fiend come in,
stealthily and feebly step across to the bricked-up door, and scratch
at the wall in hopeless despair until the blood gushed out from beneath
his torn finger-nails; then he went downstairs, took a horse out of the
stable, and finally put him back again. Did you also hear the cock
crowing in a distant farmyard up at the village? You came and awoke me,
and I soon resisted the baneful ghost of that terrible man, who is
still able to disturb in this fearful way the quiet lives of the
living." The old gentleman stopped; and I did not like to ask him
further questions, being well aware that he would explain everything to
me when he deemed that the proper time was come for doing so. After
sitting for a while, deeply absorbed in his own thoughts, he went on,
"Cousin, do you think you have courage enough to encounter the ghost
again now that you know all that happens,--that is to say, along with
me?" Of course I declared that I now felt quite strong enough, and
ready for what he wished. "Then let us watch together during the coming
night," the old gentleman went on to say. "There is a voice within me
telling me that this evil spirit must fly, not so much before the power
of my will as before my courage, which rests upon a basis of firm
conviction. I feel that it is not at all presumption in me, but rather
a good and pious deed, if I venture life and limb to exorcise this foul
fiend that is banishing the sons from the old castle of their
ancestors. But what am I thinking about? There can be no risk in the
case at all, for with such a firm, honest mind and pious trust that I
feel I possess, I and everybody cannot fail to be, now and always,
victorious over such ghostly antagonists. And yet if, after all, it
should be God's will that this evil power be enabled to work me
mischief, then you must bear witness, cousin, that I fell in honest
Christian fight against the spirit of hell which was here busy about
its fiendish work. As for yourself, keep at a distance; no harm will
happen to you then."

Our attention was busily engaged with divers kinds of business until
evening came. As on the day before, Francis had cleared away the
remains of the supper, and brought us our punch. The full moon shone
brightly through the gleaming clouds, the sea-waves roared, and the
night-wind howled and shook the oriel window till the panes rattled.
Although inwardly excited, we forced ourselves to converse on
indifferent topics. The ol