Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-26
when I saw the moon high, clear and calm,
I felt 10y that almost COMPENSATED for

when saw the moon high, clear and calm,
I felt joy that almost compensated for
| the previous terror. There was the moon,
there was also the light from the gas
| lamps in the deserted, slumberous street. I
turned to look back into the room. The
moon penetrated its shadow very palely
and partially. but still there was light The
Dark Thing, whatever 1t might be, was
gone, except that I could yet see dim
shadow, which seemed the shadow Of that
shade against the opposite wall.
My eve now rested on the table, and from
under the table (Which was without cloth
| or cover-an old mahogany round table,
there rose a hand, visible as far as the
wrist. 1t was a hand. seemingly, as much
Of flesh and blood as my own, but the
hand Of an aged person--lean, wrinkled,
small, too-a woman's hand. That hand
very softly closed on the two letters that
lay on the table: hand and letters both
vanished. Then there came the same three
loud, measured knocks l had heard at the
bedhead before this extraordinary drama
had commenced.
AS those sounds slowly ceased, felt the
whole room vibrate sensibly; and at the
far end there rose, as from the floor, sparks
ored-green, yellow, fire red, azure. Up and
down. to and fro, hither, thither, as tiny
| will-o'-the-wisps, the sparks moved, slow
or swift, each at its own caprice. A chair
advanced from the wall without apparent
agency, and placed at the opposite side Of
the table. Suddenly, as forth from the
chair, there grew a shape-a woman's
shape. 1t was distinct as shape Of life
CHASTITY as shape of death. The face was
that Of youth, with a strange, mournful
beauty; the throat and shoulders were bare,
the rest Of the form in a loose robe of
cloudy white. 1t began sleeking It's long
yellow hair, which fell over its shoulders:
its eyes were not turned toward me, but to
the door; 1t seemed listening, watching,
waiting. The shadow of the shade In the
background grew darker and again
thought l beheld the eyes cleaning out
from the summit of the shadow-eyes fixed
upon that shape.
AS IL from the door, though it did not
open, there grew out another shape, equal
ly distinct, equally ghastly-a mans shape
a young mans. 1t was in the dress of the
last century, or rather in likeness Of such
dress (for both the male shape and the fe-
male, though defined, were evidently unsub-
stantial, impalpable - simuiacra = phantas-
mis); and there was something homogeneous,
grotesque. yet fearful in the contrast be-
tween the elaborate fnery. the courtly pre-
cision of that old-fashioned garb, with its
ruffies and lace and buckles and the corpse
like aspect and ghost-like stiffness Of the
fitting wearer Just as the male shape
approached the female, the dark shadow
started from the wall. all three for mo-
ment wrapped in darkness. When the pale
light returned the two phantoms were as
IL in the grasp Of the shadow that lowered
between them; and there was blood stain
on the breast of the female: and the phan-
tom male was leaning on Its phantom
sword and blood seemed trucking fast
from the ruff1es, from the lace; and the
darkness OF the intermediate shadow swal-