A Japanese miscellany - University of Oregon

Of a Promise Broken 19
sounded much nearer. Evidently the pilgrim was
approaching the house — ; but why approaching
from the rear, where no road was ? . . . Sud-
denly the dogs began to whine and howl in an
unusual and horrible way — ; and a fear came
upon her like the fear of dreams. . . . That ring-
ing was certainly in the garden. . . . She tried
to get up to waken a servant. But she found
that she could not rise, — could not move,
—
could not call. . . . And nearer, and still more
near, came the clang of the bell ; — and oh !
how
the dogs howled ! . . . Then, lightly as a shadow
steals, there glided into the room a Woman, —
though every door stood fast, and every screen
unmoved,— a Woman robed in a grave-robe, and
carrying a pilgrim's bell. Eyeless she came,
because she had long been dead ; —
and her loos-
and
ened hair streamed down about her face ; —
she looked without eyes through the tangle of
it, and spoke without a tongue :—
" Not in this house, — not in this house shall
you stay ! Here I am mistress still. You shall
go ; andyou shall tell to none the reason ofyour
going. If you tell HIM, I will tear you into
pieces 1
"