to conquer that alarm, and to conquer more, should more be created by what he should behold.  He opened the door, but did not immediately enter the room:  he paused where he stood, for he felt as if he was about to intrude into the retreat of a disembodied spirit, and that that spirit might reappear.  He waited a minute, for the effort of opening the door had taken away his breath, and, as he recovered himself, he looked within.

He could but imperfectly distinguish the objects in the chamber, but through the joints of the shutters there were three brilliant beams of sunshine forcing their way across the room, which at first induced him to recoil as if from something supernatural; but a little reflection reassured him.  After about a minute’s pause, Philip went into the kitchen, lighted a candle, and, sighing deeply two or three times as if to relieve his heart, he summoned his resolution, and walked towards the fatal room.  He first stopped at the threshold, and, by the light of the candle, took a hasty survey.  All was still:  and the table on which the letter had been left, being behind the door, was concealed by its being opened.  It must be done, thought Philip:  and why not at once? continued he, resuming his courage; and, with a firm step, he walked into the room and went to unfasten the shutters.  If his hands trembled a little when he called to mind how supernaturally they had last been opened, it is not surprising.  We are but mortal, and we shrink from contact with aught beyond this life.  When the fastenings were removed and the shutters unfolded, a stream of light poured into the room so vivid as to dazzle his eyesight; strange to say, this very light of a brilliant day overthrew the resolution of Philip more than the previous gloom and darkness had done; and with the candle in his hand, he retreated hastily into the kitchen to re-summon his courage, and there he remained for some minutes, with his face covered, and in deep thought.

It is singular that his reveries at last ended by reverting to the fair daughter of Mynheer Poots, and her first appearance at the window; and he felt as if the flood of light which had just driven him from the one, was not more impressive and startling than her enchanting form at the other.  His mind dwelling upon the beauteous vision appeared to restore Philip’s confidence; he now rose and boldly walked into the room.  We shall not describe the objects it contained as they chanced to meet the eyes of Philip, but attempt a more lucid arrangement.

The room was about twelve or fourteen feet square, with but one window; opposite to the door stood the chimney and fireplace, with a high buffet of dark wood on each side.  The floor of the room was not dirty, although about its upper parts spiders had run their cobwebs in every direction.  In the centre of the ceiling, hung a quicksilver globe, a common ornament in those days, but the major part of it had lost its brilliancy, the spiders’ webs enclosing