296 WAISPERS FROM FAIRYLAND. [vI.

 

fools who do it because they think it fine or fashion-
able, without the least enjoyment in the world. Al-
together, I hold you to be a capital fellow, and
henceforward I shall always entertain for you feelings
of esteem—I may even say regard. This being the
case, I shall not refuse to tell you the story of my
life, or rather of that part of it which ‘relates to your
compatriot Smith. I know you will forgive me if I
should become affected during the recital. The story
relates to events which happened long ago, but which
will never be effaced from my memory as long as I
am a ghost.” So saying, the little red man once
more sighed deeply, and then, after a long pull at his
pipe and one more glass of madeira, began as follows :—

* Some two hundred and twenty years ago, I was
the baron who owned this castle and a fair domain to
boot—though why one should say “to boot” rather
than “to shoe” or “to stocking” is a thing which has
always puzzled me considerably. I was in the prime
of life, strong, hearty, as wealthy as need be, and
pretty well feared, if not respected, in the neighbour-
hood. I say I was not respected, and in fact it was
hardly possible to respect me, for a more desperate
scamp than I was could hardly be found anywhere in
the country. I lived a bad life. I drank hard,-I
swore hard, I lived hard altogether, and none of the
neighbours cared to cross my path if they could pos-
sibly avoid it. I had been engaged in constant feuds
with my brother-barons ever since I came to the
property, and by force or cunning had got the better
of all of them with whom I had come to open rup-
ture. Some there were who fawned upon and flat-