ber just above, a dreadful rattling of
chains was heard; and the wife and children of the farmer ran to assist
their lord. They threw themselves on their knees, begging that he would
not visit that terrible room. "My lord," said they, "what can human
force effect against people of t'other world? Monsieur de Ficancout
attempted the same enterprise years ago, and he returned with a
dislocated arm. M. D'Urselles tried too; he was overwhelmed with bundles
of hay, and was ill for a long time after." In short, so many attempts
were mentioned, that the President's friends advised _him_ to abandon
the design.

But still _they_ determined to encounter the danger. Proceeding up
stairs to an extensive room, each having a candle in one hand, and a
pistol in the other, they found it full of thick smoke, which increased
more and more from some flames that were visible. Soon after, the ghost
or spirit faintly appeared in the middle: he seemed quite black, and was
amusing himself with cutting capers; but another eruption of flame and
smoke hid him from their view. He had horns and a long tail; and was, in
truth, a dreadful object.

One of the gentlemen found his courage rather fail. "This is certainly
supernatural," said he; "let us retire." The other, endued with more
boldness, asserted that the smoke was that of gunpowder, which is no
supernatural composition; "and if this same spirit," added he, "knew his
own nature and trade, he should have extinguished our candles."

With these words, he jumped amidst the smoke and flames, and pursued the
spectre. He soon discharged the pistol at his back, and hit him exactly
in the middle; but was himself seized with fear, when the spirit, far
from falling, turned round and rushed upon him. Soon recovering himself,
he resolved to grasp the ghost, to discover if it were indeed aerial
and impassable. Mr. Spectre, disordered by this new manoeuvre, rushed to
the tower, and descended a small staircase.

The gentleman ran after, and, never losing sight of him, passed several
courts and gardens, still turning as the spirit winded, till at length
they entered into an open barn. Here the pursuer, certain, as he
thought, of his prey, shut the door, but when he turned round, what was
his amazement, to see the spirit totally disappear.

In great confusion, he called to the servants for more lights. On
examining the spot of the spirit's disappearance, he found a trap-door;
upon raising which, several mat