Page:The Mysterious Warning - Parsons (1796, volume 4).djvu/139

 "Ah!" said she, "they are no living folks, I dare say; and it would be better to go by day, when they do not appear."

"But," replied Ferdinand, "that won't do; I wish to see them appear."

He then went down to the passage, which was like the colonnade of a cloister, and saw the door: By the help of an instrument, he drew the screws from the hinges, and with very little noise, opened the door, which discovered a similar passage to the one he was in, but quite dark; he procured his dark lantern, and proceeded softly through the passage; lamps were hung on one side, which no doubt were formerly lighted, but all was extremely gloomy and damp.

He came at length to a flight of steps, and hesitated a few minutes whether he should venture to proceed, yet it would be folly to go back so unsatisfied; he had just ascended the first stair, when he heard a loud laughing, as if of two or three persons: He listened—-