He immediately looked
about him, but except the usual inanimate objects of nature, he could
see nothing. Whatever it is, thought he, or, rather, whoever it is, he
has thought proper to remain undiscovered in the darkness. I shall now
bid him good-night, and proceed on my way home. He accordingly moved
on once more, when, to his utter astonishment, he heard the footsteps
again, precisely within the same distance of him as before.
"Tut," said he, "I now perceive what the matter with me is. This is a
mere hallucination, occasioned by a disordered state of the nerves; and
as he spoke he returned his pistols into his breast pockets, where
he usually wore them, and once more resumed his journey. There
was, however, something in the sound of the footsteps--something so
hollow--so cold, as it were, and so unearthly, that he could not throw
off the unaccountable impression which it made upon him, infidel and
sceptic as he was upon all supernatural intimations and appearances. At
length, he proceeded, or rather they proceeded, onward until he arrived
within sight of what he supposed to be the haunted house.
Pages:
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177