mediately at hand, when they were carried home to him, he
ordered them to be laid down in a closet which opened into his own
apartment. The evening came; and Junker, according to custom, proceeded
to resume his literary labour before he retired to rest. It was now near
midnight, and all his family were fast asleep, when he heard a rumbling
noise in his closet. Thinking that, by some mistake, the cat had been
shut up with the dead bodies, he arose, and, taking the candle, went to
see what had happened. But what must have been his astonishment, or
rather his panic, on perceiving that the sack which contained the two
bodies was rent through the middle. He approached, and found that one
of them was gone.
The doors and windows were well secured, and he thought it impossible
the bodies could have been stolen. He tremblingly looked round the
closet, and observed the dead man seated in a corner.
Junker stood for a moment motionless: the dead man seemed to look
towards him; he moved both to the right and left, but the dead man still
kept his eyes upon him.
The Professor then retired, step by step, with his eyes still fixed upon
the object of his alarm, and holding the candle in his hand, until he
reached the door. The dead man instantly started up, and followed him. A
figure of so hideous an appearance, naked, and in motion--the lateness
of the hour--the deep silence which prevailed--every thing concurred to
overwhelm him with confusion. He let fall the only candle which he had
burning, and all was darkness. He made his escape to his bed-chamber,
and threw himself on the bed: thither, however, he was pursued; and he
soon felt the dead man embracing his legs, and loudly sobbing. Repeated
cries of "Leave me! leave me!" released Junker from the grasp of the
dead man; who now exclaimed, "Ah! good executioner! good executioner!
have mercy upon me."
Junker soon perceived the cause of what had happened, and resumed his
fortitude. He informed the re-animated sufferer who he really was, and
made a motion, in order to call up some of the family. "You wish then to
destroy me," exclaimed the criminal. "If you call any one, my adventure
will become public, and I shall be taken and executed a second time. In
the name of humanity, I implore you to save my life."
The physician struck a light, decorated his guest with an old
night-gown, and, having made him take off a cordial, requested to know
what had brought him to the gibbet. It wo
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