orner of the apartment, and lo! before her
stood the form of the departed duchess. The figure moved through the
room, approached near the lady, and, looking with great sweetness,
said, "Beauclair, between the hours of twelve and one this night you
will be with me." Having said this, the spirit vanished. So convinced
was Madame de Beauclair, though in excellent health and spirits, that
her dissolution was at hand, that she sent for her friends, to whom
she gave tokens of friendship, and summoned a clergyman to administer
spiritual consolation. All who visited the lady endeavoured to
dissuade her from giving way to thoughts which there seemed not the
least probability of being verified. "Talk not to me," she said to
those who imagined she was labouring under a singular delusion, "with
the view of making me believe that my eyes and ears have deceived me:
my time is short, and I would not have the small space allowed me to
be with you wasted in vain delusion. I know I have seen the Duchess of
Mazarin, and am convinced that her words will come true." Twelve
o'clock was about to strike, yet, to all appearance, Madame de
Beauclair continued in good health. Another attempt, to no purpose,
was made to remove all apprehension of early dissolution. The only
response that came was, "I am already sick at heart." Her countenance
suddenly changed, and before half an hour expired she had entered the
world of spirits.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

Sir George Villiers' Ghost warning his Son of
Danger--Warnings Neglected--Duke of Buckingham
Murdered--Apparitions do not lie--Lord Lyttelton and
others profaning Christmas--A Troubled
Mind--Apparition of a Suicide--Neglected
Warning--Deception of Friends--Accusing a Ghost of
Falsehood--Approach of the Ominous Hour--Alarm--Lord
Lyttelton found Dead at the dreaded time--Death of an
old Roman King--Alarming Prodigies--Tales from the
_Eddas_--A Scandinavian Warrior's Ghost--An Icelandic
Lady's Ghost--Spectral Appearance--Mysterious Death of
a Herdsman--Fear of approaching Calamities--Man beaten
to Death by a Ghost--Association of Ghosts--Demon in
the shape of a Seal--Apparitions of Drowned
Men--Christians not disturbed by Spectres--A Band of
Demons thirty strong--Priest exorcising Evil
Spirits--Spirits frightened away.

An officer in the king's service at Windsor Castle, in the beginning
of the