e occurred at Paris in the last century,
and of which five hundred witnesses are cited, who have examined into
the truth of the matter with particular attention. Here is the
adventure, as related by those who wrote at the time it took
place.[667]

"The Marquis de Rambouillet, eldest brother of the Duchess of
Montauzier, and the Marquis de Precy, eldest son of the family of
Nantouillet, both of them between twenty and thirty, were intimate
friends, and went to the wars, as in France do all men of quality. As
they were conversing one day together on the subject of the other
world, after several speeches which sufficiently showed that they were
not too well persuaded of the truth of all that is said concerning it,
they promised each other that the first who died should come and bring
the news to his companion. At the end of three months the Marquis de
Rambouillet set off for Flanders, where the war was then being carried
on; and de Precy, detained by a high fever, remained at Paris. Six
weeks afterwards de Precy, at six in the morning, heard the curtains
of his bed drawn, and turning to see who it was, he perceived the
Marquis de Rambouillet in his buff vest and boots; he sprung out of
bed to embrace him to show his joy at his return, but Rambouillet,
retreating a few steps, told him that these caresses were no longer
seasonable, for he only came to keep his word with him; that he had
been killed the day before on such an occasion; that all that was said
of the other world was certainly true; that he must think of leading a
different life; and that he had no time to lose, as he would be killed
the first action he was engaged in.

"It is impossible to express the surprise of the Marquis de Precy at
this discourse; as he could not believe what he heard, he made several
efforts to embrace his friend, whom he thought desirous of deceiving
him, but he embraced only air; and Rambouillet, seeing that he was
incredulous, showed the wound he had received, which was in the side,
whence the blood still appeared to flow. After that the phantom
disappeared, and left de Precy in a state of alarm more easy to
comprehend than describe; he called at the same time his
valet-de-chambre, and awakened all the family with his cries. Several
persons ran to his room, and he related to them what he had just seen.
Every one attributed this vision to the violence of the fever, which
might have deranged his imagination; they begged him to go to bed