large/803/ghost_stories_001_librivox_64kb_mp3/gs001-schalken_the_painter_lefanu_ge_64kb_149
large/803/ghost_stories_001_librivox_64kb_mp3/gs001-schalken_the_painter_lefanu_ge_64kb
English
803
Many years after the events which we have detailed, Schalken, then residing far away received an intimation of his father's death, and of his intended burial upon a fixed day in the church of Rotterdam. MANY YEARS AFTER THE EVENTS WHICH WE HAVE DETAILED SHALKIN THEN RESIDING FAR AWAY RECEIVED AN INTIMATION OF HIS FATHER'S DEATH AND OF HIS INTENDED BURIAL UPON A FIXED DAY IN THE CHURCH OF ROTTERDAM
here followed a death-like silence. A light step was heard crossing the floor, as if from the bed to the window; and almost at the same instant the door gave way, and, yielding to the pressure of the external applicants, nearly precipitated them into the room. It was empty. The window was open, and Schalken sprung to a chair and gazed out upon the street and canal below. He saw no form, but he saw, or thought he saw, the waters of the broad canal beneath settling ring after ring in heavy circles, as if a moment before disturbed by the submission of some ponderous body. No trace of Rose was ever after found, nor was anything certain respecting her mysterious wooer discovered or even suspected--no clue whereby to trace the intricacies of the labyrinth and to arrive at its solution, presented itself. But an incident occurred, which, though it will not be received by our rational readers in lieu of evidence, produced nevertheless a strong and a lasting impression upon the mind of Schalken. M THE ROOM AND SUDDENLY THERE FOLLOWED A DEATHLIKE SILENCE A LIGHT STEP WAS HEARD ACROSSING THE FLOOR AS IF FROM THE BED TO THE WINDOW AND ALMOST AT THE SAME INSTANT THE DOOR GAVE WAY AND YIELDING TO THE PRESSURE OF THE EXTERNAL APPLICANTS NEARLY PRECIPITATED THEM INTO THE ROOM IT WAS EMPTY THE WINDOW WAS OPEN AND SHALKIN SPRUNG TO A CHAIR AND GAZED OUT UPON THE STREET AND CANAL BELOW HE SAW NO FORM BUT HE SAW OR THOUGHT HE SAW THE WATERS OF THE BROAD CANAL BENEATH SETTLING RING AFTER RING IN HEAVY CIRCLES AS IF A MOMENT BEFORE DISTURBED BY THE SUBMISSION OF SOME PONDEROUS BODY NO TRACE OF ROSE WAS EVER AFTER FOUND NOR WAS ANYTHING CERTAIN RESPECTING HER MYSTERIOUS WOOER DISCOVERED OR EVEN SUSPECTED NO CLUE WHEREBY TO TRACE THE INTRICACIES OF THE LABYRINTH AND TO ARRIVE AT ITS SOLUTION PRESENTED ITSELF BUT AN INCIDENT OCCURRED WHICH THOUGH IT WILL NOT BE RECEIVED BY OUR RATIONAL READERS IN LIEU OF EVIDENCE PRODUCED NEVERTHELESS A STRONG AND A LASTING IMPRESSION UPON THE MIND OF SHALKIN
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