20 PROFESSOR OWEN ch. I. 



recalled my scattered senses in some degree. I 

 raised the sheet, and returning a few steps saw 

 the moon that had broken out gleaming brightly 

 through one of the arrow-slit windows upon the 

 central stone pillar. Here I found that advantage 

 had been taken of the current of air admitted 

 by the arrow-slit to hang up a sheet to dry on 

 the opposite pillar. I could also see where a 

 nail, driven into a crevice of the stone-work, had 

 been apparently used to suspend the sheet. I 

 hung the sheet up again and soon saw how the 

 upper round opening of the arrow-slit, pictured in 

 bright moonlight upon the sheet, had made the 

 head of the apparition ; some folds of the sheet 

 and an excited imagination completed the ghastly 

 physiognomy. Every trace of the supernatural 

 had vanished. I was excited even to laughter 

 (my merriment was somewhat hysterical, I must 

 admit), and I then deliberately reascended to take 

 a second and cool scrutiny of ghost number one. 

 It was of course due to the moonlight through 

 the other window. It really wanted but little 

 imagination to complete the picture. Every- 

 thing had concurred to prepare my mind to 

 receive the supernatural interpretation of it. All 

 the same, I was not sorry to emerge into the open 

 air of the courtyard. The old turnkey, when I 

 presented myself at the inner gate of the entrance 

 tower, could not help asking, as he scrutinised 

 my pale face by the light of his lamp, " what 



