more astonishing than several people
in the same place having the same fever. Nothing in the world is so
infectious as ghost-seeing. The oftener a ghost is seen, the oftener it
will be seen. In this sort of thing particularly, one fool makes many.
No, don't wait for me. Heaven only knows when I shall be released."

The door of Monk's cottage was open, but no one was to be seen within,
and no one answered to my knock, so, anxious to see him again, I groped
my way up the dark ladder-like stairs to the room above. The first thing
I saw was the bed where Monk himself was lying. They had drawn the sheet
across his face: I saw what had happened. His wife was standing near,
looking not so much grieved as stunned and tired. "Would you like to see
him, sir?" she asked, stretching out her withered hand to draw the sheet
aside. I was glad afterwards I had not refused, as, but for fear of
being ungracious, I would have done.

Since then I have seen death--"in state" as it is called--invested with
more than royal pomp, but I have never felt his presence so majestic as
in that poor little garret. I know his seal may be painful, grotesque
even: here it was wholly benign and beautiful. All discolorations had
disappeared in an even pallor as of old ivory; all furrows of age and
pain were smoothed away, and the rude peasant face was transfigured,
glorified, by that smile of ineffable and triumphant repose.

Many times that day it rose before me, never more vividly than when, at
dinner, Mrs. Molyneux, in colours as brilliant as her complexion, and
jewels as sparkling as her eyes, recounted in her silvery treble the
latest flowers of fashionable gossip. I am always glad to be one of any
audience which Mrs. Molyneux addresses, not so much out of admiration
for the discourse itself, as for the charm of gesture and intonation
with which it is delivered. But the main question--the subject of
Atherley's conversion--she did not approach till we were in the
drawing-room, luxuriously established in deep and softly-cushioned
chairs. Then, near the fire, but turned away from it so as to face us
all, and in the prettiest of attitudes, she began, gracefully
emphasising her more important points by movements of her spangled fan.

"I do not mention the name of the religion I wish to speak to you about,
because--now I hope you won't be angry, but I am going to be quite
horribly rude--because Sir George is certain to be so prejudiced
against--oh yes,