But, he said to his brother on the second day, 'I don't
feel very well, James. There's not much the matter with me; but I
think I am a little gouty. I'll go home and put myself under the
care of my old housekeeper, who understands my ways. If I get
quite better, I'll come back and see you before you go. If I don't
feel well enough to resume my visit where I leave it off, why YOU
will come and see me before you go.' Mr. James, of course, said he
would, and they shook hands - both hands, as they always did - and
Mr. John ordered out his old-fashioned chariot and rumbled home.
It was on the second night after that - that is to say, the fourth
in the week - when I was awoke out of my sound sleep by Mr. James
coming into my bedroom in his flannel-gown, with a lighted candle.
He sat upon the side of my bed, and looking at me, said:
'Wilhelm, I have reason to think I have got some strange illness
upon me.'
I then perceived that there was a very unusual expression in his
face.
'Wilhelm,' said he, 'I am not afraid or ashamed to tell you what I
might be afraid or ashamed to tell another man. You come from a
sensible country, where mysterious things are inquired into and are
not settled to have been weighed and measured - or to have been
unweighable and unmeasurable - or in either case to have been
completely disposed of, for all time - ever so many years ago. I
have just now seen the phantom of my brother.'
I confess (said the German courier) that it gave me a little
tingling of the blood to hear it.
'I have just now seen,' Mr. James repeated, looking full at me,
that I might see how collected he was, 'the phantom of my brother
John. I was sitting up in bed, unable to sleep, when it came into
my room, in a white dress, and regarding me earnestly, passed up to
the end of the room, glanced at some papers on my writing-desk,
turned, and, still looking earnestly at me as it passed the bed,
went out at the door. Now, I am not in the least mad, and am not
in the least disposed to invest that phantom with any external
existence out of myself. I think it is a warning to me that I am
ill; and I think I had better be bled.'
I got out of bed directly (said the German courier) and began to
get on my clothes, begging him not to be alarmed, and telling him
that I would go myself to the doctor. I was just ready, when we
heard a loud knocking and ringing at the street door. My room
being an attic at the back, and Mr. James's being the second-floor
room in the front, we went down to his room, and put up the window,
to see what was the matter.
'Is that Mr. James?' said a man below, falling back to the opposite
side of the way to look up.
'It is,' said Mr. James, 'and you are my brother's man, Robert.'
'Yes, Sir. I am sorry to say, Sir, that Mr. John is ill. He is
very bad, Sir. It is even feared that he may be lying at the point
of death. He wants to see you, Sir. I have a chaise here. Pray
come to him. Pray lose no time.'
Mr. James and I looked at one another. 'Wilhelm,' said he, 'this
is strange. I wish you to come with me!' I helped him to dress,
partly there and partly in the chaise; and no grass grew under the
horses' iron shoes between Poland Street and the Forest.
Now, mind! (said the German courier) I went with Mr. James into his
brother's room, and I saw and heard myself what follows.
