\'Carolina！What\'sthematter？\'
\'OBaptista！O，fortheLord\'ssake！whereismymistress？\'
\'Mistress，Carolina？\'
\'Gonesincemorning-toldme，whenmasterwentoutonhisday\'sjourney，nottocallher，forshewastiredwithnotrestinginthenight（havingbeeninpain），andwouldlieinbeduntiltheevening；thengetuprefreshed。Sheisgone！-sheisgone！
Masterhascomeback，brokendownthedoor，andsheisgone！Mybeautiful，mygood，myinnocentmistress！\'
Theprettylittleonesocried，andraved，andtoreherselfthatI
couldnothaveheldher，butforherswooningonmyarmasifshehadbeenshot。Mastercameup-inmanner，face，orvoice，nomorethemasterthatIknew，thanIwashe。Hetookme（Ilaidthelittleoneuponherbedinthehotel，andleftherwiththechamber-women），inacarriage，furiouslythroughthedarkness，acrossthedesolateCampagna。Whenitwasday，andwestoppedatamiserablepost-house，allthehorseshadbeenhiredtwelvehoursago，andsentawayindifferentdirections。Markme！bytheSignorDellombra，whohadpassedthereinacarriage，withafrightenedEnglishladycrouchinginonecorner。
Ineverheard（saidtheGenoesecourier，drawingalongbreath）
thatshewasevertracedbeyondthatspot。AllIknowis，thatshevanishedintoinfamousoblivion，withthedreadedfacebesideherthatshehadseeninherdream。
\'WhatdoyoucallTHAT？\'saidtheGermancourier，triumphantly。
\'Ghosts！TherearenoghostsTHERE！Whatdoyoucallthis，thatI
amgoingtotellyou？Ghosts！TherearenoghostsHERE！\'
Itookanengagementonce（pursuedtheGermancourier）withanEnglishgentleman，elderlyandabachelor，totravelthroughmycountry，myFatherland。Hewasamerchantwhotradedwithmycountryandknewthelanguage，butwhohadneverbeentheresincehewasaboy-asIjudge，somesixtyyearsbefore。
HisnamewasJames，andhehadatwin-brotherJohn，alsoabachelor。Betweenthesebrotherstherewasagreataffection。
Theywereinbusinesstogether，atGoodman\'sFields，buttheydidnotlivetogether。Mr。JamesdweltinPolandStreet，turningoutofOxfordStreet，London；Mr。JohnresidedbyEppingForest。
Mr。JamesandIweretostartforGermanyinaboutaweek。Theexactdaydependedonbusiness。Mr。JohncametoPolandStreet（whereIwasstayinginthehouse），topassthatweekwithMr。
James。But，hesaidtohisbrotheronthesecondday，\'Idon\'tfeelverywell，James。There\'snotmuchthematterwithme；butI
thinkIamalittlegouty。I\'llgohomeandputmyselfunderthecareofmyoldhousekeeper，whounderstandsmyways。IfIgetquitebetter，I\'llcomebackandseeyoubeforeyougo。IfIdon\'tfeelwellenoughtoresumemyvisitwhereIleaveitoff，whyYOU
willcomeandseemebeforeyougo。\'Mr。James，ofcourse，saidhewould，andtheyshookhands-bothhands，astheyalwaysdid-andMr。Johnorderedouthisold-fashionedchariotandrumbledhome。
Itwasonthesecondnightafterthat-thatistosay，thefourthintheweek-whenIwasawokeoutofmysoundsleepbyMr。Jamescomingintomybedroominhisflannel-gown，withalightedcandle。
Hesatuponthesideofmybed，andlookingatme，said:
\'Wilhelm，IhavereasontothinkIhavegotsomestrangeillnessuponme。\'
Ithenperceivedthattherewasaveryunusualexpressioninhisface。
\'Wilhelm，\'saidhe，\'IamnotafraidorashamedtotellyouwhatI
mightbeafraidorashamedtotellanotherman。Youcomefromasensiblecountry，wheremysteriousthingsareinquiredintoandarenotsettledtohavebeenweighedandmeasured-ortohavebeenunweighableandunmeasurable-orineithercasetohavebeencompletelydisposedof，foralltime-eversomanyyearsago。I
havejustnowseenthephantomofmybrother。\'
Iconfess（saidtheGermancourier）thatitgavemealittletinglingofthebloodtohearit。
\'Ihavejustnowseen，\'Mr。Jamesrepeated，lookingfullatme，thatImightseehowcollectedhewas，\'thephantomofmybrotherJohn。Iwassittingupinbed，unabletosleep，whenitcameintomyroom，inawhitedress，andregardingmeearnestly，passeduptotheendoftheroom，glancedatsomepapersonmywriting-desk，turned，and，stilllookingearnestlyatmeasitpassedthebed，wentoutatthedoor。Now，Iamnotintheleastmad，andamnotintheleastdisposedtoinvestthatphantomwithanyexternalexistenceoutofmyself。IthinkitisawarningtomethatIamill；andIthinkIhadbetterbebled。\'
Igotoutofbeddirectly（saidtheGermancourier）andbegantogetonmyclothes，begginghimnottobealarmed，andtellinghimthatIwouldgomyselftothedoctor。Iwasjustready，whenweheardaloudknockingandringingatthestreetdoor。Myroombeinganatticattheback，andMr。James\'sbeingthesecond-floorroominthefront，wewentdowntohisroom，andputupthewindow，toseewhatwasthematter。
\'IsthatMr。James？\'saidamanbelow，fallingbacktotheoppositesideofthewaytolookup。
\'Itis，\'saidMr。James，\'andyouaremybrother\'sman，Robert。\'
\'Yes，Sir。Iamsorrytosay，Sir，thatMr。Johnisill。Heisverybad，Sir。Itisevenfearedthathemaybelyingatthepointofdeath。Hewantstoseeyou，Sir。Ihaveachaisehere。Praycometohim。Praylosenotime。\'
Mr。JamesandIlookedatoneanother。\'Wilhelm，\'saidhe，\'thisisstrange。Iwishyoutocomewithme！\'Ihelpedhimtodress，partlythereandpartlyinthechaise；andnograssgrewunderthehorses\'ironshoesbetweenPolandStreetandtheForest。
Now，mind！（saidtheGermancourier）IwentwithMr。Jamesintohisbrother\'sroom，andIsawandheardmyselfwhatfollows。
Hisbrotherlayuponhisbed，attheupperendofalongbed-
chamber。Hisoldhousekeeperwasthere，andotherswerethere:I
thinkthreeotherswerethere，ifnotfour，andtheyhadbeenwithhimsinceearlyintheafternoon。Hewasinwhite，likethefigure-necessarilyso，becausehehadhisnight-dresson。Helookedlikethefigure-necessarilyso，becausehelookedearnestlyathisbrotherwhenhesawhimcomeintotheroom。
But，whenhisbrotherreachedthebed-side，heslowlyraisedhimselfinbed，andlookingfulluponhim，saidthesewords:
\'JAMES，YOUHAVESEENMEBEFORE，TO-NIGHT-ANDYOUKNOWIT！\'
Andsodied！
Iwaited，whentheGermancourierceased，tohearsomethingsaidofthisstrangestory。Thesilencewasunbroken。Ilookedround，andthefivecouriersweregone:sonoiselesslythattheghostlymountainmighthaveabsorbedthemintoitseternalsnows。Bythistime，Iwasbynomeansinamoodtositaloneinthatawfulscene，withthechillaircomingsolemnlyuponme-or，ifImaytellthetruth，tositaloneanywhere。SoIwentbackintotheconvent-
parlour，and，findingtheAmericangentlemanstilldisposedtorelatethebiographyoftheHonourableAnaniasDodger，hearditallout。