ous of enlightening
himself upon the matter, and took the trouble to examine carefully
into the circumstances which were related to him. As this adventure
became the subject of every conversation, very soon nothing was heard
but stories of ghosts, related by the credulous, and laughed at and
joked upon by the freethinkers. However, M. de S. tried to reassure
himself, and go the following night into his bed, and become worthy of
conversing with the spirit, which he doubted not had something to
disclose to him. He slept till nine o'clock the next morning, without
having felt anything but slight shakes, as the mattresses were raised
up, which had only served to rock him and promote sleep. The next day
passed off pretty quietly; but on the 26th, the spirit, who seemed to
have become well-behaved, resumed its fantastic humor, and began the
morning by making a great noise in the kitchen; they would have
forgiven it for this sport if it had stopped there, but it was much
worse in the afternoon. M. de S., who owns that he felt himself
particularly attracted towards his study, though he felt a repugnance
to enter it, having gone into it about six o'clock, went to the end of
the room, and returning towards the door to go into his bed-room
again, was much surprised to see it shut of itself and barricade
itself with the two bolts. At the same time, the two doors of a large
press opened behind him, and rather darkened his study, because the
window, which was open, was behind these doors.

"At this sight, the fright of M. de S. is more easy to imagine than to
describe; however, he had sufficient calmness left, to hear at his
left ear a distinct voice, which came from a corner of the closet, and
seemed to him to be about a foot above his head. This voice spoke to
him in very good terms during the space of half a _miserere_; and
ordered him, _theeing_ and _thouing_ him to do some one particular
thing, which he was recommended to keep secret. What he has made
public is that the voice allowed him a fortnight to accomplish it in;
and ordered him to go to a place, where he would find some persons who
would inform him what he had to do; and that it would come back and
torment him if he failed to obey. The conversation ended by an adieu.

"After that, M. de S. remembers that he fainted and fell down on the
edge of a box, which caused him a pain in his side. The loud noise and
the cries which he afterwards uttered brought several people in h