n me by the strange and terrible fate
that befell an Armenian family with which I was slightly acquainted,
that I first traced--in the creature I am now about to describe, and
whose course I devote myself to watch, and trust to bring to a
close--the murderer of Haroun for the sake of the elixir of youth.

"In this Armenian family there were three daughters; one of them--"

I had just read thus far when a dim shadow fell over the page, and a
cold air seemed to breathe on me,--cold, so cold, that my blood halted
in my veins as if suddenly frozen! Involuntarily I started, and looked
up, sure that some ghastly presence was in the room. And then, on the
opposite side of the wall, I beheld an unsubstantial likeness of a human
form. Shadow I call it, but the word is not strictly correct, for it was
luminous, though with a pale shine. In some exhibition in London
there is shown a curious instance of optical illusion; at the end of
a corridor you see, apparently in strong light, a human skull. You are
convinced it is there as you approach; it is, however, only a reflection
from a skull at a distance. The image before me was less vivid, less
seemingly prominent than is the illusion I speak of. I was not deceived.
I felt it was a spectrum, a phantasm; but I felt no less surely that it
was a reflection from an animate form,--the form and face of Margrave;
it was there, distinct, unmistakable. Conceiving that he himself must
be behind me, I sought to rise, to turn round, to examine. I could not
move: limb and muscle were overmastered by some incomprehensible
spell. Gradually my senses forsook me; I became unconscious as well as
motionless. When I recovered, I heard the clock strike three. I must
have been nearly two hours insensible! The candles before me were
burning low. My eyes rested on the table; the dead man's manuscript was
gone!

(1) The reader will here observe a discrepancy between Mrs. Poyntz's
account and Sir Philip Derval's narrative. According to the former,
Louis Grayle was tried in his absence from England, and sentenced
to three years' imprisonment, which his flight enabled him to evade.
According to the latter, Louis Grayle stood his trial, and obtained an
acquittal. Sir Philip's account must, at least, be nearer the truth than
the lady's, because Louis Grayle could not, according to English law,
have been tried on a capital charge without being present in court. Mrs.
Poyntz tells her story as