"This kind of thing went on nightly, and for three weeks I heard
nothing, although nearly every one in the house heard these noises
except myself; but my turn had yet to come, although I firmly held the
opinion during that time that it was the hot-water pipes, and I only
laughed at the others for their absurd nonsense, as I then considered
it to be; but my first experience was that of being awakened three
successive nights, or rather mornings, at about 3.30. I heard nothing,
but seemed to be wide awake in an instant, as though some one had
touched me. I would stay awake for some little time and then go to
sleep again; but on the fourth night, on being awakened as before, and
lying awake for perhaps two minutes, I heard tremendous thumping just
outside my door. I jumped out of bed quickly, and opened my door, and
called out in a loud voice, 'Who is there?' but got no answer. I
ascended the stairs and listened for a few minutes, but heard no
further knocking. I then went back to my room, but did not sleep again
that morning.
"I may mention that my room was the one described by 'A Correspondent'
as the butler's room under No. 3, the room where most noises were
heard, and the staircase was the service one, and as there is a door
at the top, if any one had come there to make the noise I should
certainly have heard them beating a retreat.
"The same thing happened with variations almost nightly for the
succeeding two months that I was there, and every visitor that came to
the house was disturbed in the same manner. One gentleman (a colonel)
told me he was awakened on several occasions with the feeling that
some one was pulling the bedclothes off him; sometimes heavy
footsteps were heard, at others like the rustling of a lady's dress;
and sometimes groans were heard, but nearly always accompanied with
heavy knocking; sometimes the whole house would be aroused. One night
I remember five gentlemen meeting at the top of the stairs in their
night-suits, some with sticks or pokers, one had a revolver, vowing
vengeance on the disturbers of their sleep. During the two months
after I first heard the noises I kept watch altogether about twelve
times in various parts of the house, mostly unknown to others (at the
time), and have heard the noises in the wing as well as other parts.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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