s from the table and the key of the chapel, unbolted the
door and went out. Still the voice kept saying 'Come, come,' and
the figure of my father walked in front of me. I went across the
quadrangle, unlocked the chapel door, and entered.

"A death-like silence was around me. I crossed the nave to the
north aisle; the figure still went in front of me; it entered the
great pew which is said to be haunted, and walked straight up to
the effigy of the old abbot who had pronounced the curse. This,
as you know, is built into the opposite wall. Bending forward,
the figure pressed the eyes of the old monk, and immediately a
stone started out of its place, revealing a staircase behind. I
was about to hurry forward, when I must have knocked against
something. I felt a sensation of pain, and suddenly awoke. What
was my amazement to find that I had acted on my dream, had
crossed the quadrangle, and was in the chapel; in fact, was
standing in the old pew! Of course there was no figure of any
sort visible, but the moonlight shed a cold radiance over all the
place. I felt very much startled and impressed, but was just
about to return to the house in some wonder at the curious vision
which I had experienced, when, raising my startled eyes, I saw
that part of it at least was real. The old monk seemed to grin at
me from his marble effigy, and beside him was a _blank open
space_. I hurried to it and saw a narrow flight of stairs. I
cannot explain what my emotions were, but my keenest feeling at
that moment was a strong and horrible curiosity. Holding the
candle in my hand, I went down the steps. They terminated at the
beginning of a long passage. This I quickly traversed, and at
last found myself beside an iron door. It was not locked, but
hasped, and was very hard to open; in fact, it required nearly
all my strength; at last I pulled it open towards me, and there
in a small cell lay the coffin, as the words of the curse said. I
gazed at it in horror. I did not dare to enter. It was a wedged-
shaped coffin studded with great nails. But as I looked my blood
froze within me, for slowly, very slowly, as if pushed by some
unseen hand, the great heavy door began to close, quicker and
quicker, until with a crash that echoed and re-echoed through the
empty vault, it shut.

"Terror-stricken, I rushed