o. I had a character through life of loving a
jest, and did not belie it at the last. But I had also as general a
reputation for sincerity, and of that also conclusive proof was given at
the same time. In serious truth, then, I am a disembodied spirit, and
the form in which I now manifest myself is subject to none of the
accidents of matter. You are still incredulous! Feel, then, and be
convinced!

My incomprehensible guest extended his hand toward me as he spoke. I
held forth mine to accept it, not, indeed, believing him, and yet not
altogether without some apprehensive emotion, as if I were about to
receive an electrical shock. The effect was more startling than
electricity would have produced. His hand had neither weight nor
substance; my fingers, when they would have closed upon it, found nothing
that they could grasp: it was intangible, though it had all the reality
of form.

"In the name of God," I exclaimed, "who are you, and wherefore are you
come?"

"Be not alarmed," he replied. "Your reason, which has shown you the
possibility of such an appearance as you now witness, must have convinced
you also that it would never be permitted for an evil end. Examine my
features well, and see if you do not recognise them. Hans Holbein was
excellent at a likeness."

I had now for the first time in my life a distinct sense of that sort of
porcupinish motion over the whole scalp which is so frequently described
by the Latin poets. It was considerably allayed by the benignity of his
countenance and the manner of his speech, and after looking him steadily
in the face I ventured to say, for the likeness had previously struck me,
"Is it Sir Thomas More?"

"The same," he made answer, and lifting up his chin, displayed a circle
round the neck brighter in colour than the ruby. "The marks of
martyrdom," he continued, "are our insignia of honour. Fisher and I have
the purple collar, as Friar Forrest and Cranmer have the robe of fire."

A mingled feeling of fear and veneration kept me silent, till I perceived
by his look that he expected and encouraged me to speak; and collecting
my spirits as well as I could, I asked him wherefore he had thought
proper to appear, and why to me rather than to any other person?

He replied, "We reap as we have sown. Men bear with them from this world
into the intermediate state their habits of mind and stores of knowledge,
their dispositions and affections and desires; and these be