Seen and Unseen

AND RUS

t now carry my readers back to England, wher

a lady who had been left a widow with very slender provision. Several kind women had interested themselves in the case

on less suited for the sort of employme

to help my kindly acquaintance in her philanthropy, and as I had arranged to spend some weeks in London that autumn-to be near a

ecorated, and as clean as the proverbial "new pin," and, moreover, a very good-

om the lady who had given me her address, showed me some

of fact, this was scarcely necessary, as I was the first guest received. Onl

Peters, although extremely interesting, was also rather agitating, and certainly much too erratic to make an entirely satisfactory Chatelaine. She was given to reading "Aurora Leigh," instead of ordering dinner, and had to be sent for occasionally to sit at the head of the table, with a volume of Browning or Tennyson

, I mean. There he stands, beard and all, just between the

for it would rush most frantically to the sofa, jump on to one end, and sit staring at Henry (presumably), with

ember some thrilling experience, which she wished to share with me. At length I took to my bed for thr

considerably older than her own father, who had lately passed away. The daughters of this family were all devoted to their father, and most of the visit was occupied in giving me details of his last illness, and in my sympathisi

me as risky, to say the least of it, even with all the emolli

always wished, and of which he had emphatically given his approval on his death-bed. "I told him I had decided upon it, just before he died, and he was so relieved and happy about it," she said simply as she turned to

house of the lady who had begged me to interest myself in Mrs Peters. It was within a stone's-throw of Sussex Gar

, to which I could attribute no cause, and this increased so much during the

absolutely miserable,

t remark. "I feared you must have had, seeing

a young lady had been calling upon me that afternoon, who was about to make what the world calls a v

sion, fearing that her kind benefactress might be disappointed, and also urging that the evening's enjoyment would cheer me up. But finding me inexorable, she then s

n, knowing Mrs Peters to be

a soft frou-frou on Mrs Peters' silk gown, and knew she wa

with you, and is worried about this marriage you spoke of. She wants you to try and break it off. She seem

give a nam

I get," Mrs

-aunt, to the best of my recollection; but as she was invariably called Elsa, by friends and relations ali

t was evidently not transferred to Mrs Peters, who said she could not get the name accurately, but that it was certa

duce me to take the responsibility of trying to break off any marriage, either by the advice of people in this sphere or i

ur or twenty-five. We discussed the usual midday Sunday dinner of roast beef and Yorkshire puddin

te hostess, whose own eyes were cast down, but who appeared uneasy and troubled by the determined gaze of my guest. At length the poor woman threw down her knife and fork, ros

the poor woman in peace, which she did, asserting her complete innocence, and a

er person would be by a blow on the back. She looked incredulous, and then said cheerful

hought; but I took the hint, and found Mrs Peters still prostr

ought me so very

ed regret that my visitor should have upse

ulders, and was trying so hard to influence her, and she was resisting it all the time, and the whole conflict of

escribe the

ear-cut features and bushy eyebrows of Carrie Waverly's father, giving also his colouring, which was very distinctive. I suggested tryin

taking messages from strangers-I have promised him that I would never do i

o look in later and see if

urate description given of her father, and was ver

p, and in a state of great excitement. She had, in f

ween the father and this daughter, and he wants her to know that it is all right now." (This seemed to me most improbable, as the d

sider the step now; only he is so very anxious to secure the interests of his daughter before she marries. He wishes to know whether her settlement is signed. It is not one of which he would have approved. And he say

my sitting-room. Needless to say, I knew nothing at all about the settlements or how many houses the prospective bridegroom might posse

" by both the lady's trustees. Wherefore this special limitation in the father's knowledge it is impossible to say. He certainly showed no limitation in his knowledge of the bridegroom's characte

it turned out, determined to take the responsibility of telling her everything. She telegrap

rong person by forcing into notice a large photograph of the bridegroom (some years senior to the father), and saying carelessly: "There, Mrs Peters-that is the face you saw yesterday of my father, is it not?" But Mrs Pet

feel at liberty to speak of it if I did know. I may, however, be permitted to say that I have the bride's own assurance that the accurate knowledge then g

ied; and the prophecy was accurately fulfilled, which is the more remarkable, becaus

e in accordance with the father's wishes, although neither trustees nor principal in the transaction, had any

thick veil I have thrown over all the circumstances, I can only trust that, in gratitude for t

father or a husband should trouble himself ab

-if permitted-should endeavour to secure comfort and happiness for a dearly loved wife or daughter; especially when, as in the above case, he felt mainly responsibl

s so futile, and yet so constantly and triumphantly quoted by stupid people, who

enseless observation that I have inc

he fact that our most helpful experiences are generally of a too

g entirely with material matters, and thus be

cked by the undignified, "nay, almost blasphemous," intervention in mundane af

t trouble about the personal affairs of those on earth, the "Cui Bono" argum

n their house in the country, a year or two earlier than the time of which I am writing. I have r

d friend of mine (Mrs Tennant) was dying in London. I had seen her only a week or two before, but had no knowledge o

details, I had left Yorkshire, and was staying with cousins in Worcestershire. Thinking over the dates mentioned in describing the illness, I realised with a shock of pained s

friend should have been lying unconscious upon her dea

curious little incident con

igent man), when I noticed a small black kitten run past my dress. Probably I should have remarked upon it had we been less occupied in talking, for I am extremely fond of cats and animals in general. I did glance up, as a matter of fact, and satisfied myself that it was not the little slate-colo

nny atmosphere of my room, and the various spooks who were doubtless sharing it with me, so I laughed, thinking this was only the usual family joke. But Mrs Wave

point, she said to

is evening I saw a black kitten run strai

d, to her surprise; "but there is nothing very

re did it go to? You never saw it again? No; it was not an ordinary kitten,

erly and I had seen any kitten but th

consciousness and the appearance of the mysterious black kitten-seen only by Mrs Waverly and myself-it was impossible not to ask in the

uch sorrow, and was often oppressed by sore doubts of the Cosmic Love. I never knew any woman with such strong and passionate human sympathy, and to such fine spirits, the world, under present conditions, must always offer terrible

ll mention an amusing episode connected with

of some means who had taken orders. A "squarson" is the "portmanteau name" for

ghbourhood that he had remained a bachelor owing to religious scruples. The vegetarianism was equally certain, for I had heard orders given for special dishes

tion turned upon psychic matters and my experiences in America of a few years be

certain that the devil alone could have had a hand in "such goings on"! Perhap

t have done, as one of "the Cloth"; looked much amused

my enemy lost his temper, and, as usual on such occasions

ect opposition to Holy Writ. In fact, we are specially warned in t

Closure was descending upon my unhappy head

gence who reminded me that my opponent had onl

this fact

ly had honestly forgotten wha

What do you mean?"

ished it

shall arise, forbidding to marry an

would have been to refrain from the comment that, if I were a celibate and veget

NTER

pter an Interlude, for

s book which does not rec

e across; also a ghost story which has two rather unique advantages. First, it has never been published before; secondly, the perc

e an exceptionally practical woman, and her daily experiences

ced in my hands, by a sister of two of the schoolboys who were under the matron's

wo years ago. She then told me this story, finding that I was intimately a

the prosaic purpose of takin

ril 1875, and was recorded, within a few hours, in a lon

wed to read this letter and take a copy of it. The copy was made by their siste

and town, as the old family mansion, let in lodgings in 187

rs ago, to verify the facts, and went over the house, which ha

he town has increased in popularity, owing to its baths, and the famil

the matron's letter, written on

iory, G

Apri

d, how soon I should have to reveal to you an experience which will doubtless give you, as it has

gh half a lifetime, such an effect have its events had upon my inner life. But before I begin to relate the stra

present occupiers who make the rent by letting lodgings. Some ancient pieces of furniture remain, and a great many portraits, none of the earliest date, bu

of seeing them, but I am not going to speak of them yet; my first object is to give

he inner hall, and that round the staircase runs a gallery; in t

o a trellised walk which leads into the garden. On a level with this door is

ing by itself, and having a strange, melancholy, decayed look about it. I noticed-why, I cannot imagine-that on one side of it the ground was bare and black,

one of the portraits I mentioned. It is a life-sized painting of Captain Richard Carbury, who l

lady, with black, resolute brows and full, voluptuous mouth and chin. Sh

g passage, leading to other passages and s

ery, two doors open, one on either hand. To the right is my sitting-room, a square, cheerful room,

at, the fireplace, and, as you will see, if you have taken in my description, just at the back of the portrait of the lady with the black eyebrows, is another door. Opposite to this last is yet ano

but certainly I did feel annoyed. I thought at first that it probably opened into a dressing-room. There must have been a strong light behind it, for a red li

u all that is necessary for

ed about eleven o'clock, and soon fell asleep. I could not, however, have slept lon

vent is imminent, for which one's faculties have to be clear, and one's body active and alert. I was rather wondering at and enjoying the unusual clearness and energy of

not count the blows, but just as the last stroke of t

ve a loud crack and then open

he doorway and stand near the foot of the bed. There was a dull, yellowish light round the figure, which illumined it, leaving the rest of the room in darkness; but this

ere familiar to me for they were those of Captain Richard Carbury, in the portrait,

f this, I said: 'You are

paritio

to me?' I said.

fforts, such as one makes to move a rusty hinge, he parted his lips, and

You come from the spirit world. Is it then permitted

is hand as if

said. 'You are not

ind of electricity ran through my veins-I longed earnestly to learn something of t

allowed to leave my grave and revisit the scene of my tragical death, and this must always be on the 14th of April, which is the anniversary o

fter landing in Georgia), his first spirit return was due in 1791, the second, 1841, and the third, not till 1891. It appears to have been anticipat

ar what he had to tell, but would

spirits of the dead, if they were allowed to appear on earth, came with

ng to the peculiarity of my

ing more to ask?'

,' I replied. 'I am ready

e and not detain you long. You have

Ye

dy opposite, my cous

e the red door was

,' said Captain Carb

to tell the truth, I was glad of the summons to join my regiment. However, after three years in that distant colony, I came home, having made up my mind I would marry Lucretia and settle down on the family property-which could only be enjoyed by that means-for we were the only representatives of

y propositions about our marriage. I arrived late at night, and she let me into the house herself and got food

room-this room, this be

on as I got into bed, I fell asleep, and whilst I thus slept Lucretia came through that door (pointing to the re

s scarlet uniform coat and drew from his

t interest and asked if I

bright and keen when she drove it into my heart. The stroke was so cleverly aimed that I died instantly. Lucretia then made a sign

looked more ghastly. 'Is an

follow me, but I must tell you that when we leave this room and enter the

re, but you must allow me to put something on, as I am suff

tain Carbury. 'I will wai

aptain Carbury, and followed him along the gallery without looking round, but when we reached the end of the gallery and turned to go down the first flight of

,' said my guide, and he opened the door

just where they b

the man?

name, but she marri

. Here he stopped, and, pointing downwards, showed me on the bare gr

nd here they buried me; a

e great clock of S

to me? Is there anything you want done on earth that I can do? Is there any restitution to be made, or justice to be admi

ut now, happening to raise them, I was surprised to see

ppeared, his words came in a hollow, sepulchral voice from b

the thought, that in returning to my room, I might p

e without any effort on my part. I regained my bed, and almost immediately fell asleep. All had passed so naturally, and as a matter of course, that only wh

speak of other things, even if I could bring my mind to think of anything else, which, I

rter's letter, written on th

y, with apologie

for it beyond th

h, and is known to have been the fa

was a woman of unblemished character and truthfulness, and would certainly not have invented th

which her brothers had obtained leave to read

own of Grantwich, and it had been turned into a boarding-house at the time of her visit, having been previously let in lodgings.

have been aware of his return on that fateful nigh

might perhaps be excused, owing to the abnormal nature of the interview described. But the obvious Podmorian remark would be that the whole adventure was a dream on the part o

the ground, but it proves

following her dream man into the garden and grounds of the house. It may be urged that she dreamt all this also, but "that way madness lies." We must be a

been in a dream all thr

raordinary lifelike dreams which, with the return of normal memory, we recognise as dre

nt to sleep quite calmly, and first realised, upon waking in

sm, which a little "editing"

rvel of such an experience, should write about it, within a few hours, to a

own feeling when the reco

followed her ghost into the garden; secondly, that she was a keen observer and very accurate in details. Probably

when one remembers that people of a certain rank in life ne

beyond the points already menti

it according to his ow

ble for the truth and accuracy of my own

I have consulted the "Century

5. An English General and Philanthropist. He projected the Colony of Georgia for insolvent debtors, and

in the Encyclop?dia, and the 1738 of Captain Carbury'

er's letter may have mistaken a

h September 1738, but with General Oglethorpe's regiment. This latter may have b