‘Wilhelm,’ said he, ‘this is strange. I wish you to come with me!’ I helped him to dress, partly there and partly in the chaise; and no grass grew under the horses’ iron shoes between Poland Street and the Forest. Now, mind! (said the German courier) I went with Mr. James into his brother’s room, and I saw and heard myself what follows. His brother lay upon his bed, at the upper end of a long bed-chamber. His old housekeeper was there, and others were there: I think three others were there, if not four, and they had been with him since early in the afternoon. He was in white, like the figure—necessarily so, because he had his night-dress on. He looked like the figure—necessarily so, because he looked earnestly at his brother when he saw him come into the room. But, when his brother reached the bed-side, he slowly raised himself in bed, and looking full upon him, said these words: ‘JAMES, YOU HAVE SEEN ME BEFORE, TONIGHT—AND YOU KNOW IT!’ And so died! I waited, when the German courier ceased, to hear something said of this strange story. The silence was unbroken. I looked round, and the five couriers were gone: so noiselessly that the ghostly mountain might have absorbed them into its eternal snows. By this time, I was by no means in a mood to sit alone in that awful scene, with the chill air coming solemnly upon me—or, if I may tell the truth, to sit alone anywhere. So I went back into the convent-parlor, and, finding the American gentleman still disposed to relate the biography of the Honourable Ananias Dodger, heard it all out.At last she sank down on her knees beside a great arm-chair, and remained crouching there, burying her face in the cushions. She was trembling from head to foot; in all her limbs she felt as if she had a fever. She remained thus for some time, until, the door being opened quite softly, she looked up with a start, and saw her mother standing before her. Her mother had her finger on her lips to warn her not to be frightened, and she carried in her hand the little lamp she had gone to fetch to light her daughter to her room. "All is quiet now, my daughter," said the countess in a whisper; "I dare say I can find that letter now."You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing access to or distributing Project Gutenberg™ electronic works provided that: • You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from the use of Project Gutenberg™ works calculated using the method you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg™ trademark, but he has agreed to donate
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