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sensible　and　firm。　　He　reasoned　with　her；　that　to　encourage　such

fancies　was　to　invite　melancholy；　if　not　madness。　　That　it　rested

with　herself　to　be　herself。　　That　if　she　once　resisted　her　strange

weakness；　so　successfully　as　to　receive　the　Signor　Dellombra　as　an

English　lady　would　receive　any　other　guest；　it　was　for　ever

conquered。　　To　make　an　end；　the　signore　came　again；　and　mistress

received　him　without　marked　distress　（though　with　constraint　and

apprehension　still）；　and　the　evening　passed　serenely。　　Master　was

so　delighted　with　this　change；　and　so　anxious　to　confirm　it；　that

the　Signor　Dellombra　became　a　constant　guest。　　He　was　accomplished

in　pictures；　books；　and　music；　and　his　society；　in　any　grim

palazzo；　would　have　been　welcome。



I　used　to　notice；　many　times；　that　mistress　was　not　quite

recovered。　　She　would　cast　down　her　eyes　and　droop　her　head；　before

the　Signor　Dellombra；　or　would　look　at　him　with　a　terrified　and

fascinated　glance；　as　if　his　presence　had　some　evil　influence　or

power　upon　her。　　Turning　from　her　to　him；　I　used　to　see　him　in　the

shaded　gardens；　or　the　large　half…lighted　sala；　looking；　as　I　might

say；　'fixedly　upon　her　out　of　darkness。'　　But；　truly；　I　had　not

forgotten　la　bella　Carolina's　words　describing　the　face　in　the

dream。



After　his　second　visit　I　heard　master　say：



'Now；　see；　my　dear　Clara；　it's　over！　　Dellombra　has　come　and　gone；

and　your　apprehension　is　broken　like　glass。'



'Will　he　…　will　he　ever　come　again？'　asked　mistress。



'Again？　　Why；　surely；　over　and　over　again！　　Are　you　cold？'　（she

shivered）。



'No；　dear　…　but　…　he　terrifies　me：　　are　you　sure　that　he　need　come

again？'



'The　surer　for　the　question；　Clara！'　replied　master；　cheerfully。



But；　he　was　very　hopeful　of　her　complete　recovery　now；　and　grew

more　and　more　so　every　day。　　She　was　beautiful。　　He　was　happy。



'All　goes　well；　Baptista？'　he　would　say　to　me　again。



'Yes；　signore；　thank　God；　very　well。'



We　were　all　（said　the　Genoese　courier；　constraining　himself　to

speak　a　little　louder）；　we　were　all　at　Rome　for　the　Carnival。　　I

had　been　out；　all　day；　with　a　Sicilian；　a　friend　of　mine；　and　a

courier；　who　was　there　with　an　English　family。　　As　I　returned　at

night　to　our　hotel；　I　met　the　little　Carolina；　who　never　stirred

from　home　alone；　running　distractedly　along　the　Corso。



'Carolina！　　What's　the　matter？'



'O　Baptista！　　O；　for　the　Lord's　sake！　where　is　my　mistress？'



'Mistress；　Carolina？'



'Gone　since　morning　…　told　me；　when　master　went　out　on　his　day's

journey；　not　to　call　her；　for　she　was　tired　with　not　resting　in　the

night　（having　been　in　pain）；　and　would　lie　in　bed　until　the

evening；　then　get　up　refreshed。　　She　is　gone！　…　she　is　gone！

Master　has　come　back；　broken　down　the　door；　and　she　is　gone！　　My

beautiful；　my　good；　my　innocent　mistress！'



The　pretty　little　one　so　cried；　and　raved；　and　tore　herself　that　I

could　not　have　held　her；　but　for　her　swooning　on　my　arm　as　if　she

had　been　shot。　　Master　came　up　…　in　manner；　face；　or　voice；　no　more

the　master　that　I　knew；　than　I　was　he。　　He　took　me　（I　laid　the

little　one　upon　her　bed　in　the　hotel；　and　left　her　with　the

chamber…women）；　in　a　carriage；　furiously　through　the　darkness；

across　the　desolate　Campagna。　　When　it　was　day；　and　we　stopped　at　a

miserable　post…house；　all　the　horses　had　been　hired　twelve　hours

ago；　and　sent　away　in　different　directions。　　Mark　me！　by　the　Signor

Dellombra；　who　had　passed　there　in　a　carriage；　with　a　frightened

English　lady　crouching　in　one　corner。



I　never　heard　（said　the　Genoese　courier；　drawing　a　long　breath）

that　she　was　ever　traced　beyond　that　spot。　　All　I　know　is；　that　she

vanished　into　infamous　oblivion；　with　the　dreaded　face　beside　her

that　she　had　seen　in　her　dream。



'What　do　you　call　THAT？'　said　the　German　courier；　triumphantly。

'Ghosts！　　There　are　no　ghosts　THERE！　　What　do　you　call　this；　that　I

am　going　to　tell　you？　　Ghosts！　　There　are　no　ghosts　HERE！'





I　took　an　engagement　once　（pursued　the　German　courier）　with　an

English　gentleman；　elderly　and　a　bachelor；　to　travel　through　my

country；　my　Fatherland。　　He　was　a　merchant　who　traded　with　my

country　and　knew　the　language；　but　who　had　never　been　there　since

he　was　a　boy　…　as　I　judge；　some　sixty　years　before。



His　name　was　James；　and　he　had　a　twin…brother　John；　also　a

bachelor。　　Between　these　brothers　there　was　a　great　affection。

They　were　in　business　together；　at　Goodman's　Fields；　but　they　did

not　live　together。　　Mr。　James　dwelt　in　Poland　Street；　turning　out

of　Oxford　Street；　London；　Mr。　John　resided　by　Epping　Forest。



Mr。　James　and　I　were　to　start　for　Germany　in　about　a　week。　　The

exact　day　depended　on　business。　　Mr。　John　came　to　Poland　Street

（where　I　was　staying　in　the　house）；　to　pass　that　week　with　Mr。

James。　　But；　he　said　to　his　brother　on　the　second　day；　'I　don't

feel　very　well；　James。　　There's　not　much　the　matter　with　me；　but　I

think　I　am　a　little　gouty。　　I'll　go　home　and　put　myself　under　the

care　of　my　old　housekeeper；　who　understands　my　ways。　　If　I　get

quite　better；　I'll　come　back　and　see　you　before　you　go。　　If　I　don't

feel　well　enough　to　resume　my　visit　where　I　leave　it　off；　why　YOU

will　come　and　see　me　before　you　go。'　　Mr。　James；　of　course；　said　he

would；　and　they　shook　hands　…　both　hands；　as　they　always　did　…　and

Mr。　John　ordered　out　his　old…fashioned　chariot　and　rumbled　home。



It　was　on　the　second　night　after　that　…　that　is　to　say；　the　fourth

in　the　week　…　when　I　was　awoke　out　of　my　sound　sleep　by　Mr。　James

coming　into　my　bedroom　in　his　flannel…gown；　with　a　lighted　candle。

He　sat　upon　the　side　of　my　bed；　and　looking　at　me；　said：



'Wilhelm；　I　have　reason　to　think　I　have　got　some　strange　illness

upon　me。'



I　then　perceived　that　there　was　a　very　unusual　expression　in　his

face。



'Wilhelm；'　said　he；　'I　am　not　afraid　or　ashamed　to　tell　you　what　I

might　be　afraid　or　ashamed　to　tell　another　man。　　You　come　from　a

sensible　country；　where　mysterious　things　are　inquired　into　and　are

not　settled　to　have　been　weighed　and　measured　…　or　to　have　been

unweighable　and　unmeasurable　…　or　in　either　case　to　have　been

completely　disposed　of；　for　all　time　…　ever　so　many　years　ago。　　I

have　just　now　seen　the　phantom　of　my　brother。'



I　confess　（said　the　German　courier）　that　it　gave　me　a　little

tingling　of　the　blood　to　hear　it。



'I　have　just　now　seen；'　Mr。　James　repeated；　looking　full　at　me；

that　I　might　see　how　collected　he　was；　'the　phantom　of　my　brother

John。　　I　was　sitting　up　in　bed；　unable　to　sleep；　when　it　came　into

my　room；　in　a　white　dress；　and　regarding　me　earnestly；　passed　up　to

the　end　of　the　room；　glanced　at　some　papers　on　my　writing…desk；

turned；　and；　still　looking　earnestly　at　me　as　it　passed　the　bed；

went　out　at　the　door。　　Now；　I　am　not　in　the　least　mad；　and　am　not

in　the　least　disposed　to　invest　that　phantom　with　any　external

existence　out　of　myself。　　I　think　it　is　a　warning　to　me　that　I　am

ill；　and　I　think　I　had　better　be　bled。'



I　got　out　of　bed　directly　（said　the　German　courier）　and　began　to

get　on　my　clothes；　begging　him　not　to　be　alarmed；　and　telling　him

that　I　would　go　myself　to　the　doctor。　　I　was　just　ready；　when　we

heard　a　loud　knocking　and　ringing　at　the　street　door。　　My　room

being　an　attic　at　the　back；　and　Mr。　James's　being　the　second…floor

room　in　the　front；　we　went　down　to　his　room；　and　put　up　the　window；

to　see　what　was　the　matter。



'Is　that　Mr。　James？'　said　a　man　below；　falling　back　to　the　opposite

side　of　the　way　to　look　up。



'It　is；'　said　Mr。　James；　'and　you　are　my　brother's　man；　Robert。'



'Yes；　Sir。　　I　am　sorry　to　say；　Sir；　that　Mr。　John　is　ill。　　He　is

very　bad；　Sir。　　It　is　even　feared　that　he　may　be　lying　at　the　point

of　death。　　He　wants　to　see　you；　Sir。　　I　have　a　chaise　here。　　Pray

come　to　him。　　Pray　lose　no　time。'



Mr。　James　and　I　looked　at　one　another。　　'Wilhelm；'　said　he；　'this

is　strange。　　I　wish　you　to　come