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am　going　to　tell　you？　　Ghosts！　　There　are　no　ghosts　HERE！'





I　took　an　engagement　once　（pursued　the　German　courier）　with　an

English　gentleman；　elderly　and　a　bachelor；　to　travel　through　my

country；　my　Fatherland。　　He　was　a　merchant　who　traded　with　my

country　and　knew　the　language；　but　who　had　never　been　there　since

he　was　a　boy　…　as　I　judge；　some　sixty　years　before。



His　name　was　James；　and　he　had　a　twin…brother　John；　also　a

bachelor。　　Between　these　brothers　there　was　a　great　affection。

They　were　in　business　together；　at　Goodman's　Fields；　but　they　did

not　live　together。　　Mr。　James　dwelt　in　Poland　Street；　turning　out

of　Oxford　Street；　London；　Mr。　John　resided　by　Epping　Forest。



Mr。　James　and　I　were　to　start　for　Germany　in　about　a　week。　　The

exact　day　depended　on　business。　　Mr。　John　came　to　Poland　Street

（where　I　was　staying　in　the　house）；　to　pass　that　week　with　Mr。

James。　　But；　he　said　to　his　brother　on　the　second　day；　'I　don't

feel　very　well；　James。　　There's　not　much　the　matter　with　me；　but　I

think　I　am　a　little　gouty。　　I'll　go　home　and　put　myself　under　the

care　of　my　old　housekeeper；　who　understands　my　ways。　　If　I　get

quite　better；　I'll　come　back　and　see　you　before　you　go。　　If　I　don't

feel　well　enough　to　resume　my　visit　where　I　leave　it　off；　why　YOU

will　come　and　see　me　before　you　go。'　　Mr。　James；　of　course；　said　he

would；　and　they　shook　hands　…　both　hands；　as　they　always　did　…　and

Mr。　John　ordered　out　his　old…fashioned　chariot　and　rumbled　home。



It　was　on　the　second　night　after　that　…　that　is　to　say；　the　fourth

in　the　week　…　when　I　was　awoke　out　of　my　sound　sleep　by　Mr。　James

coming　into　my　bedroom　in　his　flannel…gown；　with　a　lighted　candle。

He　sat　upon　the　side　of　my　bed；　and　looking　at　me；　said：



'Wilhelm；　I　have　reason　to　think　I　have　got　some　strange　illness

upon　me。'



I　then　perceived　that　there　was　a　very　unusual　expression　in　his

face。



'Wilhelm；'　said　he；　'I　am　not　afraid　or　ashamed　to　tell　you　what　I

might　be　afraid　or　ashamed　to　tell　another　man。　　You　come　from　a

sensible　country；　where　mysterious　things　are　inquired　into　and　are

not　settled　to　have　been　weighed　and　measured　…　or　to　have　been

unweighable　and　unmeasurable　…　or　in　either　case　to　have　been

completely　disposed　of；　for　all　time　…　ever　so　many　years　ago。　　I

have　just　now　seen　the　phantom　of　my　brother。'



I　confess　（said　the　German　courier）　that　it　gave　me　a　little

tingling　of　the　blood　to　hear　it。



'I　have　just　now　seen；'　Mr。　James　repeated；　looking　full　at　me；

that　I　might　see　how　collected　he　was；　'the　phantom　of　my　brother

John。　　I　was　sitting　up　in　bed；　unable　to　sleep；　when　it　came　into

my　room；　in　a　white　dress；　and　regarding　me　earnestly；　passed　up　to

the　end　of　the　room；　glanced　at　some　papers　on　my　writing…desk；

turned；　and；　still　looking　earnestly　at　me　as　it　passed　the　bed；

went　out　at　the　door。　　Now；　I　am　not　in　the　least　mad；　and　am　not

in　the　least　disposed　to　invest　that　phantom　with　any　external

existence　out　of　myself。　　I　think　it　is　a　warning　to　me　that　I　am

ill；　and　I　think　I　had　better　be　bled。'



I　got　out　of　bed　directly　（said　the　German　courier）　and　began　to

get　on　my　clothes；　begging　him　not　to　be　alarmed；　and　telling　him

that　I　would　go　myself　to　the　doctor。　　I　was　just　ready；　when　we

heard　a　loud　knocking　and　ringing　at　the　street　door。　　My　room

being　an　attic　at　the　back；　and　Mr。　James's　being　the　second…floor

room　in　the　front；　we　went　down　to　his　room；　and　put　up　the　window；

to　see　what　was　the　matter。



'Is　that　Mr。　James？'　said　a　man　below；　falling　back　to　the　opposite

side　of　the　way　to　look　up。



'It　is；'　said　Mr。　James；　'and　you　are　my　brother's　man；　Robert。'



'Yes；　Sir。　　I　am　sorry　to　say；　Sir；　that　Mr。　John　is　ill。　　He　is

very　bad；　Sir。　　It　is　even　feared　that　he　may　be　lying　at　the　point

of　death。　　He　wants　to　see　you；　Sir。　　I　have　a　chaise　here。　　Pray

come　to　him。　　Pray　lose　no　time。'



Mr。　James　and　I　looked　at　one　another。　　'Wilhelm；'　said　he；　'this

is　strange。　　I　wish　you　to　come　with　me！'　　I　helped　him　to　dress；

partly　there　and　partly　in　the　chaise；　and　no　grass　grew　under　the

horses'　iron　shoes　between　Poland　Street　and　the　Forest。



Now；　mind！　（said　the　German　courier）　I　went　with　Mr。　James　into　his

brother's　room；　and　I　saw　and　heard　myself　what　follows。



His　brother　lay　upon　his　bed；　at　the　upper　end　of　a　long　bed…

chamber。　　His　old　housekeeper　was　there；　and　others　were　there：　　I

think　three　others　were　there；　if　not　four；　and　they　had　been　with

him　since　early　in　the　afternoon。　　He　was　in　white；　like　the　figure

…　necessarily　so；　because　he　had　his　night…dress　on。　　He　looked

like　the　figure　…　necessarily　so；　because　he　looked　earnestly　at

his　brother　when　he　saw　him　come　into　the　room。



But；　when　his　brother　reached　the　bed…side；　he　slowly　raised

himself　in　bed；　and　looking　full　upon　him；　said　these　words：



'JAMES；　YOU　HAVE　SEEN　ME　BEFORE；　TO…NIGHT　…　AND　YOU　KNOW　IT！'



And　so　died！





I　waited；　when　the　German　courier　ceased；　to　hear　something　said　of

this　strange　story。　　The　silence　was　unbroken。　　I　looked　round；　and

the　five　couriers　were　gone：　　so　noiselessly　that　the　ghostly

mountain　might　have　absorbed　them　into　its　eternal　snows。　　By　this

time；　I　was　by　no　means　in　a　mood　to　sit　alone　in　that　awful　scene；

with　the　chill　air　coming　solemnly　upon　me　…　or；　if　I　may　tell　the

truth；　to　sit　alone　anywhere。　　So　I　went　back　into　the　convent…

parlour；　and；　finding　the　American　gentleman　still　disposed　to

relate　the　biography　of　the　Honourable　Ananias　Dodger；　heard　it　all

out。











End