The Broad Highway

Now, as I went, my mind was greatly exercised as to a feasible

explanation of what I had just heard. That a man so old as the

Ancient should "see things" I could readily believe, by reason of

his years, for great age is often subject to such hallucinations,

but with Simon, a man in the prime of his life, it was a different

matter altogether. That he had been absolutely sincere in his

story I had read in his dilating eye and the involuntary shiver

that had passed over him while he spoke. Here indeed, though I

scouted all idea of supernatural agency, there lay a mystery that

piqued my curiosity not a little.

Ghosts!--pshaw! What being, endowed with a reasoning mind, could

allow himself to think, let alone believe in such folly? Ghosts

--fiddle-de-dee, Sir!

Yet here, and all at once, like an enemy from the dark, old

stories leaped at and seized me by the throat: old tales of

spectres grim and bloody, of goblins, and haunted houses from

whose dim desolation strange sounds would come; tales long since

heard, and forgot--till now.

Ghosts! Why, the road was full of them; they crowded upon my

heels, they peered over my shoulders; I felt them brush my

elbows, and heard them gibbering at me from the shadows.

And the sun was setting already!

Ghosts! And why not? "There are more things in heaven and earth

than are dreamed of in your philosophy."

Involuntarily I hastened my steps, but the sun had set ere I

reached the Hollow. Yes, the sun had set, and the great basin

below me was already brimful of shadows which, as I watched,

seemed to assume shapes--vast, nebulous, and constantly changing

--down there amid the purple gloom of the trees. Indeed, it

looked an unholy place in the half light, a pit framed for

murders, and the safe hiding of tell-tale corpses, the very haunt

of horrid goblins and spectres, grim and ghastly.

So evilly did the place impress me that it needed an effort of

will ere I could bring myself to descend the precipitous slope.

Bats flitted to and fro across my path, now and then, emitting

their sharp, needlelike note, while, from somewhere in the

dimness beyond, an owl hooted.

By the time I reached the cottage, it had fallen quite dark, here

in the Hollow, though the light still lingered in the world

above. So I took out my tinder-box, and one of the candles,

which, after several failures, I succeeded in lighting, and,

stepping into the cottage, began to look about me.

The place was small, as I think I have before said, and comprised

two rooms shut off from each other by a strong partition with a

door midway. Lifting the candle, I glanced at the staple on

which the builder of the cottage had choked out his life so many

years ago, and, calling to mind the Ancient's fierce desire to

outlast it, I even reached up my hand and gave it a shake. But,

despite the rust of years, the iron felt as strong and rigid as

ever, so that it seemed the old man's innocent wish must go

unsatisfied after all. The second room appeared much the same

size as the first, and like it in all respects, till, looking

upwards, I noticed a square trap door in a corner, while

underneath, against the wall, hung a rough ladder. This I

proceeded to lift down, and mounting, cautiously lifted the trap.

Holding the candle above my head to survey this chamber, or

rather garret, the first object my eye encountered was a small

tin pannikin, and beyond that a stone jar, or demijohn. Upon

closer inspection I found this last to be nearly full of water

quite sweet and fresh to the taste, which, of itself, was

sufficient evidence that some one had been here very lately.

I now observed a bundle of hay in one corner, which had clearly

served for a bed, beside which were a cracked mug, a tin plate,

a pair of shoes, and an object I took to be part of a flute or

wind instrument of some kind. But what particularly excited my

interest were the shoes, which had evidently seen long and hard

service, for they were much worn, and had been roughly patched

here and there. Very big they were, and somewhat clumsy,

thick-soled, and square of toe, and with a pair of enormous

silver buckles.