he touched a
spring, and instantly every wax figure was in motion, imitating the
movements of real life with wonderful fidelity! A closet in one corner
contained the machinery of these automatons; and the whole affair was
the invention of an ingenious German, whose talents had been misapplied
to its creation. It had formerly constituted a private exhibition; but,
after the murder of her husband, Mrs. Franklin had purchased it at a
large cost.

'By Satan!' cried the Dead Man--'those Franklins are ladies after my own
heart; lecherous, murderous and abandoned, they are meet companions for
me. What a splendid contrivance! It needs but the additions of myself
and the superb Josephine, to render it complete!'

He left the room, and entered an elegant bed-chamber which adjoined it.
It was the chamber of Josephine; and her full-length portrait hung upon
the wall; there was her proud brow, her wanton eyes, her magnificent
bust, uncovered, and seeming to swell with lascivious emotions.
Everything was sumptuous, yet everything lacked that beautiful propriety
which is so charming a characteristic of the arrangements of a virtuous
woman--one whose purity of soul is mirrored in all that surrounds her.
The bed, gorgeous though it was, seemed, in its shameless disorder, to
have been a nest of riotous harlotry. Costly garments lay trampled under
foot; a bird in a golden-wired prison, was gasping and dying for want of
nourishment; splendidly-bound books, with obscene contents, were
scattered here and there, and a delicate white slipper, which Cinderella
might have envied, was stuffed full with letters. The Dead Man examined
the documents; and among them was a paper, in the handwriting of
Josephine, which we shall take the liberty of transcribing:--

'PRIVATE JOURNAL.--'Monday. Passed last evening with Signor
Pacci, the handsome Italian Opera singer. Was rather
disappointed in my expectations; he is impetuous, but * * * *.'

'Tuesday. Have just made an appointment with ---- the actor;
he came to my box last night, between the acts, and made a
thousand tender pretensions. _Mem._--must try and get rid of
Tom the coachman--am tired of him; besides it is _outre_ to
permit liberties to a menial.'

'Thursday. Am bored to death with the persecutions of Rev. Mr.
----. I cannot endure him, he is so ugly. _Mem._--His son is a
charming youth of sixteen; must try and get him.'

'Satur