cellars, in which last there were two or three bottles of wine still
left in a bin, covered with cobwebs, and evidently, by their
appearance, undisturbed for many years. It was clear that the ghosts
were not winebibbers. For the rest we discovered nothing of interest.
There was a gloomy little backyard, with very high walls. The stones
of this yard were very damp; and what with the damp, and what with the
dust and smoke-grime on the pavement, our feet left a slight
impression where we passed. And now appeared the first strange
phenomenon witnessed by myself in this strange abode. I saw, just
before me, the print of a foot suddenly form itself, as it were. I
stopped, caught hold of my servant, and pointed to it. In advance of
that footprint as suddenly dropped another. We both saw it. I advanced
quickly to the place; the footprint kept advancing before me, a small
footprint,--the foot of a child: the impression was too faint
thoroughly to distinguish the shape, but it seemed to us both that it
was the print of a naked foot. This phenomenon ceased when we arrived
at the opposite wall, nor did it repeat itself on returning. We
remounted the stairs, and entered the rooms on the ground-floor, a
dining parlor, a small back-parlor, and a still smaller third room
that had been probably appropriated to a footman,--all still as death.
We then visited the drawing-rooms, which seemed fresh and new. In the
front room I seated myself in an arm-chair. F---- placed on the table
the candlestick with which he had lighted us. I told him to shut the
door. As he turned to do so a chair opposite to me moved from the wall
quickly and noiselessly, and dropped itself about a yard from my own
chair, immediately fronting it.

"Why, this is better than the turning-tables," said I, with a
half-laugh; and as I laughed, my dog put back his head and howled.