To this account may be added that a housekeeper, called Betty Norrie, who, in more recent times, lived many years at Allanbank, positively averred that she, and many other persons, had frequently seen Pearlin Jean; and, moreover, stated that they were so used to her as to be no longer alarmed at the noises she made.

XXVII

THE DENTON HALL GHOST

Local Records

A day or two after my arrival at Denton Hall, when all around was yet new to me, I had accompanied my friends to a ball given in the neighbourhood, and returned heartily fatigued.  At this time I need not blush, nor you smile, when I say that on that evening I had met, for the second time, one with whose destinies my own were doomed to become connected.

I think I was sitting upon an antique carved chair, near to the fire, in the room where I slept, busied in arranging my hair, and thinking over some of the events of the day.  Whether I had dropped into a half-slumber, I cannot say; but on looking up—­for I had my face bent toward the fire—­there seemed sitting on a similar highbacked chair, on the other side of the ancient tiled fireplace, an old lady, whose air and dress were so remarkable that to this hour they seem as fresh in my memory as they were the day after the vision.  She appeared to be dressed in a flowered satin gown, of a cut then out of date.  It was peaked and long-waisted.  The fabric of the satin had that extreme of glossy stiffness which old fabrics of this kind exhibit.  She wore a stomacher.  On her wrinkled fingers appeared some rings of great size and seeming value; but, what was most remarkable, she wore also a satin hood of a peculiar shape.  It was glossy like the gown, but seemed to be stiffened either by whalebone or some other material.  Her age seemed considerable, and the face, though not unpleasant, was somewhat hard and severe and indented with minute wrinkles.  I confess that so entirely was my attention engrossed by what was passing in my mind, that, though I felt mightily confused, I was not startled (in the emphatic sense) by the apparition.  In fact, I deemed it to be some old lady, perhaps a housekeeper, or dependent in the family, and, therefore, though rather astonished, was by no means frightened by my visitant, supposing me to be awake, which I am convinced was the case, though few persons believe me on this point.

My own impression is that I stared somewhat rudely, in the wonder of the moment, at the hard, but lady-like features of my aged visitor.  But she left me small time to think, addressing me in a familiar half-whisper and with a constant restless motion of the hand which aged persons, when excited, often exhibit in addressing the young.  “Well, young lady,” said my mysterious companion, “and so you’ve been at yon hall to-night! and highly ye’ve been delighted there!  Yet if you could see as I can see, or could know as I can know, troth!