"Now that he is away I can be easy for a little while," continued
the ghost; "and I am so glad to have an opportunity of talking to
you. I have frequently come into your room and watched you while you
slept, but did not dare to speak to you for fear that if you talked
with me Mr. Hinckman would hear you and come into the room to know
why you were talking to yourself."
"But would he not hear you?" I asked.
"Oh no!" said the other; "there are times when any one may see me,
but no one hears me except the person to whom I address myself."
"But why did you wish to speak to me?" I asked.
"Because," replied the ghost, "I like occasionally to talk to
people, and especially to some one like yourself, whose mind is so
troubled and perturbed that you are not likely to be frightened by a
visit from one of us. But I particularly wanted to ask you to do me
a favor. There is every probability, so far as I can see, that John
Hinckman will live a long time, and my situation is becoming
insupportable. My great object at present is to get myself
transferred, and I think that you may, perhaps, be of use to me."
"Transferred!" I exclaimed. "What do you mean by that?"
"What I mean," said the other, "is this: now that I have started on
my career I have got to be the ghost of somebody, and I want to be
the ghost of a man who is really dead."
"I should think that would be easy enough," I said. "Opportunities
must continually occur."
"Not at all! not at all!" said my companion, quickly. "You have no
idea what a rush and pressure there is for situations of this kind.
Whenever a vacancy occurs, if I may express myself in that way,
there are crowds of applications for the ghostship."
"I had no idea that such a state of things existed," I said,
becoming quite interested in the matter. "There ought to be some
regular system, or order of precedence, by which you could all take
your turns like customers in a barber's shop."
"Oh dear, that would never do at all!" said the other. "Some of us
would have to wait forever. There is always a great rush whenever a
good ghostship offers itself--while, as you know, there are some
positions that no one would care for. And it was in consequence of
my being in too great a hurry on an occasion of the kind that I got
myself into my present disagreeable predicament, and I have thought
that it might be possible that you would help me out of it. You
might know of a case where an opportunity for a ghostship was not
generally expected, but which might present itself at any moment. If
you would give me a short notice I know I could arrange for a
transfer."
"What do you mean?" I exclaimed. "Do you want me to commit suicide?
or to undertake a murder for your benefit?"
"Oh no, no, no!" said the other, with a vapory smile. "I mean
nothing of that kind. To be sure, there are lovers who are watched
with considerable interest, such persons having been known, in
moments of depression, to offer very desirable ghostships; but I did
not think of anything of that kind in connection with you. You were
the only person I cared to speak to, and I hoped that you might give
me some information that would be of use; and, in return, I shall be
very glad to help you in your love-affair."
"You seem to know that I have such an affair," I said.
"Oh yes!" replied the other, with a little yawn. "I could not be
here so much as I have been without knowing all about that."
There was something horrible in the idea of Madeline and myself
having been watched by a ghost, even, perhaps, when we wandered
together in the most delightful and bosky places. But then this was
quite an exceptional ghost, and I could not have the objections to
him which would ordinarily arise in regard to beings of his class.
"I must go now," said the ghost, rising, "but I will see you
somewhere to-morrow night. And remember--you help me and I'll help
you."
I had doubts the next morning as to the propriety of telling
Madeline anything about this interview, and soon convinced myself
that I must keep silent on the subject. If she knew there was a
ghost about the house she would probably leave the place instantly.
I did not mention the matter, and so regulated my demeanor that I am
quite sure Madeline never suspected what had taken place. For some
time I had wished that Mr. Hinckman would absent himself, for a day
at least, from the premises. In such case I thought I might more
easily nerve myself up to the point of speaking to Madeline on the
subject of our future collateral existence; and, now that the
opportunity for such speech had really occurred, I did not feel
ready to avail myself of it. What would become of me if she refused
me?
I had an idea, however, that the lady thought that, if I were going
to speak at all, this was the time. She must have known that certain
sentiments were afloat within me, and she was not unreasonable in
her wish to see the matter settled one way or the other. But I did
not feel like taking a bold step in the dark. If she wished me to
ask her to give herself to me she ought to offer me some reason to
suppose that she would make the gift. If I saw no probability of
such generosity I would prefer that things should remain as they
were.
* * * * *
That evening I was sitting with Madeline in the moon-lit porch. It
was nearly ten o'clock, and ever since supper-time I had been
working myself up to the point of making an avowal of my sentiments.
I had not positively determined to do this, but wished gradually to
reach the proper point, when, if the prospect looked bright, I might
speak. My companion appeared to understand the situation--at least I
imagined that the nearer I came to a proposal the more she seemed to
expect it. It was certainly a very critical and important epoch in
my life. If I spoke I should make myself happy or miserable forever;
and if I did not speak I had every reason to believe that the lady
would not give me another chance to do so.
Sitting thus with Madeline, talking a little, and thinking very hard
over these momentous matters, I looked up and saw the ghost not a
dozen feet away from us. He was sitting on the railing of the porch,
one leg thrown up before him, the other dangling down as he leaned
against a post. He was behind Madeline, but almost in front of me,
as I sat facing the lady. It was fortunate that Madeline was looking
out over the landscape, for I must have appeared very much startled.
The ghost had told me that he would see me sometime this night, but
I did not think he would make his appearance when I was in the
company of Madeline. If she should see the spirit of her uncle I
could not answer for the consequences. I made no exclamation, but
the ghost evidently saw that I was troubled.
"Don't be afraid," he said. "I shall not let her see me; and she
cannot hear me speak unless I address myself to her, which I do not
intend to do."