Ejected By A Ghost

''V]! ,-.tll VM iv"' T V,-!..'Tl [II' Ulllx-liO1. Vïl Lii a in u iiiyiit wiih w&ff :i WO o LUM1 ■■ 1 bad taken mychamhersiii Gray's Inn square, and was iuclined to like them. They were od tho seooud iloor, umi consisto! of thiüii rooms. The door on the lunding opened to a narrow pasaago, at b ■ end of which, on the right, wm tlic door of the siMftng rooin, tho throe windowa of whiohlookod 0:1 to adingy green expanse, whereatooda i'owtull, ;annt, Londun troes. In oae corner oi' tlio sitting room was a door leading into the pitdui' ihu bedroom, whiuh comiuuuioated with o dressing room, and had 1 door leading into tue end of tho passage, to tho loi't of the m.iin ontranoo {rom the landing, ïhus I could make a completo circuit of my premisos ; from tho sitting room, through the bel and dressing room into the ptMSttge, and through tho passage into the sitting-room again. I am oxions to b anderstood on this point, s a realización of the topography of the ilace is necees iry for tho com prehensión f the inoidents I 1 ivo to relate. I will premiso by assuring my reader bat at tii time of which I am speaking I was in thorough physical hc ilth. As is the case with most sucking barristeis, I rather prided rayself on caltivating a habit of iiiiad that should uot permit me to bo nnduly imm SSed by causes unwarrantedby calm rohetion. I had Loonauoustomed to a sodentary, to some extent, a so'itary lite, and in moving to apply niysolf unreniittingly to legal studies. My new uhambets h:id been unoooupioJ f jr some tnonths, an 1 aftor inakiug suro that they had bnen wellcleaned and soruboed, I sent in my fumiture, and t ).)k i ■sussiou. It was on a ohiU, darle üctober evening, that, aftor diuing at my accustom -d eating-house, I wended my way to my qnarters. I shall never forget that opening. Thero wis a heavy, olammy fesling in tlio streste, and as I turnc.l into tho dreary siuaro tho air s. i'iii 1 heavier and olimiuior. ();i urriviiifi at my chamber.-1, I l'ouml tho L ■- 1" spirlt-sod Ion old oreature, w 1 had attuched herself to me a laundresj and chirwoman, in the not of setting o-.ú. ths te 1 tilines. T.ie lamp was Hgl tei, and and a bnghtflre bamed in tho grate. On m , coming in tlu old woman umuibled a fjw wor.ls, th : 111 an'.nj; of waioh I did not catch ; however, well plc.ised witii thj air of comfoit she Fiad impaitad 10 the place, I wished hoï a cheury goodDigllt as nhe v.'cüt out. Having clos3d and lockod tho outer door, I return;!! down the pMsago into thoaittlng-10 m. 1 can purfeotly reoall to mini it? appearancu that niilit.. Tho polished foruiture was gleaminjrand glittering in the liglit! the windovvs were vailed by thick cuitiiK, and the door leading into the bedroom stood iij ir. I OOngrtvtuTated mysclf on my posseaaions, au 1 h ivisg pourcd myself out a oup of toa, and lightëd my pipe, seated myselfwith a volume of HalI11111 in (tn arm-eluiir by tbo fll'O. I had buo.i re.i iiagfor some tima, my incnd had eom.what wanderod to avague, sle py cons doration of matrera not stiiotly r,'h;va.ut to oonstitutional his.oiy. when I. becaino avaro of a btrange all-pervading ohül, so suddtn, so ucuíe, that I rose ghivering, in the oxpoctation of floding one of the windows op ju. Bot no, thev wora all cloned and l'asiened. Thruugh the panea 1 could discorn the gaunt branches of trees, unstirrud by any gust of wind. Ou glanoisg roood the room I notieed the lame of the lamp, whioh, Uiongh somewhat dim, did not Bioker or seem agitatod by the icy stream of air which ohilled me to the bones. Tin: bedroom door, as I mentioned before, was ajar, and the draughj might proceed from 011e of the ïn&er rooms. I lighted a candi'.' with the intention of looking through them. The inataatl enterad the bedroom the ciindlü went out; not Buddenly, as from ;i currorit of air, but quiutly, instantaueously, as though it had been introduced into an atmosphere of oarbonio acid gas. At the same moment, the 8DBsation of cold cama over ine, win ten times greater intensiiy ih.iu bcfort). Thè gaslight in the square shonc feebly into the rooms, 1 was able to liiiil my way through them into the passagB, and bacs into tlie sitting-room. My sengationg appeared to bc somewhat unaocountable : but attribuling them to socno druaght, of which 1 eould asoertain simii thing in the morning, 1 oloscd the doors and resumed lny place by the fire. After little whilo I feil again into luy interrupted train of dreamy thought, and I gradually LeLl asleej. Xow, before proooeding f urther, I tnay state that I have never been a victim of nervous fancies. Nothing had ever occurred to me hearing in the remotest way on the events I am about to relate - cvents utterly incxplioabltí by natural causes, and yet so fantastically real that eren after a lapso of mony years, I cali them to ïnind with a shudder of horror. I remember as though it were yesterday the appearance of the room as I raused lazilyin my arm chair before going to sleep. The soundof anorgan which was being played in some noigTlboring btreet, caine to me fitfully, at timos again seeming to proceed from some groat distanco. The ftre had burned low, occasionaily oraokling and tickling. The lamp, as I have mcntioiied, was burning dimty, and a largo portion of the room was in deep shaduw. I do not l:now how long I had beiüi asleep, when 1 beoafUS conscious of my own being. I oannot say that 1 awaki'iied, for though all my mental facnltiee werestrugglingpainfüliy into Ufe, my vital act ion seemed suspended, and I was unable to move hand or toot. A cold perspiration burst from all niv porefl as I made Vail) eflorts to sh:i.ke Ou the incubus that was upon me. My feeling was 0110 of impotence; it was as though I had been frozen into a solid Ulpc)j of ico. I eadeavorud to cail out ; I hau no power over my voioe, and could not utter a word. But as I gasped and panted) there stole into my nostrils a deadly, terriblo, overpowering sb -nch, unmistakable in its pènetrating sickliuess lome wiioluul frequented hospitals. [t was the dread odor of decomposing mortality tliai was suffooating me as 1 sat. 1 feit tKat 1 must break th sjiell or die, With oue torrible exertion that Btrained every nerve and niuscle, I buist from the chair and feil c,ow.ering on my kuooa befo e the tiro. Tho kamp had gono 011 ; a f lint gle m fioin the fire anorded t1 e only Ught in the room. I relighted th 1 lamp. and havisfr swallowed a t;las' o I braudy, enacavoid to c jVcc'. my thcuhts. My üv.st den. wasthat n dead body must bo concoalcd somewhero in tho room. The hideotu odorstill olurigtomy nosinïs. and the abuirJity ut' suoh a suppoaitiozi did not strike mu. I searched tku room, but of courselbundnot.hin, tkougk to 11: ;. iisiunisiiiiicnt-, the bedroom door, wliirii I had narei'ully olosed, was Wide o]iun. A.i f ulv.uiivd towaid it witli the ïuuution oí clañag it again, ny lamp wns -xtiüi;ui.sui'il in the same uaacooantublu manuur us boi'on; ; 1 iookud it, houever, seourely, and again struik u light. liy thig time 1 had suüioiently retí '■■I to endeavor t'i reoonoilo my si.si tions to natural oaáses, or at uuy rut; to n formidable attaok ot' nigbtmare. I Ughtod my pipo, in the hope of ueutraliziugthe terrible sfcóuoh V. it stül perraded tïiH room. Leaning on thij mantelpieue, I ictu i'.iy stnile 1 al beholding my own p.ilo, foared-looking f:iue in tbc mirï'or. As I louki'.i, suddenly evory ]m!so in my lin.[y gtoo I still. I buheld thi .; u: the bodroou) nou:-, which gradaally-, uoiselossly, opened !:' itaelf, I triod to oomiaaud inysolf, and tiur,cd rouiid towards the door. Thesatne intense thrill of cold, but not a soul was chere. l ootisiderud for an instant, uuJ iross-exarnhicd mysalf as to Qiy uwiv conlition. It wus evident that my ñervos wore eomplotöly uiistruug, and [dec is I saw ifofleoted in the looking glasa my iv:i }jhastly-loo!;iii)i face, tliat L was nut .: a condition to investígate the matter any f urther for tilo night, A dread was upon niü tliat I could nüt shake pit'; go, ïasiily, putting qu my great coat and lat, I lnur;i-'l out oí' the room, througli he passage, tbund mysolt' on tho landing vitli a h-ih of relief, and, LocMngthe outr door, wulked to tho rooins oí' a friend vh'jlivcd in the aeighborhood. S ., who w.vs roiiding for tho In[ian Civil Service, was glad to seu me, md oli'erud mo 11 shake down for the night. I infoïiued hiui at duco of the auso of my ignominious flight froia the ooms. My axperiences had been too unuista!cably real for mo to dread ridicule n the ralátion of them. Ho, oonfessing anreservedly that I had been al frihtenod out of my wits, I sat patiëntly cnouiíh .;■ h end ivored to provo satisfaotorily that mysensations wai'o ontirely due to nerves or indigestión. BoíWe retiring to rest, however, wc agreed to spend tho follovnng night togflthor in my ohambera. Iu the uorning wc won1 :).bout out respective dutles, with iizl arrangement to meet at dinrur in tho evoïiiii"-. I id not cali atGray'g Inn sonare during the day ; and what with attonding to lectures and reading tough fc&w, had not only overuomo any idea of suparíüitural ágency ia the -jvunt of tliè preceding night, but, as theevening drew near, i to thiuk of th6 matter. It was about 8 o'clook a-s wo onteréd tho rooms t ge1 b t. Tii'j oíd lftundíoss had evidenfcly beon ;ii work, us on the preooding evoriiug. The ftra was burning brightly, the lamp was lightcd, and the tea thiugg wure set on tho tablo. Wo walked through the rooms ;t:i 1 found overytbiug in perfect order. S ■ laughiugly enrieu ma my coinfort iblo qu irters, Showing by his manner th it lus wis m re than over convino I I had been the vietim of a:i exceodiu ;lv b-i'l attack of nightniaro. After i Kttlu while we ugreed tó play at choss, and irranged a stiiall sid.i table in front ot' tho fire. I in the arui-ohair, wiih niy to i li ■ bed room door, ás o;i tho prúvtoíu uight. b w.is s?ated oppjsito' 1 1 in t qupótly fttcing the door, whichl hid icloied, lócked tul boHod Ou coinjleting ' our tour of Luspcution. S , wlio wa, ' in high spirits, joking at mo tho whllü I rouieinberbd, howovpr, tlio uacomfott blo tundency it haJ ta opon oa its pwn account, und dtorinined thatit shouLl bc as seüuroly fastonod í (jood lo;:k and bolt would aduiit of. We wero bolh fair playera - aboiit oqually niatchod. Two houis, perhaps, had tlapsod, when the iniei.-.-ú of tli' fi:tnio eulmiuated, and w were upusidoriag it with au inteatuesá kuown ouly to ohesu pluyers. The move was with iuü. Enowing it to 'o a i:t i'. i,:al OilO, I WO8 COIlüidirl'illg it at Uülgtll n all its aspeóla; íny decisión was nst t'onncd, and I was on the pointof lAOTing a piece. whun gittduully, sui-ly, I became inviiiv ut' t!i.' s:;nni xtraonlinary sonsation p oold as ou the uight before, jusi as ifthe suiToundiiifi atinojphere wuro beooining icod into solidity. 1 t'ult that the bedrooin doorbehind mo was opening, 1 lookod up witli the intentiou ot' Oi'.lliuj; S 's iitti'nürm tu tin: )lii:miiiijuun, but my fnovement wm unuecessary ; lic was iiially conscioi.8 of it.with myselfc Se had risen froui his chair, and i nevev forget tho expression oi liis I which was livid and distaried. Ilis oyes were wide open and tumod toll on the door that was behind my chair. All hls t'uatuius were convulsed, and bis appeafance, as hebent forvard, as if inintenaity of horrififid expeotation, waa porfectly terrijio. I actually s.iw !iis hair lift froui liis lirad and the great beada of sweat Stood nu his forehoad. He toók not tho slighttst notice of my uoveuaent, but slowly raiseJ one hand, as if poiuting oethiug iü the room behilid then saddenly, and without giving me a moinent-'s warning, with one loud yell of agonizad terror, he dashed to the dpor leadinií into the passage and out of tbe main door, which slammod Eeavily behind him. I hastoñed after him into the passare'. Then l remoinbeved that tha outev door olosed with a siü-in look, and that thu key was in the pocket ot' my great coat, which was hanging in 1. 1 ■ í ben room. We had inadvoitently lolt. tb.door open on coming in, and thus K- - had been riiablnl to ■ - ' . t would bc ible to describe my feeíin;i;sat t'nulmyself alono in the passajro. How long it was before I miistered up iraffioieni presence ofmindfor fefleotion l cinnot teil, but at last I realizad to niyulf the fact tbat to leave mv room it was iieee - sary to rct the key.. With a desperate je I returnnd to tho sitti&g room. The lamp was eitingidshod; tho ñir. mis burning with a sickly giare. With dosed eyes I advancocl into tho bedroom. I quickly found my way to tho peg Ot which my coat was hanging, wlu-u sotoqtKiiiLc h ijipcnril thaccaused tuyhea'nto stanil slill, and my 'olood to i'rect1. ! hèurd a ïnovoment in the passage - a strange, heavy, shuffliug sound, us of a body dragging itsélf down the ■■ Au impulso seized mu, unaóoountable as all thé it!?er evriits f tbat memorable night. I fait impelled to follow the thiag that w;u ]),tinfully, slowly drAgging itsülf dowii thé passage. I steppcd uto the dressing room and asi moved on 1 heard it move on before nfe. T quicUened my paoa, I rah ; still 1 could not overtakc thüt hich I Btlll hoard dragging itaelf ;.long. Altor tlirco or four headlong rushes foouiróum to room, 1 stopped inthe iuiddlu of the sitting room to recover breath. As I stood a revulsión of fooling oame over me. Jfy eagei ao 9 to confront and discover tli bouo Is I cöuld hear, to hoiror. . ï lolt my life and : i-immju to ibp nd on my escape. As L i moveq to the bedroom oor, it olose,d in my facie. I f.antically endoavored tQ I l'orco .tho lock. The thing was i)ragfrint; itself iilong the passagn into the rooin n which I was. Again the uauseatingstench of the night Défore rose into uiv iiostrüs ; I ruehed to the window with the inteation of (hrowing it open und jumping inLn tlic spaci: buuoath but is was too lato. I tuniod my pyea dowuwards. A man writhiiig on the uoor, liis features blue, bloated, and dooomp tho eye balls tnrnud up, yct buaiin i'ull uiion me, daad and glossy, and impuie phosphoivsocii t liffhi ('iiiuij ;itin t'i'oiu tlitï body itaill'. As l ■'■■■■l, one diycolored band was raisüd to the throut, in whioh I peicoivod ahiduoui pásb.. It drew it80lf gr.idually ologu Ui niu. I bocamo insoiisiblu. rUcu I wus liscoveradin the nioraing, my ïrieads, who had bo u telographed for, reinovod mo to tbe couútry, uniere, tmotigst cheeifúl scenus nud peoplc, I soon tecovrod, S ■ died ui braln tarot withio tbvea 4aya of tlie night on vvLioh hu sat and wutchod with in.'. 1 bava never oared to mako any inquiries as to tliu previoua iniaato oí the ohivaibers i. oeoupie i for eo short a timo. !idoud, nuthiug would induuo mo v;vcr again to enter Gray's Inu square.