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At this moment Sylvester entered the room, and, having greeted both his aunt and her reverend friend warmly, proceeded to ascertain what had occurred.

"Was there anything the matter last night?" he inquired.

"Do you mean, my dear, when I knocked at your door?"

"Yes: why did you knock?"

"I merely thought that you might have been disturbed."

"What induced you to think so?"

"Why, the people in the village imagined they saw a ghost—"

"What, again!"

"Yes; and some of them declared that they saw it come here."

"How very extraordinary! Mystery follows me, go where I may. you know the persons who fancied they saw it come here?"

"Legge was one: the person who keeps the public-house."

"I'll go over and speak to Legge immediately after breakfast. He is rather a superior man, too; is he not? I speak, of course, with reference to his position."

"Exactly," returned the reverend gentleman. "He is a superior man: a man of strong mind, and good, plain, common sense."

"And a kind creature, too," said Aunt Eleanor, "I'm sure. He came over last night, in order to ascertain if he could render me any assistance."

"Well. I'll go and speak to him," said Sylvester; "and then I shall hear all about it. It certainly is most mysterious. I can't understand it at all."

It will not be incorrect to observe, that these observations were induced by the thought that he might, unconsciously, have been the cause of all. He had previously no conception of being a somnambulist, but, as a remarkable case of somnambulism had just before been published, he thought it possible—just possible—that he was, in reality, a somnambulist himself. He did not—he could not—believe that he was; but feeling, of course, anxious—as the thought had been conceived—to ascertain whether he really was or not, he at once resolved on viewing every circumstance that had occurred in immediate connexion with that.

In pursuance of this resolution, he immediately after breakfast left the cottage, and went to the Crumpet and Crown. Obadiah, and Pokey, and Quocks, were there, with Bobber, and several others, and, as he was perfectly unknown to them all, he was, of course, minutely examined from head to foot as he entered.

"I say," whispered Pokey, in the ear of Obadiah; "who's he?"

"A government spy, you fool. Don't your ideas fructify?"

"Is that a spy?"

"Of course! Hold your tongue."

"But how do you know?"

"I know by the cut of him. Mind what you're after. Bobby Peel has sent him down to feel the pulse of the eternal people. You'll see how I'll cook his goose for him, presently. Fine morning, sir," he added, addressing Sylvester, who had taken a seat immediately opposite.