ven to at the bottom with a
considerable noise, and then fly open immediately, about two inches and no
more. He stood still a minute and watched, and the same thing occurred a
second and a third time. He examined the door attentively, and all the
mystery was unravelled. The latch of the door was broken, so that it could
not be fastened, and it swung chiefly upon the bottom hinge. Immediately
opposite was a window, in which one pane of glass was broken; and when the
wind was in a certain quarter, the draught of air was so strong that it
blew the door to with some violence. There being no latch, it swung open
again; and when there was a fresh gust, was again blown to. The new
proprietor lost no time in sending for a glazier, and the mysterious
noises ceased for ever. The house was replastered and repainted, and once
more regained its lost good name. It was not before two or three years,
however, that it was thoroughly established in popular favour; and many
persons, even then, would always avoid passing it, if they could reach
their destination by any other street.

A similar story is narrated by Sir Walter Scott, in his _Letters on
Demonology and Witchcraft_, the hero of which was a gentleman of birth and
distinction, well known in the political world. Shortly after he succeeded
to his title and estates, there was a rumour among the servants concerning
a strange noise that used to be heard at night in the family mansion, and
the cause of which no one could ascertain. The gentleman resolved to
discover it himself, and to watch for that purpose with a domestic who had
grown old in the family, and who, like the rest, had whispered strange
things about the knocking having begun immediately upon the death of his
old master. These two watched until the noise was heard, and at last
traced it to a small store-room, used as a place for keeping provisions of
various kinds for the family, and of which the old butler had the key.
They entered this place, and remained for some time without hearing the
noises which they had traced thither. At length the sound was heard, but
much lower than it seemed to be while they were farther off, and their
imaginations were more excited. They then discovered the cause without
difficulty. A rat, caught in an old-fashioned trap, had occasioned the
noise by its efforts to escape, in which it was able to raise the
trap-door of its prison to a certain height, but was then obliged to drop
it. The noise o