no small importance, and after waiting a suitable time for him to speak, I concluded to open a conversation myself.
But while I was considering in what terms to address a strange ghost, and what degree of welcome to offer him, the apparition stalked a few steps nearer to me, and announced in a deep, hollow voice:
"I am thy father's spirit,
Doomed for a certain time to walk the night."
And then I recognized my visitor. Of course he was not my father's spirit at all, but the Ghost of Hamlet's Father.
"Hamlet," I cried, "king, father, royal Dane, my! but I'm glad to see you!"
I had not intended to speak in this colloquial way, but I had always felt a warm sympathy for the old gentleman, and somehow it broke through my icy calm.
Perhaps it broke through his also, for he stopped stalking and stood regarding me with a countenance more in sorrow than in anger. Then he said:
"For this assurance, thanks. I would that I
Might say the same to you. But of a truth
Your presence here, at this especial time,
Hinders my dearest plans."
"No! Is that so?" said I, much concerned. "But I'm only here for a week, or ten days at most; can't your plans wait that long? "
"Not so; on Hallo' eve— to-morrow night —
I do expect that there will join me here
A dozen of my fellows — fellow-ghosts,
Doomed for a certain time to walk the night."
"Oho!" said I, "I see;, you have made my house a rendezvous for Hallowe'en, because you thought it would be otherwise vacant."
"Tis so, my friend; and lend thy serious hearing
To what I shall unfold. In vain I've sought
In the Old World a castle or a church,
A ruined abbey or an ancient tower,
Where I and some few spirits of my choice
