and there kept it until I found myself alone in my cell. Then I opened the clasp. There were only two leaves within, bearing the words, "Clarimo

to myself the words she had uttered in my ear at the church porch: "Unhappy man! Unhappy man! What hast thou done?" I comprehended at last the full horror of my situation, and the funereal and awful restraints of the state into which I had just entered became clearly revealed to me. To be a priest!-that is, to be chaste, to never love, to observe no distincti

y. I tried to remove the bars of the window; but it was at a fearful height from the ground, and I found that as I had no ladder it would be useless to think of escaping thus. And, furthermore, I could descend thence only by night in any event, and afterward how should I be able to find m

, golden chains, a sword, and fair plumes like other handsome young cavaliers. My hair, instead of being dishonoured by the tonsure, would flow down upon my neck in waving curls; I would have a fine waxed moustache; I would be a gallan

all a picture of vivacity, life, animation, gaiety, which formed a bitter contrast with my mourning and my solitude. On the steps of the gate sat a young mother playing with her child. She kissed its little rosy mouth still impearled with drops of milk, and performed, in order to amuse it, a thousand divine little puerilities such as only mothers know how to invent. Th

c fury, I suddenly perceived the Abbé Sérapion, who was standing erect in the centre of the room, watching me

-always so quiet, so pious, so gentle-you to rage in your cell like a wild beast! Take heed, brother-do not listen to the suggestions of the devil. Fear not. Never allow yo

o tell you that you have been appointed to the curacy of C--. The priest who had charge of it has just died, and

all hope of being able to meet her, except, indeed, through a miracle! Even to write her, alas! would be impossible, for by whom could I despatch m

eighted with our miserable valises awaited us at the gat

o give me time to look around me. At last we passed the city gates and commenced to mount the hill beyond. When we arrived at its summit I turned to take a last look at the place where Clarimonde dwelt. The shadow of a great cloud hung over all the city; the contrasting colours of its blue and red roofs were lost in the uniform half-tint, through which here and there floated upward, like white flakes of foam, the smoke of freshly kindled fires

eyes with his hand, and having looked in the direction indicated, replied: "It is the ancient pa

I fancied I saw gliding along the terrace a shapely white figure, which g

e she dwelt, and which a mocking beam of sunlight seemed to bring nigh to me, as though inviting me to enter therein as its lord? Undoubtedly she must have known it, for her soul was too sympathetically united with min

ich I was to take charge of, peeping above the trees, and after having followed some winding roads fringed with thatched cottages and little gardens, we found ourselves in front of the fa?ade, which certainly possessed few features of magnificence. A porch ornamented with some mouldings, and two or three pillars rudely hewn from sandstone; a tiled roof with counterforts of the same sandstone as the pillars, that was all. To the left lay the cemetery, overgrown with high weeds, and having a great ir

on unspeakable. A very old woman, who had been the housekeeper of the former curé, also came to meet us, and after having invited me into a little back parlour, asked whether I intended to retain her. I replied that I would take care of

I felt a great aridness within me, and the sources of grace seemed closed against me. I never found that happiness which should spring from the fulfilment of a holy mission; my thoughts were far away, and the words of Clarimonde were ever upon my lips like an involunta

nimal's sides with his knees, and loosened rein. The horse bounded forward with the velocity of an arrow. Mine, of which the stranger held the bridle, also started off at a swift gallop, keeping up with his companion. We devoured the road. The ground flowed backward beneath us in a long streaked line of pale grey, and the black silhouettes of the trees seemed fleeing by us on either side like an army in rout. We passed through a forest so profoundly gloomy that I felt my flesh creep in the chill darkness with superstitious fear. The showers of bright sparks which flew from the stony road under the ironshod feet of our horses, remained glowing in our wake like a fiery trail; and had any one at that hour of the night beheld us both-my guide and myself-he must have taken us for two spectres riding upon nightmares. Witch-fires ever and anon flitted across the road before us, and the night-birds shrieked fearsomely in the depth of the woods beyond, where we beheld at intervals glow the phosphorescent eyes of wildcats. The manes of the horses became more and more dishevelled, the sweat streamed over their flanks, and their breath came through their nostrils hard and fast. But when he found them slacking pace, the guide reanimated them by uttering a strange, guttu

ng God that He had placed the tomb between me and the memory of this woman, so that I might thereafter be able to utter her name in my prayers as a name forever sanctified by death. But my fervour gradually weakened, and I fell insensibly into a reverie. That chamber bore no semblance to a chamber of death. In lieu of the f?tid and cadaverous odours which I had been accustomed to breathe during such funereal vigils, a languorous vapour of Oriental perfume-I know not what amorous odour of woman-softly floated through the tepid air. That pale light seemed rather a twilight gloom contrived for voluptuous pleasure, than a substitute for the yellow-flickering watch-tapers which shine by the side of corpses. I thought upon the strange destiny which enabled me to meet Clarimonde again at the very moment when she was lost to me forever, and a sigh of regretful anguish escaped from my breast. Then it seemed to me that some

ch turn before the bier to contemplate the graceful corpse lying beneath the transparency of its shroud. Wild fancies came thronging to my brain. I thought to myself that she might not, perhaps, be really dead; that she might only have feig

had seen her at the church on the day of my ordination. She was not less charming than then. With her, death seemed but a last coquetry. The pallor of her cheeks, the less brilliant carnation of her lips, her long eyelashes lowered and relieving their dark fringe against that white skin, lent her an unspeakably seductive aspect of melancholy chastity and mental suffering; her long loose hair, still intertwined with some little blue flowers, made a shining pillow for her head, and veiled the nudity of her shoulders with its thick ringlets; her beautiful hands, purer, more diaphanous than the Host, were crossed on her bosom in an attitude of pious rest and silent prayer, which served to counteract all that might have proven otherwise too alluring-even after death-in the exquisite roundness and ivory polish of her bare arms from which the pearl bracelets had not yet been removed. I remained long in mute contemplation, and the more I gazed, the less could I persuade myself that life had really abandoned that beautiful body forever. I do not know whether it was an illusion or a reflection of the lamplight, but it seemed to me that the blood was again commencing to circulate under that lifeless pallor, although she remained all motionless. I laid my hand lightly on her arm; it was cold, but not colder than her hand on the day when it

The last remaining leaf of the white rose for a moment palpitated at the extremity of the stalk like a butterfly's wing, then it detached itself and flew f

t I had lain thus for three days, giving no evidence of life beyond the faintest respiration. Barbara told me that the same coppery-complexioned man who came to seek me on the night of my departure from the presbytery

ts, he constantly kept his two great yellow lion-eyes fixed upon me, and plunged his look into my soul like a sound

Good God, what age are we living in? The guests were served by swarthy slaves who spoke an unknown tongue, and who seemed to me to be veritable demons. The livery of the very least among them would have served for the gala-dress of an emper

idence with the nocturnal scenes I had witnessed, filled me with an agony and terror which my face betrayed, despite my utmost endeavours to appear composed. Sérapion fixed an anxious and severe look upon me, and then observed: "My son, I must warn you that you are standing with foot raised up

to the door. I did not see him again at that

tle lamp, shaped like those which are placed in tombs, and its light lent her fingers a rosy transparency, which extended itself by lessening degrees even to the opaque and milky whiteness of her bare arm. Her only garment was the linen winding-sheet which had shrouded her when lying upon the bed of death. She sought to gather its folds over her bosom as though ashamed of being so scantily clad, but her little hand was not equal to the task. She was so white that the colour of the drapery blended with that of her flesh under the pallid rays of the lamp. Enveloped with this subtle tissue which betrayed all the contour of her body, she seemed rather the marble sta

hen bending toward me, she said, in that voice at once silvery clear and yet

no air for the wing; and nevertheless behold me here, for Love is stronger than Death and must conquer him in the end. Oh what sad faces and fearful things I have seen on my way hither! What difficulty my soul, returned to earth through the power of will alone, has had in finding its body and reinstating itself therein! What terrible efforts I ha

I can hardly yet believe she was a demon; at least she had no appearance of being such, and never did Satan so skilfully conceal his claws and horns. She had drawn her feet up beneath her, and squatted down on the edge of the couch in an attitude full of negligent coquetry. From time to time she passed her little hand through my hair and twisted it into curls, as though trying how a new style of wearing it woul

aid at once, 'It is he!' I gave thee a look into which I threw all the love I ever had, all the love I now have, all the love I shall ever have for thee-a l

t God whom thou didst love a

t recall to life with a kiss-dead Clarimonde, who for thy sake bursts asunder the gates of th

y sense and my reason to such an extent, that I did not fear to utter a frightful bla

me whithersoever I desire. Thou wilt cast away thy ugly black habit. Thou shalt be the proudest and most envied of cavaliers; thou shalt be my lover! To be the acknowledged lover of Clarimonde, who

rrow!" I cried

l my friends who believe me dead, and mourn for me as deeply as they are capable of doing. The money, the dresses, the carriages-all will be ready. I shall call for thee at this same hour. Adieu, dear heart!

eated imagination. Nevertheless its sensations had been so vivid that it was difficult to persuade myself that they were not real, and it was not without some presentim

dress of green velvet, trimmed with gold lace, and looped up on either side to allow a glimpse of satin petticoat. Her blond hair escaped in thick ringlets from beneath a broad black felt hat, decorated with white feathers whimsically twisted into various shapes. In

out of be

ad brought with her. "The horses are becoming impatient of delay and champing their bits

s she explained to me the use of a garment when I had made a mistake. She hurriedly arranged my hair, and this done, held up before me a little pocket

eflected in the mirror. I was handsome, and my vanity was sensibly tickled by the metamorphosis. That elegant apparel, that richly embroidered vest had made of me a totally different personage, and I marvell

e, and appeared well satisfied with her work. "Come, enough of this child's-play! Let us start, Romuald, dear. We have far to go, and we may not

entered it, and the postilions urged their animals into a mad gallop. I had one arm around Clarimonde's waist, and one of her hands clasped in mine; her head leaned upon my shoulder, and I felt her bosom, half bare, lightly pressing against my arm. I had never known such intense happiness. In that hour I had forgotten everything, and I no more remembered having ever been a priest than I remembered what I had been doing in my mother's womb, so great was the fascination which the evil spirit exerted upon me. From that night my nature seemed in some sort to have become halved, and there were two men within me, neither of whom knew the other. At one moment I believed myself a priest who dreamed nightly that he was a gentleman

ass, and I do not believe that since Satan fell from heaven, any creature was ever prouder or more insolent than I. I went to the Ridotto, and played with a luck which seemed absolutely infernal. I received the best of all society-the sons of ruined families, women of the theatre, shrewd knaves, parasites, hectoring swashbucklers. But notwithstanding the dissipation of such a life, I always remained faithful to Clarimonde. I loved her wildly. She would have excited satiety itself, and chained inconstancy. To have Clarimonde was to have twenty mistresses; aye, to possess all women: so mobile, so varied of aspect, so fresh in new charms was she all in herself-a very chameleon of a woman, in sooth. She made you commit with her the infidelity you would have committed with another, by donning to perfection the character, the attraction, the style of beauty of the woman who appeared to ple

all prescribed some insignificant remedies, and never called a second time. Her paleness, nevertheless, visibly increased, and she became colder and colder, until she seemed almost as white and dead as upon that memorable

rocious joy such as I had never before observed in her. She leaped out of her bed with animal agility-the agility, as it were, of an ape or a cat-and sprang upon my wound, which she commenced to suck with an air of unutterable pleasure. She swallowed the blood in little mouthfuls, slowly and carefully, like a connoisseur tasting a wine from Xeres or Syracuse. Gradually her eyelids half closed, and the pupils of her green eyes bec

yet for a long time. My life is thine, and all that is of me comes from thee. A few drops of thy rich an

its vividness even that impression was soon dissipated, and a thousand other cares erased it from my mind. At last one evening, while looking into a mirror whose traitorous position she had not taken into account, I saw Clarimonde in the act of emptying a powder into the cup of spiced wine which she had long been in the habit of preparing after our repasts. I took the cup, feigned to carry it to my lips, and then placed it on the nearest article of furniture as though intending to finish it at my leisure. Taki

ee so much, I could well resolve to have other lovers whose veins I could drain; but since I have known thee all other men have become hateful to me.... Ah, the beautiful arm! How round it is! How white it is! How shall I ever dare to prick this pretty blue vein!" And while thus murmuring to herself she wept, and I felt her tears raining on my arm as she clasp

an seemed to plead with me for the vampire, and what I had already heard and seen sufficed to reassure me completely. In those days I had plenteous veins, which would not have been so easily exhausted as at present; and I would not have thought of bargaining for my blood, drop by drop. I would rather have

in the extremity of despairing weariness, and the current of slumber would again bear me away to the perfidious shores. Sérapion addressed me with the most vehement exhortations, severely reproaching me for my softness and want of fervour. Finally, one day when I was more wretched than usual, he said to me: "There is but one way by which you can obtain relief from this continual torment, and though it is an extreme measure it must be made use of; violent diseases require violent remedies. I know where Clarimonde is buried. It is necessary that we shall disinter her remains, and that you shall behold in how pitiable a state the object of your love is. Then you will no longer be tempted to lose your soul for the sake of an unclean corpse devoured by worms, and ready to crumble into dust. That will assuredly restore you t

ies Cl

med in her

irest of

out in strong relief by the lantern-light, had something fearsome in it which enhanced the unpleasant fancy. I felt an icy sweat come out upon my forehead in huge beads, and my hair stood up with a hideous fear. Within the depths of my own heart I felt that the act of the austere Sérapion was an abominable sacrilege; and I could have prayed that a triangle of fire would issue from the entrails of the dark clouds, heavily rolling above us, to reduce him to cinders. The owls which had been nestling in the cypress-trees, startled by the gleam of the lantern, flew against it from time to time, striking their dusty wings against its panes, and uttering plaintive cries of lamentation; wild foxes yelped in the far darkness, and a thousand sinister noises detached themselves from the silence. At last Sérapion's mattock struck

, the lover of Clarimonde, separated himself from the poor priest with whom he had kept such strange company so long. But once only, the following night, I saw Clarimonde. She said to me, as she had said the first time at the portals of the church: "Unhappy man! Unhappy man! What hast thou done? Wherefore have hearkened to that

f God was not too much to replace such a love as hers. And this, brother, is the story of my youth. Never gaze upon a woman, and walk abroad only

1

t Clar

de son

belle

e lines is unavoidably

OF BARCHEST

e Rhode

ading of a notice in the obituary section of the Gentlem

to the respect in which he was held and to his eminent qualifications. He succeeded to the Archdeaconry upon the sudden decease of Archdeacon Pulteney in 1810. His sermons, ever conformable to the principles of the religion and Church which he adorned, displayed in no ordinary degree, without the least trace of enthusiasm, the refinement of the scholar united with the graces of the Christian. Free from sectarian violence, and informed by the spirit of the truest charity, they will long dwell in the memories of his hearers. (Here a further omission.) The productions of his pen include an able defence of Episcopacy, which, though often perused by the author of this tribute to his memory, afford but one additional instance of the want of liberality and enterprise which is a too common characteristic of the publishers

informing us that Dr. Hay

calm. But how unsearchable are the workings of Providence! The peaceful and retired seclusion amid which the honoured evening of Dr. Haynes' life was m

tive until I have told the circumstances which led up to it. These, a

riod. It had excited some little speculation in my mind, but, beyond thinking that, if I ever had an opportunity of exam

script class and make sure. Have you time to do that now?" I had time. We went to the library, checked off the manuscripts, and, at the end of our survey arrived at a shelf of which I had seen nothing. Its contents consisted for the most part of sermons, bundles of fragmentary papers, college exercises, Cyrus, an epic poem in several cantos, the product of a countr

"That must be the Archdeacon Haynes who came to a very odd end at Barchester. I've read his obituary in

years ago; and he said also that as long as he had control over the library it should never be opened. Martin told me about it, and said that he wanted terribly to know what was in it; but the Master was librarian, and always kept the box in the lodge, so there was no getting at it in his time, and

o what should be done about publication, and, since I have his leave to make a story out o

by considerations of space. The proper understanding of the situation has necessitated a little-not very arduous-research, w

ry bare and odiously furnished place. The stalls are modern, without canopies. The places of the dignitaries and the names of the prebends have fortunately been allowed to survive, and

gn, of wood, with a pediment, in which is a triangle surrounded by rays, enclosing certain Hebrew letters in gold. Cherubs contemplate these. There is a pulpit with a great sounding-board at the eastern end of the stalls on the north side, and there is a black and white marble pavement. Two ladies and

ed forward and sobbing unrestrainedly into her handkerchief. "What-what is the matter? What bad news?" he began. "Oh, Johnny, you've not heard? The poor dear archdeacon!" "The archdeacon, yes? What is it-ill, is he?" "No, no; they found him on the staircase this morning; it is so shocking." "Is it possible! Dear, dear, poor Pulteney! Had there been any seizure?" "They don't think so, and that is almost the worst thing about it. It seems to have been all the fault of that stupid maid of theirs, Jane." Dr. Haynes paused. "I don't quite understand, Letitia. How was the maid at fault?" "Why, as far as I c

e missing stair-rod was very shortly afterwards found under the stair-carpet-an add

Barnswood have been uncollected for something like twelve years, and are largely irrecoverable; no visitation has been held for seven years; four chancels are almost past mending. The persons deputized by the archdeacon have been nearly as incapable as himself. It was almost a matter for thankfulness that this state of things had not been permitted to continue, and a letter from a friend confirms this view. "[Greek: ho katech?n]," it says (in rather cruel allusion to the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians), "is removed as last. My poor fri

n of the rights and duties of his office are very searching and businesslike, and there is a calculation in one place that a period of three years will just suffice to set the business of the Archdeaconry upon a proper footing. The estimate appears to have been an exact one. For just three years he is occupied in reforms; but I look in vain at the end of that time for the promised Nunc dimittis. He has now found a new sphere of activity. Hitherto his duties have precluded him from more than an occasional attendance at the Cathedra

sary of the genus Mus. Opposite to this is a figure seated upon a throne and invested with the attributes of royalty; but it is no earthly monarch whom the carver has sought to portray. His feet are studiously concealed by the long robe in which he is draped: but neither the crown nor the cap which he wears suffice to hide the prick-ears and curving horns which betray his Tartarean origin; and the hand which rests upon his knee is armed with talons of horrifying length and sharpness. Between these two figures stands a shape muffled in a long mantle. This might at first sight be mistaken for a monk or 'friar of orders gre

he woodwork in question has now disappeared, it has a cons

situated, I learned from the aged and truly respectable incumbent that traditions still lingered amongst the inhabitants of the great size and age of the oaks employed to furnish the materials of the stately structure which has been, however imperfectly, described in the above lines. Of one in particular, which stood near the centre of the grove, it is remembered that it was known as the Hanging Oak. The

ion for hospitality and urbanity which is mentioned in his obituary notice was well deserved. After that, as time goes on, I see a shadow coming over him-destined to develop into utter blackness-which I cannot but think must have been reflected in his outward demea

rder, I must find some further employment for the evening hours of autumn and winter. It is a great blow that Letitia's

itia has left

time at evening prayers. It came as a shock: I fi

nd of my stall. I was not aware of this, for I was not looking in that direction, until I was startled by what seemed a softness, a feeling as of rather rough and coarse fur, and a sudden movement, as if the creature were twisting round its head to bite me. I regained complete consciousness in an instant, and I have some idea that I must have uttered a suppress

there is company of some kind. The fact is (I may as well formulate it to myself) that I hear voices. This, I am well aware, is a common symptom of incipient decay of the brain-and I believe that I should be less disquieted than I am if I had any suspicion that this

omething whispered to me, 'Let me wish you a happy New Year.' I could not be mistaken: it spoke distinctly and with a peculiar emphasis. Had I dropped my candle, as I all but did, I tre

d a sudden impression of a sharp whisper in my ear 'Take care.' I clutched the balusters and naturally looked round at once. Of course, there was nothing. After a moment I went on-it was no good turning

It so happened that I had told John to come to my room for the letter to the bishop which I wished to have delivered early in the morning at the Palace. He was to sit up, therefore, and come for it when he heard me retire. This I had for the moment forgotten, though I had remembered to carry the letter with me to my room. But when, as I was winding up my watch, I heard a light tap at the door, and a low voice saying, 'May I come in?' (which I most undoubtedly did hear), I recollected the fact, and took up the letter from my dressing-table, saying, 'Certainly: come in.' No one, howev

s discernible unto the early part of September, when he was again left alone. And now, indeed, there is evidence that he was incommoded again, and that more pressin

ly payment of ￡25 to J.L. Nothing could have been made of this, had it stood by itself. But I connect with it a very dirty and ill-written letter, which, like a

r

ent we have no knowledge of it this been the sad case with us if you would have the great [liberality probably, but the exact spelling defies reproduction] to send fourty pounds otherwise steps will have to be took which I should not wish. Has you was the M

obedt

ne

is letter to have been written there

rn to t

nd-I was going to have said-a change came over it, but that seems attributing too much importance to what must, after all, be due to some physical affection in myself: at any rate, the wood seemed to become chill

oticed this before. A nervous man, which I am not, and hope I am not becoming, would have been much annoyed, i

er this, I suppose, I feel asleep, but was awakened with a start by a feeling as if a hand were laid on my shoulder. To my intense alarm I found myself standing at the top of the lowest flight on the first staircase. The moon was shining brightly enough through the large windo

ar for the first time and become increasingly frequent. Throughout this time, however, he is obstinate in clinging to his post. Why he did not plead ill-health and take refuge at Bath or Brighton I cannot tell; my impression is that it would have done him

n Allen to give me a few days, and he

of the wind. My own experiences were as before: still w

ouse. He thinks, too, that my cat is an unus

time he told me he had seen one of them passing through the door at the end of the passage, and said if his wife were here she woul

left me today.

s they are the only entry. In these cases they are in an unusually large hand,

gh idea of his courage and determination. The diary tells us nothing more than I have indicated of the

consternation was experienced upon the discovery that he had been the object of a brutal and a murderous attack. The vertebral column was fractured in more than one place. This might have been the result of a fall: it appeared that the stair-carpet was loosened at one point. But, in addition to this, there were injuries inflicted upon the eyes, nose and mouth, as if by the agency of some savage animal, which, dreadful

ay have been instrumental in bringing about the disaster, and concludes by hoping, somewhat vaguely, that this eve

nt than any one else. I told this gentleman of the description of certain carved figures and arms formerly on the stalls, and asked whether any had survived. He was able to show me the arms of Dean West and some other fragments. These, he said, had been got from an old resident, who had also once owned a figure-perhaps one of those which I was inquiring for. There was a very odd thing about that figure, he said. "The old man who had it told me that he picked it up in a wood-yard, whence he had obtained the still extant pieces, and had taken it home for his children. On the way home he was fiddling about with it and it came in two

quite legibly inscribed in an old

grew in

ater'd

he Churc

uches me wi

ody hand

ll him t

be fet

by night

when the win

ht of Fe

26 Febr. Ao 169

ll: wouldn't you call it somethin

might. What became of the figu

told me it was so ugly and frightened

WAS

ames O

to meet with an unusual amount of incredulity and scorn. I accept all such beforehand. I have, I trust, the literary courage to face unbelief. I have, after mature consideration, resolved to narrate, in as sim

arge and stately residence, surrounded by what was once a garden, but which is now only a green enclosure used for bleaching clothes. The dry basin of what has been a fountain

y-sixth Street that No. - was haunted. Legal measures had dispossessed the widow of its former owner, and it was inhabited merely by a caretaker and his wife, placed there by the house agent into whose hands it had passed for the purposes of renting or sale. These people declared that they were troubled with unnatural noises. Doors were opened without any visible agency. The remnants of furniture scattered through the various rooms were, during the night, piled one upon the other by unknown hands. Invisible feet passed up and down the stairs in broad da

house rather a plucky and philosophical set of boarders, she laid her scheme before us, stating candidly everything she had heard respecting the ghostly qualities of the establishment to which she wished to remove us. With the exceptio

ouses, running down nearly to the Hudson, form, in the summer time, a perfect avenue of verdure. The air is pure and invigorating, sweeping, as it does, straight across the river from the Weehawken heights, and even the ragged garden which surrounded the house, alt

ought twenty copies. The man led a life of supreme wretchedness while he was reading this volume. A system of espionage was established, of which he was the victim. If he incautiously laid the book down for an instant and left the room, it was immediately seized and read aloud in secret places to a select few. I found myself a person of immense importance, it

lack butler asseverated that his candle had been blown out by some invisible agency while he was undressing himself for the night; but as I had more than once discovered this coloured gentleman in a condition when o

vening pipe. Independent of certain mental sympathies which existed between the Doctor and myself, we were linked together by a vice. We both smoked opium. We knew each other's secret, and respected it. We enjoyed together that wonderful expansion of thought, that marvellous in

sation through the brightest and calmest channels of thought. We talked of the East, and endeavoured to recall the magical panorama of its glowing scenery. We criticized the most sensuous poets,-those who painted life ruddy with health, brimming w

he rana arborea, while he clung to the bark of the ragged plum-tree, sounded like the strains of divine musicians. Houses, walls, and streets melted like rain clouds, and vistas of unimaginable glory stretched away before us. It was a rapt

not flow through the sun-lit channels into which we strove to divert them. For some unaccountable reason, they constantly diverged into dark and lonesome beds, where a continual gloom brooded. It was in vain that, after our old fashion, we flung ourselves on the shores of the East, and talked of its gay bazaars, of the splendours of the time of Haroun, of harems and golden palaces. Black afreets continually arose from the depths of our ta

, stood frozen at a window which overhung the river at a height of sixty feet, unable to make the slightest effort to save her, but dumbly watching her last supreme agony and her disappearance. A shattered wreck, with no life visible, encountered floating listlessly on the ocean, is a terrible object

ect before. That there must be one Something more terrible than any other

g in fearful and unnatural amalgamation hitherto supposed incompatible elements. The calling of the voices in Brockden Brown's novel of 'Wieland' is awful; so is

drop this kind of talk, for Heaven's sak

s running upon all sorts of weird and awful thoughts. I feel as if I could wr

I'm off to bed. Opium and nightmares should never be br

arry. Pleasant

tch, afreets, ghoul

d laid my head upon the pillow, and instantly flung it to the other side of the room. It was Goudon's "History of Monsters,"-a curious French work, which I had lately imported from Paris, but which, in the state of mind I h

. The confounded themes touched on by Hammond in the garden kept obtruding themselves on my brain. I battled against them. I erected ramparts of would-be blankness of intellect to keep them out. They still crowded upon me. While I was lying still as a corpse, hop

espair, against my chest. In a few seconds the bony hands that had fastened on my throat loosened their hold, and I was free to breathe once more. Then commenced a struggle of awful intensity. Immersed in the most profound darkness, totally ignorant of the nature of the Thing by which I was so suddenly attacked, finding my grasp slipping every moment, by reaso

sted for a moment to breathe. I heard the creature beneath me panting in the darkness, and felt the violent throbbing of a heart. It was apparently as exhausted as I was; that was one comfort. At this moment I remember

irst seen what my midnight assailant was like, arouse the household. I will confess to being actuate

these I made with the greatest caution, holding the creature in a grip like a vice. At last I got within arm's length of the tiny speck of blue light which

the house. I shudder now as I think of that awful moment. I saw nothing! Yes; I had one arm firmly clasped round a breathing, panting, corporeal shape, my other hand gripped with all its strength a throat as warm, as appa

found myself. I cannot recall the astounding incident thorou

t had hands. They clutched me. Its skin was smooth, like my own. There it l

solutely, in place of loosening my hold on the terrible Enigma, I seemed to gain an additional strength in my m

he beheld my face-which, I suppose, must have been an awful sight to look

l! I have been attacked in bed by something or other, wh

s suppressed laughter made me furious. To laugh at a human being in my position! It was the worst species of cruelty. Now, I can understand why the appearance of a man struggling violently, as it would seem, with an

d's sake come to me. I can hold the-the thing but a shor

approaching me, "you have

same low tone. "Don't you see how it shakes my whole frame with its st

the spot I indicated. A wild cry of

e of cord, and was the next instant winding it and knotting it

ed his presence of mind, he was deeply moved, "Harry, it's all safe n

austed, and I gla

erlaced, and stretching tightly around a vacant space. I never saw a man look so thoroughly stricken with awe. Nevertheless his face expressed all the courage and determ

aker ones fled from the apartment. The few who remained clustered near the door and could not be induced to approach Hammond and his Charge. Still incredulity broke out through their terror. They had not the courage to satisfy themselves, and yet they doubted. It was in vain that I begged of some of the men to come near and convince themselves by touch of the existence in that room of a living bei

ed, "I can give you self-evident proof that here is a solid, ponderable body, which, ne

calmly; but I had recovered from my first terror, and felt a sort o

d of a heavy body alighting on a soft mass. The timbers of the bed creaked. A deep impression marked itself distinctly on the pillow, and

of the creature on the bed, and watching the rustle of the bed-clothes as

this i

awf

unaccou

d since the birth of the world. I know not what to think, Hammond. G

ass. It is tangible and transparent. A certain chemical coarseness is all that prevents its being so entirely transparent as to be totally invisible. It is not theoretically impossible, mind you, to make a glass which shall n

s does not breathe, air does not breathe. This thing has a heart that pa

ly. "At the meetings called 'spirit circles,' invisible hands have been thrust into the hands

ink, then, that

reply; "but please the gods I will, with y

of the unearthly being that tossed and panted until it was apparently

ond and myself were lions. We had to answer a thousand questions as to the state of our extraordinary priso

in its efforts to escape. There was something truly terrible in beholding, as it were, those second-hand

m, its outlines and lineaments were human. There was a mouth; a round, smooth head without hair; a nose, which, however, was little elevated above the cheeks; and its hands and feet felt like those of a boy. At first we thought of pl

ian had recovered from the first shock of amazement, he proceeded to administer the chloroform. In three minutes afterward we were enabled to remove the fetters from the creature's body, and a modeller was busily engaged in covering the invisible form with the moist clay. In five minutes more we had a mould, and before evening a rough facsimile of the Mystery. It was shaped like a man,-distorted, uncouth, and horrible, but still a man. It was small, not over four feet and some inches in height

creature's destruction. But who would shoulder the responsibility? Who would undertake the execution of this horrible semblance of a human being? Day after day this question was deliberated gravely. The boarders all left the house. Mrs. Moffat was in despair, and threatened Hammond and myself with all sorts of legal penalties if we did

verything in the way of nutriment that we could think of was placed before it, but was never touched. It was awfu

ad now nearly ceased. It was evident that the creature was dying for want of sustenance. While this terrible life-struggle was go

lungs to inspire. We hastened to bury it in the garden. It was a strange funeral, the dropping of that viewless

not return, I have drawn up this narrative of an event

E