pressed a strong abhorrence of him, more than hinted
at crimes he had committed, appointed me to come to Derval Court the
day after that on which the murder was committed. Sir Philip had known
something of this Margrave in the East; Margrave might dread exposure,
revelations--of what I know not; but, strange as it may seem to you,
it is my conviction that this young man, apparently so gay and so
thoughtless, is the real criminal, and in some way which I cannot
conjecture has employed this lying vagabond in the fabrication of a
charge against myself. Reflect: of Mr. Margrave's antecedents we know
nothing; of them nothing was known even by the young gentleman who first
introduced him to the society of this town. If you would serve and
save me, it is to that quarter that you will direct your vigilant and
unrelaxing researches."

I had scarcely so said when I repented my candour, for I observed in the
face of Mr. Stanton a sudden revulsion of feeling, an utter incredulity
of the accusation I had thus hazarded, and for the first time a doubt of
my own innocence. The fascination exercised by Margrave was universal;
nor was it to be wondered at: for besides the charm of his joyous
presence, he seemed so singularly free from even the errors common
enough with the young,--so gay and boon a companion, yet a shunner of
wine; so dazzling in aspect, so more than beautiful, so courted, so
idolized by women, yet no tale of seduction, of profligacy, attached
to his name! As to his antecedents, he had so frankly owned himself
a natural son, a nobody, a traveller, an idler; his expenses, though
lavish, were so unostentatious, so regularly defrayed; he was so wholly
the reverse of the character assigned to criminals, that it seemed as
absurd to bring a charge of homicide against a butterfly or a goldfinch
as against this seemingly innocent and delightful favourite of humanity
and nature.

However, Mr. Stanton said little or nothing, and shortly afterwards left
me, with a dry expression of hope that my innocence would be cleared
in spite of evidence that, he was bound to say, was of the most serious
character.

I was exhausted. I fell into a profound sleep early that night; it might
be a little after twelve when I woke, and woke as fully, as completely,
as much restored to life and consciousness, as it was then my habit to
be at the break of day. And so waking, I saw, on the wall opposite
my bed, the same luminous phantom I had seen in