replied that it was
nine o'clock; and they gave him a good supper and led him again to the
same room to sleep.

At the stroke of eleven some one knocked at the door. He made no
sound, but at the third knock the door flew open and three ghosts
entered. The one who had been there the night before asked him the
same questions as before, but received no better answer. Then one of
them seized him and flung him into one corner, and another into
another, and so they tossed him about until the poor fellow lay
helpless against the wall, all covered with blood.

When the clock struck twelve the spokesman said to him, "Though you
won't answer to-night, you will to-morrow, when we all four come."
With these words they disappeared.

He again lifted himself up, lay down upon his bed, and felt no harm.
In the morning the three ladies came, all in white up to their
girdles, and escorted him, to the sound of music, into the other room,
where, after breakfast, he again fell asleep.

At night they again escorted him to his chamber to sleep. When they
were gone he did not go to bed as usual, but began to consider how he
might avoid the fearful torment in store for him. First he looked out
at a window, but his gaze fell upon a frightful abyss enclosed by
rocky precipices. He went to the second window, but there it was no
better, but seemed to be even more fearful. So nothing was left him
but to heap all the furniture of the room before the door, in hope
thus to escape his tormentors. But he soon gave up this hope, for
about midnight the knocking began. He made no answer, but at the third
knock the door flew open and all the furniture returned to its own
place.

The ghost who had before questioned him now began to repeat his
questions, commanding him to tell who he was and how he came there;
but the young man was not to be made to speak. Then the spokesman
ordered one of his comrades to go below and bring up an anvil and four
hammers, and when these had been brought, one of the ghosts blew up a
fire and threw the young man upon it. When he was heated to a glow
they laid him upon the anvil and beat him with hammers until he was as
flat as paper. But with all this he was not to be forced to speak.

The time was up and the ghosts must go. Before they went they told him
that he and all around him were blessed; and then the door flew open
and they vanished. He again arose, laid himself upon the bed, and sank
at once into slumber.

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