["dress\tof\tthe\tlast\tcentury,\tor\trather\tin\ta\tlikeness\tof\tsuch\tdress\t(for\tboth\tthe\tmale shape\t and\t the\t female,\t though\t defined,\t were\t evidently\t unsubstantial,\t impalpable \u2014simulacra\u2014phantasms);\tand\tthere\twas\tsomething\tincongruous,\tgrotesque,\tyet fearful,\tin\tthe\tcontrast\tbetween\tthe\telaborate\tfinery,\tthe\tcourtly\tprecision\tof\tthat old-fashioned\t garb,\t with\t its\t ruffles\t and\t lace\t and\t buckles,\t and\t the\t corpse-like aspect\t and\t ghost-like\t stillness\t of\t the\t flitting\t wearer.\t Just\t as\t the\t male\t shape approached\t the\t female,\t the\t dark\t shadow\t started\t from\t the\t wall,\t all\t three\t for\t a moment\t wrapped\t in\t darkness.\t When\t the\t pale\t light\t returned,\t the\t two\t phantoms were\tas\tin\tthe\tgrasp\tof\tthe\tshadow\tthat\ttowered\tbetween\tthem;\tand\tthere\twas\ta blood-stain\ton\tthe\tbreast\tof\tthe\tfemale;\tand\tthe\tphantom\tmale\twas\tleaning\ton\tits phantom\tsword,\tand\tblood\tseemed\ttrickling\tfast\tfrom\tthe\truffles,\tfrom\tthe\tlace; and\t the\t darkness\t of\t the\t intermediate\t Shadow\t swallowed\t them\t up\u2014they\t were gone.\t And\t again\t the\t bubbles\t of\t light\t shot,\t and\t sailed,\t and\t undulated,\t growing thicker\tand\tthicker\tand\tmore\twildly\tconfused\tin\ttheir\tmovements. The\t closet\t door\t to\t the\t right\t of\t the\t fireplace\t now\t opened,\t and\t from\t the aperture\tthere\tcame\tthe\tform\tof\tan\taged\twoman.\tIn\ther\thand\tshe\theld\tletters,\u2014 the\tvery\tletters\tover\twhich\tI\thad\tseen\tthe\tHand\tclose;\tand\tbehind\ther\tI\theard\ta footstep.\t She\t turned\t round\t as\t if\t to\t listen,\t and\t then\t she\t opened\t the\t letters\t and seemed\tto\tread;\tand\t over\ther\tshoulder\tI\tsaw\ta\tlivid\tface,\tthe\tface\tas\tof\ta\tman long\t drowned\u2014bloated,\t bleached,\t seaweed\t tangled\t in\t its\t dripping\t hair;\t and\t at her\tfeet\tlay\ta\tform\tas\tof\ta\tcorpse,\tand\tbeside\tthe\tcorpse\tthere\tcowered\ta\tchild,\ta miserable\t squalid\t child,\t with\t famine\t in\t its\t cheeks\t and\t fear\t in\t its\t eyes.\t And\t as\t I looked\tin\tthe\told\twoman's\tface,\tthe\twrinkles\tand\tlines\tvanished\tand\tit\tbecame\ta face\t of\t youth\u2014hard-eyed,\t stony,\t but\t still\t youth;\t and\t the\t Shadow\t darted\t forth, and\tdarkened\tover\tthese\tphantoms\tas\tit\thad\tdarkened\tover\tthe\tlast. Nothing\t now\t was\t left\t but\t the\t Shadow,\t and\t on\t that\t my\t eyes\t were\t intently fixed,\ttill\tagain\teyes\tgrew\tout\tof\tthe\tShadow\u2014malignant,\tserpent\teyes.\tAnd\tthe bubbles\t of\t light\t again\t rose\t and\t fell,\t and\t in\t their\t disorder,\t irregular,\t turbulent maze,\t mingled\t with\t the\t wan\t moonlight.\t And\t now\t from\t these\t globules themselves,\tas\tfrom\tthe\tshell\tof\tan\tegg,\tmonstrous\tthings\tburst\tout;\tthe\tair\tgrew filled\twith\tthem;\tlarv\u00e6\tso\tbloodless\tand\tso\thideous\tthat\tI\tcan\tin\tno\tway\tdescribe them\t except\t to\t remind\t the\t reader\t of\t the\t swarming\t life\t which\t the\t solar microscope\tbrings\tbefore\this\teyes\tin\ta\tdrop\tof\twater\u2014things\ttransparent,\tsupple, agile,\t chasing\t each\t other,\t devouring\t each\t other\u2014forms\t like\t nought\t ever\t beheld by\t the\t naked\t eye.\t As\t the\t shapes\t were\t without\t symmetry,\t so\t their\t movements were\twithout\torder.\tIn\ttheir\tvery\tvagrancies\tthere\twas\tno\tsport;\tthey\tcame\tround me\tand\tround,\tthicker\tand\tfaster\tand\tswifter,\tswarming\tover\tmy\thead,\tcrawling","over\t my\t right\t arm,\t which\t was\t outstretched\t in\t involuntary\t command\t against\t all evil\t beings.\t Sometimes\t I\t felt\t myself\t touched,\t but\t not\t by\t them;\t invisible\t hands touched\tme.\tOnce\tI\tfelt\tthe\tclutch\tas\tof\tcold\tsoft\tfingers\tat\tmy\tthroat.\tI\twas\tstill equally\t conscious\t that\t if\t I\t gave\t way\t to\t fear\t I\t should\t be\t in\t bodily\t peril;\t and\t I concentrated\tall\tmy\tfaculties\tin\tthe\tsingle\tfocus\tof\tresisting,\tstubborn\twill.\tAnd\tI turned\tmy\tsight\tfrom\tthe\tShadow\u2014above\tall,\tfrom\tthose\tstrange\tserpent\teyes\u2014 eyes\t that\t had\t now\t become\t distinctly\t visible.\t For\t there,\t though\t in\t nought\t else round\t me,\t I\t was\t aware\t that\t there\t was\t a\t WILL,\t and\t a\t will\t of\t intense,\t creative, working\tevil,\twhich\tmight\tcrush\tdown\tmy\town. The\tpale\tatmosphere\tin\tthe\troom\tbegan\tnow\tto\tredden\tas\tif\tin\tthe\tair\tof\tsome near\t conflagration.\t The\t larv\u00e6\t grew\t lurid\t as\t things\t that\t live\t in\t fire.\t Again\t the room\tvibrated;\tagain\twere\theard\tthe\tthree\tmeasured\tknocks;\tand\tagain\tall\tthings were\tswallowed\tup\tin\tthe\tdarkness\tof\tthe\tdark\tShadow,\tas\tif\tout\tof\tthat\tdarkness all\thad\tcome,\tinto\tthat\tdarkness\tall\treturned. As\t the\t gloom\t receded,\t the\t Shadow\t was\t wholly\t gone.\t Slowly\t as\t it\t had\t been withdrawn,\tthe\tflame\tgrew\tagain\tinto\tthe\tcandles\ton\tthe\ttable,\tagain\tinto\tthe\tfuel in\tthe\tgrate.\tThe\twhole\troom\tcame\tonce\tmore\tcalmly,\thealthfully\tinto\tsight. The\t two\t doors\t were\t still\t closed,\t the\t door\t communicating\t with\t the\t servant's room\t still\t locked.\t In\t the\t corner\t of\t the\t wall\t into\t which\t he\t had\t so\t convulsively niched\t himself,\t lay\t the\t dog.\t I\t called\t to\t him\u2014no\t movement;\t I\t approached\u2014the animal\t was\t dead;\t his\t eyes\t protruded;\t his\t tongue\t out\t of\t his\t mouth;\t the\t froth gathered\tround\this\tjaws.\tI\ttook\thim\tin\tmy\tarms;\tI\tbrought\thim\tto\tthe\tfire,\tI\tfelt acute\t grief\t for\t the\t loss\t of\t my\t poor\t favorite\u2014acute\t self-reproach;\t I\t accused myself\tof\this\tdeath;\tI\timagined\the\thad\tdied\tof\tfright.\tBut\twhat\twas\tmy\tsurprise on\tfinding\tthat\this\tneck\twas\tactually\tbroken.\tHad\tthis\tbeen\tdone\tin\tthe\tdark?\u2014 must\t it\t not\t have\t been\t by\t a\t hand\t human\t as\t mine?\u2014must\t there\t not\t have\t been\t a human\tagency\tall\tthe\twhile\tin\tthat\troom?\tGood\tcause\tto\tsuspect\tit.\tI\tcannot\ttell. I\t cannot\t do\t more\t than\t state\t the\t fact\t fairly;\t the\t reader\t may\t draw\t his\t own inference. Another\t surprising\t circumstance\u2014my\t watch\t was\t restored\t to\t the\t table\t from which\t it\t had\t been\t so\t mysteriously\t withdrawn;\t but\t it\t had\t stopped\t at\t the\t very moment\tit\twas\tso\twithdrawn;\tnor,\tdespite\tall\tthe\tskill\tof\tthe\twatchmaker,\thas\tit ever\tgone\tsince\u2014that\tis,\tit\twill\tgo\tin\ta\tstrange\terratic\tway\tfor\ta\tfew\thours,\tand then\tcome\tto\ta\tdead\tstop\u2014it\tis\tworthless. Nothing\t more\t chanced\t for\t the\t rest\t of\t the\t night.\t Nor,\t indeed,\t had\t I\t long\t to","wait\tbefore\tthe\tdawn\tbroke.\tNor\ttill\tit\twas\tbroad\tdaylight\tdid\tI\tquit\tthe\thaunted house.\tBefore\tI\tdid\tso,\tI\trevisited\tthe\tlittle\tblind\troom\tin\twhich\tmy\tservant\tand myself\t had\t been\t for\t a\t time\t imprisoned.\t I\t had\t a\t strong\t impression\u2014for\t which\t I could\t not\t account\u2014that\t from\t that\t room\t had\t originated\t the\t mechanism\t of\t the phenomena\u2014if\t I\t may\t use\t the\t term\u2014which\t had\t been\t experienced\t in\t my chamber.\t And\t though\t I\t entered\t it\t now\t in\t the\t clear\t day,\t with\t the\t sun\t peering through\t the\t filmy\t window\t I\t still\t felt,\t as\t I\t stood\t on\t its\t floor,\t the\t creep\t of\t the horror\twhich\tI\thad\tfirst\tthere\texperienced\tthe\tnight\tbefore,\tand\twhich\thad\tbeen so\taggravated\tby\twhat\thad\tpassed\tin\tmy\town\tchamber.\tI\tcould\tnot,\tindeed,\tbear to\t stay\t more\t than\t half\t a\t minute\t within\t those\t walls.\t I\t descended\t the\t stairs,\t and again\tI\theard\tthe\tfootfall\tbefore\tme;\tand\twhen\tI\topened\tthe\tstreet\tdoor,\tI\tthought I\t could\t distinguish\t a\t very\t low\t laugh.\t I\t gained\t my\t own\t home,\t expecting\t to\t find my\trunaway\tservant\tthere.\tBut\the\thad\tnot\tpresented\thimself;\tnor\tdid\tI\thear\tmore of\thim\tfor\tthree\tdays,\twhen\tI\treceived\ta\tletter\tfrom\thim,\tdated\tfrom\tLiverpool\tto this\teffect:\u2014","\\\"HONORED\t SIR,\u2014I\t humbly\t entreat\t your\t pardon,\t though\t I\t can scarcely\thope\tthat\tyou\twill\tthink\tI\tdeserve\tit,\tunless\u2014which\tHeaven forbid\u2014you\t saw\t what\t I\t did.\t I\t feel\t that\t it\t will\t be\t years\t before\t I\t can recover\t myself:\t and\t as\t to\t being\t fit\t for\t service,\t it\t is\t out\t of\t the question.\t I\t am\t therefore\t going\t to\t my\t brother-in-law\t at\t Melbourne. The\tship\tsails\tto-morrow.\tPerhaps\tthe\tlong\tvoyage\tmay\tset\tme\tup.\tI do\t nothing\t now\t but\t start\t and\t tremble,\t and\t fancy\t IT\t is\t behind\t me.\t I humbly\t beg\t you,\t honored\t sir,\t to\t order\t my\t clothes,\t and\t whatever wages\tare\tdue\tto\tme,\tto\tbe\tsent\tto\tmy\tmother's,\tat\tWalworth.\u2014John knows\ther\taddress.\\\" The\t letter\t ended\t with\t additional\t apologies,\t somewhat\t incoherent,\t and explanatory\tdetails\tas\tto\teffects\tthat\thad\tbeen\tunder\tthe\twriter's\tcharge. This\t flight\t may\t perhaps\t warrant\t a\t suspicion\t that\t the\t man\t wished\t to\t go\t to Australia,\tand\thad\tbeen\tsomehow\tor\tother\tfraudulently\tmixed\tup\twith\tthe\tevents of\tthe\tnight.\tI\tsay\tnothing\tin\trefutation\tof\tthat\tconjecture;\trather,\tI\tsuggest\tit\tas one\tthat\twould\tseem\tto\tmany\tpersons\tthe\tmost\tprobable\tsolution\tof\timprobable occurrences.\t My\t belief\t in\t my\t own\t theory\t remained\t unshaken.\t I\t returned\t in\t the evening\tto\tthe\thouse,\tto\tbring\taway\tin\ta\thack\tcab\tthe\tthings\tI\thad\tleft\tthere,\twith my\tpoor\tdog's\tbody.\tIn\tthis\ttask\tI\twas\tnot\tdisturbed,\tnor\tdid\tany\tincident\tworth note\tbefall\tme,\texcept\tthat\tstill,\ton\tascending\tand\tdescending\tthe\tstairs,\tI\theard the\tsame\tfootfall\tin\tadvance.\tOn\tleaving\tthe\thouse,\tI\twent\tto\tMr.\tJ.'s.\tHe\twas\tat home.\t I\t returned\t him\t the\t keys,\t told\t him\t that\t my\t curiosity\t was\t sufficiently gratified,\tand\twas\tabout\tto\trelate\tquickly\twhat\thad\tpassed,\twhen\the\tstopped\tme, and\t said,\t though\t with\t much\t politeness,\t that\t he\t had\t no\t longer\t any\t interest\t in\t a mystery\twhich\tnone\thad\tever\tsolved. I\tdetermined\tat\tleast\tto\ttell\thim\tof\tthe\ttwo\tletters\tI\thad\tread,\tas\twell\tas\tof\tthe extraordinary\tmanner\t in\twhich\t they\t had\t disappeared,\t and\t I\t then\t inquired\t if\t he thought\tthey\thad\tbeen\taddressed\tto\tthe\twoman\twho\thad\tdied\tin\tthe\thouse,\tand\tif there\t were\t anything\t in\t her\t early\t history\t which\t could\t possibly\t confirm\t the\t dark suspicions\t to\t which\t the\t letters\t gave\t rise.\t Mr.\t J\u2014\u2014\t seemed\t startled,\t and,\t after musing\ta\tfew\tmoments,\tanswered,\t\\\"I\tam\tbut\tlittle\tacquainted\twith\tthe\twoman's earlier\thistory,\texcept,\tas\tI\tbefore\ttold\tyou,\tthat\ther\tfamily\twere\tknown\tto\tmine. But\tyou\trevive\tsome\tvague\treminiscences\tto\ther\tprejudice.\tI\twill\tmake\tinquiries, and\t inform\t you\t of\t their\t result.\t Still,\t even\t if\t we\t could\t admit\t the\t popular superstition\t that\t a\t person\t who\t had\t been\t either\t the\t perpetrator\t or\t the\t victim\t of dark\t crimes\t in\t life\t could\t revisit,\t as\t a\t restless\t spirit,\t the\t scene\t in\t which\t those","crimes\t had\t been\t committed,\t I\t should\t observe\t that\t the\t house\t was\t infested\t by strange\t sights\t and\t sounds\t before\t the\t old\t woman\t died\u2014you\t smile\u2014what\t would you\tsay?\\\" \\\"I\twould\tsay\tthis,\tthat\tI\tam\tconvinced,\tif\twe\tcould\tget\tto\tthe\tbottom\tof\tthese mysteries,\twe\tshould\tfind\ta\tliving\thuman\tagency.\\\" \\\"What!\tyou\tbelieve\tit\tis\tall\tan\timposture?\tfor\twhat\tobject?\\\" \\\"Not\t an\t imposture\t in\t the\t ordinary\t sense\t of\t the\t word.\t If\t suddenly\t I\t were\t to sink\t into\t a\t deep\t sleep,\t from\t which\t you\t could\t not\t awake\t me,\t but\t in\t that\t sleep could\t answer\t questions\t with\t an\t accuracy\t which\t I\t could\t not\t pretend\t to\t when awake\u2014tell\t you\t what\t money\t you\t had\t in\t your\t pocket\u2014nay,\t describe\t your\t very thoughts\u2014it\t is\t not\t necessarily\t an\t imposture,\t any\t more\t than\t it\t is\t necessarily supernatural.\tI\tshould\tbe,\tunconsciously\tto\tmyself,\tunder\ta\tmesmeric\tinfluence, conveyed\tto\tme\tfrom\ta\tdistance\tby\ta\thuman\tbeing\twho\thad\tacquired\tpower\tover me\tby\tprevious\trapport.\\\" \\\"But\t if\t a\t mesmerizer\t could\t so\t affect\t another\t living\t being,\t can\t you\t suppose that\t a\t mesmerizer\t could\t also\t affect\t inanimate\t objects:\t move\t chairs\u2014open\t and shut\tdoors?\\\" \\\"Or\timpress\tour\tsenses\twith\tthe\tbelief\tin\tsuch\teffects\u2014we\tnever\thaving\tbeen en\t rapport\t with\t the\t person\t acting\t on\t us?\t No.\t What\t is\t commonly\t called mesmerism\tcould\tnot\tdo\tthis;\tbut\tthere\tmay\tbe\ta\tpower\takin\tto\tmesmerism,\tand superior\t to\t it\u2014the\t power\t that\t in\t the\t old\t days\t was\t called\t Magic.\t That\t such\t a power\t may\t extend\t to\t all\t inanimate\t objects\t of\t matter\t I\t do\t not\t say;\t but\t if\t so,\t it would\t not\t be\t against\t nature\u2014it\t would\t be\t only\t a\t rare\t power\t in\t nature\t which might\t be\t given\t to\t constitutions\t with\t certain\t peculiarities,\t and\t cultivated\t by practice\t to\t an\t extraordinary\t degree.\t That\t such\t a\t power\t might\t extend\t over\t the dead\u2014that\tis,\tover\tcertain\tthoughts\tand\tmemories\tthat\tthe\tdead\tmay\tstill\tretain \u2014and\tcompel,\tnot\tthat\twhich\tought\tproperly\tto\tbe\tcalled\tthe\tSOUL,\tand\twhich\tis far\t beyond\t human\t reach,\t but\t rather\t a\t phantom\t of\t what\t has\t been\t most\t earth- stained\ton\tearth,\tto\tmake\titself\tapparent\tto\tour\tsenses\u2014is\ta\tvery\tancient\tthough obsolete\ttheory,\tupon\twhich\tI\twill\thazard\tno\topinion.\tBut\tI\tdo\tnot\tconceive\tthe power\twould\tbe\tsupernatural.\tLet\tme\tillustrate\twhat\tI\tmean\tfrom\tan\texperiment which\t Paracelsus\t describes\t as\t not\t difficult,\t and\t which\t the\t author\t of\t the Curiosities\t of\t Literature\t cites\t as\t credible:\u2014A\t flower\t perishes;\t you\t burn\t it. Whatever\t were\t the\t elements\t of\t that\t flower\t while\t it\t lived\t are\t gone,\t dispersed, you\tknow\tnot\twhither;\tyou\tcan\tnever\tdiscover\tnor\trecollect\tthem.\tBut\tyou\tcan,","by\tchemistry,\tout\tof\tthe\tburnt\tdust\tof\tthat\tflower,\traise\ta\tspectrum\tof\tthe\tflower, just\tas\tit\tseemed\tin\tlife.\tIt\tmay\tbe\tthe\tsame\twith\tthe\thuman\tbeing.\tThe\tsoul\thas as\t much\t escaped\t you\t as\t the\t essence\t or\t elements\t of\t the\t flower.\t Still\t you\t may make\ta\tspectrum\tof\tit. \\\"And\tthis\tphantom,\tthough\tin\tthe\tpopular\tsuperstition\tit\tis\theld\tto\tbe\tthe\tsoul of\t the\t departed,\t must\t not\t be\t confounded\t with\t the\t true\t soul;\t it\t is\t but\t eidolon\t of the\tdead\tform.\tHence,\tlike\tthe\tbest\tattested\tstories\tof\tghosts\tor\tspirits,\tthe\tthing that\tmost\tstrikes\tus\tis\tthe\tabsence\tof\twhat\twe\thold\tto\tbe\tsoul;\tthat\tis,\tof\tsuperior emancipated\t intelligence.\t These\t apparitions\t come\t for\t little\t or\t no\t object\u2014they seldom\tspeak\twhen\tthey\tdo\tcome;\tif\tthey\tspeak,\tthey\tutter\tno\tideas\tabove\tthose of\tan\tordinary\tperson\ton\tearth.\tAmerican\tspirit-seers\thave\tpublished\tvolumes\tof communications\t in\t prose\t and\t verse,\t which\t they\t assert\t to\t be\t given\t in\t the\t names of\tthe\tmost\tillustrious\tdead\u2014Shakespeare,\tBacon\u2014heaven\tknows\twhom.\tThose communications,\t taking\t the\t best,\t are\t certainly\t not\t a\t whit\t of\t higher\t order\t than would\tbe\tcommunications\tfrom\tliving\tpersons\tof\tfair\ttalent\tand\teducation;\tthey are\t wondrously\t inferior\t to\t what\t Bacon,\t Shakespeare,\t and\t Plato\t said\t and\t wrote when\t on\t earth.\t Nor,\t what\t is\t more\t noticeable,\t do\t they\t ever\t contain\t an\t idea\t that was\t not\t on\t the\t earth\t before.\t Wonderful,\t therefore,\t as\t such\t phenomena\t may\t be (granting\tthem\tto\tbe\ttruthful),\tI\tsee\tmuch\tthat\tphilosophy\tmay\tquestion,\tnothing that\t it\t is\t incumbent\t on\t philosophy\t to\t deny,\t viz.,\t nothing\t supernatural.\t They\t are but\t ideas\t conveyed\t somehow\t or\t other\t (we\t have\t not\t yet\t discovered\t the\t means) from\tone\tmortal\tbrain\tto\tanother.\tWhether,\tin\tso\tdoing,\ttables\twalk\tof\ttheir\town accord,\tor\tfiend-like\tshapes\tappear\tin\ta\tmagic\tcircle,\tor\tbodyless\thands\trise\tand remove\tmaterial\tobjects,\tor\ta\tThing\tof\tDarkness,\tsuch\tas\tpresented\titself\tto\tme, freeze\tour\tblood\u2014still\tam\tI\tpersuaded\tthat\tthese\tare\tbut\tagencies\tconveyed,\tas\tif by\t electric\t wires,\t to\t my\t own\t brain\t from\t the\t brain\t of\t another.\t In\t some constitutions\t there\t is\t a\t natural\t chemistry,\t and\t these\t constitutions\t may\t produce chemic\t wonders\u2014in\t others\t a\t natural\t fluid,\t call\t it\t electricity,\t and\t these\t may produce\telectric\twonders. \\\"But\t the\t wonders\t differ\t from\t Normal\t Science\t in\t this\u2014they\t are\t alike objectless,\tpurposeless,\tpuerile,\tfrivolous.\tThey\tlead\ton\tto\tno\tgrand\tresults;\tand therefore\tthe\tworld\tdoes\tnot\theed,\tand\ttrue\tsages\thave\tnot\tcultivated\tthem.\tBut sure\tI\tam,\tthat\tof\tall\tI\tsaw\tor\theard,\ta\tman,\thuman\t as\t myself,\t was\t the\t remote originator;\t and\t I\t believe\t unconsciously\t to\t himself\t as\t to\t the\t exact\t effects produced,\tfor\tthis\treason:\tno\ttwo\tpersons,\tyou\tsay,\thave\tever\ttold\tyou\tthat\tthey experienced\t exactly\t the\t same\t thing.\t Well,\t observe,\t no\t two\t persons\t ever experience\t exactly\t the\t same\t dream.\t If\t this\t were\t an\t ordinary\t imposture,\t the","machinery\t would\t be\t arranged\t for\t results\t that\t would\t but\t little\t vary;\t if\t it\t were\t a supernatural\t agency\t permitted\t by\t the\t Almighty,\t it\t would\t surely\t be\t for\t some definite\t end.\t These\t phenomena\t belong\t to\t neither\t class;\t my\t persuasion\t is,\t that they\t originate\t in\t some\t brain\t now\t far\t distant;\t that\t that\t brain\t had\t no\t distinct volition\tin\tanything\tthat\toccurred;\tthat\twhat\tdoes\toccur\treflects\tbut\tits\tdevious, motley,\t ever-shifting,\t half-formed\t thoughts;\t in\t short,\t that\t it\t has\t been\t but\t the dreams\tof\tsuch\ta\tbrain\tput\tinto\taction\tand\tinvested\twith\ta\tsemi-substance.\tThat this\t brain\t is\t of\t immense\t power,\t that\t it\t can\t set\t matter\t into\t movement,\t that\t it\t is malignant\t and\t destructive,\t I\t believe;\t some\t material\t force\t must\t have\t killed\t my dog;\tthe\tsame\tforce\tmight,\tfor\taught\tI\tknow,\thave\tsufficed\tto\tkill\tmyself,\thad\tI been\tas\tsubjugated\tby\tterror\tas\tthe\tdog\u2014had\tmy\tintellect\tor\tmy\tspirit\tgiven\tme no\tcountervailing\tresistance\tin\tmy\twill.\\\" \\\"It\t killed\t your\t dog!\t that\t is\t fearful!\t indeed\t it\t is\t strange\t that\t no\t animal\t can\t be induced\t to\t stay\t in\t that\t house;\t not\t even\t a\t cat.\t Rats\t and\t mice\t are\t never\t found\t in it.\\\" \\\"The\tinstincts\tof\tthe\tbrute\tcreation\tdetect\tinfluences\tdeadly\tto\ttheir\texistence. Man's\t reason\t has\t a\t sense\t less\t subtle,\t because\t it\t has\t a\t resisting\t power\t more supreme.\tBut\tenough;\tdo\tyou\tcomprehend\tmy\ttheory?\\\" \\\"Yes,\t though\t imperfectly\u2014and\t I\t accept\t any\t crotchet\t (pardon\t the\t word), however\t odd,\t rather\t than\t embrace\t at\t once\t the\t notion\t of\t ghosts\t and\t hob-goblins we\timbibed\tin\tour\tnurseries.\tStill,\tto\tmy\tunfortunate\thouse\tthe\tevil\tis\tthe\tsame. What\ton\tearth\tcan\tI\tdo\twith\tthe\thouse?\\\" \\\"I\t will\t tell\t you\t what\t I\t would\t do.\t I\t am\t convinced\t from\t my\t own\t internal feelings\t that\t the\t small\t unfurnished\t room\t at\t right\t angles\t to\t the\t door\t of\t the bedroom\twhich\tI\toccupied,\tforms\ta\tstarting-point\tor\treceptacle\tfor\tthe\tinfluences which\t haunt\t the\t house;\t and\t I\t strongly\t advise\t you\t to\t have\t the\t walls\t opened,\t the floor\t removed\u2014nay,\t the\t whole\t room\t pulled\t down.\t I\t observe\t that\t it\t is\t detached from\t the\t body\t of\t the\t house,\t built\t over\t the\t small\t back-yard,\t and\t could\t be removed\twithout\tinjury\tto\tthe\trest\tof\tthe\tbuilding.\\\" \\\"And\tyou\tthink,\tif\tI\tdid\tthat\u2014\u2014\\\" \\\"You\t would\t cut\t off\t the\t telegraph\t wires.\t Try\t it.\t I\t am\t so\t persuaded\t that\t I\t am right,\t that\t I\t will\t pay\t half\t the\t expense\t if\t you\t will\t allow\t me\t to\t direct\t the operations.\\\" \\\"Nay,\tI\tam\twell\table\tto\tafford\tthe\tcost;\tfor\tthe\trest,\tallow\tme\tto\twrite\tto\tyou.\\\"","About\tten\tdays\tafterwards\tI\treceived\ta\tletter\tfrom\tMr.\tJ\u2014\u2014,\ttelling\tme\tthat he\thad\tvisited\tthe\thouse\tsince\tI\thad\tseen\thim;\tthat\the\thad\tfound\tthe\ttwo\tletters\tI had\t described\t replaced\t in\t the\t drawer\t from\t which\t I\t had\t taken\t them;\t that\t he\t had read\tthem\twith\tmisgivings\tlike\tmy\town;\tthat\the\thad\tinstituted\ta\tcautious\tinquiry about\tthe\twoman\tto\twhom\tI\trightly\tconjectured\tthey\thad\tbeen\twritten.\tIt\tseemed that\t thirty-six\t years\t ago\t (a\t year\t before\t the\t date\t of\t the\t letters)\t she\t had\t married, against\t the\t wish\t of\t her\t relations,\t an\t American\t of\t very\t suspicious\t character,\t in fact,\t he\t was\t generally\t believed\t to\t have\t been\t a\t pirate.\t She\t herself\t was\t the daughter\t of\t very\t respectable\t tradespeople,\t and\t had\t served\t in\t the\t capacity\t of nursery\t governess\t before\t her\t marriage.\t She\t had\t a\t brother,\t a\t widower,\t who\t was considered\twealthy,\tand\twho\thad\tone\tchild\tof\tabout\tsix\tyears\told.\tA\tmonth\tafter the\t marriage,\t the\t body\t of\t this\t brother\t was\t found\t in\t the\t Thames,\t near\t London Bridge;\tthere\tseemed\tsome\tmarks\tof\tviolence\tabout\this\tthroat,\tbut\tthey\twere\tnot deemed\tsufficient\tto\twarrant\tthe\tinquest\tin\tany\tother\tverdict\tthan\tthat\tof\t\\\"found drowned.\\\" The\tAmerican\tand\this\twife\ttook\tcharge\tof\tthe\tlittle\tboy,\tthe\tdeceased\tbrother having\tby\this\twill\tleft\this\tsister\tthe\tguardian\tof\this\tonly\tchild\u2014and\tin\tthe\tevent of\t the\t child's\t death,\t the\t sister\t inherited.\t The\t child\t died\t about\t six\t months afterwards\u2014it\t was\t supposed\t to\t have\t been\t neglected\t and\t ill-treated.\t The neighbors\t deposed\t to\t have\t heard\t it\t shriek\t at\t night.\t The\t surgeon\t who\t had examined\t it\t after\t death\t said\t that\t it\t was\t emaciated\t as\t if\t from\t want\t of nourishment,\t and\t the\t body\t was\t covered\t with\t livid\t bruises.\t It\t seemed\t that\t one winter\tnight\tthe\tchild\thad\tsought\tto\tescape\u2014crept\tout\tinto\tthe\tback-yard\u2014tried to\t scale\t the\t wall\u2014fallen\t back\t exhausted,\t and\t been\t found\t at\t morning\t on\t the stones\tin\ta\tdying\tstate.\tBut\tthough\tthere\twas\tsome\tevidence\tof\tcruelty,\tthere\twas none\t of\t murder;\t and\t the\t aunt\t and\t her\t husband\t had\t sought\t to\t palliate\t cruelty\t by alleging\t the\t exceeding\t stubbornness\t and\t perversity\t of\t the\t child,\t who\t was declared\t to\t be\t half-witted.\t Be\t that\t is\t it\t may,\t at\t the\t orphan's\t death\t the\t aunt inherited\t her\t brother's\t fortune.\t Before\t the\t first\t wedded\t year\t was\t out\t the American\t quitted\t England\t abruptly,\t and\t never\t returned\t to\t it.\t He\t obtained\t a cruising\tvessel,\twhich\twas\tlost\tin\tthe\tAtlantic\ttwo\tyears\tafterwards.\tThe\twidow was\t left\t in\t affluence;\t but\t reverses\t of\t various\t kinds\t had\t befallen\t her;\t a\t bank broke\u2014an\t investment\t failed\u2014she\t went\t into\t a\t small\t business\t and\t became insolvent\u2014then\t she\t entered\t into\t service,\t sinking\t lower\t and\t lower,\t from housekeeper\t down\t to\t maid-of-all\t work\u2014never\t long\t retaining\t a\t place,\t though nothing\t decided\t against\t her\t character\t was\t ever\t alleged.\t She\t was\t considered sober,\thonest,\tand\tpeculiarly\tquiet\tin\ther\tways;\tstill\tnothing\tprospered\twith\ther. And\t so\t she\t had\t dropped\t into\t the\t workhouse,\t from\t which\t Mr.\t J\u2014\u2014\t had\t taken","her,\tto\tbe\tplaced\tin\tcharge\tof\tthe\tvery\thouse\twhich\tshe\thad\trented\tas\tmistress\tin the\tfirst\tyear\tof\ther\twedded\tlife. Mr.\t J\u2014\u2014\t added\t that\t he\t had\t passed\t an\t hour\t alone\t in\t the\t unfurnished\t room which\tI\thad\turged\thim\tto\tdestroy,\tand\tthat\this\timpressions\tof\tdread\twhile\tthere were\tso\tgreat,\tthough\the\thad\tneither\theard\tnor\tseen\tanything,\tthat\the\twas\teager to\t have\t the\t walls\t bared\t and\t the\t floors\t removed\t as\t I\t had\t suggested.\t He\t had engaged\tpersons\tfor\tthe\twork,\tand\twould\tcommence\tany\tday\tI\twould\tname. The\tday\twas\taccordingly\tfixed.\tI\trepaired\tto\tthe\thaunted\thouse\u2014he\twent\tinto the\tblind\tdreary\troom,\ttook\tup\tthe\tskirting,\tand\tthen\tthe\tfloors.\tUnder\tthe\trafters, covered\twith\trubbish,\twas\tfound\ta\ttrap-door,\tquite\tlarge\tenough\tto\tadmit\ta\tman. It\t was\t closely\t nailed\t down,\t with\t clamps\t and\t rivets\t of\t iron.\t On\t removing\t these we\t descended\t into\t a\t room\t below,\t the\t existence\t of\t which\t had\t never\t been suspected.\t In\t this\t room\t there\t had\t been\t a\t window\t and\t a\t flue,\t but\t they\t had\t been bricked\tover,\tevidently\tfor\tmany\tyears.\tBy\tthe\thelp\tof\tcandles\twe\texamined\tthis place;\tit\tstill\tretained\tsome\t mouldering\tfurniture\u2014three\tchairs,\tan\toak\tsettle,\ta table\u2014all\tof\tthe\tfashion\tof\tabout\teighty\tyears\tago.\tThere\twas\ta\tchest\tof\tdrawers against\tthe\twall,\tin\twhich\twe\tfound,\thalf-rotted\taway,\told-fashioned\tarticles\tof\ta man's\t dress,\t such\t as\t might\t have\t been\t worn\t eighty\t or\t a\t hundred\t years\t ago\t by\t a gentleman\tof\tsome\trank\u2014costly\tsteel\tbuckles\tand\tbuttons,\tlike\tthose\tyet\tworn\tin court-dresses,\ta\thandsome\tcourt\tsword\u2014in\ta\twaistcoat\twhich\thad\tonce\tbeen\trich with\tgold-lace,\tbut\twhich\twas\tnow\tblackened\tand\tfoul\twith\tdamp,\twe\tfound\tfive guineas,\t a\t few\t silver\t coins,\t and\t an\t ivory\t ticket,\t probably\t for\t some\t place\t of entertainment\tlong\tsince\tpassed\taway.\tBut\tour\tmain\tdiscovery\twas\tin\ta\tkind\tof iron\t safe\t fixed\t to\t the\t wall,\t the\t lock\t of\t which\t it\t cost\t us\t much\t trouble\t to\t get picked. In\tthis\tsafe\twere\tthree\tshelves,\tand\ttwo\tsmall\tdrawers.\tRanged\ton\tthe\tshelves were\t several\t small\t bottles\t of\t crystal,\t hermetically\t stopped.\t They\t contained colorless\tvolatile\tessences,\tof\tthe\tnature\tof\twhich\tI\tshall\tonly\tsay\tthat\tthey\twere not\t poisons\u2014phosphor\t and\t ammonia\t entered\t into\t some\t of\t them.\t There\t were also\tsome\tvery\tcurious\tglass\ttubes,\tand\ta\tsmall\tpointed\trod\tof\tiron,\twith\ta\tlarge lump\tof\trock-crystal,\tand\tanother\tof\tamber\u2014also\ta\tloadstone\tof\tgreat\tpower. In\tone\tof\tthe\tdrawers\twe\tfound\ta\tminiature\tportrait\tset\tin\tgold,\tand\tretaining the\tfreshness\tof\tits\tcolors\tmost\tremarkably,\tconsidering\tthe\tlength\tof\ttime\tit\thad probably\t been\t there.\t The\t portrait\t was\t that\t of\t a\t man\t who\t might\t be\t somewhat advanced\tin\tmiddle\tlife,\tperhaps\tforty-seven\tor\tforty-eight.","It\t was\t a\t remarkable\t face\u2014a\t most\t impressive\t face.\t If\t you\t could\t fancy\t some mighty\tserpent\ttransformed\tinto\ta\tman,\tpreserving\tin\tthe\thuman\tlineaments\tthe old\t serpent\t type,\t you\t would\t have\t a\t better\t idea\t of\t that\t countenance\t than\t long descriptions\tcan\tconvey:\tthe\twidth\tand\tflatness\tof\tfrontal\u2014the\ttapering\telegance of\t contour\t disguising\t the\t strength\t of\t the\t deadly\t jaw\u2014the\t long,\t large,\t terrible eye,\tglittering\tand\tgreen\tas\tthe\temerald\u2014and\twithal\ta\tcertain\truthless\tcalm,\tas\tif from\tthe\tconsciousness\tof\tan\timmense\tpower. Mechanically\t I\t turned\t round\t the\t miniature\t to\t examine\t the\t back\t of\t it,\t and\t on the\tback\twas\tengraved\ta\tpentacle;\tin\tthe\tmiddle\tof\tthe\tpentacle\ta\tladder,\tand\tthe third\t step\t of\t the\t ladder\t was\t formed\t by\t the\t date\t 1765.\t Examining\t still\t more minutely,\t I\t detected\t a\t spring;\t this,\t on\t being\t pressed,\t opened\t the\t back\t of\t the miniature\t as\t a\t lid.\t Withinside\t the\t lid\t were\t engraved,\t \\\"Marianna\t to\t thee\u2014be faithful\tin\tlife\tand\tin\tdeath\tto\u2014\u2014.\\\"\tHere\tfollows\ta\tname\tthat\tI\twill\tnot\tmention, but\t it\t was\t not\t unfamiliar\t to\t me.\t I\t had\t heard\t it\t spoken\t of\t by\t old\t men\t in\t my childhood\t as\t the\t name\t borne\t by\t a\t dazzling\t charlatan\t who\t had\t made\t a\t great sensation\tin\tLondon\tfor\ta\tyear\tor\tso,\tand\thad\tfled\tthe\tcountry\ton\tthe\tcharge\tof\ta double\t murder\t within\t his\t own\t house\u2014that\t of\t his\t mistress\t and\t his\t rival.\t I\t said nothing\tof\tthis\tto\tMr.\tJ\u2014\u2014,\tto\twhom\treluctantly\tI\tresigned\tthe\tminiature. We\thad\tfound\tno\t difficulty\tin\topening\tthe\tfirst\tdrawer\twithin\tthe\tiron\tsafe; we\tfound\tgreat\tdifficulty\tin\topening\tthe\tsecond:\tit\twas\tnot\tlocked,\tbut\tit\tresisted all\t efforts,\t till\t we\t inserted\t in\t the\t clinks\t the\t edge\t of\t a\t chisel.\t When\t we\t had\t thus drawn\t it\t forth\t we\t found\t a\t very\t singular\t apparatus\t in\t the\t nicest\t order.\t Upon\t a small\tthin\tbook,\tor\trather\ttablet,\twas\tplaced\ta\tsaucer\tof\tcrystal:\tthis\tsaucer\twas filled\twith\ta\tclear\tliquid\u2014on\tthat\tliquid\tfloated\ta\tkind\tof\tcompass,\twith\ta\tneedle shifting\t rapidly\t round;\t but\t instead\t of\t the\t usual\t points\t of\t a\t compass\t were\t seven strange\t characters,\t not\t very\t unlike\t those\t used\t by\t astrologers\t to\t denote\t the planets. A\tpeculiar,\tbut\tnot\tstrong\tnor\tdispleasing\todor\tcame\tfrom\tthis\tdrawer,\twhich was\tlined\twith\ta\twood\tthat\twe\tafterwards\tdiscovered\tto\tbe\thazel.\tWhatever\tthe cause\tof\tthis\todor,\tit\tproduced\ta\tmaterial\teffect\ton\tthe\tnerves.\tWe\tall\tfelt\tit,\teven the\ttwo\tworkmen\twho\twere\tin\tthe\troom\u2014a\tcreeping\ttingling\tsensation\tfrom\tthe tips\t of\t the\t fingers\t to\t the\t roots\t of\t the\t hair.\t Impatient\t to\t examine\t the\t tablet,\t I removed\tthe\tsaucer.\tAs\tI\tdid\tso\tthe\tneedle\tof\tthe\tcompass\twent\tround\tand\tround with\texceeding\tswiftness,\tand\tI\tfelt\ta\tshock\tthat\tran\tthrough\tmy\twhole\tframe,\tso that\t I\t dropped\t the\t saucer\t on\t the\t floor.\t The\t liquid\t was\t spilt\u2014the\t saucer\t was broken\u2014the\tcompass\trolled\tto\tthe\tend\tof\tthe\troom\u2014and\tat\tthat\tinstant\tthe\twalls shook\tto\tand\tfro,\tas\tif\ta\tgiant\thad\tswayed\tand\trocked\tthem.","The\ttwo\tworkmen\twere\tso\tfrightened\tthat\tthey\tran\tup\tthe\tladder\tby\twhich\twe had\tdescended\tfrom\tthe\ttrap-door;\tbut\tseeing\tthat\tnothing\tmore\thappened,\tthey were\teasily\tinduced\tto\treturn. Meanwhile\t I\t had\t opened\t the\t tablet:\t it\t was\t bound\t in\t plain\t red\t leather,\t with\t a silver\tclasp;\tit\tcontained\tbut\tone\tsheet\tof\tthick\tvellum,\tand\ton\t that\tsheet\twere inscribed\t within\t a\t double\t pentacle,\t words\t in\t old\t monkish\t Latin,\t which\t are literally\t to\t be\t translated\t thus:\t \\\"On\t all\t that\t it\t can\t reach\t within\t these\t walls\u2014 sentient\t or\t inanimate,\t living\t or\t dead\u2014as\t moves\t the\t needle,\t so\t work\t my\t will! Accursed\tbe\tthe\thouse,\tand\trestless\tbe\tthe\tdwellers\ttherein.\\\" We\tfound\tno\tmore.\tMr.\tJ\u2014\u2014\tburnt\tthe\ttablet\tand\tits\tanathema.\tHe\trazed\tto the\t foundations\t the\t part\t of\t the\t building\t containing\t the\t secret\t room\t with\t the chamber\t over\t it.\t He\t had\t then\t the\t courage\t to\t inhabit\t the\t house\t himself\t for\t a month,\tand\ta\tquieter,\tbetter-conditioned\thouse\tcould\tnot\tbe\tfound\tin\tall\tLondon. Subsequently\the\tlet\tit\tto\tadvantage,\tand\this\ttenant\thas\tmade\tno\tcomplaints.","THE\tSILENT\tWOMAN[D] BY\tLEOPOLD\tKOMPERT The\tuproarious\tmerriment\tof\ta\twedding-feast\tburst\tforth\tinto\tthe\tnight\tfrom\ta brilliantly\tlighted\thouse\tin\tthe\t\\\"gasse\\\"\t(narrow\tstreet).\tIt\twas\tone\tof\tthose\tnights touched\twith\tthe\twarmth\tof\tspring,\tbut\tdark\tand\tfull\tof\tsoft\tmist.\tMost\tfitting\tit was\tfor\ta\tcelebration\tof\tthe\tunion\tof\ttwo\tyearning\thearts\tto\tshare\tthe\tsame\tlot,\ta lot\t that\t may\t possibly\t dawn\t in\t sunny\t brightness,\t but\t also\t become\t clouded\t and sullen\u2014for\t a\t long,\t long\t time!\t But\t how\t merry\t and\t joyous\t they\t were\t over\t there, those\t people\t of\t the\t happy\t olden\t times!\t They,\t like\t us,\t had\t their\t troubles\t and trials,\tand\twhen\tmisfortune\tvisited\tthem\tit\tcame\tnot\tto\tthem\twith\tsoft\tcushions and\ttender\tpressures\tof\tthe\thand.\tRough\tand\thard,\twith\tclinched\tfist,\tit\tlaid\thold upon\tthem.\tBut\twhen\tthey\tgave\tvent\tto\ttheir\thappy\tfeelings\tand\tsought\tto\tenjoy themselves,\tthey\twere\tlike\tswimmers\tin\tcooling\twaters.\tThey\tstruck\tout\tinto\tthe stream\twith\tfreshness\tand\tcourage,\tsuffered\tthemselves\tto\tbe\tborne\talong\tby\tthe current\t whithersoever\t it\t took\t its\t course.\t This\t was\t the\t cause\t of\t such\t a\t jubilee, such\t a\t thoughtlessly\t noisy\t outburst\t of\t all\t kinds\t of\t soul-possessing\t gayety\t from this\thouse\tof\tnuptials. \\\"And\t if\t I\t had\t known,\\\"\t the\t bride's\t father,\t the\t rich\t Ruben\t Klattaner,\t had\t just said,\t \\\"that\t it\t would\t take\t the\t last\t gulden\t in\t my\t pocket,\t then\t out\t it\t would\t have come.\\\" In\t fact,\t it\t did\t appear\t as\t if\t the\t last\t groschen\t had\t really\t taken\t flight,\t and\t was fluttering\t about\t in\t the\t form\t of\t platters\t heaped\t up\t with\t geese\t and\t pastry-tarts. Since\ttwo\to'clock\u2014that\tis,\tsince\tthe\tmarriage\tceremony\thad\tbeen\tperformed\tout in\t the\t open\t street\u2014until\t nearly\t midnight,\t the\t wedding-feast\t had\t been progressing,\t and\t even\t yet\t the\t sarvers,\t or\t waiters,\t were\t hurrying\t from\t room\t to room.\t It\t was\t as\t if\t a\t twofold\t blessing\t had\t descended\t upon\t all\t this\t abundance\t of food\t and\t drink,\t for,\t in\t the\t first\t place,\t they\t did\t not\t seem\t to\t diminish;\t secondly, they\tever\tfound\ta\tnew\tplace\tfor\tdisposal.\tTo\tbe\tsure,\tthis\tappetite\twas\tsharpened by\t the\t presence\t of\t a\t little\t dwarf-like,\t unimportant-looking\t man.\t He\t was esteemed,\t however,\t none\t the\t less\t highly\t by\t every\t one.\t They\t had\t specially written\t to\t engage\t the\t celebrated\t \\\"Leb\t Narr,\\\"\t of\t Prague.\t And\t when\t was\t ever\t a mood\t so\t out\t of\t sorts,\t a\t heart\t so\t imbittered\t as\t not\t to\t thaw\t out\t and\t laugh\t if\t Leb","Narr\tplayed\tone\tof\this\tpranks.\tAh,\tthou\tart\tnow\tdead,\tgood\tfool!\tThy\tlips,\tonce always\t ready\t with\t a\t witty\t reply,\t are\t closed.\t Thy\t mouth,\t then\t never\t still,\t now speaks\t no\t more!\t But\t when\t the\t hearty\t peals\t of\t laughter\t once\t rang\t forth\t at\t thy command,\t intercessors,\t as\t it\t were,\t in\t thy\t behalf\t before\t the\t very\t throne\t of\t God, thou\thadst\tnothing\tto\tfear.\tAnd\tthe\tjoy\tof\tthat\t\\\"other\\\"\tworld\twas\tthine,\tthat\tjoy that\thas\tever\tbelonged\tto\tthe\tmost\tpious\tof\tcountry\trabbis! In\t the\t mean\t time\t the\t young\t people\t had\t assembled\t in\t one\t of\t the\t rooms\t to dance.\t It\t was\t strange\t how\t the\t sound\t of\t violins\t and\t trumpets\t accorded\t with\t the drolleries\tof\tthe\twit\tfrom\tPrague.\tIn\tone\tpart\tthe\toutbursts\tof\tmerriment\twere\tso boisterous\t that\t the\t very\t candles\t on\t the\t little\t table\t seemed\t to\t flicker\t with\t terror; in\tanother\tan\tordinary\tconversation\twas\tin\tprogress,\t which\t now\tand\tthen\tonly ran\tover\tinto\ta\tloud\ttittering,\twhen\tsome\told\tlady\tslipped\tinto\tthe\tcircle\tand\ttried her\tskill\tat\ta\tredowa,\tthen\taltogether\tunknown\tto\tthe\tyoung\tpeople.\tIn\tthe\tvery midst\tof\tthe\ttangle\tof\tdancers\twas\tto\tbe\tseen\tthe\tbride\tin\ta\theavy\tsilk\twedding- gown.\t The\t point\t of\t her\t golden\t hood\t hung\t far\t down\t over\t her\t face.\t She\t danced continuously.\t She\t danced\t with\t every\t one\t that\t asked\t her.\t Had\t one,\t however, observed\tthe\tactions\tof\tthe\tyoung\twoman,\tthey\twould\tcertainly\thave\tseemed\tto him\t hurried,\t agitated,\t almost\t wild.\t She\t looked\t no\t one\t in\t the\t eye,\t not\t even\t her own\tbridegroom.\tHe\tstood\tfor\tthe\tmost\tpart\tin\tthe\tdoor-way,\tand\tevidently\ttook more\tpleasure\tin\tthe\twitticisms\tof\tthe\tfool\tthan\tin\tthe\tdance\tor\tthe\tlady\tdancers. But\twho\tever\tthought\tfor\ta\tmoment\twhy\tthe\tyoung\twoman's\thand\tburned,\twhy her\tbreath\twas\tso\thot\twhen\tone\tcame\tnear\tto\ther\tlips?\tWho\tshould\thave\tnoticed so\t strange\t a\t thing?\t A\t low\t whispering\t already\t passed\t through\t the\t company,\t a stealthy\t smile\t stole\t across\t many\t a\t lip.\t A\t bevy\t of\t ladies\t was\t seen\t to\t enter\t the room\tsuddenly.\tThe\tmusic\tdashed\toff\tinto\tone\tof\tits\tloudest\tpieces,\tand,\tas\tif\tby enchantment,\t the\t newly\t made\t bride\t disappeared\t behind\t the\t ladies.\t The bridegroom,\t with\t his\t stupid,\t smiling\t mien,\t was\t still\t left\t standing\t on\t the threshold.\tBut\tit\twas\tnot\tlong\tbefore\the\ttoo\tvanished.\tOne\tcould\thardly\tsay\thow it\thappened.\tBut\tpeople\tunderstand\tsuch\tskillful\tmovements\tby\texperience,\tand will\t continue\t to\t understand\t them\t as\t long\t as\t there\t are\t brides\t and\t grooms\t in\t the world. This\t disappearance\t of\t the\t chief\t personages,\t little\t as\t it\t seemed\t to\t be\t noticed, gave,\thowever,\tthe\tsignal\tfor\tgeneral\tleave-taking.\tThe\tdancing\tbecame\tdrowsy; it\t stopped\t all\t at\t once,\t as\t if\t by\t appointment.\t That\t noisy\t confusion\t now\t began which\t always\tattends\tso\tmerry\t a\twedding-party.\tHalf-drunken\t voices\tcould\tbe heard\t still\t intermingled\t with\t a\t last,\t hearty\t laugh\t over\t a\t joke\t of\t the\t fool\t from Prague\t echoing\t across\t the\t table.\t Here\t and\t there\t some\t one,\t not\t quite\t sure\t of\t his","balance,\t was\t fumbling\t for\t the\t arm\t of\t his\t chair\t or\t the\t edge\t of\t the\t table.\t This resulted\t in\t his\t overturning\t a\t dish\t that\t had\t been\t forgotten,\t or\t in\t spilling\t a\t beer- glass.\tWhile\tthis,\tin\tturn,\tset\tup\ta\tnew\thubbub,\tsome\tone\telse,\tin\this\teagerness\tto betake\t himself\t from\t the\t scene,\t fell\t flat\t into\t the\t very\t d\u00e9bris.\t But\t all\t this\t tumult was\treally\thushed\tthe\tmoment\tthey\tall\tpressed\tto\tthe\tdoor,\tfor\tat\tthat\tvery\tinstant shrieks,\tcries\tof\tpain,\twere\theard\tissuing\tfrom\tthe\tentrance\tbelow.\tIn\tan\tinstant the\t entire\t outpouring\t crowd\t with\t all\t possible\t force\t pushed\t back\t into\t the\t room, but\t it\t was\t a\t long\t time\t before\t the\t stream\t was\t pressed\t back\t again.\t Meanwhile, painful\tcries\twere\tagain\theard\tfrom\tbelow,\tso\tpainful,\tindeed,\tthat\tthey\trestored even\tthe\tmost\tdrunken\tto\ta\tstate\tof\tconsciousness. \\\"By\tthe\tliving\tGod!\\\"\tthey\tcried\tto\teach\tother,\t\\\"what\tis\tthe\tmatter\tdown\tthere? Is\tthe\thouse\ton\tfire?\\\" \\\"She\tis\tgone!\tshe\tis\tgone!\\\"\tshrieked\ta\twoman's\tvoice\tfrom\tthe\tentry\tbelow. \\\"Who?\t who?\\\"\t groaned\t the\t wedding-guests,\t seized,\t as\t it\t were,\t with\t an\t icy horror. \\\"Gone!\t gone!\\\"\t cried\t the\t woman\t from\t the\t entry,\t and\t hurrying\t up\t the\t stairs came\t Selde\t Klattaner,\t the\t mother\t of\t the\t bride,\t pale\t as\t death,\t her\t eyes\t dilated with\t most\t awful\t fright,\t convulsively\t grasping\t a\t candle\t in\t her\t hand.\t \\\"For\t God's sake,\twhat\thas\thappened?\\\"\twas\theard\ton\tevery\tside\tof\ther. The\tsight\tof\tso\tmany\tpeople\tabout\ther,\tand\tthe\tconfusion\tof\tvoices,\tseemed to\t release\t the\t poor\t woman\t from\t a\t kind\t of\t stupor.\t She\t glanced\t shyly\t about\t her then,\tas\tif\tovercome\twith\ta\tsense\tof\tshame\tstronger\tthan\ther\tterror,\tandsaid,\tin\ta suppressed\ttone: \\\"Nothing,\t nothing,\t good\t people.\t In\t God's\t name,\t I\t ask,\t what\t was\t there\t to happen?\\\" Dissimulation,\thowever,\twas\ttoo\tevident\tto\tsuffice\tto\tdeceive\tthem. \\\"Why,\tthen,\tdid\tyou\tshriek\tso,\tSelde,\\\"\tcalled\tout\tone\tof\tthe\tguests\tto\ther,\t\\\"if nothing\thappened?\\\" \\\"Yes,\tshe\thas\tgone,\\\"\tSelde\tnow\tmoaned\tin\theart-rending\ttones,\t\\\"and\tshe\thas certainly\tdone\therself\tsome\tharm!\\\" The\t cause\t of\t this\t strange\t scene\t was\t now\t first\t discovered.\t The\t bride\t has disappeared\t from\t the\t wedding-feast.\t Soon\t after\t that\t she\t had\t vanished\t in\t such\t a","mysterious\t way,\t the\t bridegroom\t went\t below\t to\t the\t dimly-lighted\t room\t to\t find her,\tbut\tin\tvain.\tAt\tfirst\tthought\tthis\tseemed\tto\thim\tto\tbe\ta\tsort\tof\tbashful\tjest; but\t not\t finding\t her\t here,\t a\t mysterious\t foreboding\t seized\t him.\t He\t called\t to\t the mother\tof\tthe\tbride: \\\"Woe\tto\tme!\tThis\twoman\thas\tgone!\\\" Presently\tthis\tparty,\tthat\thad\tso\tadmirably\tcontrolled\titself,\twas\tagain\tthrown into\t commotion.\t \\\"There\t was\t nothing\t to\t do,\\\"\t was\t said\t on\t all\t sides,\t \\\"but\t to ransack\tevery\tnook\tand\tcorner.\tRemarkable\tinstances\tof\tsuch\tdisappearances\tof brides\t had\t been\t known.\t Evil\t spirits\t were\t wont\t to\t lurk\t about\t such\t nights\t and\t to inflict\t mankind\t with\t all\t sorts\t of\t sorceries.\\\"\t Strange\t as\t this\t explanation\t may seem,\t there\t were\t many\t who\t believed\t it\t at\t this\t very\t moment,\t and,\t most\t of\t all, Selde\tKlattaner\therself.\tBut\tit\twas\tonly\tfor\ta\tmoment,\tfor\tshe\tat\tonce\texclaimed: \\\"No,\tno,\tmy\tgood\tpeople,\tshe\tis\tgone;\tI\tknow\tshe\tis\tgone!\\\" Now\tfor\tthe\tfirst\ttime\tmany\tof\tthem,\tespecially\tthe\tmothers,\tfelt\tparticularly uneasy,\t and\t anxiously\t called\t their\t daughters\t to\t them.\t Only\t a\t few\t showed courage,\t and\t urged\t that\t they\t must\t search\t and\t search,\t even\t if\t they\t had\t to\t turn aside\tthe\triver\tIser\ta\thundred\ttimes.\tThey\turgently\tpressed\ton,\tcalled\tfor\ttorches and\t lanterns,\t and\t started\t forth.\t The\t cowardly\t ran\t after\t them\t up\t and\t down\t the stairs.\tBefore\tany\tone\tperceived\tit\tthe\troom\twas\tentirely\tforsaken. Ruben\t Klattaner\t stood\t in\t the\t hall\t entry\t below,\t and\t let\t the\t people\t hurry\t past him\t without\t exchanging\t a\t word\t with\t any.\t Bitter\t disappointment\t and\t fear\t had almost\t crazed\t him.\t One\t of\t the\t last\t to\t stay\t in\t the\t room\t above\t with\t Selde\t was, strange\t to\t say,\t Leb\t Narr,\t of\t Prague.\t After\t all\t had\t departed,\t he\t approached\t the miserable\tmother,\tand,\tin\ta\ttone\tleast\tbecoming\this\tgeneral\tmanner,\tinquired: \\\"Tell\tme,\tnow,\tMrs.\tSelde,\tdid\tshe\tnot\twish\tto\thave\t'him'?\\\" \\\"Whom?\t whom?\\\"\t cried\t Selde,\t with\t renewed\t alarm,\t when\t she\t found\t herself alone\twith\tthe\tfool. \\\"I\tmean,\\\"\tsaid\tLeb,\tin\ta\tmost\tsympathetic\tmanner,\tapproaching\tstill\tnearer\tto Selde,\t\\\"that\tmaybe\tyou\thad\tto\tmake\tyour\tdaughter\tmarry\thim.\\\" \\\"Make?\t And\t have\t we,\t then,\t made\t her?\\\"\t moaned\t Selde,\t staring\t at\t the\t fool with\ta\tlook\tof\tuncertainty. \\\"Then\t nobody\t needs\t to\t search\t for\t her,\\\"\t replied\t the\t fool,\t with\t a\t sympathetic","laugh,\tat\tthe\tsame\ttime\tretreating.\t\\\"It's\tbetter\tto\tleave\ther\twhere\tshe\tis.\\\" Without\tsaying\tthanks\tor\tgood-night,\the\twas\tgone. Meanwhile\t the\t cause\t of\t all\t this\t disturbance\t had\t arrived\t at\t the\t end\t of\t her flight. Close\tby\tthe\tsynagogue\twas\tsituated\tthe\thouse\tof\tthe\trabbi.\tIt\twas\tbuilt\tin\tan angle\t of\t a\t very\t narrow\t street,\t set\t in\t a\t framework\t of\t tall\t shade-trees.\t Even\t by daylight\t it\t was\t dismal\t enough.\t At\t night\t it\t was\t almost\t impossible\t for\t a\t timid person\tto\tapproach\tit,\tfor\tpeople\tdeclared\tthat\tthe\tlow\tsupplications\tof\tthe\tdead could\tbe\theard\tin\tthe\tdingy\thouse\tof\tGod\twhen\tat\tnight\tthey\ttook\tthe\trolls\tof\tthe law\tfrom\tthe\tark\tto\tsummon\ttheir\tmembers\tby\tname. Through\t this\t retired\t street\t passed,\t or\t rather\t ran,\t at\t this\t hour\t a\t shy\t form. Arriving\t at\t the\t dwelling\t of\t the\t rabbi,\t she\t glanced\t backward\t to\t see\t whether\t any one\t was\t following\t her.\t But\t all\t was\t silent\t and\t gloomy\t enough\t about\t her.\t A\t pale light\tissued\tfrom\tone\tof\tthe\twindows\tof\tthe\tsynagogue;\tit\tcame\tfrom\tthe\t\\\"eternal lamp\\\"\thanging\tin\tfront\tof\tthe\tark\tof\tthe\tcovenant.\tBut\tat\tthis\tmoment\tit\tseemed to\t her\t as\t if\t a\t supernatural\t eye\t was\t gazing\t upon\t her.\t Thoroughly\t affrighted,\t she seized\tthe\tlittle\tiron\tknocker\tof\tthe\tdoor\tand\tstruck\tit\tgently.\tBut\tthe\tthrob\tof\ther beating\t heart\t was\t even\t louder,\t more\t violent,\t than\t this\t blow.\t After\t a\t pause, footsteps\twere\theard\tpassing\tslowly\talong\tthe\thallway. The\t rabbi\t had\t not\t occupied\t this\t lonely\t house\t a\t long\t time.\t His\t predecessor, almost\t a\t centenarian\t in\t years,\t had\t been\t laid\t to\t rest\t a\t few\t months\t before.\t The new\trabbi\thad\tbeen\tcalled,\tfrom\ta\tdistant\tpart\tof\tthe\tcountry.\tHe\twas\tunmarried, and\t in\t the\t prime\t of\t life.\t No\t one\t had\t known\t him\t before\t his\t coming.\t But\t his personal\t nobility\t and\t the\t profundity\t of\t his\t scholarship\t made\t up\t for\t his deficiency\t in\t years.\t An\t aged\t mother\t had\t accompanied\t him\t from\t their\t distant home,\tand\tshe\ttook\tthe\tplace\tof\twife\tand\tchild. \\\"Who\t is\t there?\\\"\t asked\t the\t rabbi,\t who\t had\t been\t busy\t at\t his\t desk\t even\t at\t this late\thour\tand\tthus\thad\tnot\tmissed\thearing\tthe\tknocker. \\\"It\tis\tI,\\\"\tthe\tfigure\twithout\tresponded,\talmost\tinaudibly. \\\"Speak\tlouder,\tif\tyou\twish\tme\tto\thear\tyou,\\\"\treplied\tthe\trabbi. \\\"It\tis\tI,\tRuben\tKlattaner's\tdaughter,\\\"\tshe\trepeated. The\tname\tseemed\tto\tsound\tstrange\tto\tthe\trabbi.\tHe\tas\tyet\tknew\ttoo\tfew\tof\this","congregation\t to\t understand\t that\t this\t very\t day\t he\t performed\t the\t marriage ceremony\tof\tthe\tperson\twho\thad\tjust\trepeated\ther\tname.\tTherefore\the\tcalled\tout, after\ta\tmoment's\tpause,\t\\\"What\tdo\tyou\twish\tso\tlate\tat\tnight?\\\" \\\"Open\tthe\tdoor,\trabbi,\\\"\tshe\tanswered,\tpleadingly,\t\\\"or\tI\tshall\tdie\tat\tonce!\\\" The\t bolt\t was\t pushed\t back.\t Something\t gleaming,\t rustling,\t glided\t past\t the rabbi\tinto\tthe\tdusky\thall.\tThe\tlight\tof\tthe\tcandle\tin\this\thand\twas\tnot\tsufficient\tto allow\thim\tto\tdescry\tit.\tBefore\the\thad\ttime\tto\taddress\ther,\tshe\thad\tvanished\tpast him\tand\thad\tdisappeared\tthrough\tthe\topen\tdoor\tinto\tthe\troom.\tShaking\this\thead, the\trabbi\tagain\tbolted\tthe\tdoor. On\tre\u00ebntering\tthe\troom\the\tsaw\ta\twoman's\tform\tsitting\tin\tthe\tchair\twhich\the usually\t occupied.\t She\t had\t her\t back\t turned\t to\t him.\t Her\t head\t was\t bent\t low\t over her\t breast.\t Her\t golden\t wedding-hood,\t with\t its\t shading\t lace,\t was\t pulled\t down over\t her\t forehead.\t Courageous\t and\t pious\t as\t the\t rabbi\t was,\t he\t could\t not\t rid himself\tof\ta\tfeeling\tof\tterror. \\\"Who\t are\t you?\\\"\t he\t demanded,\t in\t a\t loud\t tone,\t as\t if\t its\t sound\t alone\t would banish\t the\t presence\t of\t this\t being\t that\t seemed\t to\t him\t at\t this\t moment\t to\t be\t the production\tof\tall\tthe\tenchantments\tof\tevil\tspirits. She\t raised\t herself,\t and\t cried\t in\t a\t voice\t that\t seemed\t to\t come\t from\t the\t agony of\ta\thuman\tbeing: \\\"Do\tyou\tnot\tknow\tme\u2014me,\twhom\tyou\tmarried\ta\tfew\thours\tsince\tunder\tthe chuppe\t(marriage-canopy)\tto\ta\thusband?\\\" On\t hearing\t this\t familiar\t voice\t the\t rabbi\t stood\t speechless.\t He\t gazed\t at\t the young\t woman.\t Now,\t indeed,\t he\t must\t regard\t her\t as\t one\t bereft\t of\t reason,\t rather than\tas\ta\tspecter. \\\"Well,\t if\t you\t are\t she,\\\"\t he\t stammered\t out,\t after\t a\t pause,\t for\t it\t was\t with difficulty\tthat\the\tfound\twords\tto\tanswer,\t\\\"why\tare\tyou\there\tand\tnot\tin\tthe\tplace where\tyou\tbelong?\\\" \\\"I\t know\t no\t other\t place\t to\t which\t I\t belong\t more\t than\t here\t where\t I\t now\t am!\\\" she\tanswered,\tseverely. These\twords\tpuzzled\tthe\trabbi\tstill\tmore.\tIs\tit\treally\tan\tinsane\twoman\tbefore him?\t He\t must\t have\t thought\t so,\t for\t he\t now\t addressed\t her\t in\t a\t gentle\t tone\t of voice,\tas\twe\tdo\tthose\tsuffering\tfrom\tthis\tkind\tof\tsickness,\tin\torder\tnot\tto\texcite","her,\tand\tsaid: \\\"The\t place\t where\t you\t belong,\t my\t daughter,\t is\t in\t the\t house\t of\t your\t parents, and,\t since\t you\t have\t to-day\t been\t made\t a\t wife,\t your\t place\t is\t in\t your\t husband's house.\\\" The\t young\t woman\t muttered\t something\t which\t failed\t to\t reach\t the\t rabbi's\t ear. Yet\t he\t only\t continued\t to\t think\t that\t he\t saw\t before\t him\t some\t poor\t unfortunate whose\tmind\twas\tderanged.\tAfter\ta\tpause,\the\tadded,\tin\ta\tstill\tgentler\ttone:\t\\\"What is\tyour\tname,\tthen,\tmy\tchild?\\\" \\\"God,\tgod,\\\"\tshe\tmoaned,\tin\tthe\tgreatest\tanguish,\t\\\"he\tdoes\tnot\teven\tyet\tknow my\tname!\\\" \\\"How\tshould\tI\tknow\tyou,\\\"\the\tcontinued,\tapologetically,\t\\\"for\tI\tam\ta\tstranger in\tthis\tplace?\\\" This\t tender\t remark\t seemed\t to\t have\t produced\t the\t desired\t effect\t upon\t her excited\tmind. \\\"My\tname\tis\tVeile,\\\"\tshe\tsaid,\tquietly,\tafter\ta\tpause. The\t rabbi\t quickly\t perceived\t that\t he\t had\t adopted\t the\t right\t tone\t towards\t his mysterious\tguest. \\\"Veile,\\\"\the\tsaid,\tapproaching\tnearer\ther,\t\\\"what\tdo\tyou\twish\tof\tme?\\\" \\\"Rabbi,\t I\t have\t a\t great\t sin\t resting\t heavily\t upon\t my\t heart,\\\"\t she\t replied despondently.\t\\\"I\tdo\tnot\tknow\twhat\tto\tdo.\\\" \\\"What\t can\t you\t have\t done,\\\"\t inquired\t the\t rabbi,\t with\t a\t tender\t look,\t \\\"that cannot\tbe\tdiscussed\tat\tany\tother\ttime\tthan\tjust\tnow?\tWill\tyou\tlet\tme\tadvise\tyou, Veile?\\\" \\\"No,\tno,\\\"\tshe\tcried\tagain,\tviolently,\t\\\"I\twill\tnot\tbe\tadvised.\tI\tsee,\tI\tknow\twhat oppresses\t me.\t Yes,\t I\t can\t grasp\t it\t by\t the\t hand,\t it\t lies\t so\t near\t before\t me.\t Is\t that what\tyou\tcall\tto\tbe\tadvised?\\\" \\\"Very\t well,\\\"\t returned\t the\t rabbi,\t seeing\t that\t this\t was\t the\t very\t way\t to\t get\t the young\t woman\t to\t talk\u2014\\\"very\t well,\t I\t say,\t you\t are\t not\t imagining\t anything.\t I believe\t that\t you\t have\t greatly\t sinned.\t Have\t you\t come\t here\t then\t to\t confess\t this sin?\tDo\tyour\tparents\tor\tyour\thusband\tknow\tanything\tabout\tit?\\\"","\\\"Who\tis\tmy\thusband?\\\"\tshe\tinterrupted\thim,\timpetuously. Thoughts\t welled\t up\t in\t the\t rabbi's\t heart\t like\t a\t tumultuous\t sea\t in\t which opposing\tconjectures\tcross\tand\trecross\teach\tother's\tcourse.\tShould\the\tspeak\twith her\tas\twith\tan\tordinary\tsinner? \\\"Were\t you,\t perhaps,\t forced\t to\t be\t married?\\\"\t he\t inquired,\t as\t quietly\t as possible,\tafter\ta\tpause. A\t suppressed\t sob,\t a\t strong\t inward\t struggle,\t manifesting\t itself\t in\t the\t whole trembling\tbody,\twas\tthe\tonly\tanswer\tto\tthis\tquestion. \\\"Tell\tme,\tmy\tchild,\\\"\tsaid\tthe\trabbi,\tencouragingly. In\t such\t tones\t as\t the\t rabbi\t had\t never\t before\t heard,\t so\t strange,\t so\t surpassing any\thuman\tsounds,\tthe\tyoung\twoman\tbegan: \\\"Yes,\t rabbi,\t I\t will\t speak,\t even\t though\t I\t know\t that\t I\t shall\t never\t go\t from\t this place\t alive,\t which\t would\t be\t the\t very\t best\t thing\t for\t me!\t No,\t rabbi,\t I\t was\t not forced\tto\tbe\tmarried.\tMy\tparents\thave\tnever\tonce\tsaid\tto\tme\t'you\tmust,'\tbut\tmy own\twill,\tmy\town\tdesire,\trather,\thas\talways\t been\tsupreme.\tMy\thusband\tis\tthe son\tof\ta\trich\tman\tin\tthe\tcommunity.\tTo\tenter\this\tfamily\twas\tto\tbe\tmade\tthe\tfirst lady\tin\tthe\t gasse,\tto\tsit\tburied\tin\t gold\tand\tsilver.\tAnd\tthat\t very\tthing,\tnothing else,\t was\t what\t infatuated\t me\t with\t him.\t It\t was\t for\t that\t that\t I\t forced\t myself,\t my heart\tand\twill,\tto\tbe\tmarried\tto\thim,\thard\tas\tit\twas\tfor\tme.\tBut\tin\tmy\tinnermost heart\tI\tdetested\thim.\tThe\tmore\the\tloved\tme,\tthe\tmore\tI\thated\thim.\tBut\tthe\tgold and\tsilver\thad\tan\tinfluence\tover\tme.\tMore\tand\tmore\tthey\tcried\tto\tme,\t'You\twill be\tthe\tfirst\tlady\tin\tthe\tgasse!'\\\" \\\"Continue,\\\"\t said\t the\t rabbi,\t when\t she\t ceased,\t almost\t exhausted\t by\t these words. \\\"What\t more\t shall\t I\t tell\t you,\t rabbi?\\\"\t she\t began\t again.\t \\\"I\t was\t never\t a\t liar, when\ta\tchild,\tor\tolder,\tand\tyet\tduring\tmy\twhole\tengagement\tit\thas\tseemed\tto\tme as\tif\ta\tbig,\tgigantic\tlie\thad\tfollowed\tme\tstep\tby\tstep.\tI\thave\tseen\tit\ton\tevery\tside of\t me.\t But\t to-day,\t when\t I\t stood\t under\t the\t chuppe,\t rabbi,\t and\t he\t took\t the\t ring from\this\tfinger\tand\tput\tit\ton\tmine,\tand\twhen\tI\thad\tto\tdance\tat\tmy\town\twedding with\thim,\twhom\tI\tnow\trecognized,\tnow\tfor\tthe\tfirst\ttime,\tas\tthe\tlie,\tand\u2014when they\tled\tme\taway\u2014\u2014\\\" This\t sincere\t confession\t escaping\t from\t the\t lips\t of\t the\t young\t woman,\t she sobbed\t aloud\t and\t bowed\t her\t head\t still\t deeper\t over\t her\t breast.\t The\t rabbi\t gazed","upon\t her\t in\t silence.\t No\t insane\t woman\t ever\t spoke\t like\t that!\t Only\t a\t soul conscious\tof\tits\town\tsin,\tbut\tcaptivated\tby\ta\tmysterious\tpower,\tcould\tsuffer\tlike this! It\t was\t not\t sympathy\t which\t he\t felt\t with\t her;\t it\t was\t much\t more\t a\t living\t over the\tsufferings\tof\tthe\twoman.\tIn\tspite\tof\tthe\tconfused\tstory,\tit\twas\tall\tclear\tto\tthe rabbi.\tThe\tcause\tof\tthe\tflight\tfrom\tthe\tfather's\thouse\tat\tthis\thour\talso\trequired\tno explanation.\t \\\"I\t know\t what\t you\t mean,\\\"\t he\t longed\t to\t say,\t but\t he\t could\t only\t find words\tto\tsay:\t\\\"Speak\tfurther,\tVeile!\\\" The\t young\t woman\t turned\t towards\t him.\t He\t had\t not\t yet\t seen\t her\t face.\t The golden\thood\twith\tthe\tshading\tlace\thung\tdeeply\tover\tit. \\\"Have\tI\tnot\ttold\tyou\teverything?\\\"\tshe\tsaid,\twith\ta\tflush\tof\tscorn. \\\"Everything?\\\"\t repeated\t the\t rabbi,\t inquiringly.\t He\t only\t said\t this,\t moreover, through\tembarrassment. \\\"Do\tyou\ttell\tme\tnow,\\\"\tshe\tcried,\tat\tonce\tpassionately\tand\tmildly,\t\\\"what\tam\tI to\tdo?\\\" \\\"Veile!\\\"\texclaimed\tthe\trabbi,\tentertaining\tnow,\tfor\tthe\tfirst\ttime,\ta\tfeeling\tof repugnance\tfor\tthis\tconfidential\tinterview. \\\"Tell\tme\tnow!\\\"\tshe\tpleaded;\tand\tbefore\tthe\trabbi\tcould\tprevent\tit\tthe\tyoung woman\t threw\t herself\t down\t at\t his\t feet\t and\t clasped\t his\t knees\t in\t her\t arms.\t This hasty\t act\t had\t loosened\t the\t golden\t wedding-hood\t from\t her\t head,\t and\t thus exposed\ther\tface\tto\tview,\ta\tface\tof\tremarkable\tbeauty. So\t overcome\t was\t the\t young\t rabbi\t by\t the\t sight\t of\t it\t that\t he\t had\t to\t shade\t his eyes\twith\this\thands,\tas\tif\tbefore\ta\tsudden\tflash\tof\tlightning. \\\"Tell\t me\t now,\t what\t shall\t I\t do?\\\"\t she\t cried\t again.\t \\\"Do\t you\t think\t that\t I\t have come\tfrom\tmy\tparents'\thome\tmerely\tto\treturn\tagain\twithout\thelp?\tYou\talone\tin the\tworld\tmust\ttell\tme.\tLook\tat\tme!\tI\thave\tkept\tall\tmy\thair\tjust\tas\tGod\tgave\tit me.\t It\t has\t never\t been\t touched\t by\t the\t shears.\t Should\t I,\t then,\t do\t anything\t to please\tmy\thusband?\tI\tam\tno\twife.\tI\twill\tnot\tbe\ta\twife!\tTell\tme,\ttell\tme,\twhat\tam I\tto\tdo?\\\" \\\"Arise,\tarise,\\\"\tbade\tthe\trabbi;\tbut\this\tvoice\tquivered,\tsounded\talmost\tpainful. \\\"Tell\tme\tfirst,\\\"\tshe\tgasped;\t\\\"I\twill\tnot\trise\ttill\tthen!\\\"","\\\"How\tcan\tI\ttell\tyou?\\\"\the\tmoaned,\talmost\tinaudibly. \\\"Naphtali!\\\"\tshrieked\tthe\tkneeling\twoman. But\tthe\trabbi\tstaggered\tbackward.\tThe\troom\tseemed\tablaze\tbefore\thim,\tlike\ta bright\t fire.\t A\t sharp\t cry\t rang\t from\t his\t breast,\t as\t if\t one\t suffering\t from\t some painful\t wound\t had\t been\t seized\t by\t a\t rough\t hand.\t In\t his\t hurried\t attempt\t to\t free himself\t from\t the\t embrace\t of\t the\t young\t woman,\t who\t still\t clung\t to\t his\t knees,\t it chanced\tthat\ther\thead\tstruck\theavily\tagainst\tthe\tfloor. \\\"Naphtali!\\\"\tshe\tcried\tonce\tagain. \\\"Silence,\tsilence,\\\"\tgroaned\tthe\trabbi,\tpressing\tboth\thands\tagainst\this\thead. And\t still\t again\t she\t called\t out\t this\t name,\t but\t not\t with\t that\t agonizing\t cry.\t It sounded\trather\tlike\ta\tcommingling\tof\texultation\tand\tlamentation. And\t again\t he\t demanded,\t \\\"Silence!\t silence!\\\"\t but\t this\t time\t so\t imperiously,\t so forcibly,\tthat\tthe\tyoung\twoman\tlay\ton\tthe\tfloor\tas\tif\tconjured,\tnot\tdaring\tto\tutter a\tsingle\tword. The\trabbi\tpaced\talmost\twildly\tup\tand\tdown\tthe\troom.\tThere\tmust\thave\tbeen a\thard,\tterrible\tstruggle\tin\this\tbreast.\tIt\tseemed\tto\tthe\tone\tlying\ton\tthe\tfloor\tthat she\theard\thim\tsigh\tfrom\tthe\tdepths\tof\this\tsoul.\tThen\this\tpacing\tbecame\tcalmer; but\t it\t did\t not\t last\t long.\t The\t fierce\t conflict\t again\t assailed\t him.\t His\t step\t grew hurried;\t it\t echoed\t loudly\t through\t the\t awful\t stillness\t of\t the\t room.\t Suddenly\t he neared\t the\t young\t woman,\t who\t seemed\t to\t lie\t there\t scarcely\t breathing.\t He stopped\tin\tfront\tof\ther.\tHad\tany\tone\tseen\tthe\tface\tof\tthe\trabbi\tat\tthis\tmoment\tthe expression\t on\t it\t would\t have\t filled\t him\t with\t terror.\t There\t was\t a\t marvelous tranquillity\toverlying\tit,\tthe\ttranquillity\tof\ta\tstruggle\tfor\tlife\tor\tdeath. \\\"Listen\tto\tme\tnow,\tVeile,\\\"\the\tbegan,\tslowly.\t\\\"I\twill\ttalk\twith\tyou.\\\" \\\"I\tlisten,\trabbi,\\\"\tshe\twhispered. \\\"But\tdo\tyou\thear\tme\twell?\\\" \\\"Only\tspeak,\\\"\tshe\treturned. \\\"But\twill\tyou\tdo\twhat\tI\tadvise\tyou?\tWill\tyou\tnot\toppose\tit?\tFor\tI\tam\tgoing to\tsay\tsomething\tthat\twill\tterrify\tyou.\\\" \\\"I\twill\tdo\tanything\tthat\tyou\tsay.\tOnly\ttell\tme,\\\"\tshe\tmoaned.","\\\"Will\tyou\tswear?\\\" \\\"I\twill,\\\"\tshe\tgroaned. \\\"No,\t do\t not\t swear\t yet,\t until\t you\t have\t heard\t me,\\\"\t he\t cried.\t \\\"I\t will\t not\t force you.\\\" This\ttime\tcame\tno\tanswer. \\\"Hear\tme,\tthen,\tdaughter\tof\tRuben\tKlattaner,\\\"\the\tbegan,\tafter\ta\tpause.\t\\\"You have\t a\t twofold\t sin\t upon\t your\t soul,\t and\t each\t is\t so\t great,\t so\t criminal,\t that\t it\t can only\t be\t forgiven\t by\t severe\t punishment.\t First\t you\t permitted\t yourself\t to\t be infatuated\tby\tthe\tgold\tand\tsilver,\tand\tthen\tyou\tforced\tyour\theart\tto\tlie.\tWith\tthe lie\tyou\tsought\tto\tdeceive\tthe\tman,\teven\tthough\the\thad\tintrusted\tyou\twith\this\tall when\t he\t made\t you\t his\t wife.\t A\t lie\t is\t truly\t a\t great\t sin!\t Streams\t of\t water\t cannot drown\tthem.\tThey\tmake\tmen\tfalse\tand\thateful\tto\tthemselves.\tThe\tworst\tthat\thas been\tcommitted\tin\tthe\tworld\twas\tled\tin\tby\ta\tlie.\tThat\tis\tthe\tone\tsin.\\\" \\\"I\tknow,\tI\tknow,\\\"\tsobbed\tthe\tyoung\twoman. \\\"Now\thear\tme\tfurther,\\\"\tbegan\tthe\trabbi\tagain,\twith\ta\twavering\tvoice,\tafter\ta short\tpause.\t\\\"You\thave\tcommitted\ta\tstill\tgreater\tsin\tthan\tthe\tfirst.\tYou\thave\tnot only\t deceived\t your\t husband,\t but\t you\t have\t also\t destroyed\t the\t happiness\t of another\t person.\t You\t could\t have\t spoken,\t and\t you\t did\t not.\t For\t life\t you\t have robbed\thim\tof\this\thappiness,\this\tlight,\this\tjoy,\tbut\tyou\tdid\tnot\tspeak.\tWhat\tcan he\tnow\tdo,\twhen\the\tknows\twhat\thas\tbeen\tlost\tto\thim?\\\" \\\"Naphtali!\\\"\tcried\tthe\tyoung\twoman. \\\"Silence!\t silence!\t do\t not\t let\t that\t name\t pass\t your\t lips\t again,\\\"\t he\t demanded, violently.\t\\\"The\tmore\tyou\trepeat\tit\tthe\tgreater\tbecomes\tyour\tsin.\tWhy\tdid\tyou\tnot speak\t when\t you\t could\t have\t spoken?\t God\t can\t never\t easily\t forgive\t you\t that.\t To be\t silent,\t to\t keep\t secret\t in\t one's\t breast\t what\t would\t have\t made\t another\t man happier\t than\t the\t mightiest\t monarch!\t Thereby\t you\t have\t made\t him\t more\t than unhappy.\t He\t will\t nevermore\t have\t the\t desire\t to\t be\t happy.\t Veile,\t God\t in\t heaven cannot\tforgive\tyou\tfor\tthat.\\\" \\\"Silence!\tsilence!\\\"\tgroaned\tthe\twretched\twoman. \\\"No,\t Veile,\\\"\t he\t continued,\t with\t a\t stronger\t voice,\t \\\"let\t me\t talk\t now.\t You\t are certainly\t willing\t to\t hear\t me\t speak?\t Listen\t to\t me.\t You\t must\t do\t severe\t penance for\t this\t sin,\t the\t twofold\t sin\t which\t rests\t upon\t your\t head.\t God\t is\t long-suffering","and\t merciful.\t He\t will\t perhaps\t look\t down\t upon\t your\t misery,\t and\t will\t blot\t out your\tguilt\tfrom\tthe\tgreat\tbook\tof\ttransgressions.\tBut\tyou\tmust\tbecome\tpenitent. Hear,\tnow,\twhat\tit\tshall\tbe.\\\" The\t rabbi\t paused.\t He\t was\t on\t the\t point\t of\t saying\t the\t severest\t thing\t that\t had ever\tpassed\this\tlips. \\\"You\t were\t silent,\t Veile,\\\"\t then\t he\t cried,\t \\\"when\t you\t should\t have\t spoken.\t Be silent\t now\t forever\t to\t all\t men\t and\t to\t yourself.\t From\t the\t moment\t you\t leave\t this house,\tuntil\tI\tgrant\tit,\tyou\tmust\tbe\tdumb;\tyou\tdare\tnot\tlet\ta\tloud\tword\tpass\tfrom your\tmouth.\tWill\tyou\tundergo\tthis\tpenance?\\\" \\\"I\twill\tdo\tall\tyou\tsay,\\\"\tmoaned\tthe\tyoung\twoman. \\\"Will\tyou\thave\tstrength\tto\tdo\tit?\\\"\the\tasked,\tgently. \\\"I\tshall\tbe\tas\tsilent\tas\tdeath,\\\"\tshe\treplied. \\\"And\tone\tthing\tmore\tI\thave\tto\tsay\tto\tyou,\\\"\the\tcontinued.\t\\\"You\tare\tthe\twife\tof your\thusband.\tReturn\thome\tand\tbe\ta\tJewish\twife.\\\" \\\"I\tunderstand\tyou,\\\"\tshe\tsobbed\tin\treply. \\\"Go\t to\t your\t home\t now,\t and\t bring\t peace\t to\t your\t parents\t and\t husband.\t The time\t will\tcome\twhen\tyou\tmay\tspeak,\twhen\tyour\tsin\twill\tbe\tforgiven\tyou.\tTill then\tbear\twhat\thas\tbeen\tlaid\tupon\tyou.\\\" \\\"May\tI\tsay\tone\tthing\tmore?\\\"\tshe\tcried,\tlifting\tup\ther\thead. \\\"Speak,\\\"\the\tsaid. \\\"Naphtali!\\\" The\trabbi\tcovered\this\teyes\twith\tone\thand,\twith\tthe\tother\tmotioned\ther\tto\tbe silent.\tBut\tshe\tgrasped\this\thand,\tdrew\tit\tto\ther\tlips.\tHot\ttears\tfell\tupon\tit. \\\"Go\tnow,\\\"\the\tsobbed,\tcompletely\tbroken\tdown. She\t let\t go\t the\t hand.\t The\t rabbi\t had\t seized\t the\t candle,\t but\t she\t had\t already passed\thim,\tand\tglided\tthrough\tthe\tdark\thall.\tThe\tdoor\twas\tleft\topen.\tThe\trabbi locked\tit\tagain.","Veile\treturned\tto\ther\thome,\tas\tshe\thad\tescaped,\tunnoticed.\tThe\tnarrow\tstreet was\t deserted,\t as\t desolate\t as\t death.\t The\t searchers\t were\t to\t be\t found\t everywhere except\t there\t where\t they\t ought\t first\t to\t have\t sought\t for\t the\t missing\t one.\t Her mother,\t Selde,\t still\t sat\t on\t the\t same\t chair\t on\t which\t she\t had\t sunk\t down\t an\t hour ago.\tThe\tfright\thad\tleft\ther\tlike\tone\tparalyzed,\tand\tshe\twas\tunable\tto\trise.\tWhat a\t wonderful\t contrast\t this\t wedding-room,\t with\t the\t mother\t sitting\t alone\t in\t it, presented\t to\t the\t hilarity\t reigning\t here\t shortly\t before!\t On\t Veile's\t entrance\t her mother\tdid\tnot\tcry\tout.\tShe\thad\tno\tstrength\tto\tdo\tso.\tShe\tmerely\tsaid:\t\\\"So\tyou have\t come\t at\t last,\t my\t daughter?\\\"\t as\t if\t Veile\t had\t only\t returned\t from\t a\t walk somewhat\t too\t long.\t But\t the\t young\t woman\t did\t not\t answer\t to\t this\t and\t similar questions.\tFinally\tshe\tsignified\tby\tgesticulations\tthat\tshe\tcould\tnot\tspeak.\tFright seized\t the\t wretched\t mother\t a\t second\t time,\t and\t the\t entire\t house\t was\t filled\t with her\tlamentations. Ruben\tKlattaner\tand\tVeile's\thusband\thaving\tnow\treturned\tfrom\ttheir\tfruitless search,\t were\t horrified\t on\t perceiving\t the\t change\t which\t Veile\t had\t undergone. Being\t men,\t they\t did\t not\t weep.\t With\t staring\t eyes\t they\t gazed\t upon\t the\t silent young\t woman,\t and\t beheld\t in\t her\t an\t apparition\t which\t had\t been\t dealt\t with\t by God's\tvisitation\tin\ta\tmysterious\tmanner. From\tthis\thour\tbegan\tthe\tterrible\tpenance\tof\tthe\tyoung\twoman. The\t impression\t which\t Veile's\t woeful\t condition\t made\t upon\t the\t people\t of\t the gasse\t was\t wonderful.\t Those\t who\t had\t danced\t with\t her\t that\t evening\t on\t the wedding\t now\t first\t recalled\t her\t excited\t state.\t Her\t wild\t actions\t were\t now\t first remembered\t by\t many.\t It\t must\t have\t been\t an\t \\\"evil\t eye,\\\"\t they\t concluded\u2014a jealous,\t evil\t eye,\t to\t which\t her\t beauty\t was\t hateful.\t This\t alone\t could\t have possessed\ther\twith\ta\tdemon\tof\tunrest.\tShe\twas\tdriven\tby\tthis\tevil\tpower\tinto\tthe dark\tnight,\ta\tsport\tof\tthese\tmalicious\tpotencies\twhich\tpursue\tmen\tstep\tby\tstep, especially\t on\t such\t occasions.\t The\t living\t God\t alone\t knows\t what\t she\t must\t have seen\t that\t night.\t Nothing\t good,\t else\t one\t would\t not\t become\t dumb.\t Old\t legends and\ttales\twere\trevived,\teach\tmore\thorrible\tthan\tthe\tother.\tHundreds\tof\tinstances were\t given\t to\t prove\t that\t this\t was\t nothing\t new\t in\t the\t gasse.\t Despite\t this explanation,\t it\t is\t remarkable\t that\t the\t people\t did\t not\t believe\t that\t the\t young woman\t was\t dumb.\t The\t most\t thought\t that\t her\t power\t of\t speech\t had\t been paralyzed\t by\t some\t awful\t fright,\t but\t that\t with\t time\t it\t would\t be\t restored.\t Under this\tsupposition\tthey\tcalled\ther\t\\\"Veile\tthe\tSilent.\\\" There\t is\t a\t kind\t of\t human\t eloquence\t more\t telling,\t more\t forcible\t than\t the loudest\t words,\t than\t the\t choicest\t diction\u2014the\t silence\t of\t woman!\t Ofttimes\t they","cannot\t endure\t the\t slightest\t vexation,\t but\t some\t great,\t heart-breaking\t sorrow, some\tpain\tfrom\tconstant\trenunciation,\tself-sacrifice,\tthey\tsuffer\twith\tsealed\tlips \u2014as\tif,\tin\tvery\ttruth,\tthey\twere\tbound\twith\tbars\tof\tiron. It\t would\t be\t difficult\t to\t fully\t describe\t that\t long\t \\\"silent\\\"\t life\t of\t the\t young woman.\t It\t is\t almost\t impossible\t to\t cite\t more\t than\t one\t incident.\t Veile accompanied\ther\thusband\tto\this\thome,\tthat\thouse\tresplendent\twith\tthat\tgold\tand silver\t which\t had\t infatuated\t her.\t She\t was,\t to\t be\t sure,\t the\t \\\"first\\\"\t woman\t in\t the gasse;\tshe\thad\teverything\tin\tabundance.\tIndeed,\tthe\tworld\tsupposed\tthat\tshe\thad but\t little\t cause\t for\t complaint.\t \\\"Must\t one\t have\t everything?\\\"\t was\t sometimes queried\tin\tthe\tgasse.\t\\\"One\thas\tone\tthing;\tanother,\tanother.\\\"\tAnd,\taccording\tto\tall appearances,\tthe\tpeople\twere\tright.\tVeile\tcontinued\tto\tbe\tthe\tbeautiful,\tblooming woman.\t Her\t penance\t of\t silence\t did\t not\t deprive\t her\t of\t a\t single\t charm.\t She\t was so\t very\t happy,\t indeed,\t that\t she\t did\t not\t seem\t to\t feel\t even\t the\t pain\t of\t her punishment.\tVeile\tcould\tlaugh\tand\trejoice,\tbut\tnever\tdid\tshe\tforget\tto\tbe\tsilent. The\t seemingly\t happy\t days,\t however,\t were\t only\t qualified\t to\t bring\t about\t the proper\t time\t of\t trials\t and\t temptations.\t The\t beginning\t was\t easy\t enough\t for\t her, the\t middle\t and\t end\t were\t times\t of\t real\t pain.\t The\t first\t years\t of\t their\t wedded\t life were\t childless.\t \\\"It\t is\t well,\\\"\t the\t people\t in\t the\t gasse\t said,\t \\\"that\t she\t has\t no children,\tand\tGod\thas\trightly\tordained\tit\tto\tbe\tso.\tA\tmother\twho\tcannot\ttalk\tto her\tchild,\tthat\twould\tbe\tsomething\tawful!\\\"\tUnexpectedly\tto\tall,\tshe\trejoiced\tone day\t in\t the\t birth\t of\t a\t daughter.\t And\t when\t that\t affectionate\t young\t creature,\t her own\toffspring,\twas\tlaid\tupon\ther\tbreast,\tand\tthe\tfirst\tsounds\twere\tuttered\tby\tits lips\u2014that\tnameless,\teloquent\tutterance\tof\tan\tinfant\u2014she\tforgot\therself\tnot;\tshe was\tsilent! She\t was\t silent\t also\t when\t from\t day\t to\t day\t that\t child\t blossomed\t before\t her eyes\t into\t fuller\t beauty.\t Nor\t had\t she\t any\t words\t for\t it\t when,\t in\t effusions\t of tenderness,\tit\tstretched\tforth\tits\ttiny\tarms,\twhen\tin\tburning\tfever\tit\tsought\tfor\tthe mother's\t hand.\t For\t days\u2014yes,\t weeks\u2014together\t she\t watched\t at\t its\t bedside. Sleep\tnever\tvisited\ther\teyes.\tBut\tshe\tever\tremembered\ther\tpenance. Years\tfled\tby.\tIn\ther\tarms\tshe\tcarried\tanother\tchild.\tIt\twas\ta\tboy.\tThe\tfather's joy\t was\t great.\t The\t child\t inherited\t its\t mother's\t beauty.\t Like\t its\t sister,\t it\t grew\t in health\t and\t strength.\t The\t noblest,\t richest\t mother,\t they\t said,\t might\t be\t proud\t of such\tchildren!\tAnd\tVeile\twas\tproud,\tno\tdoubt,\tbut\tthis\tnever\tpassed\ther\tlips.\tShe remained\tsilent\tabout\tthings\twhich\tmothers\tin\ttheir\tjoy\toften\tcannot\tfind\twords enough\t to\t express.\t And\t although\t her\t face\t many\t times\t lighted\t up\t with\t beaming smiles,\tyet\tshe\tnever\trenounced\tthe\thabitual\tsilence\timposed\tupon\ther.","The\t idea\t that\t the\t slightest\t dereliction\t of\t her\t penance\t would\t be\t accompanied with\t a\t curse\t upon\t her\t children\t may\t have\t impressed\t itself\t upon\t her\t mind. Mothers\t will\t understand\t better\t than\t other\t persons\t what\t this\t mother\t suffered from\ther\tpenalty\tof\tsilence. Thus\ta\tpart\tof\tthose\tyears\tsped\taway\twhich\twe\tare\twont\tto\tcall\tthe\tbest.\tShe still\t flourished\t in\t her\t wonderful\t beauty.\t Her\t maiden\t daughter\t was\t beside\t her, like\tthe\tbud\tbeside\tthe\tfull-blown\trose.\tSuitors\twere\talready\tpresent\tfrom\tfar\tand near,\t who\t passed\t in\t review\t before\t the\t beautiful\t girl.\t The\t most\t of\t them\t were excellent\tyoung\tmen,\tand\tany\tmother\tmight\thave\tbeen\tproud\tin\thaving\ther\town daughter\tsought\tby\tsuch.\tEven\tthen\tVeile\tdid\tnot\tundo\ther\tpenance.\tThose\tbusy times\tof\tintercourse\twhich\tkeep\tmothers\tengaged\tin\tpresenting\tthe\tsuperiorities of\ttheir\tdaughters\tin\tthe\tbest\tlight\twere\tnot\tallowed\ther.\tThe\tchoice\tof\tone\tof\tthe most\t favored\t suitors\t was\t made.\t Never\t before\t did\t any\t couple\t in\t the\t gasse\t equal this\tin\tbeauty\tand\tgrace.\tA\tfew\tweeks\tbefore\tthe\tappointed\ttime\tfor\tthe\twedding a\tmalignant\tdisease\tstole\ton,\tspreading\tsorrow\tand\tanxiety\tover\tthe\tgreater\tpart of\tthe\tland.\tYoung\tgirls\twere\tprincipally\tits\tvictims.\tIt\tseemed\tto\tpass\tscornfully over\tthe\taged\tand\tinfirm.\tVeile's\tdaughter\twas\talso\tlaid\thold\tupon\tby\tit.\tBefore three\tdays\thad\tpassed\tthere\twas\ta\tcorpse\tin\tthe\thouse\u2014the\tbride! Even\tthen\tVeile\tdid\tnot\tforget\ther\tpenance.\tWhen\tthey\tbore\taway\tthe\tcorpse to\tthe\t\\\"good\tplace,\\\"\tshe\tdid\tutter\ta\tcry\tof\tanguish\twhich\tlong\tafter\techoed\tin\tthe ears\tof\tthe\tpeople;\tshe\tdid\twring\ther\thands\tin\tdespair,\tbut\tno\tone\theard\ta\tword of\t complaint.\t Her\t lips\t seemed\t dumb\t forever.\t It\t was\t then,\t when\t she\t was\t seated on\t the\t low\t stool\t in\t the\t seven\t days\t of\t mourning,\t that\t the\t rabbi\t came\t to\t her,\t to bring\tto\ther\tthe\tusual\tconsolation\tfor\tthe\tdead.\tBut\the\tdid\tnot\tspeak\twith\ther.\tHe addressed\twords\tonly\tto\ther\thusband.\tShe\therself\tdared\tnot\tlook\tup.\tOnly\twhen he\tturned\tto\tgo\tdid\tshe\tlift\ther\teyes.\tThey,\tin\tturn,\tmet\tthe\teyes\tof\tthe\trabbi,\tbut he\tdeparted\twithout\ta\tfarewell. After\t her\t daughter's\t death\t Veile\t was\t completely\t broken\t down.\t Even\t that which\tat\ther\ttime\tof\tlife\tis\tstill\tcalled\tbeauty\thad\tfaded\taway\twithin\ta\tfew\tdays. Her\tcheeks\thad\tbecome\thollow,\ther\thair\tgray.\tVisitors\twondered\thow\tshe\tcould endure\t such\t a\t shock,\t how\t body\t and\t spirit\t could\t hold\t together.\t They\t did\t not know\t that\t that\t silence\t was\t an\t iron\t fetter\t firmly\t imprisoning\t the\t slumbering spirits.\tShe\thad\ta\tson,\tmoreover,\tto\twhom,\tas\tto\tsomething\tlast\tand\tdearest,\ther whole\tbeing\tstill\tclung. The\t boy\t was\t thirteen\t years\t old.\t His\t learning\t in\t the\t Holy\t Scriptures\t was already\t celebrated\t for\t miles\t around.\t He\t was\t the\t pupil\t of\t the\t rabbi,\t who\t had","treated\thim\twith\ta\tlove\tand\ttenderness\tbecoming\this\town\tfather.\tHe\tsaid\tthat\the was\t a\t remarkable\t child,\t endowed\t with\t rare\t talents.\t The\t boy\t was\t to\t be\t sent\t to Hungary,\tto\tone\tof\tthe\tmost\tcelebrated\tteachers\tof\tthe\ttimes,\tin\torder\tto\tlay\tthe foundation\t for\t his\t sacred\t studies\t under\t this\t instructor's\t guidance\t and\t wisdom. Years\tmight\tperhaps\tpass\tbefore\tshe\twould\tsee\thim\tagain.\tBut\tVeile\tlet\ther\tboy go\t from\t her\t embrace.\t She\t did\t not\t say\t a\t blessing\t over\t him\t when\t he\t went;\t only her\tlips\ttwitched\twith\tthe\tpain\tof\tsilence. Long\t years\t expired\t before\t the\t boy\t returned\t from\t the\t strange\t land,\t a\t full- grown,\tnoble\tyouth.\tWhen\tVeile\thad\ther\tson\twith\ther\tagain\ta\tsmile\tplayed\tabout her\t mouth,\t and\t for\t a\t moment\t it\t seemed\t as\t if\t her\t former\t beauty\t had\t enjoyed\t a second\t spring.\t The\t extraordinary\t ability\t of\t her\t son\t already\t made\t him\t famous. Wheresoever\t he\t went\t people\t were\t delighted\t with\t his\t beauty,\t and\t admired\t the modesty\tof\this\tmanner,\tdespite\tsuch\tgreat\tscholarship. The\tnext\tSabbath\tthe\tyoung\tdisciple\tof\tthe\tTalmud,\tscarcely\ttwenty\tyears\tof age,\twas\tto\tdemonstrate\tthe\tfirst\tmarks\tof\tthis\tgreat\tlearning. The\t people\t crowded\t shoulder\t to\t shoulder\t in\t this\t great\t synagogue.\t Curious glances\t were\t cast\t through\t the\t lattice-work\t of\t the\t women's\t gallery\t above\t upon the\t dense\t throng.\t Veile\t occupied\t one\t of\t the\t foremost\t seats.\t She\t could\t see everything\t that\t took\t place\t below.\t Her\t face\t was\t extremely\t pale.\t All\t eyes\t were turned\t towards\t her\u2014the\t mother,\t who\t was\t permitted\t to\t see\t such\t a\t day\t for\t her son!\t But\t Veile\t did\t not\t appear\t to\t notice\t what\t was\t happening\t before\t her.\t A weariness,\tsuch\tas\tshe\thad\tnever\tfelt\tbefore,\teven\tin\ther\tgreatest\tsuffering,\tcrept over\t her\t limbs.\t It\t was\t as\t if\t she\t must\t sleep\t during\t her\t son's\t address.\t He\t had hardly\t mounted\t the\t stairs\t before\t the\t ark\t of\t the\t laws\u2014hardly\t uttered\t his\t first words\u2014when\t a\t remarkable\t change\t crossed\t her\t face.\t Her\t cheeks\t burned.\t She arose.\t All\t her\t vital\t energy\t seemed\t aroused.\t Her\t son\t meanwhile\t was\t speaking down\tbelow.\tShe\tcould\tnot\thave\ttold\twhat\the\twas\tsaying.\tShe\tdid\tnot\thear\thim \u2014she\t only\t heard\t the\t murmur\t of\t approbation,\t sometimes\t low,\t sometimes\t loud, which\t came\t to\t her\t ears\t from\t the\t quarters\t of\t the\t men.\t The\t people\t were astonished\t at\t the\t noble\t bearing\t of\t the\t speaker,\t his\t melodious\t speech,\t and\t his powerful\t energy.\t When\t he\t stopped\t at\t certain\t times\t to\t rest\t it\t seemed\t as\t if\t one were\t in\t a\t wood\t swept\t by\t a\t storm.\t She\t could\t now\t and\t then\t hear\t a\t few\t voices declaring\t that\t such\t a\t one\t had\t never\t before\t been\t listened\t to.\t The\t women\t at\t her side\t wept;\t she\t alone\t could\t not.\t A\t choking\t pain\t pressed\t from\t her\t breast\t to\t her lips.\t Forces\t were\t astir\t in\t her\t heart\t which\t struggled\t for\t expression.\t The\t whole synagogue\techoed\twith\tbuzzing\tvoices,\tbut\tto\ther\tit\tseemed\tas\tif\tshe\tmust\tspeak louder\t than\t these.\t At\t the\t very\t moment\t her\t son\t had\t ended\t she\t cried\t out","unconsciously,\tviolently\tthrowing\therself\tagainst\tthe\tlattice-work: \\\"God!\t living\t God!\t shall\t I\t not\t now\t speak?\\\"\t A\t dead\t silence\t followed\t this outcry.\t Nearly\t all\t had\t recognized\t this\t voice\t as\t that\t of\t the\t \\\"silent\t woman.\\\"\t A miracle\thad\ttaken\tplace! \\\"Speak!\t speak!\\\"\t resounded\t the\t answer\t of\t the\t rabbi\t from\t the\t men's\t seats below.\t\\\"You\tmay\tnow\tspeak!\\\" But\t no\t reply\t came.\t Veile\t had\t fallen\t back\t into\t her\t seat,\t pressing\t both\t hands against\t her\t breast.\t When\t the\t women\t sitting\t beside\t her\t looked\t at\t her\t they\t were terrified\t to\t find\t that\t the\t \\\"silent\t woman\\\"\t had\t fainted.\t She\t was\t dead!\t The unsealing\tof\ther\tlips\twas\ther\tlast\tmoment. Long\tyears\tafterwards\tthe\trabbi\tdied.\tOn\this\tdeath-bed\the\ttold\tthose\tstanding about\thim\tthis\twonderful\tpenance\tof\tVeile. Every\tgirl\tin\tthe\tgasse\tknew\tthe\tstory\tof\tthe\t\\\"silent\twoman.\\\"","BANSHEES[E] Of\t all\t Irish\t ghosts,\t fairies,\t or\t bogles,\t the\t Banshee\t (sometimes\t called\t locally the\t \\\"Bohe\u2014entha\\\"\t or\t \\\"Banke\u2014entha\\\")\t is\t the\t best\t known\t to\t the\t general\t public: indeed,\t cross-Channel\t visitors\t would\t class\t her\t with\t pigs,\t potatoes,\t and\t other fauna\tand\tflora\tof\tIreland,\tand\twould\texpect\ther\tto\tmake\tmanifest\ther\tpresence to\t them\t as\t being\t one\t of\t the\t sights\t of\t the\t country.\t She\t is\t a\t spirit\t with\t a\t lengthy pedigree\u2014how\t lengthy\t no\t man\t can\t say,\t as\t its\t roots\t go\t back\t into\t the\t dim, mysterious\tpast.\tThe\tmost\tfamous\tBanshee\tof\tancient\ttimes\twas\tthat\tattached\tto the\t kingly\t house\t of\t O'Brien,\t Aibhill,\t who\t haunted\t the\t rock\t of\t Craglea\t above Killaloe,\t near\t the\t old\t palace\t of\t Kincora.\t In\t A.D.\t 1014\t was\t fought\t the\t battle\t of Clontarf,\tfrom\twhich\tthe\taged\tking,\tBrian\tBoru,\tknew\tthat\the\twould\tnever\tcome away\talive,\tfor\tthe\tprevious\tnight\tAibhill\thad\tappeared\tto\thim\tto\ttell\thim\tof\this impending\t fate.\t The\t Banshee's\t method\t of\t foretelling\t death\t in\t olden\t times differed\t from\t that\t adopted\t by\t her\t at\t the\t present\t day:\t now\t she\t wails\t and\t wrings her\thands,\tas\ta\tgeneral\trule,\tbut\tin\tthe\told\tIrish\ttales\tshe\tis\tto\tbe\tfound\twashing human\t heads\t and\t limbs,\t or\t blood-stained\t clothes,\t till\t the\t water\t is\t all\t dyed\t with human\tblood\u2014this\twould\ttake\tplace\tbefore\ta\tbattle.\tSo\tit\twould\tseem\tthat\tin\tthe course\tof\tcenturies\ther\tattributes\tand\tcharacteristics\thave\tchanged\tsomewhat. Very\t different\t descriptions\t are\t given\t of\t her\t personal\t appearance.\t Sometimes she\t is\t young\t and\t beautiful,\t sometimes\t old\t and\t of\t a\t fearsome\t appearance.\t One writer\t describes\t her\tas\t\\\"a\ttall,\tthin\twoman\twith\tuncovered\thead,\tand\tlong\t hair that\t floated\t round\t her\t shoulders,\t attired\t in\t something\t which\t seemed\t either\t a loose\twhite\tcloak,\tor\ta\tsheet\tthrown\thastily\taround\ther,\tuttering\tpiercing\tcries.\\\" Another\tperson,\ta\tcoachman,\tsaw\ther\tone\tevening\tsitting\ton\ta\tstile\tin\tthe\tyard; she\t seemed\t to\t be\t a\t very\t small\t woman,\t with\t blue\t eyes,\t long\t light\t hair,\t and wearing\ta\tred\tcloak.\tOther\tdescriptions\twill\tbe\tfound\tin\tthis\tchapter.\tBy\tthe\tway, it\tdoes\tnot\tseem\tto\tbe\ttrue\tthat\tthe\tBanshee\texclusively\tfollows\tfamilies\tof\tIrish descent,\t for\t the\t last\t incident\t had\t reference\t to\t the\t death\t of\t a\t member\t of\t a\t Co. Galway\tfamily\tEnglish\tby\tname\tand\torigin. One\t of\t the\t oldest\t and\t best-known\t Banshee\t stories\t is\t that\t related\t in\t the Memoirs\tof\tLady\tFanshaw.[F]\tIn\t1642\ther\thusband,\tSir\tRichard,\tand\tshe\tchanced to\t visit\t a\t friend,\t the\t head\t of\t an\t Irish\t sept,\t who\t resided\t in\t his\t ancient\t baronial castle,\tsurrounded\twith\ta\tmoat.\tAt\tmidnight\tshe\twas\tawakened\tby\ta\tghastly\tand","supernatural\tscream,\tand\tlooking\t out\t of\tbed,\tbeheld\t in\t the\tmoonlight\ta\t female face\tand\tpart\tof\tthe\tform\thovering\tat\tthe\twindow.\tThe\tdistance\tfrom\tthe\tground, as\t well\t as\t the\t circumstance\t of\t the\t moat,\t excluded\t the\t possibility\t that\t what\t she beheld\t was\t of\t this\t world.\t The\t face\t was\t that\t of\t a\t young\t and\t rather\t handsome woman,\tbut\tpale,\tand\tthe\thair,\twhich\twas\treddish,\twas\tloose\tand\tdisheveled.\tThe dress,\t which\t Lady\t Fanshaw's\t terror\t did\t not\t prevent\t her\t remarking\t accurately, was\tthat\tof\tthe\tancient\tIrish.\tThis\tapparition\tcontinued\tto\texhibit\titself\tfor\tsome time,\t and\t then\t vanished\t with\t two\t shrieks\t similar\t to\t that\t which\t had\t first\t excited Lady\tFanshaw's\tattention.\tIn\tthe\tmorning,\twith\tinfinite\tterror,\tshe\tcommunicated to\t her\t host\t what\t she\t had\t witnessed,\t and\t found\t him\t prepared\t not\t only\t to\t credit, but\t to\t account\t for\t the\t superstition.\t \\\"A\t near\t relation\t of\t my\t family,\\\"\t said\t he; \\\"expired\t last\t night\t in\t this\t castle.\t We\t disguised\t our\t certain\t expectation\t of\t the event\t from\t you,\t lest\t it\t should\t throw\t a\t cloud\t over\t the\t cheerful\t reception\t which was\t your\t due.\t Now,\t before\t such\t an\t event\t happens\t in\t this\t family\t or\t castle,\t the female\tspecter\twhom\tyou\thave\tseen\tis\talways\tvisible.\tShe\tis\tbelieved\tto\tbe\tthe spirit\tof\ta\twoman\tof\tinferior\trank,\twhom\tone\tof\tmy\tancestors\tdegraded\thimself by\t marrying,\t and\t whom\t afterwards,\t to\t expiate\t the\t dishonor\t done\t to\t his\t family, he\tcaused\tto\tbe\tdrowned\tin\tthe\tmoat.\\\"\tIn\tstrictness\tthis\twoman\tcould\thardly\tbe termed\t a\t Banshee.\t The\t motive\t for\t the\t haunting\t is\t akin\t to\t that\t in\t the\t tale\t of\t the Scotch\t\\\"Drummer\tof\tCortachy,\\\"\twhere\tthe\tspirit\tof\tthe\tmurdered\tman\thaunts\tthe family\tout\tof\trevenge,\tand\tappears\tbefore\ta\tdeath. Mr.\t T.J.\t Westropp,\t M.A.,\t has\t furnished\t the\t following\t story:\t \\\"My\t maternal grandmother\t heard\t the\t following\t tradition\t from\t her\t mother,\t one\t of\t the\t Miss Ross-Lewins,\t who\t witnessed\t the\t occurrence.\t Their\t father,\t Mr.\t Harrison\t Ross- Lewin,\t was\t away\t in\t Dublin\t on\t law\t business,\t and\t in\t his\t absence\t the\t young people\twent\toff\tto\tspend\tthe\tevening\twith\ta\tfriend\twho\tlived\tsome\tmiles\taway. The\tnight\twas\tfine\tand\tlightsome\tas\tthey\twere\treturning,\tsave\tat\tone\tpoint\twhere the\troad\tran\tbetween\ttrees\tor\thigh\thedges\tnot\tfar\tto\tthe\twest\tof\tthe\told\tchurch\tof Kilchrist.\tThe\tlatter,\tlike\tmany\tsimilar\truins,\twas\ta\tsimple\toblong\tbuilding,\twith long\t side-walls\t and\t high\t gables,\t and\t at\t that\t time\t it\t and\t its\t graveyard\t were unenclosed,\t and\t lay\t in\t the\t open\t fields.\t As\t the\t party\t passed\t down\t the\t long\t dark lane\tthey\tsuddenly\theard\tin\tthe\tdistance\tloud\tkeening\tand\tclapping\tof\thands,\tas the\tcountry-people\twere\taccustomed\tto\tdo\twhen\tlamenting\tthe\tdead.\tThe\tRoss- Lewins\thurried\ton,\tand\tcame\tin\tsight\tof\tthe\tchurch,\ton\tthe\tside\twall\tof\twhich\ta little\t gray-haired\t old\t woman,\t clad\t in\t a\t dark\t cloak,\t was\t running\t to\t and\t fro, chanting\tand\twailing,\tand\tthrowing\tup\ther\tarms.\tThe\tgirls\twere\tvery\tfrightened, but\t the\t young\t men\t ran\t forward\t and\t surrounded\t the\t ruin,\t and\t two\t of\t them\t went into\t the\t church,\t the\t apparition\t vanishing\t from\t the\t wall\t as\t they\t did\t so.\t They","searched\tevery\tnook,\tand\tfound\tno\tone,\tnor\tdid\tany\tone\tpass\tout.\tAll\twere\tnow well\t scared,\t and\t got\t home\t as\t fast\t as\t possible.\t On\t reaching\t their\t home\t their mother\topened\tthe\tdoor,\tand\tat\tonce\ttold\tthem\tthat\tshe\twas\tin\tterror\tabout\ttheir father,\tfor,\tas\tshe\tsat\tlooking\tout\tthe\twindow\tin\tthe\tmoonlight,\ta\thuge\traven\twith fiery\teyes\tlit\ton\tthe\tsill,\tand\ttapped\tthree\ttimes\ton\tthe\tglass.\tThey\ttold\ther\ttheir story,\twhich\tonly\tadded\tto\ttheir\tanxiety,\tand\tas\tthey\tstood\ttalking,\ttaps\tcame\tto the\tnearest\twindow,\tand\tthey\tsaw\tthe\tbird\tagain.\tA\tfew\tdays\tlater\tnews\treached them\t that\t Mr.\t Ross-Lewin\t had\t died\t suddenly\t in\t Dublin.\t This\t occurred\t about 1776.\\\" Mr.\t Westropp\t also\t writes\t that\t the\t sister\t of\t a\t former\t Roman\t Catholic\t Bishop told\this\tsisters\tthat\twhen\tshe\twas\ta\tlittle\tgirl\tshe\twent\tout\tone\tevening\twith\tsome other\t children\t for\t a\t walk.\t Going\t down\t the\t road,\t they\t passed\t the\t gate\t of\t the principal\t demesne\t near\t the\t town.\t There\t was\t a\t rock,\t or\t large\t stone,\t beside\t the road,\ton\twhich\tthey\tsaw\tsomething.\tGoing\tnearer,\tthey\tperceived\tit\tto\tbe\ta\tlittle dark,\t old\t woman,\t who\t began\t crying\t and\t clapping\t her\t hands.\t Some\t of\t them attempted\tto\tspeak\tto\ther,\tbut\tgot\tfrightened,\tand\tall\tfinally\tran\thome\tas\tquickly as\t they\t could.\t Next\t day\t the\t news\t came\t that\t the\t gentleman\t near\t whose\t gate\t the Banshee\thad\tcried,\twas\tdead,\tand\tit\twas\tfound\ton\tinquiry\tthat\the\thad\tdied\tat\tthe very\thour\tat\twhich\tthe\tchildren\thad\tseen\tthe\tspecter. A\tlady\twho\tis\ta\trelation\tof\tone\tof\tthe\tcompilers,\tand\ta\tmember\tof\ta\tCo.\tCork family\tof\tEnglish\tdescent,\tsends\tthe\ttwo\tfollowing\texperiences\tof\ta\tBanshee\tin her\t family.\t \\\"My\t mother,\t when\t a\t young\t girl,\t was\t standing\t looking\t out\t of\t the window\tin\ttheir\thouse\tat\tBlackrock,\tnear\tCork.\tShe\tsuddenly\tsaw\ta\twhite\tfigure standing\ton\ta\tbridge\twhich\twas\teasily\tvisible\tfrom\tthe\thouse.\tThe\tfigure\twaved her\t arms\t towards\t the\t house,\t and\t my\t mother\t heard\t the\t bitter\t wailing\t of\t the Banshee.\tIt\tlasted\tsome\tseconds,\tand\tthen\tthe\tfigure\tdisappeared.\tNext\tmorning my\tgrandfather\twas\twalking\tas\tusual\tinto\tthe\tcity\tof\tCork.\tHe\taccidentally\tfell, hit\this\thead\tagainst\tthe\tcurbstone,\tand\tnever\trecovered\tconsciousness. \\\"In\t March,\t 1900,\t my\t mother\t was\t very\t ill,\t and\t one\t evening\t the\t nurse\t and\t I were\t with\t her\t arranging\t her\t bed.\t We\t suddenly\t heard\t the\t most\t extraordinary wailing,\twhich\tseemed\tto\tcome\tin\twaves\tround\tand\tunder\ther\tbed.\tWe\tnaturally looked\teverywhere\tto\ttry\tand\tfind\tthe\tcause,\tbut\tin\tvain.\tThe\tnurse\tand\tI\tlooked at\t one\t another,\t but\t made\t no\t remark,\t as\t my\t mother\t did\t not\t seem\t to\t hear\t it.\t My sister\t was\t downstairs\t sitting\t with\t my\t father.\t She\t heard\t it,\t and\t thought\t some terrible\tthing\thad\thappened\tto\ther\tlittle\tboy,\twho\twas\tin\tbed\tupstairs.\tShe\trushed up,\tand\tfound\thim\tsleeping\tquietly.\tMy\tfather\tdid\tnot\thear\tit.\tIn\tthe\thouse\tnext door\tthey\theard\tit,\tand\tran\tdownstairs,\tthinking\tsomething\thad\thappened\tto\tthe","servant;\t but\t the\t latter\t at\t once\t said\t to\t them,\t 'Did\t you\t hear\t the\t Banshee?\t Mrs.\t P \u2014\u2014\tmust\tbe\tdying.'\\\" A\t few\t years\t ago\t (i.e.\t before\t 1894)\t a\t curious\t incident\t occurred\t in\t a\t public school\tin\tconnection\twith\tthe\tbelief\tin\tthe\tBanshee.\tOne\tof\tthe\tboys,\thappening to\tbecome\till,\twas\tat\tonce\tplaced\tin\ta\troom\tby\thimself,\twhere\the\tused\tto\tsit\tall day.\tOn\tone\toccasion,\tas\the\twas\tbeing\tvisited\tby\tthe\tdoctor,\the\tsuddenly\tstarted up\t from\t his\t seat,\t and\t affirmed\t that\t he\t heard\t somebody\t crying.\t The\t doctor,\t of course,\t who\t could\t hear\t or\t see\t nothing,\t came\t to\t the\t conclusion\t that\t the\t illness had\t slightly\t affected\t his\t brain.\t However,\t the\t boy,\t who\t appeared\t quite\t sensible, still\t persisted\t that\t he\t heard\t some\t one\t crying,\t and\t furthermore\t said,\t \\\"It\t is\t the Banshee,\t as\t I\t have\t heard\t it\t before.\\\"\t The\t following\t morning\t the\t head-master received\t a\t telegram\t saying\t that\t the\t boy's\t brother\t had\t been\t accidentally\t shot dead.[G] That\t the\t Banshee\t is\t not\t confined\t within\t the\t geographical\t limits\t of\t Ireland, but\t that\t she\t can\t follow\t the\t fortunes\t of\t a\t family\t abroad,\t and\t there\t foretell\t their death,\tis\tclearly\tshown\tby\tthe\tfollowing\tstory.\tA\tparty\tof\tvisitors\twere\tgathered together\ton\tthe\tdeck\tof\ta\tprivate\tyacht\ton\tone\tof\tthe\tItalian\tlakes,\tand\tduring\ta lull\tin\tthe\tconversation\tone\tof\tthem,\ta\tColonel,\tsaid\tto\tthe\towner,\t\\\"Count,\twho's that\tqueer-looking\twoman\tyou\thave\ton\tboard?\\\"\tThe\tCount\treplied\tthat\tthere\twas nobody\t except\t the\t ladies\t present,\t and\t the\t stewardess,\t but\t the\t speaker\t protested that\t he\t was\t correct,\t and\t suddenly,\t with\t a\t scream\t of\t horror,\t he\t placed\t his\t hands before\t his\t eyes,\t and\t exclaimed,\t \\\"Oh,\t my\t God,\t what\t a\t face!\\\"\t For\t some\t time\t he was\tovercome\twith\tterror,\tand\tat\tlength\treluctantly\tlooked\tup,\tand\tcried: \\\"Thank\tHeavens,\tit's\tgone!\\\" \\\"What\twas\tit?\\\"\tasked\tthe\tCount. \\\"Nothing\t human,\\\"\treplied\tthe\tColonel\u2014\\\"nothing\tbelonging\tto\tthis\tworld.\t It was\ta\twoman\tof\tno\tearthly\ttype,\twith\ta\tqueer-shaped,\tgleaming\tface,\ta\tmass\tof red\thair,\tand\teyes\tthat\twould\thave\tbeen\tbeautiful\tbut\tfor\ttheir\texpression,\twhich was\thellish.\tShe\thad\ton\ta\tgreen\thood,\tafter\tthe\tfashion\tof\tan\tIrish\tpeasant.\\\" An\t American\t lady\t present\t suggested\t that\t the\t description\t tallied\t with\t that\t of the\tBanshee,\tupon\twhich\tthe\tCount\tsaid: \\\"I\t am\t an\t O'Neill\u2014at\t least\t I\t am\t descended\t from\t one.\t My\t family\t name\t is,\t as you\tknow,\tNeilsini,\twhich,\tlittle\tmore\tthan\ta\tcentury\tago,\twas\tO'Neill.\tMy\tgreat- grandfather\tserved\tin\tthe\tIrish\tBrigade,\tand\ton\tits\tdissolution\tat\tthe\ttime\tof\tthe","French\t Revolution\t had\t the\t good\t fortune\t to\t escape\t the\t general\t massacre\t of officers,\tand\tin\tcompany\twith\tan\tO'Brien\tand\ta\tMaguire\tfled\tacross\tthe\tfrontier and\tsettled\tin\tItaly.\tOn\this\tdeath\this\tson,\twho\thad\tbeen\tborn\tin\tItaly,\tand\twas\tfar more\tItalian\tthan\tIrish,\tchanged\this\tname\tto\tNeilsini,\tby\twhich\tname\tthe\tfamily has\tbeen\tknown\tever\tsince.\tBut\tfor\tall\tthat\twe\tare\tIrish.\\\" \\\"The\tBanshee\twas\tyours,\tthen!\\\"\tejaculated\tthe\tColonel.\t\\\"What\texactly\tdoes\tit mean?\\\" \\\"It\t means,\\\"\t the\t Count\t replied\t solemnly,\t \\\"the\t death\t of\t some\t one\t very\t nearly associated\twith\tme.\tPray\tHeaven\tit\tis\tnot\tmy\twife\tor\tdaughter.\\\" On\t that\t score,\t however,\t his\t anxiety\t was\t speedily\t removed,\t for\t within\t two hours\t he\t was\t seized\t with\t a\t violent\t attack\t of\t angina\t pectoris,\t and\t died\t before morning.[H] Mr.\tElliott\tO'Donnell,\tto\twhose\tarticle\ton\t\\\"Banshees\\\"\twe\tare\tindebted\tfor\tthe above,\tadds:\t\\\"The\tBanshee\tnever\tmanifests\titself\tto\tthe\tperson\twhose\tdeath\tit\tis prognosticating.\tOther\tpeople\tmay\tsee\tor\thear\tit,\tbut\tthe\tfated\tone\tnever,\tso\tthat when\t every\t one\t present\t is\t aware\t of\t it\t but\t one,\t the\t fate\t of\t that\t one\t may\t be regarded\tas\tpretty\twell\tcertain.\\\"","THE\tMAN\tWHO\tWENT\tTOO\tFAR BY\tE.F.\tBENSON The\t little\t village\t of\t St.\t Faith's\t nestles\t in\t a\t hollow\t of\t wooded\t hill\t up\t on\t the north\tbank\tof\tthe\triver\tFawn\tin\tthe\tcounty\tof\tHampshire,\thuddling\tclose\tround its\tgray\tNorman\tchurch\tas\tif\tfor\tspiritual\tprotection\tagainst\tthe\tfays\tand\tfairies, the\t trolls\t and\t \\\"little\t people,\\\"\t who\t might\t be\t supposed\t still\t to\t linger\t in\t the\t vast empty\tspaces\tof\tthe\t New\tForest,\tand\tto\tcome\tafter\tdusk\tand\tdo\ttheir\tdoubtful businesses.\t Once\t outside\t the\t hamlet\t you\t may\t walk\t in\t any\t direction\t (so\t long\t as you\tavoid\tthe\thigh\troad\twhich\tleads\tto\tBrockenhurst)\tfor\tthe\tlength\tof\ta\tsummer afternoon\t without\t seeing\t sign\t of\t human\t habitation,\t or\t possibly\t even\t catching sight\t of\t another\t human\t being.\t Shaggy\t wild\t ponies\t may\t stop\t their\t feeding\t for\t a moment\tas\tyou\tpass,\tthe\twhite\tscuts\tof\trabbits\twill\tvanish\tinto\ttheir\tburrows,\ta brown\t viper\t perhaps\t will\t glide\t from\t your\t path\t into\t a\t clump\t of\t heather,\t and unseen\tbirds\twill\tchuckle\tin\tthe\tbushes,\tbut\tit\tmay\teasily\thappen\tthat\tfor\ta\tlong day\t you\t will\t see\t nothing\t human.\t But\t you\t will\t not\t feel\t in\t the\t least\t lonely;\t in summer,\t at\t any\t rate,\t the\t sunlight\t will\t be\t gay\t with\t butterflies,\t and\t the\t air\t thick with\tall\tthose\twoodland\tsounds\twhich\tlike\tinstruments\tin\tan\torchestra\tcombine to\tplay\tthe\tgreat\tsymphony\tof\tthe\tyearly\tfestival\tof\tJune.\tWinds\twhisper\tin\tthe birches,\tand\tsigh\tamong\tthe\tfirs;\tbees\tare\tbusy\twith\ttheir\tredolent\tlabor\tamong the\theather,\ta\tmyriad\tbirds\tchirp\tin\tthe\tgreen\ttemples\tof\tthe\tforest\ttrees,\tand\tthe voice\tof\tthe\triver\tprattling\tover\tstony\tplaces,\tbubbling\tinto\tpools,\tchuckling\tand gulping\tround\tcorners,\tgives\tyou\tthe\tsense\tthat\tmany\tpresences\tand\tcompanions are\tnear\tat\thand. Yet,\t oddly\t enough,\t though\t one\t would\t have\t thought\t that\t these\t benign\t and cheerful\t influences\t of\t wholesome\t air\t and\t spaciousness\t of\t forest\t were\t very healthful\t comrades\t for\t a\t man,\t in\t so\t far\t as\t nature\t can\t really\t influence\t this wonderful\t human\t genus\t which\t has\t in\t these\t centuries\t learned\t to\t defy\t her\t most violent\t storms\t in\t its\t well-established\t houses,\t to\t bridle\t her\t torrents\t and\t make them\tlight\tits\tstreets,\tto\ttunnel\ther\tmountains\tand\tplow\ther\tseas,\tthe\tinhabitants of\tSt.\tFaith's\twill\tnot\twillingly\tventure\tinto\tthe\tforest\tafter\tdark.\tFor\tin\tspite\tof the\tsilence\tand\tloneliness\tof\tthe\thooded\tnight\tit\tseems\tthat\ta\tman\tis\tnot\tsure\tin what\t company\t he\t may\t suddenly\t find\t himself,\t and\t though\t it\t is\t difficult\t to\t get from\t these\t villagers\t any\t very\t clear\t story\t of\t occult\t appearances,\t the\t feeling\t is","widespread.\tOne\tstory\tindeed\tI\thave\theard\twith\tsome\tdefiniteness,\tthe\ttale\tof\ta monstrous\tgoat\tthat\thas\tbeen\tseen\tto\tskip\twith\thellish\tglee\tabout\tthe\twoods\tand shady\t places,\t and\t this\t perhaps\t is\t connected\t with\t the\t story\t which\t I\t have\t here attempted\t to\t piece\t together.\t It\t too\t is\t well-known\t to\t them;\t for\t all\t remember\t the young\t artist\t who\t died\t here\t not\t long\t ago,\t a\t young\t man,\t or\t so\t he\t struck\t the beholder,\t of\t great\t personal\t beauty,\t with\t something\t about\t him\t that\t made\t men's faces\t to\t smile\t and\t brighten\t when\t they\t looked\t on\t him.\t His\t ghost\t they\t will\t tell you\t\\\"walks\\\"\tconstantly\tby\tthe\tstream\tand\tthrough\tthe\twoods\twhich\the\tloved\tso, and\t in\t especial\t it\t haunts\t a\t certain\t house,\t the\t last\t of\t the\t village,\t where\t he\t lived, and\tits\tgarden\tin\twhich\the\twas\tdone\tto\tdeath.\tFor\tmy\tpart\tI\tam\tinclined\tto\tthink that\tthe\tterror\tof\tthe\tForest\tdates\tchiefly\tfrom\tthat\tday.\tSo,\tsuch\tas\tthe\tstory\tis,\tI have\t set\t it\t forth\t in\t connected\t form.\t It\t is\t based\t partly\t on\t the\t accounts\t of\t the villagers,\tbut\tmainly\ton\tthat\tof\tDarcy,\ta\tfriend\tof\tmine\tand\ta\tfriend\tof\tthe\tman with\twhom\tthese\tevents\twere\tchiefly\tconcerned. The\t day\t had\t been\t one\t of\t untarnished\t midsummer\t splendor,\t and\t as\t the\t sun drew\t near\t to\t its\t setting,\t the\t glory\t of\t the\t evening\t grew\t every\t moment\t more crystalline,\t more\t miraculous.\t Westward\t from\t St.\t Faith's\t the\t beechwood\t which stretched\tfor\tsome\tmiles\ttoward\tthe\theathery\tupland\tbeyond\talready\tcast\tits\tveil of\tclear\tshadow\tover\tthe\tred\troofs\tof\tthe\tvillage,\tbut\tthe\tspire\tof\tthe\tgray\tchurch, over-topping\t all,\t still\t pointed\t a\t flaming\t orange\t finger\t into\t the\t sky.\t The\t river Fawn,\t which\t runs\t below,\t lay\t in\t sheets\t of\t sky-reflected\t blue,\t and\t wound\t its dreamy\tdevious\tcourse\tround\tthe\tedge\tof\tthis\twood,\twhere\ta\trough\ttwo-planked bridge\tcrossed\tfrom\tthe\tbottom\tof\tthe\tgarden\tof\tthe\tlast\thouse\tin\tthe\tvillage,\tand communicated\tby\tmeans\tof\ta\tlittle\twicker\tgate\twith\tthe\twood\titself.\tThen\tonce out\t of\t the\t shadow\t of\t the\t wood\t the\t stream\t lay\t in\t flaming\t pools\t of\t the\t molten crimson\tof\tthe\tsunset,\tand\tlost\titself\tin\tthe\thaze\tof\twoodland\tdistances. This\t house\t at\t the\t end\t of\t the\t village\t stood\t outside\t the\t shadow,\t and\t the\t lawn which\t sloped\t down\t to\t the\t river\t was\t still\t flecked\t with\t sunlight.\t Garden-beds\t of dazzling\t color\t lined\t its\t gravel\t walks,\t and\t down\t the\t middle\t of\t it\t ran\t a\t brick pergola,\t half-hidden\t in\t clusters\t of\t rambler-rose\t and\t purple\t with\t starry\t clematis. At\t the\t bottom\t end\t of\t it,\t between\t two\t of\t its\t pillars,\t was\t slung\t a\t hammock containing\ta\tshirt-sleeved\tfigure. The\t house\t itself\t lay\t somewhat\t remote\t from\t the\t rest\t of\t the\t village,\t and\t a footpath\t leading\t across\t two\t fields,\t now\t tall\t and\t fragrant\t with\t hay,\t was\t its\t only","communication\t with\t the\t high\t road.\t It\t was\t low-built,\t only\t two\t stories\t in\t height, and\t like\t the\t garden,\t its\t walls\t were\t a\t mass\t of\t flowering\t roses.\t A\t narrow\t stone terrace\tran\talong\tthe\tgarden\tfront,\tover\twhich\twas\tstretched\tan\tawning,\tand\ton the\t terrace\t a\t young\t silent-footed\t man-servant\t was\t busied\t with\t the\t laying\t of\t the table\tfor\tdinner.\tHe\twas\tneat-handed\tand\tquick\twith\this\tjob,\tand\thaving\tfinished it\t he\t went\t back\t into\t the\t house,\t and\t reappeared\t again\t with\t a\t large\t rough\t bath- towel\ton\this\tarm.\tWith\tthis\the\twent\tto\tthe\thammock\tin\tthe\tpergola. \\\"Nearly\teight,\tsir,\\\"\the\tsaid. \\\"Has\tMr.\tDarcy\tcome\tyet?\\\"\tasked\ta\tvoice\tfrom\tthe\thammock. \\\"No,\tsir.\\\" \\\"If\t I'm\t not\t back\t when\t he\t comes,\t tell\t him\t that\t I'm\t just\t having\t a\t bathe\t before dinner.\\\" The\tservant\twent\tback\tto\tthe\thouse,\tand\tafter\ta\tmoment\tor\ttwo\tFrank\tHalton struggled\tto\ta\tsitting\tposture,\tand\tslipped\tout\ton\tto\tthe\tgrass.\tHe\twas\tof\tmedium height\t and\t rather\t slender\t in\t build,\t but\t the\t supple\t ease\t and\t grace\t of\t his movements\t gave\t the\t impression\t of\t great\t physical\t strength:\t even\t his\t descent from\t the\t hammock\t was\t not\t an\t awkward\t performance.\t His\t face\t and\t hands\t were of\t very\t dark\t complexion,\t either\t from\t constant\t exposure\t to\t wind\t and\t sun,\t or,\t as his\tblack\thair\tand\tdark\teyes\ttended\tto\tshow,\tfrom\tsome\tstrain\tof\tsouthern\tblood. His\t head\t was\t small,\t his\t face\t of\t an\t exquisite\t beauty\t of\t modeling,\t while\t the smoothness\tof\tits\tcontour\twould\thave\tled\tyou\tto\tbelieve\tthat\the\twas\ta\tbeardless lad\t still\t in\t his\t teens.\t But\t something,\t some\t look\t which\t living\t and\t experience alone\t can\t give,\t seemed\t to\t contradict\t that,\t and\t finding\t yourself\t completely puzzled\t as\t to\t his\t age,\t you\t would\t next\t moment\t probably\t cease\t to\t think\t about that,\tand\tonly\tlook\tat\tthis\tglorious\tspecimen\tof\tyoung\tmanhood\twith\twondering satisfaction. He\twas\tdressed\tas\tbecame\tthe\tseason\tand\tthe\theat,\tand\twore\tonly\ta\tshirt\topen at\tthe\tneck,\tand\ta\tpair\tof\tflannel\ttrousers.\tHis\thead,\tcovered\tvery\tthickly\twith\ta somewhat\t rebellious\t crop\t of\t short\t curly\t hair,\t was\t bare\t as\t he\t strolled\t across\t the lawn\t to\t the\t bathing-place\t that\t lay\t below.\t Then\t for\t a\t moment\t there\t was\t silence, then\tthe\tsound\tof\tsplashed\tand\tdivided\twaters,\tand\tpresently\tafter,\ta\tgreat\tshout of\t ecstatic\t joy,\t as\t he\t swam\t up-stream\t with\t the\t foamed\t water\t standing\t in\t a\t frill round\t his\t neck.\t Then\t after\t some\t five\t minutes\t of\t limb-stretching\t struggle\t with the\tflood,\the\tturned\tover\ton\this\tback,\tand\twith\tarms\tthrown\twide,\tfloated\tdown- stream,\tripple-cradled\tand\tinert.\tHis\teyes\twere\tshut,\tand\tbetween\thalf-parted\tlips","he\ttalked\tgently\tto\thimself. \\\"I\t am\t one\t with\t it,\\\"\t he\t said\t to\t himself,\t \\\"the\t river\t and\t I,\t I\t and\t the\t river.\t The coolness\tand\tsplash\tof\tit\tis\tI,\tand\tthe\twater-herbs\tthat\twave\tin\tit\tare\tI\talso.\tAnd my\tstrength\tand\tmy\tlimbs\tare\tnot\tmine\tbut\tthe\triver's.\tIt\tis\tall\tone,\tall\tone,\tdear Fawn.\\\" A\t quarter\t of\t an\t hour\t later\t he\t appeared\t again\t at\t the\t bottom\t of\t the\t lawn, dressed\t as\t before,\t his\t wet\t hair\t already\t drying\t into\t its\t crisp\t short\t curls\t again. There\the\tpaused\ta\tmoment,\tlooking\tback\tat\tthe\tstream\twith\tthe\tsmile\twith\twhich men\tlook\ton\tthe\tface\tof\ta\tfriend,\tthen\tturned\ttowards\tthe\thouse.\tSimultaneously his\t servant\t came\t to\t the\t door\t leading\t on\t to\t the\t terrace,\t followed\t by\t a\t man\t who appeared\tto\tbe\tsome\thalf-way\tthrough\tthe\tfourth\tdecade\tof\this\tyears.\tFrank\tand he\tsaw\teach\tother\tacross\tthe\tbushes\tand\tgarden-beds,\t and\teach\t quickening\this step,\tthey\tmet\tsuddenly\t face\tto\tface\tround\tan\t angle\tof\tthe\tgarden\twalk,\tin\tthe fragrance\tof\tsyringa. \\\"My\tdear\tDarcy,\\\"\tcried\tFrank,\t\\\"I\tam\tcharmed\tto\tsee\tyou.\\\" But\tthe\tother\tstared\tat\thim\tin\tamazement. \\\"Frank!\\\"\the\texclaimed. \\\"Yes,\tthat\tis\tmy\tname,\\\"\the\tsaid\tlaughing,\t\\\"what\tis\tthe\tmatter?\\\" Darcy\ttook\this\thand. \\\"What\thave\tyou\tdone\tto\tyourself?\\\"\the\tasked.\t\\\"You\tare\ta\tboy\tagain.\\\" \\\"Ah,\t I\t have\t a\t lot\t to\t tell\t you,\\\"\t said\t Frank.\t \\\"Lots\t that\t you\t will\t hardly\t believe, but\tI\tshall\tconvince\tyou\u2014\u2014\\\" He\tbroke\toff\tsuddenly,\tand\theld\tup\this\thand. \\\"Hush,\tthere\tis\tmy\tnightingale,\\\"\the\tsaid. The\t smile\t of\t recognition\t and\t welcome\t with\t which\t he\t had\t greeted\t his\t friend faded\t from\t his\t face,\t and\t a\t look\t of\t rapt\t wonder\t took\t its\t place,\t as\t of\t a\t lover listening\t to\t the\t voice\t of\t his\t beloved.\t His\t mouth\t parted\t slightly,\t showing\t the white\tline\tof\tteeth,\tand\this\teyes\tlooked\tout\tand\tout\ttill\tthey\tseemed\tto\tDarcy\tto","be\tfocused\ton\tthings\tbeyond\tthe\tvision\tof\tman.\tThen\tsomething\tperhaps\tstartled the\tbird,\tfor\tthe\tsong\tceased. \\\"Yes,\t lots\t to\t tell\t you,\\\"\t he\t said.\t \\\"Really\t I\t am\t delighted\t to\t see\t you.\t But\t you look\trather\twhite\tand\tpulled\tdown;\tno\twonder\tafter\tthat\tfever.\tAnd\tthere\tis\tto\tbe no\tnonsense\tabout\tthis\tvisit.\tIt\tis\tJune\tnow,\tyou\tstop\there\ttill\tyou\tare\tfit\tto\tbegin work\tagain.\tTwo\tmonths\tat\tleast.\\\" \\\"Ah,\tI\tcan't\ttrespass\tquite\tto\tthat\textent.\\\" Frank\ttook\this\tarm\tand\twalked\thim\tdown\tthe\tgrass. \\\"Trespass?\t Who\t talks\t of\t trespass?\t I\t shall\t tell\t you\t quite\t openly\t when\t I\t am tired\tof\tyou,\tbut\tyou\tknow\twhen\twe\thad\tthe\tstudio\ttogether,\twe\tused\tnot\tto\tbore each\t other.\t However,\t it\t is\t ill\t talking\t of\t going\t away\t on\t the\t moment\t of\t your arrival.\tJust\ta\tstroll\tto\tthe\triver,\tand\tthen\tit\twill\tbe\tdinner-time.\\\" Darcy\ttook\tout\this\tcigarette\tcase,\tand\toffered\tit\tto\tthe\tother. Frank\tlaughed. \\\"No,\tnot\tfor\tme.\tDear\tme,\tI\tsuppose\tI\tused\tto\tsmoke\tonce.\tHow\tvery\todd!\\\" \\\"Given\tit\tup?\\\" \\\"I\t don't\t know.\t I\t suppose\t I\t must\t have.\t Anyhow\t I\t don't\t do\t it\t now.\t I\t would\t as soon\tthink\tof\teating\tmeat.\\\" \\\"Another\tvictim\ton\tthe\tsmoking\taltar\tof\tvegetarianism?\\\" \\\"Victim?\\\"\tasked\tFrank.\t\\\"Do\tI\tstrike\tyou\tas\tsuch?\\\" He\t paused\t on\t the\t margin\t of\t the\t stream\t and\t whistled\t softly.\t Next\t moment\t a moor-hen\t made\t its\t splashing\t flight\t across\t the\t river,\t and\t ran\t up\t the\t bank.\t Frank took\t it\t very\t gently\t in\t his\t hands\t and\t stroked\t its\t head,\t as\t the\t creature\t lay\t against his\tshirt. \\\"And\tis\tthe\thouse\tamong\tthe\treeds\tstill\tsecure?\\\"\the\thalf-crooned\tto\tit.\t\\\"And\tis the\tmissus\tquite\twell,\tand\tare\tthe\tneighbors\tflourishing?\tThere,\tdear,\thome\twith you,\\\"\tand\the\tflung\tit\tinto\tthe\tair. \\\"That\tbird's\tvery\ttame,\\\"\tsaid\tDarcy,\tslightly\tbewildered. \\\"It\tis\trather,\\\"\tsaid\tFrank,\tfollowing\tits\tflight.","During\tdinner\tFrank\tchiefly\toccupied\thimself\tin\tbringing\thimself\tup-to-date in\tthe\tmovements\tand\tachievements\tof\tthis\told\tfriend\twhom\the\thad\tnot\tseen\tfor six\tyears.\tThose\tsix\tyears,\tit\tnow\tappeared,\thad\tbeen\tfull\tof\tincident\tand\tsuccess for\tDarcy;\the\thad\tmade\ta\tname\tfor\thimself\tas\ta\tportrait\tpainter\twhich\tbade\tfair to\toutlast\tthe\tvogue\tof\ta\tcouple\tof\tseasons,\tand\this\tleisure\ttime\thad\tbeen\tbrief. Then\t some\t four\t months\t previously\t he\t had\t been\t through\t a\t severe\t attack\t of typhoid,\tthe\tresult\tof\twhich\tas\tconcerns\tthis\tstory\twas\tthat\the\thad\tcome\tdown\tto this\tsequestered\tplace\tto\trecruit. \\\"Yes,\t you've\t got\t on,\\\"\t said\t Frank\t at\t the\t end.\t \\\"I\t always\t knew\t you\t would. A.R.A.\t with\t more\t in\t prospect.\t Money?\t You\t roll\t in\t it,\t I\t suppose,\t and,\t O\t Darcy, how\tmuch\thappiness\thave\tyou\thad\tall\tthese\tyears?\tThat\tis\tthe\tonly\timperishable possession.\t And\t how\t much\t have\t you\t learned?\t Oh,\t I\t don't\t mean\t in\t Art.\t Even\t I could\thave\tdone\twell\tin\tthat.\\\" Darcy\tlaughed. \\\"Done\t well?\t My\t dear\t fellow,\t all\t I\t have\t learned\t in\t these\t six\t years\t you\t knew, so\t to\t speak,\t in\t your\t cradle.\t Your\t old\t pictures\t fetch\t huge\t prices.\t Do\t you\t never paint\tnow?\\\" Frank\tshook\this\thead. \\\"No,\tI'm\ttoo\tbusy,\\\"\the\tsaid. \\\"Doing\twhat?\tPlease\ttell\tme.\tThat\tis\twhat\tevery\tone\tis\tfor\tever\tasking\tme.\\\" \\\"Doing?\tI\tsuppose\tyou\twould\tsay\tI\tdo\tnothing.\\\" Darcy\tglanced\tup\tat\tthe\tbrilliant\tyoung\tface\topposite\thim. \\\"It\t seems\t to\t suit\t you,\t that\t way\t of\t being\t busy,\\\"\t he\t said.\t \\\"Now,\t it's\t your\t turn. Do\tyou\tread?\tDo\tyou\tstudy?\tI\tremember\tyou\tsaying\tthat\tit\twould\tdo\tus\tall\u2014all us\t artists,\t I\t mean\u2014a\t great\t deal\t of\t good\t if\t we\t would\t study\t any\t one\t human\t face carefully\tfor\ta\tyear,\twithout\trecording\ta\tline.\tHave\tyou\tbeen\tdoing\tthat?\\\" Frank\tshook\this\thead\tagain. \\\"I\tmean\texactly\twhat\tI\tsay,\\\"\the\tsaid,\t\\\"I\thave\tbeen\tdoing\tnothing.\tAnd\tI\thave never\t been\t so\t occupied.\t Look\t at\t me;\t have\t I\t not\t done\t something\t to\t myself\t to begin\twith?\\\"","\\\"You\tare\ttwo\tyears\tyounger\tthan\tI,\\\"\tsaid\tDarcy,\t\\\"at\tleast\tyou\tused\tto\tbe.\tYou therefore\tare\tthirty-five.\tBut\thad\tI\tnever\tseen\tyou\tbefore\tI\tshould\tsay\tyou\twere just\ttwenty.\tBut\twas\tit\tworth\twhile\tto\tspend\tsix\tyears\tof\tgreatly-occupied\tlife\tin order\tto\tlook\ttwenty?\tSeems\trather\tlike\ta\twoman\tof\tfashion.\\\" Frank\tlaughed\tboisterously. \\\"First\t time\t I've\t ever\t been\t compared\t to\t that\t particular\t bird\t of\t prey,\\\"\t he\t said. \\\"No,\t that\t has\t not\t been\t my\t occupation\u2014in\t fact\t I\t am\t only\t very\t rarely\t conscious that\t one\t effect\t of\t my\t occupation\t has\t been\t that.\t Of\t course,\t it\t must\t have\t been\t if one\tcomes\tto\tthink\tof\tit.\tIt\tis\tnot\tvery\timportant.\tQuite\ttrue\tmy\tbody\thas\tbecome young.\tBut\tthat\tis\tvery\tlittle;\tI\thave\tbecome\tyoung.\\\" Darcy\tpushed\tback\this\tchair\tand\tsat\tsideways\tto\tthe\ttable\tlooking\tat\tthe\tother. \\\"Has\tthat\tbeen\tyour\toccupation\tthen?\\\"\the\tasked. \\\"Yes,\t that\t anyhow\t is\t one\t aspect\t of\t it.\t Think\t what\t youth\t means!\t It\t is\t the capacity\t for\t growth,\t mind,\t body,\t spirit,\t all\t grow,\t all\t get\t stronger,\t all\t have\t a fuller,\tfirmer\tlife\tevery\tday.\tThat\tis\tsomething,\tconsidering\tthat\tevery\t day\tthat passes\t after\t the\t ordinary\t man\t reaches\t the\t full-blown\t flower\t of\t his\t strength, weakens\t his\t hold\t on\t life.\t A\t man\t reaches\t his\t prime,\t and\t remains,\t we\t say,\t in\t his prime,\tfor\tten\tyears,\tor\tperhaps\ttwenty.\tBut\tafter\this\tprimest\tprime\tis\treached,\the slowly,\t insensibly\t weakens.\t These\t are\t the\t signs\t of\t age\t in\t you,\t in\t your\t body,\t in your\tart\tprobably,\tin\tyour\tmind.\tYou\tare\tless\telectric\tthan\tyou\twere.\tBut\tI,\twhen I\treach\tmy\tprime\u2014I\tam\tnearing\tit\u2014ah,\tyou\tshall\tsee.\\\" The\tstars\thad\tbegun\tto\tappear\tin\tthe\tblue\tvelvet\tof\tthe\tsky,\tand\tto\tthe\teast\tthe horizon\tseen\tabove\tthe\tblack\tsilhouette\tof\tthe\tvillage\twas\tgrowing\tdove-colored with\t the\t approach\t of\t moon-rise.\t White\t moths\t hovered\t dimly\t over\t the\t garden- beds,\t and\t the\t footsteps\t of\t night\t tip-toed\t through\t the\t bushes.\t Suddenly\t Frank rose. \\\"Ah,\tit\tis\tthe\tsupreme\tmoment,\\\"\the\tsaid\tsoftly.\t\\\"Now\tmore\tthan\tat\tany\tother time\tthe\tcurrent\tof\tlife,\tthe\teternal\timperishable\tcurrent\truns\tso\tclose\tto\tme\tthat\tI am\talmost\tenveloped\tin\tit.\tBe\tsilent\ta\tminute.\\\" He\tadvanced\tto\tthe\tedge\tof\tthe\tterrace\tand\tlooked\tout\tstanding\tstretched\twith arms\t outspread.\t Darcy\t heard\t him\t draw\t a\t long\t breath\t into\t his\t lungs,\t and\t after many\tseconds\texpel\tit\tagain.\tSix\tor\teight\ttimes\the\tdid\tthis,\tthen\tturned\tback\tinto the\tlamplight.","\\\"It\t will\t sound\t to\t you\t quite\t mad,\t I\t expect,\\\"\t he\t said,\t \\\"but\t if\t you\t want\t to\t hear the\t soberest\t truth\t I\t have\t ever\t spoken\t and\t shall\t ever\t speak,\t I\t will\t tell\t you\t about myself.\tBut\tcome\tinto\tthe\tgarden\tif\tit\tis\tnot\ttoo\tdamp\tfor\tyou.\tI\thave\tnever\ttold any\tone\tyet,\tbut\tI\tshall\tlike\tto\ttell\tyou.\tIt\tis\tlong,\tin\tfact,\tsince\tI\thave\teven\ttried to\tclassify\twhat\tI\thave\tlearned.\\\" They\twandered\tinto\tthe\tfragrant\tdimness\tof\tthe\tpergola,\tand\tsat\tdown.\tThen Frank\tbegan: \\\"Years\t ago,\t do\t you\t remember,\\\"\t he\t said,\t \\\"we\t used\t often\t to\t talk\t about\t the decay\t of\t joy\t in\t the\t world.\t Many\t impulses,\t we\t settled,\t had\t contributed\t to\t this decay,\t some\t of\t which\t were\t good\t in\t themselves,\t others\t that\t were\t quite completely\t bad.\t Among\t the\t good\t things,\t I\t put\t what\t we\t may\t call\t certain Christian\t virtues,\t renunciation,\t resignation,\t sympathy\t with\t suffering,\t and\t the desire\tto\trelieve\tsufferers.\tBut\tout\tof\tthose\tthings\tspring\tvery\tbad\tones,\tuseless renunciations,\tasceticism\tfor\tits\town\tsake,\tmortification\tof\tthe\tflesh\twith\tnothing to\t follow,\t no\t corresponding\t gain\t that\t is,\t and\t that\t awful\t and\t terrible\t disease which\t devastated\t England\t some\t centuries\t ago,\t and\t from\t which\t by\t heredity\t of spirit\twe\tsuffer\tnow,\tPuritanism.\tThat\twas\ta\tdreadful\tplague,\tthe\tbrutes\theld\tand taught\tthat\tjoy\tand\tlaughter\tand\tmerriment\twere\tevil:\tit\twas\ta\tdoctrine\tthe\tmost profane\tand\twicked.\tWhy,\twhat\tis\tthe\tcommonest\tcrime\tone\tsees?\tA\tsullen\tface. That\tis\tthe\ttruth\tof\tthe\tmatter. \\\"Now\tall\tmy\tlife\tI\thave\tbelieved\tthat\twe\tare\tintended\tto\tbe\thappy,\tthat\tjoy\tis of\tall\tgifts\tthe\tmost\tdivine.\tAnd\twhen\tI\tleft\tLondon,\tabandoned\tmy\tcareer,\tsuch as\tit\twas,\tI\tdid\tso\tbecause\tI\tintended\tto\tdevote\tmy\tlife\tto\tthe\tcultivation\tof\tjoy, and,\t by\t continuous\t and\t unsparing\t effort,\t to\t be\t happy.\t Among\t people,\t and\t in constant\t intercourse\t with\t others,\t I\t did\t not\t find\t it\t possible;\t there\t were\t too\t many distractions\t in\t towns\t and\t work-rooms,\t and\t also\t too\t much\t suffering.\t So\t I\t took one\tstep\tbackwards\tor\tforwards,\tas\tyou\tmay\tchoose\tto\tput\tit,\tand\twent\tstraight to\tNature,\tto\ttrees,\tbirds,\tanimals,\tto\tall\tthose\tthings\twhich\tquite\tclearly\tpursue one\taim\tonly,\twhich\tblindly\tfollow\tthe\tgreat\tnative\tinstinct\tto\tbe\thappy\twithout any\t care\t at\t all\t for\t morality,\t or\t human\t law\t or\t divine\t law.\t I\t wanted,\t you understand,\t to\t get\t all\t joy\t first-hand\t and\t unadulterated,\t and\t I\t think\t it\t scarcely exists\tamong\tmen;\tit\tis\tobsolete.\\\" Darcy\tturned\tin\this\tchair. \\\"Ah,\t but\t what\t makes\t birds\t and\t animals\t happy?\\\"\t he\t asked.\t \\\"Food,\t food\t and mating.\\\"","Frank\tlaughed\tgently\tin\tthe\tstillness. \\\"Do\t not\t think\t I\t became\t a\t sensualist,\\\"\t he\t said.\t \\\"I\t did\t not\t make\t that\t mistake. For\t the\t sensualist\t carries\t his\t miseries\t pick-a-back,\t and\t round\t his\t feet\t is\t wound the\tshroud\tthat\tshall\tsoon\tenwrap\thim.\tI\tmay\tbe\tmad,\tit\tis\ttrue,\tbut\tI\tam\tnot\tso stupid\tanyhow\tas\tto\thave\ttried\tthat.\tNo,\twhat\tis\tit\tthat\tmakes\tpuppies\tplay\twith their\town\ttails,\tthat\tsends\tcats\ton\ttheir\tprowling\tecstatic\terrands\tat\tnight?\\\". He\tpaused\ta\tmoment. \\\"So\tI\twent\tto\tNature,\\\"\the\tsaid.\t\\\"I\tsat\tdown\there\tin\tthis\tNew\tForest,\tsat\tdown fair\tand\tsquare,\tand\tlooked.\tThat\twas\tmy\tfirst\tdifficulty,\tto\tsit\there\tquiet\twithout being\t bored,\t to\t wait\t without\t being\t impatient,\t to\t be\t receptive\t and\t very\t alert, though\tfor\ta\tlong\ttime\tnothing\tparticular\thappened.\tThe\tchange\tin\tfact\twas\tslow in\tthose\tearly\tstages.\\\" \\\"Nothing\t happened?\\\"\t asked\t Darcy\t rather\t impatiently,\t with\t the\t sturdy\t revolt against\t any\t new\t idea\t which\t to\t the\t English\t mind\t is\t synonymous\t with\t nonsense. \\\"Why,\twhat\tin\tthe\tworld\tshould\thappen?\\\" Now\t Frank\t as\t he\t had\t known\t him\t was\t the\t most\t generous\t but\t most\t quick- tempered\t of\t mortal\t men;\t in\t other\t words\t his\t anger\t would\t flare\t to\t a\t prodigious beacon,\tunder\talmost\tno\tprovocation,\tonly\tto\tbe\tquenched\tagain\tunder\ta\tgust\tof no\t less\t impulsive\t kindliness.\t Thus\t the\t moment\t Darcy\t had\t spoken,\t an\t apology for\this\thasty\tquestion\twas\thalf-way\tup\this\ttongue.\tBut\tthere\twas\tno\tneed\tfor\tit\tto have\ttraveled\teven\tso\tfar,\tfor\tFrank\tlaughed\tagain\twith\tkindly,\tgenuine\tmirth. \\\"Oh,\t how\t I\t should\t have\t resented\t that\t a\t few\t years\t ago,\\\"\t he\t said.\t \\\"Thank goodness\t that\t resentment\t is\t one\t of\t the\t things\t I\t have\t got\t rid\t of.\t I\t certainly\t wish that\tyou\tshould\tbelieve\tmy\tstory\u2014in\tfact,\tyou\tare\tgoing\tto\u2014but\tthat\tyou\tat\tthis moment\tshould\timply\tthat\tyou\tdo\tnot,\tdoes\tnot\tconcern\tme.\\\" \\\"Ah,\t your\t solitary\t sojournings\t have\t made\t you\t inhuman,\\\"\t said\t Darcy,\t still very\tEnglish. \\\"No,\thuman,\\\"\tsaid\tFrank.\t\\\"Rather\tmore\thuman,\tat\tleast\trather\tless\tof\tan\tape.\\\" \\\"Well,\tthat\twas\tmy\tfirst\tquest,\\\"\the\tcontinued,\tafter\ta\tmoment,\t\\\"the\tdeliberate and\t unswerving\t pursuit\t of\t joy,\t and\t my\t method,\t the\t eager\t contemplation\t of Nature.\tAs\tfar\tas\tmotive\twent,\tI\tdaresay\tit\twas\tpurely\tselfish,\tbut\tas\tfar\tas\teffect goes,\t it\t seems\t to\t me\t about\t the\t best\t thing\t one\t can\t do\t for\t one's\t fellow-creatures, for\t happiness\t is\t more\t infectious\t than\t small-pox.\t So,\t as\t I\t said,\t I\t sat\t down\t and","waited;\t I\t looked\t at\t happy\t things,\t zealously\t avoided\t the\t sight\t of\t anything unhappy,\t and\t by\t degrees\t a\t little\t trickle\t of\t the\t happiness\t of\t this\t blissful\t world began\t to\t filter\t into\t me.\t The\t trickle\t grew\t more\t abundant,\t and\t now,\t my\t dear fellow,\tif\tI\tcould\tfor\ta\tmoment\tdivert\tfrom\tme\tinto\tyou\tone\thalf\tof\tthe\ttorrent\tof joy\t that\t pours\t through\t me\t day\t and\t night,\t you\t would\t throw\t the\t world,\t art, everything\taside,\tand\tjust\tlive,\texist.\tWhen\ta\tman's\tbody\tdies,\tit\tpasses\tinto\ttrees and\t flowers.\t Well,\t that\t is\t what\t I\t have\t been\t trying\t to\t do\t with\t my\t soul\t before death.\\\" The\tservant\thad\tbrought\tinto\tthe\tpergola\ta\ttable\twith\tsyphons\tand\tspirits,\tand had\tset\ta\tlamp\tupon\tit.\tAs\tFrank\tspoke\the\tleaned\tforward\ttowards\tthe\tother,\tand Darcy\t for\t all\t his\t matter-of-fact\t commonsense\t could\t have\t sworn\t that\t his companion's\t face\t shone,\t was\t luminous\t in\t itself.\t His\t dark\t brown\t eyes\t glowed from\t within,\t the\t unconscious\t smile\t of\t a\t child\t irradiated\t and\t transformed\t his face.\tDarcy\tfelt\tsuddenly\texcited,\texhilarated. \\\"Go\ton,\\\"\the\tsaid.\t\\\"Go\ton.\tI\tcan\tfeel\tyou\tare\tsomehow\ttelling\tme\tsober\ttruth.\tI daresay\tyou\tare\tmad;\tbut\tI\tdon't\tsee\tthat\tmatters.\\\" Frank\tlaughed\tagain. \\\"Mad?\\\"\t he\t said.\t \\\"Yes,\t certainly,\t if\t you\t wish.\t But\t I\t prefer\t to\t call\t it\t sane. However,\t nothing\t matters\t less\t than\t what\t anybody\t chooses\t to\t call\t things.\t God never\tlabels\this\tgifts;\tHe\tjust\tputs\tthem\tinto\tour\thands;\tjust\tas\the\tput\tanimals\tin the\tgarden\tof\tEden,\tfor\tAdam\tto\tname\tif\the\tfelt\tdisposed.\\\" \\\"So\t by\t the\t continual\t observance\t and\t study\t of\t things\t that\t were\t happy,\\\" continued\the,\t\\\"I\tgot\thappiness,\tI\tgot\tjoy.\tBut\tseeking\tit,\tas\tI\tdid,\tfrom\tNature,\tI got\tmuch\tmore\twhich\tI\tdid\tnot\tseek,\tbut\tstumbled\tupon\toriginally\tby\taccident.\tIt is\tdifficult\tto\texplain,\tbut\tI\twill\ttry. \\\"About\tthree\tyears\tago\tI\twas\tsitting\tone\tmorning\tin\ta\tplace\tI\twill\tshow\tyou to-morrow.\tIt\tis\tdown\tby\tthe\triver\tbrink,\tvery\tgreen,\tdappled\twith\tshade\tand\tsun, and\t the\t river\t passes\t there\t through\t some\t little\t clumps\t of\t reeds.\t Well,\t as\t I\t sat there,\t doing\t nothing,\t but\t just\t looking\t and\t listening,\t I\t heard\t the\t sound\t quite distinctly\t of\t some\t flute-like\t instrument\t playing\t a\t strange\t unending\t melody.\t I thought\tat\tfirst\tit\twas\tsome\tmusical\tyokel\ton\tthe\thighway\tand\tdid\tnot\tpay\tmuch attention.\t But\t before\t long\t the\t strangeness\t and\t indescribable\t beauty\t of\t the\t tune struck\t me.\t It\t never\t repeated\t itself,\t but\t it\t never\t came\t to\t an\t end,\t phrase\t after phrase\t ran\t its\t sweet\t course,\t it\t worked\t gradually\t and\t inevitably\t up\t to\t a\t climax, and\t having\t attained\t it,\t it\t went\t on;\t another\t climax\t was\t reached\t and\t another\t and","another.\t Then\t with\t a\t sudden\t gasp\t of\t wonder\t I\t localized\t where\t it\t came\t from.\t It came\tfrom\tthe\treeds\tand\tfrom\tthe\tsky\tand\tfrom\tthe\ttrees.\tIt\twas\teverywhere,\tit was\t the\t sound\t of\t life.\t It\t was,\t my\t dear\t Darcy,\t as\t the\t Greeks\t would\t have\t said,\t it was\t Pan\t playing\t on\t his\t pipes,\t the\t voice\t of\t Nature.\t It\t was\t the\t life-melody,\t the world-melody.\\\" Darcy\t was\t far\t too\t interested\t to\t interrupt,\t though\t there\t was\t a\t question\t he would\thave\tliked\tto\task,\tand\tFrank\twent\ton: \\\"Well,\t for\t the\t moment\t I\t was\t terrified,\t terrified\t with\t the\t impotent\t horror\t of nightmare,\tand\tI\tstopped\tmy\tears\tand\tjust\tran\tfrom\tthe\tplace\tand\tgot\tback\tto\tthe house\t panting,\t trembling,\t literally\t in\t a\t panic.\t Unknowingly,\t for\t at\t that\t time\t I only\tpursued\tjoy,\tI\thad\tbegun,\tsince\tI\tdrew\tmy\tjoy\tfrom\tNature,\tto\tget\tin\ttouch with\tNature.\tNature,\tforce,\tGod,\tcall\tit\twhat\tyou\twill,\thad\tdrawn\tacross\tmy\tface a\tlittle\tgossamer\tweb\tof\tessential\tlife.\tI\tsaw\tthat\twhen\tI\temerged\tfrom\tmy\tterror, and\t I\t went\t very\t humbly\t back\t to\t where\t I\t had\t heard\t the\t Pan-pipes.\t But\t it\t was nearly\tsix\tmonths\tbefore\tI\theard\tthem\tagain.\\\" \\\"Why\twas\tthat?\\\"\tasked\tDarcy. \\\"Surely\tbecause\tI\thad\trevolted,\trebelled,\tand\tworst\tof\tall\tbeen\tfrightened.\tFor I\tbelieve\tthat\tjust\tas\tthere\tis\tnothing\tin\tthe\tworld\twhich\tso\tinjures\tone's\tbody\tas fear,\tso\tthere\tis\tnothing\tthat\tso\tmuch\tshuts\tup\tthe\tsoul.\tI\twas\tafraid,\tyou\tsee,\tof the\tone\tthing\tin\tthe\tworld\twhich\thas\treal\texistence.\tNo\twonder\tits\tmanifestation was\twithdrawn.\\\" \\\"And\tafter\tsix\tmonths?\\\" \\\"After\t six\t months\t one\t blessed\t morning\t I\t heard\t the\t piping\t again.\t I\t wasn't afraid\t that\t time.\t And\t since\t then\t it\t has\t grown\t louder,\t it\t has\t become\t more constant.\tI\tnow\thear\tit\toften,\tand\tI\tcan\tput\tmyself\tinto\tsuch\tan\tattitude\ttowards Nature\t that\t the\t pipes\t will\t almost\t certainly\t sound.\t And\t never\t yet\t have\t they played\tthe\tsame\ttune,\tit\tis\talways\tsomething\tnew,\tsomething\tfuller,\tricher,\tmore complete\tthan\tbefore.\\\" \\\"What\tdo\tyou\tmean\tby\t'such\tan\tattitude\ttowards\tNature'?\\\"\tasked\tDarcy. \\\"I\tcan't\texplain\tthat;\tbut\tby\ttranslating\tit\tinto\ta\tbodily\tattitude\tit\tis\tthis.\\\" Frank\t sat\t up\t for\t a\t moment\t quite\t straight\t in\t his\t chair,\t then\t slowly\t sunk\t back with\tarms\toutspread\tand\thead\tdrooped.","\\\"That,\\\"\t he\t said,\t \\\"an\t effortless\t attitude,\t but\t open,\t resting,\t receptive.\t It\t is\t just that\twhich\tyou\tmust\tdo\twith\tyour\tsoul.\\\" Then\the\tsat\tup\tagain. \\\"One\tword\tmore,\\\"\the\tsaid,\t\\\"and\tI\twill\tbore\tyou\tno\tfurther.\tNor\tunless\tyou\task me\t questions\t shall\t I\t talk\t about\t it\t again.\t You\t will\t find\t me,\t in\t fact,\t quite\t sane\t in my\tmode\tof\tlife.\tBirds\tand\tbeasts\tyou\twill\tsee\tbehaving\tsomewhat\tintimately\tto me,\tlike\tthat\tmoor-hen,\tbut\tthat\tis\tall.\tI\twill\twalk\twith\tyou,\tride\twith\tyou,\tplay golf\t with\t you,\t and\t talk\t with\t you\t on\t any\t subject\t you\t like.\t But\t I\t wanted\t you\t on the\t threshold\t to\t know\t what\t has\t happened\t to\t me.\t And\t one\t thing\t more\t will happen.\\\" He\tpaused\tagain,\tand\ta\tslight\tlook\tof\tfear\tcrossed\this\teyes. \\\"There\t will\t be\t a\t final\t revelation,\\\"\t he\t said,\t \\\"a\t complete\t and\t blinding\t stroke which\t will\t throw\t open\t to\t me,\t once\t and\t for\t all,\t the\t full\t knowledge,\t the\t full realization\tand\tcomprehension\tthat\tI\tam\tone,\tjust\tas\tyou\tare,\twith\tlife.\tIn\treality there\t is\t no\t 'me,'\t no\t 'you,'\t no\t 'it.'\t Everything\t is\t part\t of\t the\t one\t and\t only\t thing which\tis\tlife.\tI\tknow\tthat\tthat\tis\tso,\tbut\tthe\trealization\tof\tit\tis\tnot\tyet\tmine.\tBut\tit will\tbe,\tand\ton\tthat\tday,\tso\tI\ttake\tit,\tI\tshall\tsee\tPan.\tIt\tmay\tmean\tdeath,\tthe\tdeath of\tmy\tbody,\tthat\tis,\tbut\tI\tdon't\tcare.\tIt\tmay\tmean\timmortal,\teternal\tlife\tlived\there and\tnow\tand\tfor\tever.\tThen\thaving\tgained\tthat,\tah,\tmy\tdear\tDarcy,\tI\tshall\tpreach such\t a\t gospel\t of\t joy,\t showing\t myself\t as\t the\t living\t proof\t of\t the\t truth,\t that Puritanism,\tthe\tdismal\treligion\tof\tsour\tfaces,\tshall\tvanish\tlike\ta\tbreath\tof\tsmoke, and\tbe\tdispersed\tand\tdisappear\tin\tthe\tsunlit\tair.\tBut\tfirst\tthe\tfull\tknowledge\tmust be\tmine.\\\" Darcy\twatched\this\tface\tnarrowly. \\\"You\tare\tafraid\tof\tthat\tmoment,\\\"\the\tsaid. Frank\tsmiled\tat\thim. \\\"Quite\ttrue;\tyou\tare\tquick\tto\thave\tseen\tthat.\tBut\twhen\tit\tcomes\tI\thope\tI\tshall not\tbe\tafraid.\\\" For\tsome\tlittle\ttime\tthere\twas\tsilence;\tthen\tDarcy\trose. \\\"You\t have\t bewitched\t me,\t you\t extraordinary\t boy,\\\"\t he\t said.\t \\\"You\t have\t been telling\tme\ta\tfairy-story,\tand\tI\tfind\tmyself\tsaying,\t'Promise\tme\tit\tis\ttrue.'\\\"","\\\"I\tpromise\tyou\tthat,\\\"\tsaid\tthe\tother. \\\"And\tI\tknow\tI\tshan't\tsleep,\\\"\tadded\tDarcy. Frank\tlooked\tat\thim\twith\ta\tsort\tof\tmild\twonder\tas\tif\the\tscarcely\tunderstood. \\\"Well,\twhat\tdoes\tthat\tmatter?\\\"\the\tsaid. \\\"I\tassure\tyou\tit\tdoes.\tI\tam\twretched\tunless\tI\tsleep.\\\" \\\"Of\tcourse\tI\tcan\tmake\tyou\tsleep\tif\tI\twant,\\\"\tsaid\tFrank\tin\ta\trather\tbored\tvoice. \\\"Well,\tdo.\\\" \\\"Very\tgood:\tgo\tto\tbed.\tI'll\tcome\tupstairs\tin\tten\tminutes.\\\" Frank\t busied\t himself\t for\t a\t little\t after\t the\t other\t had\t gone,\t moving\t the\t table back\t under\t the\t awning\t of\t the\t veranda\t and\t quenching\t the\t lamp.\t Then\t he\t went with\this\tquick\tsilent\ttread\tupstairs\tand\tinto\tDarcy's\troom.\tThe\tlatter\twas\talready in\t bed,\t but\t very\t wide-eyed\t and\t wakeful,\t and\t Frank\t with\t an\t amused\t smile\t of indulgence,\tas\tfor\ta\tfretful\tchild,\tsat\tdown\ton\tthe\tedge\tof\tthe\tbed. \\\"Look\tat\tme,\\\"\the\tsaid,\tand\tDarcy\tlooked. \\\"The\t birds\t are\t sleeping\t in\t the\t brake,\\\"\t said\t Frank\t softly,\t \\\"and\t the\t winds\t are asleep.\t The\t sea\t sleeps,\t and\t the\t tides\t are\t but\t the\t heaving\t of\t its\t breast.\t The\t stars swing\tslow,\trocked\tin\tthe\tgreat\tcradle\tof\tthe\tHeavens,\tand\u2014\u2014\\\" He\tstopped\tsuddenly,\tgently\tblew\tout\tDarcy's\tcandle,\tand\tleft\thim\tsleeping. Morning\tbrought\tto\tDarcy\ta\tflood\tof\thard\tcommonsense,\tas\tclear\tand\tcrisp\tas the\t sunshine\t that\t filled\t his\t room.\t Slowly\t as\t he\t woke\t he\t gathered\t together\t the broken\t threads\t of\t the\t memories\t of\t the\t evening\t which\t had\t ended,\t so\t he\t told himself,\t in\t a\t trick\t of\t common\t hypnotism.\t That\t accounted\t for\t it\t all;\t the\t whole strange\t talk\t he\t had\t had\t was\t under\t a\t spell\t of\t suggestion\t from\t the\t extraordinary vivid\t boy\t who\t had\t once\t been\t a\t man;\t all\t his\t own\t excitement,\t his\t acceptance\t of the\tincredible\thad\tbeen\tmerely\tthe\teffect\tof\ta\tstronger,\tmore\tpotent\twill\timposed on\t his\t own.\t How\t strong\t that\t will\t was,\t he\t guessed\t from\t his\t own\t instantaneous obedience\t to\t Frank's\t suggestion\t of\t sleep.\t And\t armed\t with\t impenetrable commonsense\t he\t came\t down\t to\t breakfast.\t Frank\t had\t already\t begun,\t and\t was consuming\t a\t large\t plateful\t of\t porridge\t and\t milk\t with\t the\t most\t prosaic\t and healthy\tappetite.","\\\"Slept\twell?\\\"\the\tasked. \\\"Yes,\tof\tcourse.\tWhere\tdid\tyou\tlearn\thypnotism?\\\" \\\"By\tthe\tside\tof\tthe\triver.\\\" \\\"You\ttalked\tan\tamazing\tquantity\tof\tnonsense\tlast\tnight,\\\"\tremarked\tDarcy,\tin a\tvoice\tprickly\twith\treason. \\\"Rather.\tI\tfelt\tquite\tgiddy.\tLook,\tI\tremembered\tto\torder\ta\tdreadful\tdaily\tpaper for\tyou.\tYou\tcan\tread\tabout\tmoney\tmarkets\tor\tpolitics\tor\tcricket\tmatches.\\\" Darcy\tlooked\tat\thim\tclosely.\tIn\tthe\tmorning\tlight\tFrank\tlooked\teven\tfresher, younger,\t more\t vital\t than\t he\t had\t done\t the\t night\t before,\t and\t the\t sight\t of\t him somehow\tdinted\tDarcy's\tarmor\tof\tcommonsense. \\\"You\t are\t the\t most\t extraordinary\t fellow\t I\t ever\t saw,\\\"\t he\t said.\t \\\"I\t want\t to\t ask you\tsome\tmore\tquestions.\\\" \\\"Ask\taway,\\\"\tsaid\tFrank. For\t the\t next\t day\t or\t two\t Darcy\t plied\t his\t friend\t with\t many\t questions, objections\t and\t criticisms\t on\t the\t theory\t of\t life\t and\t gradually\t got\t out\t of\t him\t a coherent\tand\tcomplete\taccount\tof\t his\texperience.\tIn\tbrief\t then,\tFrank\tbelieved that\t\\\"by\tlying\tnaked,\\\"\tas\the\tput\tit,\tto\tthe\tforce\twhich\tcontrols\tthe\tpassage\tof\tthe stars,\t the\t breaking\t of\t a\t wave,\t the\t budding\t of\t a\t tree,\t the\t love\t of\t a\t youth\t and maiden,\the\thad\tsucceeded\tin\ta\tway\thitherto\tundreamed\tof\tin\tpossessing\thimself of\tthe\tessential\tprinciple\tof\tlife.\tDay\tby\tday,\tso\the\tthought,\the\twas\tgetting\tnearer to,\tand\tin\tcloser\tunion\twith\tthe\tgreat\tpower\titself\twhich\tcaused\tall\tlife\tto\tbe,\tthe spirit\tof\tnature,\tof\tforce,\tor\tthe\tspirit\tof\tGod.\tFor\thimself,\the\tconfessed\tto\twhat others\t would\t call\t paganism;\t it\t was\t sufficient\t for\t him\t that\t there\t existed\t a principle\tof\tlife.\tHe\tdid\tnot\tworship\tit,\the\tdid\tnot\tpray\tto\tit,\the\tdid\tnot\tpraise\tit. Some\tof\tit\texisted\tin\tall\thuman\tbeings,\tjust\tas\tit\texisted\tin\ttrees\tand\tanimals;\tto realize\t and\t make\t living\t to\t himself\t the\t fact\t that\t it\t was\t all\t one,\t was\t his\t sole\t aim and\tobject. Here\t perhaps\t Darcy\t would\t put\t in\t a\t word\t of\t warning.\t \\\"Take\t care,\\\"\t he\t said. \\\"To\tsee\tPan\tmeant\tdeath,\tdid\tit\tnot?\\\"","Frank's\teyebrows\twould\trise\tat\tthis. \\\"What\t does\t that\t matter?\\\"\t he\t said.\t \\\"True,\t the\t Greeks\t were\t always\t right,\t and they\t said\t so,\t but\t there\t is\t another\t possibility.\t For\t the\t nearer\t I\t get\t to\t it,\t the\t more living,\tthe\tmore\tvital\tand\tyoung\tI\tbecome.\\\" \\\"What\tthen\tdo\tyou\texpect\tthe\tfinal\trevelation\twill\tdo\tfor\tyou?\\\" \\\"I\thave\ttold\tyou,\\\"\tsaid\the.\t\\\"It\twill\tmake\tme\timmortal.\\\" But\t it\t was\t not\t so\t much\t from\t speech\t and\t argument\t that\t Darcy\t grew\t to\t grasp his\t friend's\t conception,\t as\t from\t the\t ordinary\t conduct\t of\t his\t life.\t They\t were passing,\tfor\tinstance,\tone\tmorning\tdown\tthe\tvillage\tstreet,\twhen\tan\told\twoman, very\t bent\t and\t decrepit,\t but\t with\t an\t extraordinary\t cheerfulness\t of\t face,\t hobbled out\tfrom\ther\tcottage.\tFrank\tinstantly\tstopped\twhen\the\tsaw\ther. \\\"You\told\tdarling!\tHow\tgoes\tit\tall?\\\"\the\tsaid. But\tshe\tdid\tnot\tanswer,\ther\tdim\told\teyes\twere\triveted\ton\this\tface;\tshe\tseemed to\t drink\t in\t like\t a\t thirsty\t creature\t the\t beautiful\t radiance\t which\t shone\t there. Suddenly\tshe\tput\ther\ttwo\twithered\told\thands\ton\this\tshoulders. \\\"You're\tjust\tthe\tsunshine\titself,\\\"\tshe\tsaid,\tand\the\tkissed\ther\tand\tpassed\ton. But\t scarcely\t a\t hundred\t yards\t further\t a\t strange\t contradiction\t of\t such tenderness\t occurred.\t A\t child\t running\t along\t the\t path\t towards\t them\t fell\t on\t its face,\t and\t set\t up\t a\t dismal\t cry\t of\t fright\t and\t pain.\t A\t look\t of\t horror\t came\t into Frank's\t eyes,\t and,\t putting\t his\t fingers\t in\t his\t ears,\t he\t fled\t at\t full\t speed\t down\t the street,\tand\tdid\tnot\tpause\ttill\the\twas\tout\tof\thearing.\tDarcy,\thaving\tascertained\tthat the\tchild\twas\tnot\treally\thurt,\tfollowed\thim\tin\tbewilderment. \\\"Are\tyou\twithout\tpity\tthen?\\\"\the\tasked. Frank\tshook\this\thead\timpatiently. \\\"Can't\tyou\tsee?\\\"\the\tasked.\t\\\"Can't\tyou\tunderstand\tthat\tthat\tsort\tof\tthing,\tpain, anger,\t anything\t unlovely\t throws\t me\t back,\t retards\t the\t coming\t of\t the\t great\t hour! Perhaps\twhen\tit\tcomes\tI\tshall\tbe\table\tto\tpiece\tthat\tside\tof\tlife\ton\tto\tthe\tother,\ton to\tthe\ttrue\treligion\tof\tjoy.\tAt\tpresent\tI\tcan't.\\\" \\\"But\tthe\told\twoman.\tWas\tshe\tnot\tugly?\\\" Frank's\tradiance\tgradually\treturned.","\\\"Ah,\t no.\t She\t was\t like\t me.\t She\t longed\t for\t joy,\t and\t knew\t it\t when\t she\t saw\t it, the\told\tdarling.\\\" Another\tquestion\tsuggested\titself. \\\"Then\twhat\tabout\tChristianity?\\\"\tasked\tDarcy. \\\"I\tcan't\taccept\tit.\tI\tcan't\tbelieve\tin\tany\tcreed\tof\twhich\tthe\tcentral\tdoctrine\tis that\t God\t who\t is\t Joy\t should\t have\t had\t to\t suffer.\t Perhaps\t it\t was\t so;\t in\t some inscrutable\tway\tI\tbelieve\tit\tmay\thave\tbeen\tso,\tbut\tI\tdon't\tunderstand\thow\tit\twas possible.\tSo\tI\tleave\tit\talone;\tmy\taffair\tis\tjoy.\\\" They\thad\tcome\tto\tthe\tweir\tabove\tthe\tvillage,\tand\tthe\tthunder\tof\triotous\tcool water\twas\theavy\tin\tthe\tair.\tTrees\tdipped\tinto\tthe\ttranslucent\tstream\twith\tslender trailing\t branches,\t and\t the\t meadow\t where\t they\t stood\t was\t starred\t with midsummer\t blossomings.\t Larks\t shot\t up\t caroling\t into\t the\t crystal\t dome\t of\t blue, and\t a\t thousand\t voices\t of\t June\t sang\t round\t them.\t Frank,\t bare-headed\t as\t was\t his wont,\twith\this\tcoat\tslung\tover\this\tarm\tand\this\tshirt\tsleeves\trolled\tup\tabove\tthe elbow,\t stood\t there\t like\t some\t beautiful\t wild\t animal\t with\t eyes\t half-shut\t and mouth\t half-open,\t drinking\t in\t the\t scented\t warmth\t of\t the\t air.\t Then\t suddenly\t he flung\thimself\tface\tdownwards\ton\tthe\tgrass\tat\tthe\tedge\tof\tthe\tstream,\tburying\this face\t in\t the\t daisies\t and\t cowslips,\t and\t lay\t stretched\t there\t in\t wide-armed\t ecstasy, with\t his\t long\t fingers\t pressing\t and\t stroking\t the\t dewy\t herbs\t of\t the\t field.\t Never before\t had\t Darcy\t seen\t him\t thus\t fully\t possessed\t by\t his\t idea;\t his\t caressing fingers,\this\thalf-buried\tface\tpressed\tclose\tto\tthe\tgrass,\teven\tthe\tclothed\tlines\tof his\t figure\t were\t instinct\t with\t a\t vitality\t that\t somehow\t was\t different\t from\t that\t of other\t men.\t And\t some\t faint\t glow\t from\t it\t reached\t Darcy,\t some\t thrill,\t some vibration\tfrom\tthat\tcharged\trecumbent\tbody\tpassed\tto\thim,\tand\tfor\ta\tmoment\the understood\tas\the\thad\tnot\tunderstood\tbefore,\tdespite\this\tpersistent\tquestions\tand the\tcandid\tanswers\tthey\treceived,\thow\treal,\tand\thow\trealized\tby\tFrank,\this\tidea was. Then\t suddenly\t the\t muscles\t in\t Frank's\t neck\t became\t stiff\t and\t alert,\t and\t he half-raised\t his\t head,\t whispering,\t \\\"The\t Pan-pipes,\t the\t Pan-pipes.\t Close,\t oh,\t so close.\\\" Very\t slowly,\t as\t if\t a\t sudden\t movement\t might\t interrupt\t the\t melody,\t he\t raised himself\t and\t leaned\t on\t the\t elbow\t of\t his\t bent\t arm.\t His\t eyes\t opened\t wider,\t the lower\tlids\tdrooped\tas\tif\the\tfocused\this\teyes\ton\tsomething\tvery\tfar\taway,\tand\tthe smile\t on\t his\t face\t broadened\t and\t quivered\t like\t sunlight\t on\t still\t water,\t till\t the exultance\t of\t its\t happiness\t was\t scarcely\t human.\t So\t he\t remained\t motionless\t and","rapt\t for\t some\t minutes,\t then\t the\t look\t of\t listening\t died\t from\t his\t face,\t and\t he bowed\this\thead\tsatisfied. \\\"Ah,\t that\t was\t good,\\\"\t he\t said.\t \\\"How\t is\t it\t possible\t you\t did\t not\t hear?\t Oh,\t you poor\tfellow!\tDid\tyou\treally\thear\tnothing?\\\" A\tweek\tof\tthis\toutdoor\tand\tstimulating\tlife\tdid\twonders\tin\trestoring\tto\tDarcy the\t vigor\t and\t health\t which\t his\t weeks\t of\t fever\t had\t filched\t from\t him,\t and\t as\t his normal\tactivity\tand\thigher\tpressure\tof\tvitality\treturned,\the\tseemed\tto\thimself\tto fall\teven\tmore\tunder\tthe\tspell\twhich\tthe\tmiracle\tof\tFrank's\tyouth\tcast\tover\thim. Twenty\t times\t a\t day\t he\t found\t himself\t saying\t to\t himself\t suddenly\t at\t the\t end\t of some\t ten\t minutes'\t silent\t resistance\t to\t the\t absurdity\t of\t Frank's\t idea:\t \\\"But\t it\t isn't possible;\t it\t can't\t be\t possible,\\\"\t and\t from\t the\t fact\t of\t his\t having\t to\t assure\t himself so\t frequently\t of\t this,\t he\t knew\t that\t he\t was\t struggling\t and\t arguing\t with\t a conclusion\t which\t already\t had\t taken\t root\t in\t his\t mind.\t For\t in\t any\t case\t a\t visible living\t miracle\t confronted\t him,\t since\t it\t was\t equally\t impossible\t that\t this\t youth, this\t boy,\t trembling\t on\t the\t verge\t of\t manhood,\t was\t thirty-five.\t Yet\t such\t was\t the fact. July\t was\t ushered\t in\t by\t a\t couple\t of\t days\t of\t blustering\t and\t fretful\t rain,\t and Darcy,\t unwilling\t to\t risk\t a\t chill,\t kept\t to\t the\t house.\t But\t to\t Frank\t this\t weeping change\t of\t weather\t seemed\t to\t have\t no\t bearing\t on\t the\t behavior\t of\t man,\t and\t he spent\t his\t days\t exactly\t as\t he\t did\t under\t the\t suns\t of\t June,\t lying\t in\t his\t hammock, stretched\t on\t the\t dripping\t grass,\t or\t making\t huge\t rambling\t excursions\t into\t the forest,\t the\t birds\t hopping\t from\t tree\t to\t tree\t after\t him,\t to\t return\t in\t the\t evening, drenched\t and\t soaked,\t but\t with\t the\t same\t unquenchable\t flame\t of\t joy\t burning within\thim. \\\"Catch\tcold?\\\"\the\twould\task,\t\\\"I've\tforgotten\thow\tto\tdo\tit,\tI\tthink.\tI\tsuppose\tit makes\t one's\t body\t more\t sensible\t always\t to\t sleep\t out-of-doors.\t People\t who\t live indoors\talways\tremind\tme\tof\tsomething\tpeeled\tand\tskinless.\\\" \\\"Do\tyou\tmean\tto\tsay\tyou\tslept\tout-of-doors\tlast\tnight\tin\tthat\tdeluge?\\\"\tasked Darcy.\t\\\"And\twhere,\tmay\tI\task?\\\" Frank\tthought\ta\tmoment. \\\"I\tslept\tin\tthe\thammock\ttill\tnearly\tdawn,\\\"\the\tsaid.\t\\\"For\tI\tremember\tthe\tlight blinked\tin\tthe\teast\twhen\tI\tawoke.\tThen\tI\twent\u2014where\tdid\tI\tgo?\u2014oh,\tyes,\tto\tthe meadow\twhere\tthe\tPan-pipes\tsounded\tso\tclose\ta\tweek\tago.\tYou\twere\twith\tme, do\tyou\tremember?\tBut\tI\talways\thave\ta\trug\tif\tit\tis\twet.\\\""]
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