Year: 1874




all recover from the terrible impression
which seemed to stop my breath and par
alyze my limbs. At length began to look
about me, for the night was not entirely
dark, and could discern the outlines of the
room and the. several pieces in it. then
got out of bed and called aloud. "Who is
there? What is the matter? Is any one
illP' l repeated these inquiries in Italian
and in French, but there was no one that
answered my questions. Fortunately 1
had some matches in my pocket and was
able to light my candle. l then examined
every part of the room carefully, and es-
pecially the wall at the head of my bed,
sounding it with my knuckles it was firm
and solid there as in all other places. / un-
fastened my door and explored the passage
and the two adjoining rooms, which were
unoccupied and almost destitute of furni-
ture they had evidently not been used for
some time. Search as l would l could
gain no clue to the mystery. Returning to
my room ! sat down upon my bed in great
perplexity, and began to turn over in my
mind whether it was possible l could have
been Observation-Disclosures the sounds which
caused me so much distress might be the
offspring Of some dream or nightmare 4; but
TO that conclusion could not bring myself
at all, much as l wished it, for the groan-
ing had continued ringing in my ears long
after l was wide awake and conscious.


While l was thus rejecting, having
neglected to close the door which was
opposite to the side of my bed where was
sitting, l heard a soft footstep at dis
tance, and presently light appeared at
the further end of the passage. Then
] saw the shadow of man cast upon
the opposite walls it moved very slowly,
and presently stopped. l saw the hand
raised as Il making sign to some one,
and l knew from the fact of the shadow
being thrown in advance that there must
be second person in the rear by whom
the light was carried. After a short pause
they seemed to retrace their steps, without
my having had q glimpse Of either of
them, but only of the shadow which had
come before and which had followed them
as they withdrew. 1t was then little past
one o'clock, and concluded they were re-
tiring late TO rest, and anxious to avoid
disturbing me, though have since thought
that it was the light from my room which
caused them to retreat felt half inclined
to call to them, but / shrank, without
knowing why, from making known what
had disturbed me, and while hesitated
they were gone so l fastened my door
again, and resolved to sit up and watch a
little longer by myself. But now my can
die was beginning to burn low, and
found myself in this dilemma either
must extinguish it at once or I should be
left without the means of procuring light
in case should be again disturbed. l
regretted that / had not called for another
candle while there were people yet moving
in the house, but could not do so now
without making explanations so grasped
my box of matches, put out my light, and
lay down, not without a shudder, in the
bed.


"For an hour or more l lay awake
that time had almost persuaded myself
that had nothing but my own morbid
imagination to thank for the alarm which
had suffered 1t is an outer WALL said
to myself they are all outer walls, and
the house is built of stone it is impossible
that any sound could be heard through
such thickness. Besides, it seemed to
be in my room, close to my ear. What an
idiot / must be, to be excited and alarmed
about nothing; I'll think no more about
it, So l turned on my side, with smile
| (rather forced one) at my own foolishness
and composed myself to sleep


"At that instant / heard, with more
distinctness than ever heard any other
sound in my life, gasp, voiceless gasp,
as If some one were in agony for breath,
biting at the air, or trying with desperate
efforts to cry out or speak. 1t was repeat.
ed second and third time; then there
was q pause then again that horrible gasp,
ing and then long drawn breath, an
audible drawing up of the air into the
throat, such as one would make in heavine
deep sigh. Such sounds as these could
not possibly have been heard unless they
had been close to my ear; they seemed tC
come from the wall at my head, Or to rise
up out Of my pillow. That fearful gasp
ing, and that drawing in of the breath, IN
the darkness and silence of tho night
seemed to make every nerve in my body
| tb,.;u ,u;tI draadf,,I axoactation Troooo