Year: 1864

be very short, | resolved (this was Mon
day) not to return till the following Sat-
urday. It was agreed between the sar-
dener and myself that he should remove,
With the greatest care, all the turf cover
ing the grave, replace it as carefully, lev
elling it sothat his labor should not appear


Five inmates afteTwards, I had inveuted
a plausible excuse for the necessity of so
immediate departure, which was nothing
less than serious indispoSitio2 of my
mother, and at four o'clock we left the
house, taking with Us our entire family.


After passing few days in the capital,
we returned to our little villa. 10 the
mean time had been officially informed
that the removal of the body had taken
place and the turf SO ingenuously replaced
as to leave no trace Of the operation The
letter, which came from Father Michel,
announced to me at the same time, by way
of postscript, that my presence oD the fol-
lowing Saturday was indispensable at
Nerrieres, as the moon would then be
at the full, and whole family of weasels
had been discovered, whose urgent des-
truction imperiously called for my devo-
tons, that IS to say, some hours Of watch
ing passed in the forest at night.


At nine o'clock, therefore, on the eve
ming of my return, set out in search of
my weasels. The weather was magni6.
cent and the moon at tie full No night
could have been more propitious, never
theless my yigils were vain, for DO sign
of weasel appeared, and after waiting
till midnight l returned home.


| was but twenty PAGES from the house,
whose white walls, illuminated by the
rays of The moon, stood out from sbe dark
ground of the thickets behind it, and was
about to turn around the group of Bengal
roses decorating its facade, when, casting
my eyes mechanically towards the six feet
of turf which, three days before, still COW
cred the sepulchre Of Madame v, l
remained petrifed, immovable, dumb with
fear and horror.


Beneath the weeping willow which for
merly shaded the tomb, stood, wrapped
in its shroud, the spectre of the departed
1t was not an optical illusion, nor hallu-
cinatlon of my disturbed mind. The
phantom seemed to be awaiting me, wav-
ing its arms as if trying to disengage
them from its white shroud and while its
head reached 10 the uppermest branches
of the tree, its feet, nimbly agitatlng, how
cred over, rather than touched the ground
They seemed to be making Intellectual eff
forts to detach themselves entirely and
advance to meet me.


A shudder of indescribable terror ran
over me, and though not cowardly by na-
ture, a cold sweat stood on my forehead
| tried to speak, but could not utter a
word tried to walk, but my limbs re-
fused to obey my will. At last, imagin-
ing myself to be the object of some trick,
| adjured the spirit to speak, threatening
to fire upon it unless it answered my
challenge.


| had scarcely uttered this threat when
fash of lightning, the first indication of
an approaching storm, illuminated the
whole garden, and amid gust of wind,
which enveloped me IN cloud of dust,
the phantom disappeared. This time |
could not doubt that it was the shade of
Madame v, suddenly vanishing be.
fore my eyes, IN order to cave me a sec
ond profanation more saerilegious than
the first.


Shall 1 confess it? I crossed myself,
and clearing in few leaps without daring
to turn my eyes in the direction of the
well, the distance which still separated
me from the Pavilion, l rushed, more
dead than alive, into the bedchamber
where my wife was quietly reposing.


[ was very careful not to awaken her,
and especially aot to tell her of my noe
turnal adventure but violent clap Of
thunder rendered useless the precautions
which | had taken to make as little noise
as possible on entering.


"Ah it is you, my love-" said she to
me. "You did we'll to return | have
been oppressed by a bad dream light the
candle, beg, and see if all is right about
the house"


The night was terrible, and 1 never
knew more frlghtful storm. The dis
order of the elements impressed me the
more wildly that, in my state of mind, it
seemed to be in consequence of my vision i;
aud when day appeared and the tempest
abated, had not succeeded in closing
my eyes.


| arose and dressed to take turn in
the garden but at the moment of cross.
ing the threshold of the door, / was so
overcome that | retraced my steps, re-
solved not TO visit the theatre of action
antil, after breakfast, my wife and my
self could GO together and see The rayages
Of the storm.