400 AN APPAKITION. 



his recumbency and totter, supported by the arm of Mrs. Dove, 

 to his dormitory and his bed. There we must leave him, and 

 taking a few steps backward, relate his experiences of that 

 memorable evening, as in substance or in shadow they were 

 imparted next morning in the weakness of recent terror to 

 the eager but anticipative ear of Mrs. Dove. 



He had, as he declared, just entered the library, when the 

 door, as if taken by a draught though wind there was none 

 shut to behind him. The moon was shining brightly through 

 the casement opposite, and threw a long black shadow on the 

 floor from the high antique arm-chair the poet's chair placed 

 then with its back towards him, and fronting the library table, 

 which stood not far from the cold empty fireplace. Caleb 

 proceeded towards the bookcase, that division of it a little to 

 the right of the chair, and just above it, which he knew so 

 accurately to be the precise place of the desired volume. He 

 stood under it his arm was raised towards it ; but another 

 arm was stretched forth at the same time, and another hand, 

 pale and shadowy, took down the book before he could lay 

 hold of it. The apparition to which that hand belonged must 

 have risen from the great arm-chair, whose back had screen- 

 ed it on his entrance ; and before Caleb had time, if he had 

 dared, to look upon its features, was again reseated, back 

 towards him, book open, at an illustrated page, whereon it was 

 pointing with its thin white finger to the figure of a cock- 

 roach. The terrified looker-on saw it clearly for a moment, 



