Page:Knight's Quarterly Magazine series 1 volume 1 (June–October 1823).djvu/364

 Chamber actually happened to me some time ago, and singular enough it appears, that the room in which it occurred was called the Black Chamber.”“But I must hear the circumstance,” observed I. Barmann hesitated for some time, but at length consented to gratify my curiosity, which he did in the following words:—

“Some time ago, while I was still studying medicine under Dr. Wenderborn, it was his practice to reserve the town patients to himself; and as I was esteemed a good and fearless horseman, to send me to those who resided at a distance in the country. On one occasion, (the illness of a daughter who had a violent nervous fever,) I was despatched some miles in the country to Colonel de Silverstein’s, where, although very little could be done for the patient, I was obliged to remain during the night, in order to satisfy the anxiety of the parents. A chamber was accordingly prepared for me, and as my patient was perfectly tranquil, I bade good night at an earlier hour than usual to the family, and retired to rest. The whole mansion had a most dreary aspect, and my chamber was by no means the most inviting apartment in it. The clumsy old-fashioned doors were painted black; so was the ceiling, and the grotesque carved wood-work which ornamented the windows and walls. In short, nothing pleased me but the bed, which, with a fine white coverlid upon it, stood majestically against the wall, behind the rich and massy folds of ponderous green silk curtains.

“I had determined to write down a circumstantial account of the progress of the young lady’s disorder for my master’s inspection, and had actually sat down to my task, though yawning heavily at every period, when something suddenly knocked at my door. I started at first, but soon recovering my composure, told the visitor in as big a tone as I could assume, to ‘come in;’ he did so, and for this time at least there was nothing very frightful; it was merely the Colonel’s game-keeper, a handsome young man, who came to inquire if I had any further commands before I retired to rest. I mention all these trifling circumstances just as they occurred; for, in order to insure belief, it is necessary to be particular in these relations, even to pedantry. The game-keeper was a pleasant sort of fellow, and we conversed very cheerfully upon several different subjects. Among other civilities, he asked me whether I should not find it very dull in this dreary apartment, and offered at the same time, if I wished it, to remain with me all night. I could not forbear laughing at this sacrifice, for I observed that he was himself most horribly frightened at the dismal prospect of passing the night in the chamber, and that he often started, and looked round anxiously