We were in the hall, the street door closed, and my attention was now
drawn to my dog. He had at first run in eagerly enough, but had sneaked
back to the door, and was scratching and whining to get out. After I had
patted him on the head and encouraged him gently, the dog seemed to
reconcile himself to the situation, and followed me and F---- through
the house, but keeping close at my heels, instead of hurrying
inquisitively in advance, which was his usual and normal habit in all
strange places. We first visited the subterranean apartments, the
kitchen and other offices, and especially the cellars, in which last
were two or three bottles of wine still left in a bin, covered with
cobwebs, and evidently, by their appearance, undisturbed for many years.
It was clear that the ghosts were not winebibbers. For the rest, we
discovered nothing of interest. There was a gloomy little back yard,
with very high walls. The stones of this yard were very damp; and what
with the damp, and what with the dust and smoke-grime on the pavement,
our feet left a slight impression where we passed. And now appeared the
first strange phenomenon witnessed by myself in this strange abode. I
saw, just before me, the print of a foot suddenly form itself, as it
were. I stopped, caught hold of my servant, and pointed to it. In
advance of that footprint as suddenly dropped another. We both saw it. I
advanced quickly to the place; the footprint kept advancing before me; a
small footprint,--the foot of a child; the impression was too faint
thoroughly to distinguish the shape, but it seemed to us both that it
was the print of a naked foot. This phenomenon ceased when we arrived at
the opposite wall, nor did it repeat itself when we returned. We
remounted the stairs, and entered the rooms on the ground-floor,--a
dining-parlor, a small back parlor, and a still smaller third room, that
had probably been appropriated to a footman,--all still as death. We
then visited the drawing-rooms, which seemed fresh and new. In the front
room I seated myself in an arm-chair. F---- placed on the table the
candlestick with which he had lighted us. I told him to shut the door.
As he turned to do so, a chair opposite to me moved from the wall
quickly and noiselessly, and dropped itself about a yard from my own
chair, immediately fronting it.
“Why, this is better than the turning tables,” said I, with a
half-laugh; and as I laughed, my dog put back his head and howled.
F----, coming back, had not observed the movement of the chair. He
employed himself now in stilling the dog. I continued to gaze on the
chair, and fancied I saw on it a pale, blue, misty outline of a human
figure; but an outline so indistinct that I could only distrust my own
vision. The dog was now quiet.
“Put back the chair opposite to me,” said I to F----, “put it back to
the wall.”
F---- obeyed. “Was that you, sir?” said he, turning abruptly.
“I,--what?”
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.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account