umble residence. Elizabeth
with spirit went through the difficult pieces of music, and the idea
that she might in this way, perhaps, recover her youthful vigour
delighted me.

"A few days after this, while I was reading a letter, that had just
arrived, the door was suddenly burst open, and Elizabeth rushed in,
deadly pale, and fell as if dead in my arms. 'What is the matter?' I
cried, seized with horror. Her eye wandered wildly round, her heart
palpitated almost to bursting, and she was some time before she
regained her voice and breath.

"'Oh! heavens,' she at length exclaimed, every word being expressive of
horror, 'in there, while I practised--in a cheerful mood--I accidently
cast a look in the glass--and I saw behind me Ernestine looking at me
with that strange smile, and having her withered arms folded across her
chest. I know not whether she is still there, I hardly know how I
reached here.'

"I gave her in charge of her maid; she retired, and the doctor was
immediately sent for. I went into the other room, and found the music
books scattered under the instrument. Elizabeth must have thrown them
down in her fright.

"'Of what avail are reasoning, joke, and consolation, diet and
medicines against perfect madness,' said I to myself, and yet I could
not help thinking of the words with which her dying sister had
threatened us.

"The news of my wife having been taken ill reached our friend's ears,
and was likely to prevent the musical festival taking place. His wife
came a few days afterwards with a female singer to inquire after
Elizabeth's health. Not having said any thing, even to the doctor, of
the apparition which my wife imagined she had seen, we of course did
not mention this singular circumstance to our visiters. To all
appearances my wife having quite recovered from her fright, we walked
in our small garden with our friends conversing about the festival, and
the baroness and the singer at length proposed to practise some music
in my wife's presence, that they might have her opinion, though she
might not perhaps be able to join.

"We therefore returned to the drawing-room, and as it became dark,
candles were lighted. The singer sat at the instrument to accompany
herself, on her right was the baroness, I was just behind, and my wife
was on her left. We could not help admiring the voices and the style
of the singers. The music by degrees became more animated and
impassioned, and I had once al