--She asked him, whether he were yet living?--He answered,
that he had died that very hour; and also said, that she had made a
disastrous choice, for that her husband would prove very unkind to
her, and that she should die in giving birth to their fifth child.
"Captain G. had fallen into a profound slumber, from which, although
during this conversation his wife made every effort to arouse him, he
could not be awakened. She then said to the semblance of Sir
Tristram--
"'How shall I know that this is not a trick, and that you are not some
person disguised to deceive me?'
"Upon which the spectre took up the curtains of the bed, which were
suspended from a ring over the tester, and throwing them from his
hand, passed them through the ring thrice, saying--'No human being
could do that.'
"'And yet, replied the lady, it is possible that people may say I did
it myself. Can you give me no better token?'
"Then the spectre caught her by the wrist, exclaiming--'Unto thee
shall this be a token!'--when the sinews of that wrist immediately
shrivelled up, and the apparition, laying his hand on an escritoire,
vanished!
"Captain Georges instantly awoke; and his lady asking him whether he
had seen or heard any thing, he replied in the negative; but the
sinews of her wrist were seared and shrunken ever after, and the
impression of a hand was burnt into the escritoire.[15]
[15] This escritoire is said to be in the possession of Lady
Clauwilliam, at Giltown, her father having married the
sister and co-heiress of Lady Beresford; and a picture
was lately existing, and may he now, at Catherine Grove
(the seat of Richard Georges Meredith, Esq.
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