er. I then waked my wife,
and both of us wondered at it, and lay so a great while, while that
increased, and at last heard it plainer, knocking, as if it were
breaking down a window for people to get out; and then removing of
stools and chairs; and plainly, by and by, going up and down our stairs.
We lay, both of us, afeard; yet I would have rose, but my wife would not
let me. Besides, I could not do it without making noise; and we did both
conclude that thieves were in the house, but wondered what our people
did, whom we thought either killed, or afeard, as we were. Thus we lay
till the clock struck eight, and high day. At last, I removed my gown
and slippers safely to the other side of the bed over my wife: and there
safely rose, and put on my gown and breeches, and then, with a firebrand
in my hand, safely opened the door, and saw nor heard any thing. Then
(with fear, I confess) went to the maid's chamber-door, and all quiet
and safe. Called Jane up, and went down safely, and opened my chamber
door, where all well. Then more freely about, and to the kitchen, where
the cook-maid up, and all safe. So up again, and when Jane come, and we
demanded whether she heard no noise, she said, "yes, and was afeard,"
but rose with the other maid, and found nothing; but heard a noise in
the great stack of chimnies that goes from Sir J. Minnes through our
house; and so we sent, and their chimnies have been swept this morning,
and the noise was that, and nothing else. It is one of the most
extraordinary accidents in my life, and gives ground to think of Don
Quixote's adventures how people may be surprised, and the more from an
accident last night, that our young gibb-cat

[A male cat. "Gib" is a contraction of the Christian name Gilbert
(Old French), "Tibert".

"I am melancholy as a gib-cat"

Shakespeare, I Henry IV, act i., sc. 3.

Gib alone is also used, and a verb made from it--"to gib," or act
like a cat.]

did leap down our stairs from top to bottom, at two leaps, and frighted
us, that we could not tell well whether it was the cat or a spirit, and
do sometimes think this morning that the house might be haunted. Glad
to have this so well over, and indeed really glad in my mind, for I
was much afeard, I dressed myself and to the office both forenoon
and afternoon, mighty hard putting papers and things in order to my
extraordinary satisfaction, and con