In speaking of a recent lawsuit, our conversation had turned on sequestration; and each of us, thereupon, had a story to tell a story affirmed to be true. We were a party of intimate friends, who had passed a pleasant evening, now drawing to a close, in an old family residence in the Rue de Grenelle. The aged Marquis de la Tour-Samuel, bowed beneath the weight of eighty-two winters, at last rose, and leaning on the mantelpiece, said, in: somewhat trembling tones: "I also know something strange, so strange that it has been a haunting memory all my life. It is now fifty-six years since the incident occurred, and yet not a month has passed in which I have not seen it again in a dream, so great was and is the impression of fear it felt on my mind. For ten minutes, I experienced such horrible fright that, ever since, a sort of constant terror has made me tremble at unexpected noises, and objects half-seen in the gloom of night inspire me with a mad desire to take flight. In short, I am afraid of the dark!
"Oh, no! I would not have avowed that before having reached my present age! Now I can say anything. I have never receded before real danger. So at eighty-two years of age, not feel compelled to be brave over an imaginary danger. I do
"The affair upset me so completely, and caused me such lasting and mysterious uneasiness, that I never spoke of it to anyone. I will now tell it to you exactly as it happened, without any attempt at explanation.
in July, 1827 I was in garrison at Moen. One day, walking on the quay, I met a man whom I thought Io without bein able to recall exactly where le was. Inminialy. made a movement to stop the Manager received it and extended His hand.
"He wat a friend to whom it loud been deeply touched youth. For five years, I had not seen him and he seem Aged half a century His hair was quite white, and the w with a stoop as though completely worn out. He parody comprehended my surprise for he told me or dve mito which had shattered his life.
"Having fallen madly in love with young pil he ha married her, but, after a year of more than cambly hain she died suddenly of heart failure. He had left lit ch the very day of her burial and had come to live at Rouen Tho he still dwelt, more dead than alive, desperate dan shay exhausted by grief, and so miserable that he thought comitaly of suicide.
"Now that I have found you again", said he, "I will you to render me an important service. It in to go to my old hene and get for me, from the desk of my bedroom-ourbe some papers which I greatly need. I cannot send servant o agent, as discretion and absolute silence are necessary A myself, nothing on carth would induce me to re-enter than I will give you the key of the room, which I myself locked in leaving, and the key of my desk aboa note to my pal telling him to open the chateau for you. But come and burial with me tomorrow, and we will arrange all that
"I promised to do him the slight favor he asked. hihe matter, it was nothing of a trip, his property being b miles distant from Rouen and easily reached in an born horseback.
"At ten o'clock the following day I breakfasted,tete-a-tete with my friend, but he scarcely spoke.
"He begged me to pardon him, the thought of the visit I was about to make to that room, the scene of his dead happiness, overwhelmed him, he said. He, indeed, seemed singularly girated and preoccupied, as though undergoing some
mysterious mental combat
Ac length he explained to me exactly what I had to do. It wis very simple. I must take two packages of letters and a roll of papers from the first drawer on the right of the desk of which I had the key. He added, I need not beg you to refrain from plancing at them!
"I was wounded at that remark, and told him so somewhat sharply. He stammered, 'Forgive me, I suffer so', and tears came to his eyes.
"At about one o'clock I took leave of him to accomplish my mission. The weather was glorious, and I cantered over the turf, listening to the songs of the larks and the rhythmical striking of my sword against my boot. Then I entered the forest and walked my horse. Branches of the trees caressed my face as I passed, and now and then, I caught leaf with my teeth, from sheer gladness of heart at being alive and strong on such a radiant day
"As I approached the chateau, I took from my pocket the letter I had for the gardener, and was astonished at finding it sealed. I was so irritated that I was about to turn back without having fulfilled my promise, but reflected that I should thereby display undue susceptibility. My friend's state of mind might easily have caused him to close the envelope without noticing that he did so.
"The manor seemed to have been abandoned for twenty years. The open gate was drooping from its hinges; the walks were overgrown distinguishable with grass, and the flower-beds were no longer
The noise I made by tapping loudly on a shutter brought an old man from out a door nearby, who seemed stunned with
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WORLD FAMOUS GHOST STORIES
astonishment at seeing me. On receiving my letter, he read i turned it over and over, looked me up and down, put the paper in his pocket, and finally asked: "Well! what is it you wish
"I replied shortly: 'You ought to know, since you have jus, read your master's orders. I wish to enter the chateau.
He seemed overcome. Then you are going in-in her "I began to lose patience and said sharply: 'Of course; buri that your affair?'
"He stammered in confusion: 'No-sir-but it is because that is, it has not been opened since since the death. If you will be kind enough to wait five minutes. I will if_ go to to s
"I interrupted him, angrily: 'Look here, what do you mean with your tricks? You know very well you cannot enter the room since I have the key!
"He no longer objected. Then, sir, I will show you the way
"Show me the staircase and leave me. I'll find my way without you.'
"But-sir-indeed
"This time I silenced him effectually, pushed him aside and went into the house.
"I first traversed the kitchen; then two rooms occupied by the servant and his wife; next, by a wide hall, I reached the stairs, which I mounted, and recognized the door indicated by my friend. I easily opened it and entered. The apartment was so dark that, at first, I could distinguish nothing. I stopped short my nostrils penetrated by the disagreeable, moldy odor of long unoccupied rooms. Then, as my eyes slowly became accustomed to the darkness, I saw plainly enough a large and disordered bedroom, the bed without sheets, but still retaining its mattresses and pillows, on one of which was a deep impression, as tho an elbow or a head had recently rested there. The chairs all STORES
cad
pape
WHO WAS THAT WOMAN?
69
seemed out of place. I noticed that a door, doubtless that of a closet, had remained half open.
"I first went to the window, which I opened to let in the r: but the fastenings of the shutters had grown so rusty that could not move them. I even tried to break them with my sword, but without success. As I was growing irritated over my useless efforts, and could now see fairly well in the semi-obscurity, renounced the idea of getting more light and went over to the writing-table. Seating myself in an armchair and letting down the lid of the desk, I opened the designated drawer. It was full to the top. I needed but three packages, which I knew how to recognize, and began searching for them.
"I was straining my eyes in the effort to read the superscriptions, when I seemed to hear, or rather feel, something rustle back to me. I paid no attention, believing that a draught from the window was moving some drapery. But, in a minute or so, another movement, almost imperceptible, sent a strangely disagreeable little shiver over my skin. It was so stupid to be affected, even slightly, that self-respect prevented my turning around. I had then found the second packet I needed and was about to lay my hand on the third when a long and painful sigh, uttered just over my shoulder, made me bound like a madman from my seat and land several feet away. As I jumped I had turned about, my hand on the hilt of my sword, and truly, had I not felt it at my side, I should have taken to my heels like a coward.
A tall woman, dressed in white, stood gazing to me from the back of the chair where I had been sitting an instant before.
"Such a shudder ran through all my limbs that I nearly fell backward. No one can understand, unless he had felt it, that rightful unreasoning terror! The mind becomes vague; the heart ccases to beat; the entire body grows as limp as a sponge.
I do not believe in ghosts, nevertheless, I completely gave Way to a hideous fear of the dead: and I suffered more in those
few moments than in all the rest of my life, from the irresistible anguish of supernatural fright. If she had not spoken, I should have died, perhaps! But she spoke; she spoke in a sweet sad voice, that set my nerves vibrating. I dare not say that I became master of myself and recovered my reason. No! I was so frightened that I scarcely knew what I was doing; but a certain innate pride, a remnant of soldierly instinct made me, almost in spite of myself, maintain a creditable countenance.
"She said: 'Oh! sir, you can render me a great service.
"I wanted to reply, but it was impossible for me to pronounce a word. Only a vague sound came from my throat.
"She continued: 'Will you? You can save me, cure me. I suffer frightfully. I suffer, oh! how I suffer! and she slowly seated herself in the armchair, still looking at me.
"Will you?" she said.
"I replied 'Yes' by a nod, my voice still being paralyzed.
"Then she held out to me a tortoise-shell comb, and murmured: "Comb my hair, oh! comb my hair; that will cure me; it must be combed. Look at my head-how I suffer; and my hair pulls so!"
"Her hair, unbound, very long and very black, it seemed to me hung over the back of the chair and touched the floor.
"Why did I receive that comb with a shudder, and why did I take in my hands the long, black hair which gave to my skin gruesomely cold sensation, as though I were handling snakes? I cannot tell.
"That sensation has remained in my fingers and I still tremble when I think of it.
"I combed her hair. I handled I know not how those icy licks I twisted, knotted and plaited, and braided them. She sighed and bowed her head, seeming to be happy. Suddenly she said: Thank you!' snatched the comb from my hands, and fled by the door that I had noticed ajar.
Left alone, I experienced for several seconds the horrible agitation of one who awakens from a nightmare. At length I regained my füll senses; I ran to the window, and with a mighty effort burst open the shutters, letting a flood of light into the room. Immediately I sprang to the door by which she had departed. I found it closed and immovable!
"Then a mad desire to flee came on me like a panic, the panic which soldiers know in battle. I seized the three packers of letters; ran from the room, dashed down the stairs, found myself outside, I know not how, and seeing my horse a few steps off, leaped into the saddle and galloped away
"I stopped only when I reached Rouen and my lodgings. There I shut myself into my room to reflect. For an hour I anxiously strove to convince myself that I had been the victim of a hallucination. I was about ready to believe that all I had seen was a vision, an error of my senses, when, as I approached the window, my eyes fell, by chance, upon my chest. Around the buttons of my uniform were entwined a quantity of long black hairs! One by one, with trembling fingers, I plucked them off and threw them away.
"I then called my orderly, feeling unable to see my friend that day; wishing, also, to reflect more fully upon what I ought to tell him. I had his letters carried to him, for which he gave the messenger a receipt. He asked after me most particularly and, on being told I was ill—had had a sunstroke-appeared exceedingly anxious.
Next morning I went to him, determined to tell him the truth. He had gone out the evening before and nor yet returned. I called again during the day, my friend was still absent. After Waiting a week longer without news of him, I advised the authorities, and a judicial search was instituted. Nor the slightest trace of his whereabouts or manner of disappearance was discovered.
"A minute inspection of the abandoned cheese nothing of a suspicious character. There was no india a woman had been concealed there.
"After these fruitless researches all further efforts abandoned, and in the fifty-six years that have classes then, I have heard nothing more."