Year: 1872

express an interest in his guests, and
to learn as much of their concerns
as they would tell him.


went to bed early, intending to
resume my journey as soon rs it
should be light. My landlord took
up my knapsaek and carried it to
my room, observing as he did so
that it was q great weight for me to
travel with. 1 answered jokinkly
that it contained great treasure, re-
ferring to my coins and relics; Of
course he did not understand me, and
before I could explain, he wished me
a most happy little night, and left
me.


The room in which / found myself
was situated at the end of long
passage, and window on the left,
which looked out upon the yard or
garden. Having taken survey Of
the house while smoking my cigar
after dinner, when the moon was up,
1 understood exactly the position of
my chamber-the end room of a long
narrow wing, projecting at right an
giles from the main building, with
which il was connected only by the
passage and the two side rooms al
ready mentioned. Please bear this
description carefully in mind while
1 proceed.


Before getting into bed l drove in
to the floor close to the door a small
gimlet which formed part of / COM
plicated pocket-knife which 1 always
carried with me, so that it would be
impossible for any one to enter the
room without my knowledge; there
was lock on the door, but the key
would not turn in it; there was also
bolt, but it would not enUer the
hole intended for it, the door having
sunk apparently from its propel lev
ell. 1 satisfied myself, however, that
the door was securely fastened by
my gimlet, and soon fell asleep.


How can 1 describe the strange
and horrible sensation which op-
pressed me as 1 woke out of my first
slumber? I had been sleeping
soundly, and before 1 quite recovered
consciousness l had instinctively
risen from my pillow, and was crouch
ing forward, my knees drawn up, my
hands clasped before my face, anC
my whole frame up, my hands


cTasped before my face, and my


whole frame quivering with horror


1 saw nothing, felt nothing, but I


sound was ringing in my ears whicl


seemed to make my blood run COLI


1 could not have supposed it pos


sible that any mere sound, whateve


might be its nature, could have pro
Icured such revulsion of feeling o
inspired such intense horror as


then experienced. 1t was not a cr1


of terror that 1 heard that woul(


have distressed me, and called fortl


sympathy rather than aversion


True, it was like the groaning of on,


in anguish and despair, but not likt
any mortal voice; it seemed to-


dreadful, too intense, for human Mt
Iterance. The sound had begul
while was fast asleep-close to tn,
head of my bed-close to my yer,
pillow; it continued after / was wild
awake-a long, loud, hollow protrac
ted groan-msking the midnight al
reyerberate, and then dying gradual
lily away until it ceased entirely. 1


was some minutes before I could a


all recover from the terrible impres
Ision which seemed to stop my breatl
and paralyze my limbs. At length


l began to look about me, for tn,


night was not entirely dark, anC
could discern the outlines of tn,
room and the several pieces of fur
niture in it. 1 then got out of be(
land called aloud, "Who is there


What is the matter? Is any one illF


l repeated these inquiries in Italian
and in French, but there was nont
that answered. Fortunately I haC
some matches in my pocket and wal
able to light my candle. 1 then ex
amIned every part of the room care
fully, and especially the wall at tht
head of my bed, sounding it with my


knuckles; it was firm and solid there
and in all other places. l unfasten
ed my door and explored the passage
and the two adjoining rooms, which
were unoccupied and almost desti
tute of furniture; they had evidently
not been used for some time. Search
as l would, 1 could gain no clue to
the mystery. Returning to my room,
l sat down upon the bed in great per
plexlty, and began to turn over in
my mind whether it was possible
could have been Observation-Disclosures
the sounds which caused me such
distress might be the off spring of
some dream or nightmare; but to
that conclusion l could not bring
myself at all, much as / wished it,
for the groaning had continued ring
ing in my ears long after 1 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 l was
sitting, heard a soft footstep at q
distance, and presently light ap-
peared at the further end of the pas
sage. Then 1 saw the shadow of 8
man cast upon the opposite wall; it
moved very slowly, and presently
stopped. l saw the hand raised, as
if making a sign to some one, and 1
knew from the fact of the shadow be-
ing thrown in advance that there
must be o second person in the rear
by whom the light was carried. AT
ter a short pause they seemed to re-
trace their steps without my having
had a glimpse of either of them, but
only Of the shadow which had come
before. and which followed them as
they withdrew. 1t was then little
after one o'clock, and 1 concluded
they were retiring late to rest, and
anxious to avoid disturbing me,
though 1 have since thought that it
was the light from my room which
caused their retreat. L felt half in
clined to call them, but 1 shrank, with
out knowing why, from making
known what had disturbed me; and
while hesitated they were gone; so
1 fastened my door again, and re-
solved to sit up and watch little
longer by myself. But now my can