FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73  
74   75   76   >>  
' he'd say, 'and a mass of hair, and two legs, and the light caught on its eyes.' "Well, that's the tale of that tomb, Mr. Lake; it's one we don't tell to our visitors, and I should be obliged to you not to make any use of it till I'm out of the way. I doubt Mr. Evans'll feel the same as I do, if you ask him." This proved to be the case. But over twenty years have passed by, and the grass is growing over both Worby and Evans; so Mr. Lake felt no difficulty about communicating his notes--taken in 1890--to me. He accompanied them with a sketch of the tomb and a copy of the short inscription on the metal cross which was affixed at the expense of Dr. Lyall to the centre of the northern side. It was from the Vulgate of Isaiah xxxiv., and consisted merely of the three words-- IBI CUBAVIT LAMIA. THE STORY OF A DISAPPEARANCE AND AN APPEARANCE THE STORY OF A DISAPPEARANCE AND AN APPEARANCE The letters which I now publish were sent to me recently by a person who knows me to be interested in ghost stories. There is no doubt about their authenticity. The paper on which they are written, the ink, and the whole external aspect put their date beyond the reach of question. The only point which they do not make clear is the identity of the writer. He signs with initials only, and as none of the envelopes of the letters are preserved, the surname of his correspondent--obviously a married brother--is as obscure as his own. No further preliminary explanation is needed, I think. Luckily the first letter supplies all that could be expected. LETTER I GREAT CHRISHALL, _Dec. 22, 1837_. MY DEAR ROBERT,--It is with great regret for the enjoyment I am losing, and for a reason which you will deplore equally with myself, that I write to inform you that I am unable to join your circle for this Christmas: but you will agree with me that it is unavoidable when I say that I have within these few hours received a letter from Mrs. Hunt at B----, to the effect that our Uncle Henry has suddenly and mysteriously disappeared, and begging me to go down there immediately and join the search that is being made for him. Little as I, or you either, I think, have ever seen of Uncle, I naturally feel that this is not a request that can be regarded lightly, and accordingly I propose to go to B---- by this afternoon's mail, reaching it late in the evening. I shall not go to the Rectory, but put up at the King's Hea
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73  
74   75   76   >>  



Top keywords:

letter

 

letters

 

DISAPPEARANCE

 

APPEARANCE

 
ROBERT
 

enjoyment

 

regret

 

supplies

 

brother

 

married


obscure
 

correspondent

 
envelopes
 
preserved
 

surname

 

preliminary

 
LETTER
 

expected

 
CHRISHALL
 
explanation

needed

 

Luckily

 

unable

 

afternoon

 
begging
 
propose
 

disappeared

 

mysteriously

 

effect

 

suddenly


immediately

 
search
 

lightly

 

naturally

 

request

 
Little
 

reaching

 

regarded

 
circle
 

Rectory


inform

 

deplore

 

reason

 
equally
 

Christmas

 

evening

 

received

 

initials

 

unavoidable

 

losing