The third time, after a still longer pause, The shadow pass’d away—but where? the hall Was long, and thus far there was no great cause To think his vanishing unnatural: Doors there were many, through which, by the laws Of physics, bodies whether short or tall Might come or go; but Juan could not state Through which the spectre seem’d to evaporate. He stood—how long he knew not, but it seem’d An age—expectant, powerless, with his eyes Strain’d on the spot where first the figure gleam’d; Then by degrees recall’d his energies, And would have pass’d the whole off as a dream, But could not wake; he was, he did surmise, Waking already, and return’d at length Back to his chamber, shorn of half his strength. All there was as he left it: still his taper Burnt, and not blue, as modest tapers use, Receiving sprites with sympathetic vapour; He rubb’d his eyes, and they did not refuse Their office; he took up an old newspaper; The paper was right easy to peruse; He read an article the king attacking, And a long eulogy of ‘patent blacking.’ This savour’d of this world; but his hand shook— He shut his door, and after having read A paragraph, I think about Horne Tooke, Undrest, and rather slowly went to bed. There, couch’d all snugly on his pillow’s nook, With what he had seen his phantasy he fed; And though it was no opiate, slumber crept Upon him by degrees, and so he slept. He woke betimes; and, as may be supposed, Ponder’d upon his visitant or vision, And whether it ought not to be disclosed, At risk of being quizz’d for superstition. The more he thought, the more his mind was posed: In the mean time, his valet, whose precision Was great, because his master brook’d no less, Knock’d to inform him it was time to dress. He dress’d; and like young people he was wont To take some trouble with his toilet, but This morning rather spent less time upon ’t; Aside his very mirror soon was put; His curls fell negligently o’er his front, His clothes were not curb’d to their usual cut, His very neckcloth’s Gordian knot was tied Almost an hair’s breadth too much on one side. And when he walk’d down into the saloon, He sate him pensive o’er a dish of tea, Which he perhaps had not discover’d soon, Had it not happen’d scalding hot to be, Which made him have recourse unto his spoon; So much distrait he was, that all could see That something was the matter—Adeline The first—but what she could not well divine. She look’d, and saw him pale, and turn’d as pale Herself; then hastily look’d down, and mutter’d Something, but what ’s not stated in my tale. Lord Henry said his muffin was ill butter’d; The Duchess of Fitz-Fulke play’d with her veil, And look’d at Juan hard, but nothing utter’d. Aurora Raby with her large dark eyes Survey’d him with a kind of calm surprise.