When the story was finished he tapped on the lid of his box
deliberately; took a long sonorous pinch of snuff -
"Bah!" said the Marquis, and walked toward the other end of the
gallery. -
* * * * *
Here the narrator paused. The company waited for some time for him to
resume his narrative; but he continued silent.
"Well," said the inquisitive gentleman, "and what did your uncle say
then?"
"Nothing," replied the other.
"And what did the Marquis say farther?"
"Nothing."
"And is that all?"
"That is all," said the narrator, filling a glass of wine.
"I surmise," said the shrewd old gentleman with the waggish nose - "I
surmise it was the old housekeeper walking her rounds to see that all
was right."
"Bah!" said the narrator, "my uncle was too much accustomed to strange
sights not to know a ghost from a housekeeper!"
There was a murmur round the table half of merriment, half of
disappointment. I was inclined to think the old gentleman had really an
afterpart of his story in reserve; but he sipped his wine and said
nothing more; and there was an odd expression about his dilapidated
countenance that left me in doubt whether he were in drollery or
earnest.
"Egad," said the knowing gentleman with the flexible nose, "this story
of your uncle puts me in mind of one that used to be told of an aunt of
mine, by the mother's side; though I don't know that it will bear a
comparison; as the good lady was not quite so prone to meet with
strange adventures.
