Harper's New Monthly Magazine, vol. 3, no. 18, November, 1851Harper, Various (magazine)
History
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, vol. 3, no. 18, November, 1851
Harper, Various (magazine)
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
of the cob-loaf rolled off the table this morning, and Rupert, as he
picked it up, gave a kind of shudder, and muttered somewhat about a head
rolling from the scaffold. Worse than this was o' Tuesday night....
'Twas bedtime, and yet none were liking to goe, when, o' suddain, we
hearde a screech that made every body's heart thrill, followed by one or
two hollow groans. Will snatches up the lamp and runs forth, I close
following, and alle the others at our heels, and after looking into
sundrie deserted cupboards and corners, we descend the broad stone steps
of the cellars, halfway down which Will, stumbling over something he
sees not, takes a flying leap to clear himself down to the bottom,
luckily without extinguishing the lamp. We find Gillian on the steps in
a swoon; on bringing her to, she exclayms about a ghost without a head,
wrapped in a winding-sheet, that confronted her and then sank to the
ground as she entered the vaults. We cast a fearfulle look about, and
descry a tall white sack of flour, recently overturned by the rats,
which clears up the mystery, and procures Gillian a little jeering, but
we alle return to the hall with fluttered spiritts. Another time I,
going up to the nurserie in the dark, on hearing baby cry, am passed on
the stairs by I know not what breathing heavilie. I reach forthe my arm,
but pass cleare through the spirituall nature, whatever it is, yet
distinctlie feel my cheek and neck fanned by its breath. I turn very
faint, and get nurse to goe with me when I return, bearing a light, yet
think it as well to say naught to distress the rest.
But worst of alle was last night ... After I had been in bed awhile, I
minded me that deare Will had not returned me father's letter. I awoke
him and asked if he had broughte it upstairs; he sleepily replied he had
not, soe I hastily arose, threw on a cloke, took a light, and entered
the gallery, when, halfway along it, between me and the pale moonshine,
I was scared to behold a slender figure alle in white, with naked feet
and arms extended. I stoode agaze, speechlesse, and to my terror made
out the features of Bess ... her eyes open, but vacant; then saw John
Dancey softly stealing after her, and signing to me with his finger on
his lips. She passed without noting me, on to father's door, there knelt
as if in prayer, making a low sort of wail, while Dancey, with tears
running down his cheeks, whispered, "'Tis the third time of her thus
sleep-walking ... the token of how troubled a mind!"
We disturbed her not, dreading that a suddain waking might bring on
madness; soe, after making moan awhile, she kisses the senseless door,
rises up, moves toward her own chamber, followed by Dancey and me,
wrings her hands a little, then lies down, and graduallie falls into
what seems a dreamless sleep, we watching her in silence till she's
quiet, and then squeezing each other's hands ere we part.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account