a stranger was immured in the mansion.  If discovered then, prowling here in the inmost privacies of a gentleman’s abode, what would befall the wanderer, already not unsuspected in the neighborhood of some underhand guilt as a fugitive?  If he adhered to the strict truth, what could he offer in his own defence without convicting himself of acts which, by English tribunals, would be accounted flagitious crimes?  Unless, indeed, by involving the memory of the deceased Squire Woodcock in his own self acknowledged proceedings, so ungenerous a charge should result in an abhorrent refusal to credit his extraordinary tale, whether as referring to himself or another, and so throw him open to still more grievous suspicions?

While wrapped in these dispiriting reveries, he heard a step not very far off in the passage.  It seemed approaching.  Instantly he flew to the jamb, which remained unclosed, and disappearing within, drew the stone after him by the iron knob.  Owing to his hurried violence the jamb closed with a dull, dismal and singular noise.  A shriek followed from within the room.  In a panic, Israel fled up the dark stairs, and near the top, in his eagerness, stumbled and fell back to the last step with a rolling din, which, reverberated by the arch overhead, smote through and through the wall, dying away at last indistinctly, like low muffled thunder among the clefts of deep hills.  When raising himself instantly, not seriously bruised by his fall, Israel instantly listened, the echoing sounds of his descent were mingled with added shrieks from within the room.  They seemed some nervous female’s, alarmed by what must have appeared to her supernatural, or at least unaccountable, noises in the wall.  Directly he heard other voices of alarm undistinguishably commingled, and then they retreated together, and all again was still.

Recovering from his first amazement, Israel revolved these occurrences.  “No creature now in the house knows of the cell,” thought he.  “Some woman, the housekeeper, perhaps, first entered the room alone.  Just as she entered the jamb closed.  The sudden report made her shriek; then, afterwards, the noise of my fall prolonging itself, added to her fright, while her repeated shrieks brought every soul in the house to her, who aghast at seeing her lying in a pale faint, it may be, like a corpse, in a room hung with crape for a man just dead, they also shrieked out, and then with blended lamentations they bore the fainting person away.  Now this will follow; no doubt it has followed ere now:—­they believe that the woman saw or heard the spirit of Squire Woodcock.  Since I seem then to understand how all these strange events have occurred, since I seem to know that they have plain common causes, I begin to feel cool and calm again.  Let me see.  Yes.  I have it.  By means of the idea of the ghost prevailing among the frightened household, by that means I will this very night make good my escape.  If I can but lay hands on some of the late Squire’s clothing, if but a coat and hat of his, I shall be certain to succeed.  It is not too early to begin now.  They will hardly come back to the room in a hurry.  I will return to it and see what I can find to serve my purpose.  It is the Squire’s private closet, hence it is not unlikely that here some at least of his clothing will be found.”