began to manifest itself in the flight of some, and the
close huddling together of the rest. Our goblin now perceived us; he
approached, and, as we drew reverentially back, made a low bow. The sight
was irresistibly ludicrous even to our hapless band, and his politeness was
hailed by a shout of laughter;--then, again springing up, as a last
effort, it sunk to the ground, and became almost invisible through the
dusky night. This circumstance again spread silence and fear through the
troop; the more courageous at length advanced, and, raising the dying
wretch, discovered the tragic explanation of this wild scene. It was an
opera-dancer, and had been one of the troop which deserted from
Villeneuve-la-Guiard: falling sick, he had been deserted by his companions;
in an access of delirium he had fancied himself on the stage, and, poor
fellow, his dying sense eagerly accepted the last human applause that could
ever be bestowed on his grace and agility.

At another time we were haunted for several days by an apparition, to which
our people gave the appellation of the Black Spectre. We never saw it
except at evening, when his coal black steed, his mourning dress, and plume
of black feathers, had a majestic and awe-striking appearance; his face,
one said, who had seen it for a moment, was ashy pale; he had lingered far
behind the rest of his troop, and suddenly at a turn in the road, saw the
Black Spectre coming towards him; he hid himself in fear, and the horse and
his rider slowly past, while the moonbeams fell on the face of the latter,
displaying its unearthly hue. Sometimes at dead of night, as we watched the
sick, we heard one galloping through the town; it was the Black Spectre
come in token of inevitable death. He grew giant tall to vulgar eyes; an
icy atmosphere, they said, surrounded him; when he was heard, all animals
shuddered, and the dying knew that their last hour was come. It was Death
himself, they declared, come visibly to seize on subject earth, and quell
at once our decreasing numbers, sole rebels to his law. One day at noon, we
saw a dark mass on the road before us, and, coming up, beheld the Black
Spectre fallen from his horse, lying in the agonies of disease upon the
ground. He did not survive many hours; and his last words disclosed the
secret of his mysterious conduct. He was a French noble of distinction,
who, from the effects of plague, had been left alone in his district;
during many months, he had wand