August27-Heatherleghhasbeenindefatigableinhisattendanceonme；andonlyyesterdaytoldmethatIoughttosendinanapplicationforsickleaveAnapplicationtoescapethecompanyofaphantom！ArequestthattheGovernmentwouldgraciouslypermitmetogetridoffiveghostsandanairy’rickshawbygoingtoEnglandHeatherlegh’spropositionmovedmetoalmosthystericallaughterItoldhimthatIshouldawaittheendquietlyatSimla；andIamsurethattheendisnotfaroffBelievemethatI
dreaditsadventmorethananywordcansay；andItorturemyselfnightlywithathousandspeculationsastothemannerofmydeath。
ShallIdieinmybeddecentlyandasanEnglishgentlemanshoulddie；or，inonelastwalkontheMall，willmysoulbewrenchedfrommetotakeitsplaceforeverandeverbythesideofthatghastlyphantasm？ShallIreturntomyoldlostallegianceinthenextworld，orshallImeetAgnesloathingherandboundtohersidethroughalleternity？ShallwetwohoveroverthesceneofourlivestilltheendofTime？Asthedayofmydeathdrawsnearer，theintensehorrorthatalllivingfleshfeelstowardescapedspiritsfrombeyondthegravegrowsmoreandmorepowerfulItisanawfulthingtogodownquickamongthedeadwithscarcelyone-halfofyourlifecompletedItisathousandtimesmoreawfultowaitasIdoinyourmidst，forIknownotwhatunimaginableterrorPityme，atleastonthescoreofmy“delusion。”forI
knowyouwillneverbelievewhatIhavewrittenhereYetassurelyaseveramanwasdonetodeathbythePowersofDarknessIamthatman。
Injustice，too，pityherForassurelyaseverwomanwaskilledbyman，IkilledMrsWessingtonAndthelastportionofmypunishmentisevernowuponme。
MYOWNTRUEGHOSTSTORY
AsIcamethroughtheDesertthusitwas——
AsIcamethroughtheDesert。
TheCityofDreadfulNight。
SomewhereintheOtherWorld，wheretherearebooksandpicturesandplaysandshopwindowstolookat，andthousandsofmenwhospendtheirlivesinbuildingupallfour，livesagentlemanwhowritesrealstoriesabouttherealinsidesofpeople；
andhisnameisMrWalterBesantButhewillinsistupontreatinghisghostshehaspublishedhalfaworkshopfulofthem——
withlevityHemakeshisghost-seerstalkfamiliarly，and，insomecases，flirtoutrageously，withthephantomsYoumaytreatanything，fromaViceroytoaVernacularPaper，withlevity；butyoumustbehavereverentlytowardaghost，andparticularlyanIndianone。
Thereare，inthisland，ghostswhotaketheformoffat，cold，pobbycorpses，andhideintreesneartheroadsidetillatravelerpassesThentheydropuponhisneckandremainTherearealsoterribleghostsofwomenwhohavediedinchild-bedThesewanderalongthepathwaysatdusk，orhideinthecropsnearavillage，andcallseductivelyButtoanswertheircallisdeathinthisworldandthenextTheirfeetareturnedbackwardthatallsobermenmayrecognizethemThereareghostsoflittlechildrenwhohavebeenthrownintowellsThesehauntwellcurbsandthefringesofjungles，andwailunderthestars，orcatchwomenbythewristandbegtobetakenupandcarriedTheseandthecorpseghosts，however，areonlyvernaculararticlesanddonotattackSahibsNonativeghosthasyetbeenauthenticallyreportedtohavefrightenedanEnglishman；butmanyEnglishghostshavescaredthelifeoutofbothwhiteandblack。
NearlyeveryotherStationownsaghostTherearesaidtobetwoatSimla，notcountingthewomanwhoblowsthebellowsatSyreedak-bungalowontheOldRoad；MussooriehasahousehauntedofaverylivelyThing；aWhiteLadyissupposedtodonight-
watchmanroundahouseinLahore；Dalhousiesaysthatoneofherhouses“repeats“onautumneveningsalltheincidentsofahorriblehorse-and-precipiceaccident；Murreehasamerryghost，and，nowthatshehasbeensweptbycholera，willhaveroomforasorrowfulone；thereareOfficers’QuartersinMianMirwhosedoorsopenwithoutreason，andwhosefurnitureisguaranteedtocreak，notwiththeheatofJunebutwiththeweightofInvisibleswhocometoloungeinthechairs；Peshawurpossesseshousesthatnonewillwillinglyrent；andthereissomething——notfever——wrongwithabigbungalowinAllahabadTheolderProvincessimplybristlewithhauntedhouses，andmarchphantomarmiesalongtheirmainthoroughfares。
Someofthedak-bungalowsontheGrandTrunkRoadhavehandylittlecemeteriesintheircompound——witnessestothe“changesandchancesofthismortallife“inthedayswhenmendrovefromCalcuttatotheNorthwestThesebungalowsareobjectionableplacestoputupinTheyaregenerallyveryold，alwaysdirty，whilethekhansamahisasancientasthebungalowHeeitherchatterssenilely，orfallsintothelongtrancesofageInbothmoodsheisuselessIfyougetangrywithhim，hereferstosomeSahibdeadandburiedthesethirtyyears，andsaysthatwhenhewasinthatSahib’sservicenotakhansamahintheProvincecouldtouchhimThenhejabbersandmowsandtremblesandfidgetsamongthedishes，andyourepentofyourirritation。
Inthesedak-bungalows，ghostsaremostlikelytobefound，andwhenfound，theyshouldbemadeanoteofNotlongagoitwasmybusinesstoliveindak-bungalowsIneverinhabitedthesamehouseforthreenightsrunning，andgrewtobelearnedinthebreed。
IlivedinGovernment-builtoneswithredbrickwallsandrailceilings，aninventoryofthefurniturepostedineveryroom，andanexcitedsnakeatthethresholdtogivewelcomeIlivedin“converted“ones——oldhousesofficiatingasdak-bungalows——wherenothingwasinitsproperplaceandtherewasn’tevenafowlfordinnerIlivedinsecond-handpalaceswherethewindblewthroughopen-workmarbletraceryjustasuncomfortablyasthroughabrokenpaneIlivedindak-bungalowswherethelastentryinthevisitors’bookwasfifteenmonthsold，andwheretheyslashedoffthecurry-kid’sheadwithaswordItwasmygoodlucktomeetallsortsofmen，fromsobertravelingmissionariesanddesertersflyingfromBritishRegiments，todrunkenloaferswhothrewwhiskybottlesatallwhopassed；andmystillgreatergoodfortunejusttoescapeamaternitycaseSeeingthatafairproportionofthetragedyofourlivesouthereacteditselfindak-
bungalows，IwonderedthatIhadmetnoghostsAghostthatwouldvoluntarilyhangaboutadak-bungalowwouldbemadofcourse；butsomanymenhavediedmadindak-bungalowsthattheremustbeafairpercentageoflunaticghosts。
InduetimeIfoundmyghost，orghostsrather，forthereweretwoofthemUptillthathourIhadsympathizedwithMrBesant’smethodofhandlingthem，asshownin“TheStrangeCaseofMr。
LucraftandOtherStories。”IamnowintheOpposition。
WewillcallthebungalowKatmaldak-bungalowButTHATwasthesmallestpartofthehorrorAmanwithasensitivehidehasnorighttosleepindak-bungalowsHeshouldmarryKatmaldak-
bungalowwasoldandrottenandunrepairedThefloorwasofwornbrick，thewallswerefilthy，andthewindowswerenearlyblackwithgrimeItstoodonabypathlargelyusedbynativeSub-
DeputyAssistantsofallkinds，fromFinancetoForests；butrealSahibswererareThekhansamah，whowasnearlybentdoublewitholdage，saidso。
WhenIarrived，therewasafitful，undecidedrainonthefaceoftheland，accompaniedbyarestlesswind，andeverygustmadeanoiseliketherattlingofdrybonesinthestifftoddypalmsoutside。
ThekhansamahcompletelylosthisheadonmyarrivalHehadservedaSahibonceDidIknowthatSahib？Hegavemethenameofawell-knownmanwhohasbeenburiedformorethanaquarterofacentury，andshowedmeanancientdaguerreotypeofthatmaninhisprehistoricyouthIhadseenasteelengravingofhimattheheadofadoublevolumeofMemoirsamonthbefore，andIfeltancientbeyondtelling。
ThedayshutinandthekhansamahwenttogetmefoodHedidnotgothroughthepretenseofcallingit“khana“——man’svictuals。
Hesaid“ratub。”andthatmeans，amongotherthings，“grub“——dog’srationsTherewasnoinsultinhischoiceofthetermHehadforgottentheotherword，Isuppose。
Whilehewascuttingupthedeadbodiesofanimals，Isettledmyselfdown，afterexploringthedak-bungalowTherewerethreerooms，besidemyown，whichwasacornerkennel，eachgivingintotheotherthroughdingywhitedoorsfastenedwithlongironbarsThebungalowwasaverysolidone，butthepartitionwallsoftheroomswerealmostjerry-builtintheirflimsinessEverysteporbangofatrunkechoedfrommyroomdowntheotherthree，andeveryfootfallcamebacktremulouslyfromthefarwallsForthisreasonIshutthedoorTherewerenolamps——onlycandlesinlongglassshadesAnoilwickwassetinthebathroom。
Forbleak，unadulteratedmiserythatdak-bungalowwastheworstofthemanythatIhadeversetfootinTherewasnofireplace，andthewindowswouldnotopen；soabrazierofcharcoalwouldhavebeenuselessTherainandthewindsplashedandgurgledandmoanedroundthehouse，andthetoddypalmsrattledandroared。
Halfadozenjackalswentthroughthecompoundsinging，andahyenastoodafaroffandmockedthemAhyenawouldconvinceaSadduceeoftheResurrectionoftheDead——theworstsortofDead。
Thencametheratub——acuriousmeal，halfnativeandhalfEnglishincomposition——withtheoldkhansamahbabblingbehindmychairaboutdeadandgoneEnglishpeople，andthewind-blowncandlesplayingshadow-bo-peepwiththebedandthemosquito-curtains。
Itwasjustthesortofdinnerandeveningtomakeamanthinkofeverysingleoneofhispastsins，andofalltheothersthatheintendedtocommitifhelived。
Sleep，forseveralhundredreasons，wasnoteasyThelampinthebath-roomthrewthemostabsurdshadowsintotheroom，andthewindwasbeginningtotalknonsense。
Justwhenthereasonsweredrowsywithblood-suckingIheardtheregular——“Let——us——take——and——heave——him——over“gruntofdoolie-
bearersinthecompoundFirstonedooliecamein，thenasecond，andthenathirdIheardthedooliesdumpedontheground，andtheshutterinfrontofmydoorshook“That’ssomeonetryingtocomein。”IsaidButnoonespoke，andIpersuadedmyselfthatitwasthegustywindTheshutteroftheroomnexttominewasattacked，flungback，andtheinnerdooropened“That’ssomeSub-DeputyAssistant。”Isaid，“andhehasbroughthisfriendswithhimNowthey’lltalkandspitandsmokeforanhour。”
ButtherewerenovoicesandnofootstepsNoonewasputtinghisluggageintothenextroomThedoorshut，andIthankedProvidencethatIwastobeleftinpeaceButIwascurioustoknowwherethedoolieshadgoneIgotoutofbedandlookedintothedarknessTherewasneverasignofadoolieJustasIwasgettingintobedagain，Iheard，inthenextroom，thesoundthatnomaninhissensescanpossiblymistake——thewhirofabilliardballdownthelengthoftheslateswhenthestrikerisstringingforbreakNoothersoundislikeitAminuteafterwardstherewasanotherwhir，andIgotintobedIwasnotfrightened——indeedI
wasnotIwasverycurioustoknowwhathadbecomeofthedooliesIjumpedintobedforthatreason。
NextminuteIheardthedoubleclickofacannonandmyhairsatupItisamistaketosaythathairstandsupTheskinoftheheadtightensandyoucanfeelafaint，prickly，bristlingalloverthescalpThatisthehairsittingup。
Therewasawhirandaclick，andbothsoundscouldonlyhavebeenmadebyonething——abilliardballIarguedthematteroutatgreatlengthwithmyself；andthemoreIarguedthelessprobableitseemedthatonebed，onetable，andtwochairs——allthefurnitureoftheroomnexttomine——couldsoexactlyduplicatethesoundsofagameofbilliardsAfteranothercannon，athree-cushiononetojudgebythewhir，IarguednomoreIhadfoundmyghostandwouldhavegivenworldstohaveescapedfromthatdak-
bungalowIlistened，andwitheachlistenthegamegrewclearer。
TherewaswhironwhirandclickonclickSometimestherewasadoubleclickandawhirandanotherclickBeyondanysortofdoubt，peoplewereplayingbilliardsinthenextroomAndthenextroomwasnotbigenoughtoholdabilliardtable！
BetweenthepausesofthewindIheardthegamegoforward——
strokeafterstrokeItriedtobelievethatIcouldnothearvoices；
butthatattemptwasafailure。