The Naiad: A ghost story

by George Sand

My watch had stopped, and the clocks out of doors struck the half hour, as if to announce that no other means existed of learning the time.

I listened to the wind and strove to examine its sound or to detect any which might proceed from some corner of my apartment. I tortured my eyes and my ears. I racked my brain also to discover if I had not dreamed what I thought I had seen. The thing was possible, although I could remember no dream that had preceded or led up to this nightmare.

I resolved to torment myself no longer, and to await a return of sleep on my bed without undressing myself in case of some new mystification.

But I could not go to sleep again. Nevertheless, I felt tired and the wind soothed me inexpressibly. I dropped off every few moments, and the next instant I would reopen my eyes, and in spite of myself gaze suspiciously into the darkness and emptiness around me.

I was beginning at last to doze, when the clinking recommenced, and, this time, opening my eyes wide, without moving, I saw the three ghosts in their places, motionless apparently with their green veils floating in the verdant light that proceeded from the fire-place. I feigned sleep, for it was probable that my open eyes could not be seen in the shadow of the alcove, and I observed attentively. I was no longer frightened; I no longer experienced anything but a curiosity to surprise a mystery either pleasant or disagreeable (as the case might be), a phantasmagoria with well appointed scenery, enacted by living people, or—I confess that I could find no definition for the second hypothesis; it could only be a foolish, and ridiculous one, and still it tormented me as being possible.

I then saw the three shadows arise, and move rapidly and noiselessly around the table with incomprehensible gestures. They had seemed to me of medium height when seated; standing, they were as tall as men. Suddenly, one of them diminished in size, re-assumed the figure of a woman, became quite small, then grew disproportionately tall, and approached me, while the two others remained standing under the shadow of the fire-place.

This affected me very unpleasantly and with a childish movement, I covered my face with my pillow, as if to place an obstacle between myself and the vision.

Then, ashamed of my stupidity, I looked around attentively. The ghost was seated in an easy chair placed at the foot of my bed. I could not see its face. The head and bust were not invisible, but partially obscured by the curtain of the alcove. The light from the fire-place, grown brighter, revealed only the lower portion of a figure and the folds of a garment whose form and color though indeterminate, could no longer be called into question.

It was fearfully immovable, as if nothing breathed under this species of shroud. I waited several moments that appeared an age to me. I felt that I was losing the coolness with which I had armed myself. I moved in my bed, I thought of flying I knew not where. I resisted this idea. I passed my hands over my eyes, then stretched them out resolutely to seize the spectre by the folds of this perfectly visible garment; but they encountered space. I threw myself upon the chair, it was empty. Light and vision had alike disappeared. I recommenced rushing through the room and the adjoining apartments. As at first, I found them empty. Quite sure this time that I had neither dreamed nor slept, I stayed up until day-break which did not long delay.

Of late years people have made quite a study of the phenomena of hallucinations; they have been observed and classified. Scientific men have experimented upon themselves. I have even seen delicate and nervous women often act as spiritual mediums not without suffering, but without fear, and giving a thorough account of this state of delusion in which they had been.