like one beside himself with emotion when he thought of the pendulum
which I had described. "Now or never!--now or never!" he kept on
repeating to himself, till at last he went away. He was far too excited
to talk of anything else, or to listen either.

Later on in the evening, we were sent for to come in all haste to his
house. There we found him in great trouble of mind, and afraid to go to
bed. After talking to him for a short time, he went on to say that he
had a strange thing to tell us--that that very morning he was lying in
bed (he thought he was quite awake), and looking at a little picture of
the crucifixion which was hanging over the fireplace. While doing so he
saw as plainly as possible some black figures of imps and devils walking
along the mantelpiece with a ladder, which they placed against the wall,
evidently for the purpose of removing this picture from its place. He
watched them intently, and noticed that they seemed much troubled and
perplexed as to how they were to accomplish their task: Some of the imps
put their shoulders to the under side of the frame, while others went up
the ladder; one, in particular, mounted to the top with great dexterity,
to get the cord off the nail, but without success. Enraged at this, they
made various other attempts, but all in vain, and at last they gave up
in despair, if not something worse; for by this time they appeared
furious, and dashed the ladder down to the ground, as if it were the
fault of it, and not of themselves. In rage and disappointment, they
passed off the scene.

Presently the bedroom door opened, as he thought, and who should present
himself but "Paul Pry" (that was the name he had given to a Dissenting
preacher in the village, who was a portly man, and always went about
with a thick umbrella under his arm)--the veritable Paul Pry, umbrella
and all, standing at the door. He said to his visitor, "What do you want
here?" The phantom pointed to the picture over the mantelpiece, and
said, in a quiet, confiding way, "Now or never! Do you hear, man? Now or
never!" The man was indignant at this untimely intrusion, and bade his
visitor begone; but, for all that, he still stood at the door, and said,
"Now or never!--now or never!" He got out of bed, and went towards the
door, but the figure disappeared, saying, "Now or never!--now or never!"

Then he got into bed again, and all was still for a little while, when
suddenly the door opened a second time, and t