kept starting, "of course you will think that Benoît, or anybody in the world who had the fear of God before his eyes, as he could not find the grave to replace it as it should be, would have laid it reverently down where he had found it, saying a prayer for the soul of the deceased; but alas! the demon of avarice tempted him, and he had not the heart to forego that poor cross, but bound it up into a faggot with the rest of the dead wood he found there, and threw it into his cart!" "Well, Françoise,” said I, "you know I am not a Catholic, but I respect the custom of erecting these crosses, and I do think your brother was very wrong; I suppose he has lost the Prince's favour by such impious greediness."

"Pire que ça ! worse than that," she replied. "It appears that while he was committing this wicked action, he felt an extraordinary chill come over him, which made him think that, though it had been a mild day, the evening must have suddenly turned very cold, and hastily throwing the faggot into his cart, he directed his steps homeward. But, walk as he would, he still felt this chill down his back, so that he turned his head to look where the wind blew from, when he saw, with some dismay, a mysterious-looking figure following close upon his footsteps. It moved noiselessly on, and was covered with a sort of black mantle that prevented his discerning the features. Not liking its appearance, he jumped into the cart, and drove home as fast as he could, without looking behind him; and when he got into his own farmyard he felt quite relieved, particularly, as, when he alighted, he saw no more of this unpleasant-looking stranger. So he began unloading his cart, taking out the faggots, one by one, and throwing them upon the ground; but when he threw down the one that contained the cross, he received a blow upon his face, so sharp that it made him stagger, and involuntarily shout aloud. His wife and children were close by, but there was no one else to be seen; and they would have disbelieved him and fancied he had accidentally hit himself with the faggot, but that they saw the distinct mark on his cheek of a blow given with an open hand. However, he went into supper, perplexed and uncomfortable; but when he went to bed this fearful phantom stood by his side, silent and terrible, visible to him, but invisible to others. In short, Madame, this awful figure haunted him, till, in spite of his shame, he resolved to consult our cousin Jerome about it.

"But Jerome laughed, and said it was all fancy and superstition. 'You got frightened at having brought away this poor devil's cross, and then you fancy he's haunting you,' said he.

"But Benoît declared that he had thought nothing about the cross, except that it would make firewood, and that he had no more believed in ghosts than Jerome. But now,' said he, 'something must be done.

G

I can get no sleep, and am losing my health; if you can't help me, I must go to the priest and consult him.'

"Why don't you take back the cross and put it where you found it?' said Jerome.

"Because I am afraid to touch it, and dare not go to that part of the forest.'

"So Jerome, who did not believe a word about the ghost, offered to go with him and replace the cross. Benoît gladly accepted, more especially as he said he saw the apparition standing even then beside him, apparently listening to the conversation. Jerome laughed at the idea; however, Benoît lifted the cross reverently into the cart and away they went into the forest. When they reached the spot, Benoît pointed out the tree under which he had found it; and as he was shaking and trembling, Jerome took up the cross and laid it on the ground; but as he did so, he received a violent blow from an invisible hand, and at the same moment saw Benoît fall to the ground. He thought he had been struck too, but it afterwards appeared that he had fainted from having seen the phantom with its upraised hand striking his cousin. However, they left the cross and came away; but there was an end to Jerome's laughter, and he was afraid the apparition would now haunt him. Nothing of the sort happened; but poor Benoît's health had been so shaken by this frightful occurrence that he cannot get the better of it; his friends have advised change of scene, and he is coming to Paris next week."

This was the story Françoise told me, and in a few days I heard that he had arrived, and was staying with Monsieur Pelletier; but the shock had been too great for his nerves, and he died shortly after. They assured me that, previous to that fatal expedition into the forest, he had been a hale, hearty man, totally exempt from superstitious fancies of any sort; and, in short, wholly devoted to advancing his worldly prosperity and getting money.

A DREAM OF DEATH

****

A DREAM OF DEATH.

(From the Danish.)

ER eyes were smarting from long want of sleep. Her head swam, and she felt a sudden faintness. Involuntarily she groped for support. Faint and deadly sleepy, she let her arms fall down on the table and her face on her clasped hands.

There were strange sounds around her, heavy sighs and a monotonous soughing mingling with the rustling of faded leaves. She wanted to lift her head to see what it was, but could not raise it, however much she tried. At last she succeeded. What is this? she thought. Everything seemed to loom so large round her, and the ceiling seemed so high up, and the light was pale grey, like that of a distant and misty moon, and there, along the wall, stood rows of beds with white sheets and blankets tucked in tightly, and beneath the blankets lay human beings, stiffly stretched out, and groaning. Now and then they raised their heads and prayed with heart-rending voices that their tight coverings might be loosened. But no one answered. By the side of the high narrow door opposite stood a figure with bound hands in a long white shining robe, fastened to the wall by a thick dark rope which was twisted round the waist. The eyes were wide open and had no pupils, but the whites were large and protruding, and out of the mouth hung a long tongue, black as pitch. Else wanted to rise, but she could not move a limb. Stiff with fear, she stared at the door. In a few bounds she would be able to reach it. But supposing it was locked now and the key were gone. Yes, it was locked, and there was no key: she saw that distinctly. She then felt herself become like a paralysed mass, and she began to glide down from the chair. But just at that moment the door opened noiselessly and four men entered quietly, carrying with them a long light coffin, curved into a semi-circle up at the top. The opening of the upper half was covered in front with a pane of glass, and through this Else saw a human head lying sideways with an emaciated, lifeless face, the colour of which seemed black as lead against the white pillow. In a moment she knew it was herself and that she was dead. Struggling to make some sound, she gave a shriek, fell face downwards on the floor, and woke up.