that the
doctor should put Dolph to pass the night alone in that dismal house,
where he might be spirited away, no one knew whither; while others
observed, with a shrug, that if the devil did carry off the youngster,
it would be but taking his own.

These rumours at length reached the ears of the good Dame Heyliger,
and, as may be supposed, threw her into a terrible alarm. For her son
to have opposed himself to danger from living foes, would have been
nothing so dreadful in her eyes as to dare alone the terrors of the
haunted house. She hastened to the doctor's, and passed a great part
of the day in attempting to dissuade Dolph from repeating his vigil;
she told him a score of tales, which her gossiping friends had just
related to her, of persons who had been carried off when watching
alone in old ruinous houses. It was all to no effect. Dolph's pride,
as well as curiosity, was piqued. He endeavoured to calm the
apprehensions of his mother, and to assure her that there was no truth
in all the rumours she had heard; she looked at him dubiously, and
shook her head; but finding his determination was not to be shaken,
she brought him a little thick Dutch Bible, with brass clasps, to take
with him, as a sword wherewith to fight the powers of darkness; and,
lest that might not be sufficient, the housekeeper gave him the
Heidelburgh catechism by way of dagger.

The next night, therefore, Dolph took up his quarters for the third
time in the old mansion. Whether dream or not, the same thing was
repeated. Towards midnight, when every thing was still, the same sound
echoed through the empty halls--tramp--tramp--tramp! The stairs were
again ascended; the door again swung open; the old man entered, walked
round the room, hung up his hat, and seated himself by the table. The
same fear and trembling came over poor Dolph, though not in so violent
a degree. He lay in the same way, motionless and fascinated, staring
at the figure, which regarded him, as before, with a dead, fixed,
chilling gaze. In this way they remained for a long time, till, by
degrees, Dolph's courage began gradually to revive. Whether alive or
dead, this being had certainly some object in his visitation; and he
recollected to have heard it said, that spirits have no power to speak
until they are spoken to. Summoning up resolution, therefore, and
making two or three attempts before he could get his parched tongue in
motion, he addressed the unknown in the most sole