314 THE SPECTRE 



when my doctor advised me to remove from the enervating influence of 

 a pent-up city. By the assistance of a purer air I had nearly recovered, 

 and was living happily amidst fresh breezes and shady woods. Some 

 friends had passed the day with me, and I had indulged for the first 

 time since my illness with a glass or two of wine. After they left, 

 however, my spirits began to flag ; a lonely feeling came over me. I 

 seated myself at the window for some time, and could not help being 

 almost awfully impressed with the gloomy appearance which every 

 thing seemed to bear around me. I saw no human being, save here and 

 there some huge negro stealing his way from nightly marauding, to his 

 loghank on the plantation. A large black cloud came across the 

 heavens, and cast its dark shadows far and wide over the lofty pines, 

 and rendered objects still more obscure. All seemed hushed in a death- 

 like silence, as though nature had lost her principle of life, and lay 

 slumbering in frightful lethargy. There was not a breeze to stir the 

 motionless leaf. The atmosphere seemed stagnant, and infected with 

 disease ; gradually it grew darker still. 



During these few moments my spirits became singularly depressed ; 

 some heavy misfortune seemed to weigh on my heart ; an indescribable 

 terror of every thing around me; a dread of some hidden danger I 

 know not what. At times I felt chilled, and my teeth chattered, and 

 again a hot feverish glow came over me. I thought of my own dear 

 country of my family of her, the remembrance of whose beauty was 

 wont to cheer my wanderings, when the clock struck, as I thought, in 

 deep and sepulchral tones they died away in succession, till I counted, 

 twelve the hour when the sheeted dead walk the earth ! 



The protracted howl of some famishing clog, and the dismal monotony 

 of the whip-poor-will, sounded in unison with my feelings. The voice 

 of any human being would have broken the horrid spell ; but my ear 

 listened for it in vain. At that moment something appeared to move 

 before my window, when a sudden gust of air extinguished my light. 

 I heard a long drawn sigh, almost at my ear ! 



There was something absolutely terrible in my situation I was not 

 within call of any humau being my eyes and ears were strained to 

 catch either sight or sound, when I distinctly heard the breathing of 

 some one in my room. Immediately the idea that robbers had concealed 

 themselves crossed my mind, and that, doubtless, murder was their 

 object. In an agony of apprehension I felt for my sword, when, oh ! 

 horror ! a cold damp hand was clenched around the handle ! I sprung 

 from my seat I knew not whither ; but a dark form arose before me, 

 and held me in its dreadful embrace ! 



The thought that I was in a mortal grasp aroused the energy of my 

 nature ; a superior feeling shook off the debasing, paralizing influence 

 of fear ; and with an almost Herculean strength I seized my enemy, and 

 hurled him violently to the floor. What was my astonishment, when 

 my ears were greeted with the following dreadful exclamation: 

 " Oh, ki, massa ! massa ! ow dam ard ou squeedge ! Pompey just 

 bring ou him potecary phisick, when him dam air puff out him dam 

 candle. I nebor was sarbe so before Oh, ki ! oh, ki !" 



