1828.] A Night at Venice. 145 
the most approved expedients adopted. I smothered myself first under 
my sheet, then under my silk handkerchief. I drew my night-cap 
over my entire visage, then ensconced my upper part under a band-box ; 
but it was of no avail. I arose weary and feverish, and walked towards 
the window, which the sagacious servant had closed at sunset, as a sure 
specific against the entrance of these owl-light visitors. In my way to 
open it, my ear was caught by a heavy smash, as of crockery or glass, 
in the adjoining apartment. This was followed by a loud and unequivo- 
cal oath, uttered in broad English. In sympathy of suffering, I meekly 
asked what might be the matter? upon which a voice exclaimed in 
answer, “ What the deuce! You are at that door now, are you? And 
you want to know what’s the matter? Allow me to ask you the same 
question, for I’m getting impatient at all this clatter of yours?” 
I answered the stranger, and my fellow-lodger—for such he was— 
that I could not guess to what he alluded. 
« What!’ cried he, “ then wasn’t it you who thumped at the other 
door just now ; and so, dragged me from my bed, to the eternal destruc- 
tion of this crockery-ware, and damage of my shin ?” 
« Certainly not,” I replied. 
« Then,” said he, “ the devil, or some of his imps, are abroad to-night, 
destroying my peace and the king’s, by the most wanton clamour I ever 
swore at in my life.” And these words were no sooner uttered, than a 
gentle tap was distinctly heard—even by myself—at the outer door of the 
stranger’s room. Our chambers had a common wall, and door of commu- 
nication, and the unexplained noise was on the farther side, along which 
ranacorridor. My neighbour challenged the disturber, without effect, and 
his nerves began to be a little shaken. A conference was then proposed, and 
having got into his room through the common door, I recommended admis- 
sion of the visitor, and a trial of his character in proper presence. My new 
friend seemed sore puzzled how to receive this proposal. There was 
much hemming and haughing, but at length, with a mutual determina- 
tion to stand by each other, the door was opened. What sight greeted 
us then! By the feeble light of a night-lamp carried in our visitor’s 
hand, we could discern the figure of a female, clothed apparently in 
nothing beyond her bedroom garments, save as to her head, which was 
covered with a bonnet and long black veil. We started with much sur- 
prise and something like terror. Irritated and excited as I had been by 
my broken sleep, it was no wonder that my spirits had lost some little of 
their robustness ; and my companion had made up his mind to a guest 
of so opposite a description, as to be even more startled than myself by 
the apparition. She put her finger slowly to her lips, and pointing along 
the corridor, advanced two or three steps from the door-way. We stood 
in amazement, and our hesitation seemed to disappoint her, for returning 
to her original post, she laid her hand, it might be rather forcibly, on my 
friend’s arm, and urged him on in the direction she had pointed out. A 
thousand times more forcibly did he grasp my wrist, determined at any 
‘rate to have a sharer in his perils ; for my own part I could not conjec- 
ture the secret springs of this mystery. At times I thought our guide 
was a bodyless phantom, then I feared she might be a maniac, but more 
often I made it out to be entirely a dream, and that her whole existence 
ha the fabrication of a mind teased and stimulated by the agency of 
p e p green mosquito. I rubbed my eyes stoutly, and was con- 
__vineed of my being awake. Upon this, I was proceeding to address the 
M.M. New Series—Vou. V1. No.32. U 
