Page:Tales of old Lusitania.djvu/33



a young man set out to travel through the world. Coming to a certain town, he looked about for a night's lodging, but in vain. He was told that the whole city was full; but that in the immediate neighbourhood there stood an old castle, which was empty, where he might find quarters, provided he had no objection to sleeping in a haunted house. The family to whom it belonged had lived there many years, but had suddenly left it, on account of the awful noises heard, and the apparition which wandered through the chambers every night. The castle and its grounds had, therefore, been left to rack and ruin.

As the traveller could find no other shelter he resolved to avail himself of the haunted mansion, since he had no fear of ghosts or apparitions. Nevertheless, when he reached the place, and saw the dismal and decayed aspect of the building, a weird feeling came over him, and he did not venture inside