a friend who was worthy of that name. It
would, perhaps, have been well for me if I
could have deluded myself as some men can;
but I could not help perceiving how hollow
and selfish is what the world calls friendship,
and so I found myself alone. I rarely went
out to see any one, unless on business; but
my solitary life fretted me till it became
almost insupportable. Other causes,
connected with my business, contributed to annoy
me. I had several losses, and became involved
in a Chancery suit about my uncle's title to
some land.

It was about this time that I began to see
visions. We had had a long continuance of
stormy weather, and the noise of the wind
had kept me awake for several nights brooding
over these things. One afternoon I went
out to see a client at some distance, and
returned a little before dark. I opened the
outer gate with a key, and went round, and
let myself in at the back, as I sometimes did.
I did not hear my housekeeper moving about
below. I called to her; but she did not
answer, and I went upstairs, to find some
papers on my table. As I opened the door of
my room—it being then still daylight—I
distinctly saw my uncle sitting in his chair at
the table. I could not be mistaken: his head
was bent over the desk as if he were writing.
I uttered no exclamation, though I cannot
say that I did not feel alarmed. I advanced
towards him, but the form, still bent in the
attitude that I have described, moved before
me like my own shadow, and disappeared
near a door leading into an adjoining room.

I was much agitated; but I did not lose
my presence of mind. I examined the place
where he had sat; my papers were exactly as
I had left them, and the chair was drawn up
close to the table. Next I walked over to
the door where I had last seen him; but I
found it shut. I rang the bell, and my
housekeeper came up. I asked her if any one had
been there; but she said she had seen no one,
and I then went into the next room, but I
saw nothing remarkable.

My housekeeper must have noticed my
agitation, though I did not tell her what I
had seen. For a long time after, I could not
banish the circumstance from my mind. I
believe my actions must have appeared strange
at this time; for I noticed that my housekeeper
avoided me as if she feared me. Some
of my old clients, too, left me without assigning
any cause. All this naturally irritated
me. Once, I stopped my housekeeper, and
asked her why she avoided me: but she
made some excuse that I knew was not the
true one, I did not suspect that she remained
there as a spy upon my actions; and that all
these little things were regularly noted, and
reported to my family—who, no doubt, paid
her well for her treachery; but one day I
found her out.

A certain Dr. Barker, a retired physician,
who lived in town, and knew our family,
called upon me, desiring to have my opinion
on a simple point of law. My housekeeper
looked confused when she announced him,
and I suspected his true errand immediately;
but I resolved to baffle him. I answered his
question calmly, and we chatted about my
uncle. When he was about to leave me, I
asked him carelessly " if he had heard any
news of my brother Lionel lately?"

"I saw him only yesterday," replied the
doctor: " he appeared to be in the enjoyment
of good health."

"Is he staying at my father's house? " I
asked.

"I believe he is," said the doctor.

"Are you not quite sure of this, doctor,"
said I, scrutinising his features. (I thought
he looked a little abashed.)

"I certainly did understand that he
intended to stay there for some time," replied
my visitor.

"Doctor," said I, rising from my seat in
order to cut short our interview. " You are
not acting frankly with me. I know the
object of your visit; though I shall be happy
to see you at any time, if those who employ
you think it worth while to send you." My
visitor stammered out some excuses and
departed. This was the first and last visit that
I received from Dr. Barker.

I felt much exasperated against my brother.
I had received Palmer's money that very day.
This was the property that my uncle had
meant him to have, but I firmly resolved that
night that he should never touch a sixpence
of it. I was not bound to furnish him with
an arm to be used against myself. As to my
housekeeper, as I was not yet quite sure that
she betrayed me, I determined to treat her as
before; but to watch her closely.

These things had driven from my mind the
vision that I had seen; but I was soon
afterwards visited by an apparition, still more
extraordinary. I generally went myself to see
that all doors and windows were fastened,
before I retired to bed. One night, being
tired, I trusted this duty to my housekeeper.
I knew her to be a careless woman, however,
and fearing afterwards that she had omitted
to fasten some place, I descended again. I
found everything secure. Our doors and
shutters were plated with iron, and the lower
windows, at the back, were crossed with bars
left there from the time when it had been a
madhouse. I was thinking to myself that a
burglar would have some difficulty in getting
in there, and was leisurely ascending the top-
most flight of stairs, with the candle in my
hand, when I became suddenly aware of some
one walking close behind me. I turned round
sharply, and found a woman there. She had
a very pale face: and I saw a chain about
her neck. I was more terrified this time than
I had been before. I cried out in a loud
voice; but I trembled violently, and the
candle fell from my hand. My housekeeper
was not a-bed yet: she heard my cry, and