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table from which it had been so mysteriously withdrawn； but it had
stopped at the very moment it was so withdrawn； nor； despite all
the skill of the watchmaker； has it ever gone since；that is； it
will go in a strange； erratic way for a few hours； and then come to
a dead stop； it is worthless。
Nothing more chanced for the rest of the night。 Nor； indeed； had I
long to wait before the dawn broke。 Not till it was broad daylight
did I quit the haunted house。 Before I did so； I revisited the
little blind room in which my servant and myself had been for a
time imprisoned。 I had a strong impressionfor which I could not
accountthat from that room had originated the mechanism of the
phenomena； if I may use the term； which had been experienced in my
chamber。 And though I entered it now in the clear day； with the
sun peering through the filmy window； I still felt； as I stood on
its floors； the creep of the horror which I had first there
experienced the night before； and which had been so aggravated by
what had passed in my own chamber。 I could not； indeed； bear to
stay more than half a minute within those walls。 I descended the
stairs； and again I heard the footfall before me； and when I opened
the street door； I thought I could distinguish a very low laugh。 I
gained my own home； expecting to find my runaway servant there； but
he had not presented himself； nor did I hear more of him for three
days； when I received a letter from him； dated from Liverpool to
this effect：
〃HONORED SIR；I humbly entreat your pardon； though I can scarcely
hope that you will think that I deserve it； unlesswhich Heaven
forbid！you saw what I did。 I feel that it will be years before I
can recover myself； and as to being fit for service； it is out of
the question。 I am therefore going to my brother…in…law at
Melbourne。 The ship sails to…morrow。 Perhaps the long voyage may
set me up。 I do nothing now but start and tremble； and fancy it is
behind me。 I humbly beg you； honored sir； to order my clothes； and
whatever wages are due to me； to be sent to my mother's； at
Walworth；John knows her address。〃
The letter ended with additional apologies； somewhat incoherent；
and explanatory details as to effects that had been under the
writer's charge。
This flight may perhaps warrant a suspicion that the man wished to
go to Australia； and had been somehow or other fraudulently mixed
up with the events of the night。 I say nothing in refutation of
that conjecture； rather； I suggest it as one that would seem to
many persons the most probable solution of improbable occurrences。
My belief in my own theory remained unshaken。 I returned in the
evening to the house； to bring away in a hack cab the things I had
left there； with my poor dog's body。 In this task I was not
disturbed； nor did any incident worth note befall me； except that
still； on ascending and descending the stairs； I heard the same
footfall in advance。 On leaving the house； I went to Mr。 J's。
He was at home。 I returned him the keys； told him that my
curiosity was sufficiently gratified； and was about to relate
quickly what had passed； when he stopped me； and said； though with
much politeness； that he had no longer any interest in a mystery
which none had ever solved。
I determined at least to tell him of the two letters I had read； as
well as of the extraordinary manner in which they had disappeared；
and I then inquired if he thought they had been addressed to the
woman who had died in the house； and if there were anything in her
early history which could possibly confirm the dark suspicions to
which the letters gave rise。 Mr。 J seemed startled； and； after
musing a few moments； answered； 〃I am but little acquainted with
the woman's earlier history； except as I before told you； that her
family were known to mine。 But you revive some vague reminiscences
to her prejudice。 I will make inquiries； and inform you of their
result。 Still； even if we could admit the popular superstition
that a person who had been either the perpetrator or the victim of
dark crimes in life could revisit； as a restless spirit； the scene
in which those crimes had been committed； I should observe that the
house was infested by strange sights and sounds before the old
woman diedyou smilewhat would you say？〃
〃I would say this； that I am convinced； if we could get to the
bottom of these mysteries； we should find a living human agency。〃
〃What！ you believe it is all an imposture？ For what object？〃
〃Not an imposture in the ordinary sense of the word。 If suddenly I
were to sink into a deep sleep； from which you could not awake me；
but in that sleep could answer questions with an accuracy which I
could not pretend to when awake；tell you what money you had in
your pocket； nay； describe your very thoughts；it is not
necessarily an imposture； any more than it is necessarily
supernatural。 I should be； unconsciously to myself； under a
mesmeric influence； conveyed to me from a distance by a human being
who had acquired power over me by previous rapport。〃
〃But if a mesmerizer could so affect another living being； can you
suppose that a mesmerizer could also affect inanimate objects： move
chairs；open and shut doors？〃
〃Or impress our senses with the belief in such effects；we never
having been en rapport with the person acting on us？ No。 What is
commonly called mesmerism could not do this； but there may be a
power akin to mesmerism； and superior to it；the power that in the
old days was called Magic。 That such a power may extend to all
inanimate objects of matter； I do not say； but if so； it would not
be against Nature；it would be only a rare power in Nature which
might be given to constitutions with certain peculiarities； and
cultivated by practice to an extraordinary degree。 That such a
power might extend over the dead；that is； over certain thoughts
and memories that the dead may still retain；and compel； not that
which ought properly to be called the SOUL； and which is far beyond
human reach； but rather a phantom of what has been most earth…
stained on earth； to make itself apparent to our senses； is a very
ancient though obsolete theory upon which I will hazard no opinion。
But I do not conceive the power would be supernatural。 Let me
illustrate what I mean from an experiment which Paracelsus
describes as not difficult； and which the author of the
'Curiosities of Literature' cites as credible： A flower perishes；
you burn it。 Whatever were the elements of that flower while it
lived are gone； dispersed； you know not whither； you can never
discover nor re…collect them。 But you can； by chemistry； out of
the burned dust of that flower； raise a spectrum of the flower；
just as it seemed in life。 It may be the same with the human
being。 The soul has as much escaped you as the essence or elements
of the flower。 Still you may make a spectrum of it。 And this
phantom； though in the popular superstition it is held to be the
soul of the departed； must not be confounded with the true soul； it
is but the eidolon of the dead form。 Hence； like the best…attested
stories of ghosts or spirits； the thing that most strikes us is the
absence of what we hold to be soul；that is； of superior
emancipated intelligence。 These apparitions come for little or no
object；they seldom speak when they do come； if they speak； they
utter no ideas above those of an ordinary person on earth。
American spirit seers have published volumes of communications； in
prose and verse； which they assert to be given in the names of the
most illustrious dead： Shakespeare； Bacon；Heaven knows whom。
Those communications； taking the best； are certainly not a whit of
higher order than would be communications from living persons of
fair talent and education； they are wondrously inferior to what
Bacon； Shakespeare； and Plato said and wrote when on earth。 Nor；
what is more noticeable； do they ever contain an idea that was not
on the earth before。 Wonderful； therefore； as such phenomena may
be （granting them to be truthful）； I see much that philosophy may
question； nothing that it is incumbent on philosophy to deny；
namely； nothing supernatural。 They are but ideas conveyed somehow
or other （we have not yet discovered the means） from one mortal
brain to another。 Whether； in so doing； tables walk of their own
accord； or fiendlike shapes appear in a magic circle； or bodiless
hands rise and remove material objects； or a Thing of Darkness；
such as presented itself to me； freeze our blood；still am I
persuaded that these are but agencies conveyed； as by electric
wires； to my own brain from the brain of another。 In some
constitutions there is a natural chemistry； and those constitutions
may produce chemic wonders；in others a natural fluid； call it
electricity； and these may produce electric wonders。 But the
wonders differ from Normal Science in this；th