d gentleman had placed his striking watch on
the table; it struck twelve. Then the door flew open with a terrific
bang, and, just as on the preceding night, soft slow footsteps moved
stealthily across the hall in a diagonal direction, whilst there were
the same sounds of sighing and moaning. My uncle turned pale, but his
eyes shone with an unusual brilliance. He rose from his arm-chair,
stretching his tall figure up to its full height, so that as he stood
there with his left arm propped against his side and with his right
stretched out towards the middle of the hall, he had the appearance of
a hero issuing his commands. But the sighing and moaning were growing
every moment louder and more perceptible, and then the scratching at
the wall began more horribly even than on the previous night. My uncle
strode forwards straight towards the walled-up door, and his steps were
so firm that they echoed along the floor. He stopped immediately in
front of the place, where the scratching noise continued to grow worse
and worse, and said in a strong solemn voice, such as I had never
before heard from his lips, "Daniel, Daniel! what are you doing here at
this hour?" Then there was a horrible unearthly scream, followed by a
dull thud as if a heavy weight had fallen to the ground. "Seek for
pardon and mercy at the throne of the Almighty; that is your place.
Away with you from the scenes of this life, in which you can nevermore
have part." And as the old gentleman uttered these words in a tone
still stronger than before, a feeble wail seemed to pass through the
air and die away in the blustering of the storm, which was just
beginning to rage. Crossing over to the door, the old gentleman slammed
it to, so that the echo rang loudly through the empty anteroom. There
was something so supernatural almost in both his language and his
gestures that I was deeply struck with awe. On resuming his seat in his
arm-chair his face was as if transfigured; he folded his hands and
prayed inwardly. In this way several minutes passed, when he asked me
in that gentle tone which always went right to my heart, and which he
always had so completely at his command, "Well, cousin?" Agitated and
shaken by awe, terror, fear, and pious respect and love, I threw myself
upon my knees and rained down my warm tears upon the hand he offered
me. He clasped me in his arms, and pressing me fervently to his heart
said very tenderly, "Now we will go and have a good quiet sleep