The House of Souls
to come again in the course of a week. A few days later I received this extraordinary letter.'
Austin took the envelope, drew out the letter, and read it curiously. It ran as follows:—
'My dear Villiers,—I have thought over the matter on which you consulted me the other night, and my advice to you is this. Throw the portrait into the fire, blot out the story from your mind. Never give it another thought, Villiers, or you will be sorry. You will think, no doubt, that I am in possession of some secret information, and to a certain extent that is the case. But I only know a little; I am like a traveller who has peered over an abyss, and has drawn back in terror. What I know is strange enough and horrible enough, but beyond my knowledge there are depths and horrors more frightful still, more incredible than any tale told of winter nights about the fire. I have resolved, and nothing shall shake that resolve, to explore no whit farther, and if you value your happiness you will make the same determination.
'Come and see me by all means; but we will talk on more cheerful topics than this.'
Austin folded the letter methodically, and returned it to Villiers.
'It is certainly an extraordinary letter,' he said; 'what does he mean by the portrait?'
'Ah! I forgot to tell you I have been to Paul Street and have made a discovery.'
Villiers told his story as he had told it to Clarke, and Austin listened in silence. He seemed puzzled.
'How very curious that you should experience such an unpleasant sensation in that room!' he said at length.
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