panelling of the wall. Mr. Gaskell noted it as curious that all the
shelves were fixed and immovable except one at the end, which had been
fitted with the ordinary arrangement allowing its position to be altered
at will. My brother thought that the change would improve the appearance
of his rooms, besides being advantageous for the books, and gave
instructions to the college upholsterer to have the necessary work
carried out at once.

The two young men had resumed their musical studies, and had often
played the "Areopagita" and other music of Graziani since their return
to Oxford in the Autumn. They remarked, however, that the chair no
longer creaked during the _Gagliarda_--and, in fact, that no unusual
occurrence whatever attended its performance. At times they were almost
tempted to doubt the accuracy of their own remembrances, and to consider
as entirely mythical the mystery which had so much disturbed them in the
summer term. My brother had also pointed out to Mr. Gaskell my discovery
that the coat of arms on the outside of the music-book was identical
with that which his fancy portrayed on the musicians' gallery. He
readily admitted that he must at some time have noticed and afterwards
forgotten the blazon on the book, and that an unconscious reminiscence
of it had no doubt inspired his imagination in this instance. He rebuked
my brother for having agitated me unnecessarily by telling me at all of
so idle a tale; and was pleased to write a few lines to me at Worth
Maltravers, felicitating me on my shrewdness of perception, but speaking
banteringly of the whole matter.

On the evening of the 14th of November my brother and his friend were
sitting talking in the former's room. The position of the bookcase had
been changed on the morning of that day, and Mr. Gaskell had come round
to see how the books looked when placed at the end instead of at the