1804-24 A GHOST 17 



sounds produced by the rushing of the wind. The 

 lantern had swung open with the effort of my push 

 and the light was extinguished. As the sounds 

 died away I recognised that most melancholy and 

 strangely articulate howling to which I had often 

 in the daytime listened in the circular turret, which 

 received, like a colossal organ-pipe, the currents 

 of air that vibrated as they rushed in through four 

 or five arrow-slits in its thick walls. The effect 

 that a storm produced, blowing strongly from the 

 sea, which was not very far distant, as it beat upon 

 the walls of the old tower and played through this 

 gigantic ^Eolian apparatus, is quite inconceivable. 

 ' When I had somewhat collected my thoughts, 

 my first idea was to return to the gateway for a 

 light ; but reflection whispered " No ; they'll think 

 you were afraid to pass the corpse room in the 

 dark ; besides, they might say you couldn't miss 

 your way up the narrow spiral staircase." So, shut- 

 ting the heavy gate again, and locking it — the 

 rule of the gaol being to lock every door that you 

 passed through — I proceeded to mount the long 

 succession of stone stairs. The loneliness of my 

 position then struck coldly upon me, especially 

 when the winds, after a moment's silence, began 

 again their dismal concert of moans, screams, and 

 howls, through those arrow-slit apertures by 

 which air and light were admitted to the stair- 

 turret. In the murkiest gloom I began my 

 • ascent, and, arriving at the first grating, groped 

 vol. 1. c 



