A servant girl answered the summons, and in reply to their inquiries informed them that the ladies were both in the parlor. 'Show us up there,' said the Dead Man, in a commanding tone, as he concealed his hideous face behind his upturned coat-collar. The girl obeyed, and having conducted them up a flight of stairs, ushered them into an apartment where Josephine and her mother were seated, engaged there in playing _ecarte_. Their confusion and terror may easily be imagined, when turning to see who their visitors were, their eyes rested upon the awful lineaments of the DEAD MAN! 'Your humble servant, ladies,' said the villain, with a triumphant laugh--'you see you cannot hide from me, or escape me. Fair Josephine, you look truly charming--will you oblige me with a private interview?' 'It will be useless,' said Josephine coldly, as she recovered some portion of her composure--'we have no more money to give you.' 'You can give me something more acceptable than _money_,' rejoined the other, with a horrible leer--'at our last interview I told you what I should require at our next. Doctor, I leave you with the voluptuous mother, while I make court to the beautiful daughter.' He grasped Josephine violently by the arm, and dragged her from the room, forced her into an adjoining apartment, and thrust her brutally upon a sofa, saying with a fearful oath-- 'Dare to resist me, and I'll spoil your beauty, miss! Why do you act the prude with me--_you_, a shameless hussey, who has numbered more amours than years?' 'Odious ruffian!' exclaimed Josephine, no longer able to control her indignation--'I view you with contempt and loathing. Sooner than submit to your filthy embraces, I will dare exposure, and death itself! Think not to force me to a compliance with your wishes--I will resist you while life animates my frame. I fear you not, low villain that you are.' The Dead Man raised his _iron hand_ as if to dash out her brains for her temerity.--But he checked himself, and surveyed her with a sort of calm ferocity, as he said--'Young lady, since you are determined to oppose my wishes, I will not force you. Neither will I kill you; yet my vengeance shall be more terrible than death. You are beautiful and you pride yourself upon that beauty--but I will deprive you of your loveliness. You call me hideous--I will make you hideous as I am. Your cheeks shall become ghastly, your complexion livid, and your brilliant eyes shall become sightless orbs--for the curse of _blindness_ shall be added to your other miseries. Obstinate girl, bid an eternal farewell to eyesight and beauty, for from this moment you are deprived of both, forever!'