s as quickly
as possible. When we returned they had finished searching the house.

On removing the altar and some of the boards of the floor a spacious
vault was discovered. It was high enough, for a man might sit upright
in it with ease, and was separated from the cellar by a door and a
narrow staircase. In this vault they found an electrical machine, a
clock, and a little silver bell, which, as well as the electrical
machine, was in communication with the altar and the crucifix that was
fastened upon it. A hole had been made in the window-shutter opposite
the chimney, which opened and shut with a slide. In this hole, as we
learnt afterwards, was fixed a magic lantern, from which the figure of
the ghost had been reflected on the opposite wall, over the chimney.
From the garret and the cellar they brought several drums, to which
large leaden bullets were fastened by strings; these had probably been
used to imitate the roaring of thunder which we had heard.

On searching the Sicilian's clothes they found, in a case, different
powders, genuine mercury in vials and boxes, phosphorus in a glass
bottle, and a ring, which we immediately knew to be magnetic, because it
adhered to a steel button that by accident had been placed near it. In
his coat-pockets were found a rosary, a Jew's beard, a dagger, and a
brace of pocket-pistols. "Let us see whether they are loaded," said one
of the watch, and fired up the chimney.

"Jesus Maria!" cried a hollow voice, which we knew to be that of the
first apparition, and at the same instant a bleeding person came
tumbling down the chimney. "What! not yet laid, poor ghost!" cried the
Englishman, while we started back in affright. "Home to thy grave.
Thou hast appeared what thou wert not; now thou wilt become what thou
didst but seem."

"Jesus Maria! I am wounded," repeated the man in the chimney. The ball
had fractured his right leg. Care was immediately taken to have the
wound dressed.

"But who art thou?" said the English lord; "and what evil spirit
brought thee here?"

"I am a poor mendicant friar," answered the wounded man; "a strange
gentleman gave me a zechin to--"

"Repeat a speech. And why didst thou not withdraw as soon as thy task
was finished?"

I was waiting for a signal which we had agreed on to continue my speech;
but as this signal was not given, I was endeavoring to get away, when I
found the ladder had been removed.

"And what was the formula he taught thee?"

T