The morning call., 1892-01-03

ceived and had deceived my thoughts. My
eyes had vision, one of those visions which
make superstitious people believe In mira
cles. LII was nervous accident to the 0pti-
cal apparatus. nothing more-perhaps liz
Tie congestion.
THE SEARCH IN THE NIGHT
And lighted my candle. noticed while
bending toward the fire [ trembIed. and I
raised myself with shock as if some one
had touched me from behind. / assuredlv
was anything but tranquil. l took few
steps, talked aloud, hummed several refrafns
Then doubled cked my chamber door and
felt a trlfle treasured. At least, nobody
could enter now
seated myself again and reflected long
time on my adventure; then. | went to bed
and blew out my light For some minutes
everything went right. | lay on my back
quite peacefully. Then l felt that must
take glance about my chamber and
turned upon one side.
My nre was reduced to two or three glow
ing emberS, which cast light as far as the
legs OF the fauteuil, and thought | again
saw the man seated in it. / struck match
with rapid movement; | had been de-
ceiyed-l no longer saw anything. l arose,
nevertheless, and hid the fauteuil behind
my bed.
Then l blew out the match and strove to
90 to sleep once more. l had not lost con-
sci0usnesS five minutes when | saw In a
NlCNii anu % CitdlIb do II III ICdliby GNo
whole scene of the evening | awoke in be-
wilderment and, having lighted my room,
remained sitting up in my bed, without even
daring to try to sleep.
Twice, however, sleep took possession Of
me. IN spite OF myself, for some seconds.
Twice l again saw the thing | thought L
had gone crazy. When daylight appeared
felt myself cured and dOzed quietly until
noon.
1t was over. all over. had had a fever. a
nightmare, who could tell what? At any
rate, had been Ill. Nevertheless, l thought
mad been very stupid
AFRAID OF SEEING THE MAN AGAIN.
l was exceedingly gay that day. 1 dined
at the cabaret; | went to the play; then
started home. But as | approached my
house, strange uneaSiness took possession
of me. | was afraid Of seeing the man
again-nOt afraid of him, not afraid of his
presence, in which | did not believe. but
afraid Of new trouble of my eyes, afraid
OF the hallucinatiOn, afraid of the dread
which would seize upon me.
For more than an hour wandered back
aud forth upon the sidewalk; then at last
thought myself too big a fool and went ia.
painted so that l could not climb the stair
way. paused again more than ten min
utes In front Of my apartment on the land
ing; then suddenly | had a burst of courage,
a strengthening of will. | plunged my key
in the lock; | rushed forward, a candle In
open door of my chamber, and cast fright
ened glance toward the fire. place. | saw
DOthlng-ahl
What relief! What ioyI What a de-
llveraDce! l walked back and forth gayy.
But | did not feel reassured | turned
about with a start; the darkness of the
corners disturbed me. l slept i'll, necessarily
awakened by imaginary noises. But | did
not see him. No, it was over. Since then
lave been afraid only at night feel the
vision there, beside me, around me. 1t has
not appeared again. Oh! no! But what diff
ference does that make, since l don't be-
lleye in it, since know it's nOthingP
1t worries me however, because think
of it cOnstantly-a hand hung DO Wn on the
right side, the head leaned to the left like
l don't wish to think of it any longer.
STILL what means this haunting? Why
this persistence? Its feet were in front Of
the frel 1t haunts me-it's idiotic, but It's
so. Who is he? | am well aware that ne
does not exist, that he is nothing. He ex-
lstS only in my apprehension, in my fear, in
my anguish. But enough
Yes, still it is in vain | reason, stiffen my
self up, l cannot remain alone longer at
home because he is there. shall no longer
see him-that l knOw-he will not appear
again-that's done with. But he is there
all the same in my mind. he remains in
visible, but that does not prevent him from
being there. He is behind the DOORS in the
locked wardrobe, under the bed. in all the
obscure corners, in all the shadows. If [
open my door, if [ open the wardrobe, if I put
my light beneath the bed. if | light the
corners, the shadows. he is no longer there;
but then | feel him behind me. turn, GER
tain, however. that l shall not see him. that
l shall never again see him. Hs is none the
less behind me still.
It's stupid, it's atrocious. But what
would you have? i can do nothing in the
matter.
But, if there were two of US in my home,
/ 1eel, yes, feel assured he would be thers
NO longer For he is there because | am
alone, simply because am alone.
GUY DE MAUPAssANr