ItoldhimthatIhadbutdonemyduty，andurgedhimtoproceedtothematterwhichweigheduponhismind。Hethenspokenearlyasfollows：
　　’IcameindrunkonFridaynightlast，andgottomybedhere；Idon’trememberhow。SometimeinthenightitseemedtomeIwakened，andfeelingunasyinmyself，Igotupoutofthebed。Iwantedthefreshair；butIwouldnotmakeanoisetoopenthewindow，forfearI’dwakenthecrathurs。Itwasverydarkandthroublesometofindthedoor；butatlastIdidgetit，andIgropedmywayout，andwentdownasasyasIcould。I
　　feltquitesober，andIcountedthestepsoneafteranother，asIwasgoingdown，thatImightnotstumbleatthebottom。
　　’WhenIcametothefirstlanding-place——Godbeaboutusalways!——thefloorofitsunkunderme，andIwentdown——down——
　　down，tillthesensesalmostleftme。IdonotknowhowlongIwasfalling，butitseemedtomeagreatwhile。WhenI
　　camerightlytomyselfatlast，Iwassittingnearthetopofagreattable；
　　andIcouldnotseetheendofit，ifithadany，itwassofaroff。Andtherewasmenbeyondreckoning，sittingdownallalongbyit，ateachside，asfarasI
　　couldseeatall。Ididnotknowatfirstwasitintheopenair；buttherewasaclosesmotheringfeelinitthatwasnotnatural。Andtherewasakindoflightthatmyeyesightneversawbefore，redandunsteady；andIdidnotseeforalongtimewhereitwascomingfrom，untilIlookedstraightup，andthenIseenthatitcamefromgreatballsofblood-colouredfirethatwererollinghighoverheadwithasortofrushing，tremblingsound，andIperceivedthattheyshoneontheribsofagreatroofofrockthatwasarchedoverheadinsteadofthesky。WhenIseenthis，scarceknowingwhatIdid，Igotup，andIsaid，“Ihavenorighttobehere；Imustgo。“
　　Andthemanthatwassittingatmylefthandonlysmiled，andsaid，“Sitdownagain；youcanNEVERleavethisplace。“Andhisvoicewasweakerthananychild’svoiceIeverheerd；andwhenhewasdonespeakinghesmiledagain。
　　’ThenIspokeoutveryloudandbold，andIsaid，“InthenameofGod，letmeoutofthisbadplace。“AndtherewasagreatmanthatIdidnotseebefore，sittingattheendofthetablethatIwasnear；andhewastallerthantwelvemen，andhisfacewasveryproudandterribletolookat。
　　Andhestoodupandstretchedouthishandbeforehim；andwhenhestoodup，allthatwasthere，greatandsmall，boweddownwithasighingsound，andadreadcameonmyheart，andhelookedatme，andI
　　couldnotspeak。IfeltIwashisown，todowhathelikedwith，forIknewatoncewhohewas；andhesaid，“Ifyoupromisetoreturn，youmaydepartforaseason；“andthevoicehespokewithwasterribleandmournful，andtheechoesofitwentrollingandswellingdowntheendlesscave，andmixingwiththetremblingofthefireoverhead；sothatwhenhesatdowntherewasasoundafterhim，allthroughtheplace，liketheroaringofafurnace，andIsaid，withallthestrengthIhad，“I
　　promisetocomeback——inGod’snameletmego!“
　　’AndwiththatIlostthesightandthehearingofallthatwasthere，andwhenmysensescametomeagain，I
　　wassittinginthebedwiththebloodalloverme，andyouandtherestprayingaroundtheroom。’
　　Herehepausedandwipedawaythechilldropsofhorrorwhichhunguponhisforehead。
　　Iremainedsilentforsomemoments。
　　Thevisionwhichhehadjustdescribedstruckmyimaginationnotalittle，forthiswaslongbeforeVathekandthe’HallofEblis’haddelightedtheworld；
　　andthedescriptionwhichhegavehad，asIreceivedit，alltheattractionsofnoveltybesidetheimpressivenesswhichalwaysbelongstothenarrationofanEYE-WITNESS，whetherinthebodyorinthespirit，ofthesceneswhichhedescribes。Therewassomething，too，inthesternhorrorwithwhichthemanrelatedthesethings，andintheincongruityofhisdescription，withthevulgarlyreceivednotionsofthegreatplaceofpunishment，andofitspresidingspirit，whichstruckmymindwithawe，almostwithfear。Atlengthhesaid，withanexpressionofhorrible，imploringearnestness，whichIshallneverforget——
　　’Well，sir，isthereanyhope；isthereanychanceatall？or，ismysoulpledgedandpromisedawayforever？isitgoneoutofmypower？mustIgobacktotheplace？’
　　Inansweringhim，Ihadnoeasytasktoperform；forhoweverclearmightbemyinternalconvictionofthegroundlessnessofhistears，andhoweverstrongmyscepticismrespectingtherealityofwhathehaddescribed，Ineverthelessfeltthathisimpressiontothecontrary，andhishumilityandterrorresultingfromit，mightbemadeavailableasnomeanenginesintheworkofhisconversionfromprodigacy，andofhisrestorationtodecenthabits，andtoreligiousfeeling。
　　Ithereforetoldhimthathewastoregardhisdreamratherinthelightofawarningthaninthatofaprophecy；thatoursalvationdependednotuponthewordordeedofamoment，butuponthehabitsofalife；that，infine，ifheatoncediscardedhisidlecompanionsandevilhabits，andfirmlyadheredtoasober，industrious，andreligiouscourseoflife，thepowersofdarknessmightclaimhissoulinvain，forthattherewerehigherandfirmerpledgesthanhumantonguecouldutter，whichpromisedsalvationtohimwhoshouldrepentandleadanewlife。
　　Ilefthimmuchcomforted，andwithapromisetoreturnuponthenextday。I
　　didso，andfoundhimmuchmorecheerfulandwithoutanyremainsofthedoggedsullennesswhichIsupposehadarisenfromhisdespair。Hispromisesofamendmentweregiveninthattoneofdeliberateearnestness，whichbelongstodeepandsolemndetermination；anditwaswithnosmalldelightthatIobserved，afterrepeatedvisits，thathisgoodresolutions，sofarfromfailing，didbutgatherstrengthbytime；andwhenIsawthatmanshakeofftheidleanddebauchedcompanions，whosesocietyhadforyearsformedalikehisamusementandhisruin，andrevivehislongdiscardedhabitsofindustryandsobriety，Isaidwithinmyself，thereissomethingmoreinallthisthantheoperationofanidledream。
　　Oneday，sometimeafterhisperfectrestorationtohealth，Iwassurprisedonascendingthestairs，forthepurposeofvisitingthisman，tofindhimbusilyemployedinnailingdownsomeplanksuponthelanding-place，throughwhich，atthecommencementofhismysteriousvision，itseemedtohimthathehadsunk。I
　　perceivedatoncethathewasstrengtheningthefloorwithaviewtosecuringhimselfagainstsuchacatastrophe，andcouldscarcelyforbearasmileasIbid’Godblesshiswork。’
　　Heperceivedmythoughts，Isuppose，forheimmediatelysaid：
　　’Icanneverpassoverthatfloorwithouttrembling。I’dleavethishouseifI
　　could，butIcan’tfindanotherlodginginthetownsocheap，andI’llnottakeabettertillI’vepaidoffallmydebts，pleaseGod；butIcouldnotbeasyinmymindtillImadeitassafeasIcould。You’llhardlybelieveme，yourhonour，thatwhileI’mworking，maybeamileaway，myheartisinaflutterthewholewayback，withthebarethoughtsofthetwolittlestepsI
　　havetowalkuponthisbitofafloor。Soit’snowonder，sir，I’dthrytomakeitsoundandfirmwithanyidletimberI
　　have。’
　　Iapplaudedhisresolutiontopayoffhisdebts，andthesteadinesswithwhichheperusedhisplansofconscientiouseconomy，andpassedon。
　　Manymonthselapsed，andstillthereappearednoalterationinhisresolutionsofamendment。Hewasagoodworkman，andwithhisbetterhabitsherecoveredhisformerextensiveandprofitableemployment。
　　Everythingseemedtopromisecomfortandrespectability。Ihavelittlemoretoadd，andthatshallbetoldquickly。IhadoneeveningmetPatConnell，ashereturnedfromhiswork，andasusual，afteramutual，andonhissiderespectfulsalutation，I
　　spokeafewwordsofencouragementandapproval。Ilefthimindustrious，active，healthy——whennextIsawhim，notthreedaysafter，hewasacorpse。
　　Thecircumstanceswhichmarkedtheeventofhisdeathweresomewhatstrange——Imightsayfearful。Theunfortunatemanhadaccidentallymetanearlyfriendjustreturned，afteralongabsence，andinamomentofexcitement，forgettingeverythinginthewarmthofhisjoy，heyieldedtohisurgentinvitationtoaccompanyhimintoapublic-house，whichlayclosebythespotwheretheencounterhadtakenplace。
　　Connell，however，previouslytoenteringtheroom，hadannouncedhisdeterminationtotakenothingmorethanthestrictesttemperancewouldwarrant。
　　Butoh!whocandescribetheinveteratetenacitywithwhichadrunkard’shabitsclingtohimthroughlife？Hemayrepent——hemayreform——hemaylookwithactualabhorrenceuponhispastprofligacy；
　　butamidallthisreformationandcompunction，whocantellthemomentinwhichthebaseandruinouspropensitymaynotrecur，triumphingoverresolution，remorse，shame，everything，andprostratingitsvictimoncemoreinallthatisdestructiveandrevoltinginthatfatalvice？
　　Thewretchedmanlefttheplaceinastateofutterintoxication。Hewasbroughthomenearlyinsensible。andplacedinhisbed，wherehelayinthedeepcalmlethargyofdrunkenness。Theyoungerpartofthefamilyretiredtorestmuchaftertheirusualhour；butthepoorwiferemainedupsittingbythefire，toomuchgrievedandshockedattheoccur-
　　renceofwhatshehadsolittleexpected，tosettletorest；fatigue，however，atlengthovercameher，andshesankgraduallyintoanuneasyslumber。Shecouldnottellhowlongshehadremainedinthisstate，whensheawakened，andimmediatelyonopeninghereyes，sheperceivedbythefaintredlightofthesmoulderingturfembers，twopersons，oneofwhomsherecognisedasherhusband，noiselesslyglidingoutoftheroom。
　　’Pat，darling，whereareyougoing？’
　　saidshe。Therewasnoanswer——thedoorclosedafterthem；butinamomentshewasstartledandterrifiedbyaloudandheavycrash，asifsomeponderousbodyhadbeenhurleddownthestair。Muchalarmed，shestartedup，andgoingtotheheadofthestaircase，shecalledrepeatedlyuponherhusband，butinvain。Shereturnedtotheroom，andwiththeassistanceofherdaughter，whomIhadoccasiontomentionbefore，shesucceededinfindingandlightingacandle，withwhichshehurriedagaintotheheadofthestaircase。
　　Atthebottomlaywhatseemedtobeabundleofclothes，heapedtogether，motionless，lifeless——itwasherhusband。Ingoingdownthestair，forwhatpurposecannevernowbeknown，hehadfallenhelplesslyandviolentlytothebottom，andcomingheadforemost，thespineattheneckhadbeendislocatedbytheshock，andinstantdeathmusthaveensued。Thebodylayuponthatlanding-placetowhichhisdreamhadreferred。Itisscarcelyworthendeavouringtoclearupasinglepointinanarrativewhereallismystery；
　　yetIcouldnothelpsuspectingthatthesecondfigurewhichhadbeenseenintheroombyConnell’swifeonthenightofhisdeath，mighthavebeennootherthanhisownshadow。Isuggestedthissolutionofthedifficulty；butshetoldmethattheunknownpersonhadbeenconsiderablyinadvanceoftheother，andonreachingthedoor，hadturnedbackasiftocommunicatesomethingtohiscompanion。Itwasthenamystery。
　　Wasthedreamverified？——whitherhadthedisembodiedspiritsped？——whocansay？Weknownot。ButIleftthehouseofdeaththatdayinastateofhorrorwhichIcouldnotdescribe。ItseemedtomethatIwasscarceawake。Iheardandsaweverythingasifunderthespellofanight-mare。Thecoincidencewasterrible。
　　EndThePurcellPapers，Volume2
　　byJosephSheridanLeFanuWithaMemoirbyALFREDPERCEVALGRAVES
　　CONTENTSOFVOL。II——
　　PASSAGEINTHESECRETHISTORYOFANIRISHCOUNTESS
　　THEBRIDALOFCARRIGVARAH
　　STRANGEEVENTINTHELIFEOFSCHALKENTHEPAINTER
　　SCRAPSOFHIBERNIANBALLADS
　　THEPURCELLPAPERS。
　　PASSAGEINTHE
　　SECRETHISTORYOFANIRISH
　　COUNTESS。
　　BeingaFifthExtractfromtheLegacyofthelateFrancisPurcell，P。P。ofDrumcoolagh。
　　Thefollowingpaperiswritteninafemalehand，andwasnodoubtcommunicatedtomymuch-regrettedfriendbytheladywhoseearlyhistoryitservestoillustrate，theCountessD。Sheisnomore——shelongsincedied，achildlessandawidowedwife，and，asherlettersadlypredicts，nonesurvivetowhomthepublicationofthisnarrativecanprove’injurious，orevenpainful。’