ThisandmanyabygonescenethrongedonmeasIstoodthere，andtheroomfilledagainwiththememoriesofchildishmirth。Andfollowingclosecamethoseofchildishterrors。Horrorswhichhadoppressedmethen，whollyimaginedordimlyapprehendedfromhalf-
heardtraditions，andneverthoughtofsince，flittedaroundmeinthegatheringdusk。Andwiththemitseemedtomeasiftherecameothermemoriestoo，——memorieswhichhadneverbeenmyown，ofsceneswhoseactorshadlongbeenwiththedead，butwhich，immortalasthespiritbeforewhoseeyestheyhaddwelt，stilllingeredinthespotwheretheirvictimhadfirstlearnttoshudderattheirpresence。Oncetheghastlynotioncametome，itseizedonmyimaginationwithirresistibleforce。Itseemedasiffromthedarkenedcornersoftheroomvague，ill-definedshapeswereactuallypeeringoutatme。Whennightcametheywouldshowthemselvesinthatform，lividandterrible，inwhichtheyhadbeenburntintothebrainandheartofthelongagodead。
IturnedandglancedtowardswhereIhadleftAlan。Icouldseehisfigureframedinbythewindow，ablackshadowagainstthegraytwilightoftheskybehind。Erectandperfectlymotionlesshesat，somotionlessastolookalmostlifeless，gazingbeforehimdownthevalleyintotheillimitabledistancebeyond。Therewassomethinginthatsternimmobilityoflookandattitudewhichstruckmewithacurioussenseofcongruity。Itwasrightthatheshouldbethus——rightthatheshouldbenolongerthelaughingboywhoamomentbeforehadbeeninmymemory。Thehauntinghorrorsofthatplaceseemedtodemandit，andforthefirsttimeIfeltthatIunderstoodthechange。WithaneffortIshookmyselffreefromthesefancies，andturnedtogo。AsIdidso，myeyefelluponaqueer-shapedpaintedboard，leaningupagainstthewall，whichI
wellrecollectedinoldtimes。Manyadiscussionhadwehadaboutthelegendinscribeduponit，whichinourwisdomwehadfinallypronouncedtobeGerman，chieflybecauseitwasillegible。ThoughIhadloudlyprofessedmyfaithinthistheoryatthetime，Ihadalwayshaduneasydoubtsonthesubject，andnowhalfsmilingI
bentdowntoverifyorremovethem。ThelanguagewasEnglish，notGerman。butthebadlypainted，fadedGothiclettersinwhichitwaswrittenmadethemistakeexcusable。InthedimlightIhaddifficultyevennowindecipheringthewords，andfeltwhenIhaddonesothatneithertheinformationconveyednorthestyleofthecompositionwassufficientrewardforthetroubleIhadtaken。