Volume 2 Part 12 (2/2)
Having thus prepared the ignorant and credulous neighhours to believe or exaggerate for themselves what he had told them, he sent for a gentleman of a higher cla.s.s in life, to come and witness these extraordinary occurrences. The gentleman came accordingly, and found the daughter of Parsons, to whom the spirit alone appeared, and whom alone it answered, in bed, trembling violently, having just seen the ghost, and been again informed that she had died from poison. A loud knocking was also heard from every part of the chamber, which so mystified the not very clear understanding of the visiter, that he departed, afraid to doubt and ashamed to believe, but with a promise to bring the clergyman of the parish and several other gentlemen on the following day, to report upon the mystery.
On the following night he returned, bringing with him three clergymen, and about twenty other persons, including two negroes, when, upon a consultation with Parsons, they resolved to sit up the whole night, and await the ghost's arrival. It was then explained by Parsons, that although the ghost would never render itself visible to anybody but his daughter, it had no objection to answer the questions that might be put to it, by any person present, and that it expressed an affirmation by one knock, a negative by two, and its displeasure by a kind of scratching. The child was then put into bed along with her sister, and the clergymen examined the bed and bed-clothes to satisfy themselves that no trick was played, by knocking upon any substance concealed among the clothes. As on the previous night, the bed was observed to shake violently.
After some hours, during which they all waited with exemplary patience, the mysterious knocking was heard in the wall, and the child declared that she saw the ghost of poor f.a.n.n.y. The following questions were then gravely put by the clergyman, through the medium of one Mary Frazer, the servant of Parsons, and to whom it was said the deceased lady had been much attached. The answers were in the usual fas.h.i.+on, by a knock or knocks:--
”Do you make this disturbance on account of the ill usage you received from Mr. Kent?”--”Yes.”
”Were you brought to an untimely end by poison?”--”Yes.”
”How was the poison administered, in beer or in purl?”--”In purl.”
”How long was that before your death?”--”About three hours.”
”Can your former servant, Carrots, give any information about the poison?”--”Yes.”
”Are you Kent's wife's sister?”--”Yes.”
”Were you married to Kent after your sister's death?”--”No.”
”Was anybody else, besides Kent, concerned in your murder?”--”No.”
”Can you, if you like, appear visibly to anyone?”--”Yes.”
”Will you do so?”--”Yes.”
”Can you go out of this house?”--”Yes.”
”Is it your intention to follow this child about everywhere?”--”Yes.”
”Are you pleased in being asked these questions?”--”Yes.”
”Does it case your troubled soul?”--”Yes.”
[Here there was heard a mysterious noise, which some wiseacre present compared to the fluttering of wings.]
”How long before your death did you tell your servant, Carrots, that you were poisoned?--An hour?”--”Yes.”
[Carrots, who was present, was appealed to; but she stated positively that such was not the fact, as the deceased was quite speechless an hour before her death. This shook the faith of some of the spectators, but the examination was allowed to continue.]
”How long did Carrots live with you?”--”Three or four days.”
[Carrots was again appealed to, and said that this was true.]
”If Mr. Kent is arrested for this murder, will he confess?”--”Yes.”
”Would your soul be at rest if he were hanged for it?”--”Yes.”
”Will he be hanged for it?”--”Yes.”
”How long a time first?”--”Three years.”
”How many clergymen are there in this room?”--”Three.”
”How many negroes?”--”Two.”
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