d to me, "do you not
see? It is Death who is approaching us."

I would have answered, but in the same moment another stronger and
still more icy gust roared through the garden. The leaves turned pale
on the trees, the flowerets bent their heads, and the bees and
butterflies fell lifeless to the earth. "That is Death," whispered my
companion, trembling.

A third icy gust blew the last leaves from the bushes, white crosses
and gravestones appeared between the bare twigs--and I was in the
churchyard again and heard the screaming of the rusty weather vane.
Beside me stood a heavy brass-bound coffin with a metal plate on the
cover. I bent down to read the inscription, the cover rolled off
suddenly, and from out the coffin rose the form of the young girl who
had been with me in the garden. I stretched out my arms to clasp her
to my breast--then, oh horror! I saw the greenish-gleaming, empty eye
sockets of the skull. I felt bony arms around me, dragging me back
into the coffin. I screamed aloud for help and woke up.

My room seemed unusually light; but I remembered that it was a
moonlight night and thought no more of it. I tried to explain the
visions of my dream with various natural noises about me. The
imprisoned fly buzzed as loudly as a whole swarm of bees; one half of
my window had blown open, and the cold night air rushed in gusts into
my room.

I sprang up to close the window, and then I saw that the strong white
light that filled my room did not come from the moon, but seemed to
shine out from the church opposite. I heard the chiming of the bells,
soft at first, as if in far distance, then stronger and stronger
until, mingled with the rolling notes of the organ, a mighty rush of
sound struck against my windows. I stared out into the street and
could scarcely believe my eyes. The houses in the market place just
beyond were all little one-story buildings with bow windows and wooden
eave troughs ending in carved dragon heads. Most of them had balconies
of carved woodwork, and high stone stoops with gleaming brass rails.

But it was the church most of all that aroused my astonishment. Its
position was completely changed. Its front turned toward our house
where usually the side had stood. The church was brilliantly lighted,
and now I perceived that it was this light which filled my room. I
stood speechless amid the chiming of the bells and the roaring of the
organ, and I saw a long wedding procession moving slowly up