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autumn evenings。
I parried her questions by the best excuses I could offer；
changed the conversation for the next five minutes； and then；
making a sudden remembrance of business my apology for leaving
her； hastily withdrew to devote myself to the new idea in the
solitude of my own room。
A little quiet thinking convinced me that I had discovered a
means not only of occupying her idle time； but of decoying her
into staying on with us； evening by evening； until my son's
return。 The new project which she had herself unconsciously
suggested involved nothing less than acting forthwith on her own
chance hint； and appealing to her interest and curiosity by the
recital of incidents and adventures drawn from my own personal
experience and （if I could get them to help me） from the
experience of my brothers as well。 Strange people and startling
events had connected themselves with Owen's past life as a
clergyman； with Morgan's past life as a doctor； and with my past
life as a lawyer； which offered elements of interest of a strong
and striking kind ready to our hands。 If these narratives were
written plainly and unpretendingly； if one of them was read every
evening； under circumstances that should pique the curiosity and
impress the imagination of our young guest； the very occupation
was found for her weary hours which would gratify her tastes；
appeal to her natural interest in the early lives of my brothers
and myself； and lure her insensibly into prolonging her visit by
ten days without exciting a suspicion of our real motive for
detaining her。
I sat down at my desk； I hid my face in my hands to keep out all
impressions of external and present things； and I searched back
through the mysterious labyrinth of the Past； through the dun；
ever…deepening twilight of the years that were gone。
Slowly； out of the awful shadows； the Ghosts of Memory rose about
me。 The dead population of a vanished world came back to life
round me； a living man。 Men and women whose earthly pilgrimage
had ended long since； returned upon me from the unknown spheres；
and fond； familiar voices burst their way back to my ears through
the heavy silence of the grave。 Moving by me in the nameless
inner light； which no eye saw but mine； the dead procession of
immaterial scenes and beings unrolled its silent length。 I saw
once more the pleading face of a friend of early days； with the
haunting vision that had tortured him through life by his side
againwith the long…forgotten despair in his eyes which had once
touched my heart； and bound me to him； till I had tracked his
destiny through its darkest windings to the end。 I saw the figure
of an innocent woman passing to and fro in an ancient country
house； with the shadow of a strange suspicion stealing after her
wherever she went。 I saw a man worn by hardship and old age；
stretched dreaming on the straw of a stable； and muttering in his
dream the terrible secret of his life。
Other scenes and persons followed these； less vivid in their
revival； but still always recognizable and distinct； a young girl
alone by night； and in peril of her life； in a cottage on a
dreary mooran upper chamber of an inn； with two beds in it； the
curtains of one bed closed； and a man standing by them； waiting；
yet dreading to draw them backa husband secretly following the
first traces of a mystery which his wife's anxious love had
fatally hidden from him since the day when they first met； these；
and other visions like them； shadowy reflections of the living
beings and the real events that had been once； peopled the
solitude and the emptiness around me。 They haunted me still when
I tried to break the chain of thought which my own efforts had
wound about my mind； they followed me to and fro in the room； and
they came out with me when I left it。 I had lifted the veil from
the Past for myself； and I was now to rest no more till I had
lifted it for others。
I went at once to my eldest brother and showed him my son's
letter； and told him all that I have written here。 His kind heart
was touched as mine had been。 He felt for my suspense； he shared
my anxiety； he laid aside his own occupation on the spot。
〃Only tell me；〃 he said； 〃how I can help； and I will give every h
our in the day to you and to George。〃
I had come to him with my mind almost as full of his past life as
of my own； I recalled to his memory events in his experience as a
working clergyman in London； I set him looking among papers which
he had preserved for half his lifetime； and the very existence of
which he had forgotten long since； I recalled to him the names of
persons to whose necessities he had ministered in his sacred
office； and whose stories he had heard from their own lips or
received under their own handwriting。 When we parted he was
certain of what he was wanted to do； and was resolute on that
very day to begin the work。
I went to Morgan next； and appealed to him as I had already
appealed to Owen。 It was only part of his odd character to start
all sorts of eccentric objections in reply； to affect a cynical
indifference； which he was far from really and truly feeling； and
to indulge in plenty of quaint sarcasm on the subject of Jessie
and his nephew George。 I waited till these little
surface…ebullitions had all expended themselves； and then pressed
my point again with the earnestness and anxiety that I really
felt。
Evidently touched by the manner of my appeal to him even more
than by the language in which it was expressed； Morgan took
refuge in his customary abruptness； spread out his paper
violently on the table； seized his pen and ink； and told me quite
fiercely to give him his work and let him tackle it at once。
I set myself to recall to his memory some very remarkable
experiences of his own in his professional days； but he stopped
me before I had half done。
〃I understand；〃 he said； taking a savage dip at the ink； 〃I'm to
make her flesh creep； and to frighten her out of her wits。 I'll
do it with a vengeance！〃
Reserving to myself privately an editorial right of supervision
over Morgan's contributions； I returned to my own room to begin
my shareby far the largest oneof the task before us。 The
stimulus applied to my mind by my son's letter must have been a
strong one indeed； for I had hardly been more than an hour at my
desk before I found the old literary facility of my youthful
days； when I was a writer for the magazines； returning to me as
if by magic。 I worked on unremittingly till dinner…time； and then
resumed the pen after we had all separated for the night。 At two
o'clock the next morning I found myselfGod help
me！masquerading； as it were； in my own long…lost character of a
hard…writing young man； with the old familiar cup of strong tea
by my side； and the old familiar wet towel tied round my head。
My review of the progress I had made； when I looked back at my
pages of manuscript； yielded all the encouragement I wanted to
drive me on。 It is only just； however； to add to the record of
this first day's attempt； that the literary labor which it
involved was by no means of the most trying kind。 The great
strain on the intellectthe strain of inv