Chapter 4

           Thenextdaytheghostwasveryweakandtired. Theterribleexcitementofthelastfourweekswasbeginningtohaveitseffect. Hisnerveswerecompletelyshattered,andhestartedattheslightestnoise. Forfivedayshekepthisroom,andatlastmadeuphismindtogiveupthepointoftheblood-stainonthelibraryfloor. IftheOtisfamilydidnotwantit,theyclearlydidnotdeserveit. Theywereevidentlypeopleonalow,materialplaneofexistence,andquiteincapableofappreciatingthesymbolicvalueofsensuousphenomena. Thequestionofphantasmicapparitions,andthedevelopmentofastralbodies,wasofcoursequiteadifferentmatter,andreallynotunderhiscontrol. Itwashissolemndutytoappearinthecorridoronceaweek,andtogibberfromthelargeorielwindowonthefirstandthirdWednesdaysineverymonth,andhedidnotseehowhecouldhonourablyescapefromhisobligations. Itisquitetruethathislifehadbeenveryevil,but,upontheotherhand,hewasmostconscientiousinallthingsconnectedwiththesupernatural. ForthenextthreeSaturdays,accordingly,hetraversedthecorridorasusualbetweenmidnightandthreeo’clock,takingeverypossibleprecautionagainstbeingeitherheardorseen. Heremovedhisboots,trodaslightlyaspossibleontheoldworm-eatenboards,worealargeblackvelvetcloak,andwascarefultousetheRisingSunLubricatorforoilinghischains. Iamboundtoacknowledgethatitwaswithagooddealofdifficultythathebroughthimselftoadoptthislastmodeofprotection. However,onenight,whilethefamilywereatdinner,heslippedintoMr.Otis’sbedroomandcarriedoffthebottle. Hefeltalittlehumiliatedatfirst, butafterwardswassensibleenoughtoseethattherewasagreatdealtobesaidfortheinvention,and,toacertaindegree,itservedhispurpose. Stillinspiteofeverythinghewasnotleftunmolested.