Zounds! What a howl from Griffiths and his brother!--The phantom fled. I pursued.--That beard never, never, grew on his chin, Walter.--He out-ran me; and I could only keep him in sight till, like a flash of lightning, he darted through a pair of heavy folding doors.--I expected nothing so surely as that he had secured them on the inside; and, now grown desperate, I resolved on a trial of strength. But the doors gave me admission as readily as they had done to him: and the long swords, helmets, truncheons, and other rusty weapons, and accoutrements, taught me I was in the _famed_ armoury. Now, Walter, heaven and himself only know to this hour what became of him. These eyes saw him enter, but neither eyes or hands could find him there. Four narrow casements gave light to the armoury; and these were most amply defended by cross bars of iron. That way he could not vanish. You and others may talk of nursery prejudices till ye are hoarse with discussion, and I will still maintain it was not in the nature of man to witness the unaccountable escape of this spright without feeling his blood change its course. I honestly confess, drops of cold dew stood on my forehead, as I paced round and round this vast hall, holding up my lanthern at every fifth step to discover, and endeavouring from each crack and crevice to force, an opening into some other apartment.--None could I find.--A fearful awe crept to my heart.--I looked behind me and around me--even the void seemed to threaten me with something undefined and horrible. Baffled in my search, I turned my thoughts from the phantom to Miss Valmont; and remembered with renewed courage that, as the spright declined giving me an interview, there sprang no apparent hindrance to my plan.--'Take heart, Filmar,' said I to myself, 'haste seek thy agents and complete thy bold undertaking.' No sooner were the hinges of the closing armoury door silenced, than I heard the passage resound with the audible voice of Griffiths' brother, repeating as follows:-- 'Unto the third and fourth generation--I believe in the Holy Ghost born of the virgin Mary, and in Pontius Pilate, crucified dead and buried--But deliver us from all evil, the holy catholic church and communion of saints, and lead us not into temptation, to be a light to lighten the Gentiles, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, as it was in the beginning Amen.--I Believe in--.' Charming! thought I--this will do exactly. These echoing vaults will bear the tidings to Miss Valmont's chamber; and, presently, we shall be all at prayers together. There was he kneeling when I came up, his face close to the wall: nor would he open his eyes, nor cease his unnatural jargon, till I had shaken, cuffed him, and actually stamped and swore aloud for vexation.