ms, that dread of some unseen, haunting presence seeming to
breathe in the very air about me, a feeling of some evil thing that
moved and crept in the dark beyond the door, of ears that hearkened to
my every move and eyes that watched me unseen. And this terror waxed
and grew, until hearing a faint stirring behind me, I whirled about in
panic to see the neckerchief gently a-swing against the bulkhead where
I had pinned it; and though this was caused by no more than the motion
of the ship (as I judged), yet in my then state of mind I whipped out
my pistol and, levelling at the knot-hole, pulled the trigger, whereon
was a mere flash in the pan and no more. This of itself steadied me,
and sitting on my bed I found that the charge had been withdrawn.

Laying by the useless weapon (for I had neither powder nor ball) I fell
to profound meditation. And now indeed many things were plain; here
(methought) had been the ghost, here had lain the murderer of three
men, here in the one and only safe place for him in the whole ship,
viz., beneath my bed, the while I lay there in drugged sleep. It would
be simple matter to steal hither in my absence and drug my food, and
would explain the strange nausea had so afflicted me of late. Here
then I had the secret of my day-long sleeping, my vapours and black
humours, here the explanation of my evil dreams and ghastly visions
while Death, in human guise, crept about my couch or stooped above my
unconscious form. But (I reasoned) I was not to be murdered, since I
was of more use to him alive than dead and for three reasons (as I
judged). First, that in his stealthy comings and goings he might be
mistaken for me and thus left alone; secondly, that dressed in my habit
he might haply father his crimes on me; and thirdly, that I (lying here
drugged and asleep) might afford him the one and only escape from
pursuit and capture. And yet (thinks I) what manner of man (or rather
devil) should this be who, clad in my doublet, could make away with
three lusty fellows and no one the wiser? Hereupon (and all in a
flash) I seemed to see again the great black ship drifting down on us
in the river and the man who rowed the skiff with the misshapen bundle
in the stern-sheets--the bundle that had vanished so inexplicably.

"By the living God," says I in a whisper, "here's an end to all the
mystery at last!" And so remained a great while sitting motionless on
my bed, being mightily cast down and utter