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Ha! they are there again! E'en in the very door-way do they front me! Still foremost Ethelbert and Selred tower With their new sever'd necks, and fix on me Their death-strain'd eye-balls: and behind them frowns The murder'd youth, and Oswal's scepter'd ghost: Whilst seen, as if half fading into air, The pale distracted maid shews her faint form. Thrice in this very form and order seen They have before me stood. What may it mean? I've heard that shapes like these will to the utterance Of human voice give back articulate sound, And, having so adjured been, depart. I'll do it tho' behind them hell should yawn If aught ye be but flitting fantasies, But empty semblance of the form ye wear; If aught ye be that can to human voice Real audience give, and a real sense receive Of that on which your fix'd and hollow eyes So stern and fix'dly glare; I do conjure you Depart from me, and come again no more! From me depart! Full well those ghastly wounds Have been return'd into this tortur'd breast: O drive me not unto the horrid brink