ts were, or how he came in these parts."

Again the landlady ceased suddenly, as before, and I noticed again that
the creature's eye was fixed upon her.

"What a very mysterious personage," I resumed, affecting not to notice
the magnetic spell the worthy dame appeared to be under. "I am
interested in this odd creature. Tell me more of him."

Mine hostess was unable to reply.

"Why do you pause?" I asked. "Why do you not answer?"

The creature's eye was upon me now, and I experienced a curious
sensation, as if my voice was suddenly taken away from me, that I had no
power to move a limb; in fact, that I was completely in the power of
this horrible imp; but rousing myself, I determined to combat against
this spell, and I succeeded in stammering a few words with the utmost
difficulty. But that fearful eye was again upon me, and my tongue was
completely tied; my limbs grew stiff and paralysed, and so I remained
for some minutes, till the eye was removed.

"What can this strange feeling be which has just come over me?" I asked.
"I never felt so in all my life before."

The cretin's eye vacillated between me and the dame, as if to forbid
further conversation. Feeling tired, and not caring for further
discourse, as well as glad of an excuse to escape from my friend, whose
mysterious power over myself I had already experienced and therefore
could not deny, I thought I would take rest until the morning, so I
asked for a candle, and was shown into a small chamber with a heap of
straw in one corner of it. I partly undressed, and fell asleep.

Thus I reposed till an early hour in the morning, though still dark,
when I was suddenly awakened by a terrific snore. I started up, and
remained in a sitting position. A pause, then again there was a long,
deep-drawn, unmistakable repetition of the same. I fixed my eyes on the
spot whence the sound proceeded, and perceived, as well as the darkness
would permit, a heap upon the floor in the opposite corner of the
apartment.

Who could it be? I was about to strike a light to satisfy my curiosity,
though I had but little doubt it was my friend of the previous evening,
when the sleeper, to my surprise, began talking in his sleep; and my
ill-favoured friend, it seemed, was dumb.

My hand was arrested in the act of striking a light, as the speaker
began talking loud and fast and in a very peculiar strain. I was curious
to hear more of his conversation; accordingly I refrained at present