August27-Heatherleghhasbeenindefatigableinhisattendanceonme；andonlyyesterdaytoldmethatIoughttosendinanapplicationforsickleaveAnapplicationtoescapethecompanyofaphantom！ArequestthattheGovernmentwouldgraciouslypermitmetogetridoffiveghostsandanairy’rickshawbygoingtoEnglandHeatherlegh’spropositionmovedmetoalmosthystericallaughterItoldhimthatIshouldawaittheendquietlyatSimla；andIamsurethattheendisnotfaroffBelievemethatI
　　dreaditsadventmorethananywordcansay；andItorturemyselfnightlywithathousandspeculationsastothemannerofmydeath。
　　ShallIdieinmybeddecentlyandasanEnglishgentlemanshoulddie；or，inonelastwalkontheMall，willmysoulbewrenchedfrommetotakeitsplaceforeverandeverbythesideofthatghastlyphantasm？ShallIreturntomyoldlostallegianceinthenextworld，orshallImeetAgnesloathingherandboundtohersidethroughalleternity？ShallwetwohoveroverthesceneofourlivestilltheendofTime？Asthedayofmydeathdrawsnearer，theintensehorrorthatalllivingfleshfeelstowardescapedspiritsfrombeyondthegravegrowsmoreandmorepowerfulItisanawfulthingtogodownquickamongthedeadwithscarcelyone-halfofyourlifecompletedItisathousandtimesmoreawfultowaitasIdoinyourmidst，forIknownotwhatunimaginableterrorPityme，atleastonthescoreofmy“delusion。”forI
　　knowyouwillneverbelievewhatIhavewrittenhereYetassurelyaseveramanwasdonetodeathbythePowersofDarknessIamthatman。
　　Injustice，too，pityherForassurelyaseverwomanwaskilledbyman，IkilledMrsWessingtonAndthelastportionofmypunishmentisevernowuponme。
　　MYOWNTRUEGHOSTSTORY
　　AsIcamethroughtheDesertthusitwas——
　　AsIcamethroughtheDesert。
　　TheCityofDreadfulNight。
　　SomewhereintheOtherWorld，wheretherearebooksandpicturesandplaysandshopwindowstolookat，andthousandsofmenwhospendtheirlivesinbuildingupallfour，livesagentlemanwhowritesrealstoriesabouttherealinsidesofpeople；
　　andhisnameisMrWalterBesantButhewillinsistupontreatinghisghostshehaspublishedhalfaworkshopfulofthem——
　　withlevityHemakeshisghost-seerstalkfamiliarly，and，insomecases，flirtoutrageously，withthephantomsYoumaytreatanything，fromaViceroytoaVernacularPaper，withlevity；butyoumustbehavereverentlytowardaghost，andparticularlyanIndianone。
　　Thereare，inthisland，ghostswhotaketheformoffat，cold，pobbycorpses，andhideintreesneartheroadsidetillatravelerpassesThentheydropuponhisneckandremainTherearealsoterribleghostsofwomenwhohavediedinchild-bedThesewanderalongthepathwaysatdusk，orhideinthecropsnearavillage，andcallseductivelyButtoanswertheircallisdeathinthisworldandthenextTheirfeetareturnedbackwardthatallsobermenmayrecognizethemThereareghostsoflittlechildrenwhohavebeenthrownintowellsThesehauntwellcurbsandthefringesofjungles，andwailunderthestars，orcatchwomenbythewristandbegtobetakenupandcarriedTheseandthecorpseghosts，however，areonlyvernaculararticlesanddonotattackSahibsNonativeghosthasyetbeenauthenticallyreportedtohavefrightenedanEnglishman；butmanyEnglishghostshavescaredthelifeoutofbothwhiteandblack。
　　NearlyeveryotherStationownsaghostTherearesaidtobetwoatSimla，notcountingthewomanwhoblowsthebellowsatSyreedak-bungalowontheOldRoad；MussooriehasahousehauntedofaverylivelyThing；aWhiteLadyissupposedtodonight-
　　watchmanroundahouseinLahore；Dalhousiesaysthatoneofherhouses“repeats“onautumneveningsalltheincidentsofahorriblehorse-and-precipiceaccident；Murreehasamerryghost，and，nowthatshehasbeensweptbycholera，willhaveroomforasorrowfulone；thereareOfficers’QuartersinMianMirwhosedoorsopenwithoutreason，andwhosefurnitureisguaranteedtocreak，notwiththeheatofJunebutwiththeweightofInvisibleswhocometoloungeinthechairs；Peshawurpossesseshousesthatnonewillwillinglyrent；andthereissomething——notfever——wrongwithabigbungalowinAllahabadTheolderProvincessimplybristlewithhauntedhouses，andmarchphantomarmiesalongtheirmainthoroughfares。
　　Someofthedak-bungalowsontheGrandTrunkRoadhavehandylittlecemeteriesintheircompound——witnessestothe“changesandchancesofthismortallife“inthedayswhenmendrovefromCalcuttatotheNorthwestThesebungalowsareobjectionableplacestoputupinTheyaregenerallyveryold，alwaysdirty，whilethekhansamahisasancientasthebungalowHeeitherchatterssenilely，orfallsintothelongtrancesofageInbothmoodsheisuselessIfyougetangrywithhim，hereferstosomeSahibdeadandburiedthesethirtyyears，andsaysthatwhenhewasinthatSahib’sservicenotakhansamahintheProvincecouldtouchhimThenhejabbersandmowsandtremblesandfidgetsamongthedishes，andyourepentofyourirritation。
　　Inthesedak-bungalows，ghostsaremostlikelytobefound，andwhenfound，theyshouldbemadeanoteofNotlongagoitwasmybusinesstoliveindak-bungalowsIneverinhabitedthesamehouseforthreenightsrunning，andgrewtobelearnedinthebreed。
　　IlivedinGovernment-builtoneswithredbrickwallsandrailceilings，aninventoryofthefurniturepostedineveryroom，andanexcitedsnakeatthethresholdtogivewelcomeIlivedin“converted“ones——oldhousesofficiatingasdak-bungalows——wherenothingwasinitsproperplaceandtherewasn’tevenafowlfordinnerIlivedinsecond-handpalaceswherethewindblewthroughopen-workmarbletraceryjustasuncomfortablyasthroughabrokenpaneIlivedindak-bungalowswherethelastentryinthevisitors’bookwasfifteenmonthsold，andwheretheyslashedoffthecurry-kid’sheadwithaswordItwasmygoodlucktomeetallsortsofmen，fromsobertravelingmissionariesanddesertersflyingfromBritishRegiments，todrunkenloaferswhothrewwhiskybottlesatallwhopassed；andmystillgreatergoodfortunejusttoescapeamaternitycaseSeeingthatafairproportionofthetragedyofourlivesouthereacteditselfindak-
　　bungalows，IwonderedthatIhadmetnoghostsAghostthatwouldvoluntarilyhangaboutadak-bungalowwouldbemadofcourse；butsomanymenhavediedmadindak-bungalowsthattheremustbeafairpercentageoflunaticghosts。
　　InduetimeIfoundmyghost，orghostsrather，forthereweretwoofthemUptillthathourIhadsympathizedwithMrBesant’smethodofhandlingthem，asshownin“TheStrangeCaseofMr。
　　LucraftandOtherStories。”IamnowintheOpposition。
　　WewillcallthebungalowKatmaldak-bungalowButTHATwasthesmallestpartofthehorrorAmanwithasensitivehidehasnorighttosleepindak-bungalowsHeshouldmarryKatmaldak-
　　bungalowwasoldandrottenandunrepairedThefloorwasofwornbrick，thewallswerefilthy，andthewindowswerenearlyblackwithgrimeItstoodonabypathlargelyusedbynativeSub-
　　DeputyAssistantsofallkinds，fromFinancetoForests；butrealSahibswererareThekhansamah，whowasnearlybentdoublewitholdage，saidso。
　　WhenIarrived，therewasafitful，undecidedrainonthefaceoftheland，accompaniedbyarestlesswind，andeverygustmadeanoiseliketherattlingofdrybonesinthestifftoddypalmsoutside。
　　ThekhansamahcompletelylosthisheadonmyarrivalHehadservedaSahibonceDidIknowthatSahib？Hegavemethenameofawell-knownmanwhohasbeenburiedformorethanaquarterofacentury，andshowedmeanancientdaguerreotypeofthatmaninhisprehistoricyouthIhadseenasteelengravingofhimattheheadofadoublevolumeofMemoirsamonthbefore，andIfeltancientbeyondtelling。
　　ThedayshutinandthekhansamahwenttogetmefoodHedidnotgothroughthepretenseofcallingit“khana“——man’svictuals。
　　Hesaid“ratub。”andthatmeans，amongotherthings，“grub“——dog’srationsTherewasnoinsultinhischoiceofthetermHehadforgottentheotherword，Isuppose。
　　Whilehewascuttingupthedeadbodiesofanimals，Isettledmyselfdown，afterexploringthedak-bungalowTherewerethreerooms，besidemyown，whichwasacornerkennel，eachgivingintotheotherthroughdingywhitedoorsfastenedwithlongironbarsThebungalowwasaverysolidone，butthepartitionwallsoftheroomswerealmostjerry-builtintheirflimsinessEverysteporbangofatrunkechoedfrommyroomdowntheotherthree，andeveryfootfallcamebacktremulouslyfromthefarwallsForthisreasonIshutthedoorTherewerenolamps——onlycandlesinlongglassshadesAnoilwickwassetinthebathroom。
　　Forbleak，unadulteratedmiserythatdak-bungalowwastheworstofthemanythatIhadeversetfootinTherewasnofireplace，andthewindowswouldnotopen；soabrazierofcharcoalwouldhavebeenuselessTherainandthewindsplashedandgurgledandmoanedroundthehouse，andthetoddypalmsrattledandroared。
　　Halfadozenjackalswentthroughthecompoundsinging，andahyenastoodafaroffandmockedthemAhyenawouldconvinceaSadduceeoftheResurrectionoftheDead——theworstsortofDead。
　　Thencametheratub——acuriousmeal，halfnativeandhalfEnglishincomposition——withtheoldkhansamahbabblingbehindmychairaboutdeadandgoneEnglishpeople，andthewind-blowncandlesplayingshadow-bo-peepwiththebedandthemosquito-curtains。
　　Itwasjustthesortofdinnerandeveningtomakeamanthinkofeverysingleoneofhispastsins，andofalltheothersthatheintendedtocommitifhelived。
　　Sleep，forseveralhundredreasons，wasnoteasyThelampinthebath-roomthrewthemostabsurdshadowsintotheroom，andthewindwasbeginningtotalknonsense。
　　Justwhenthereasonsweredrowsywithblood-suckingIheardtheregular——“Let——us——take——and——heave——him——over“gruntofdoolie-
　　bearersinthecompoundFirstonedooliecamein，thenasecond，andthenathirdIheardthedooliesdumpedontheground，andtheshutterinfrontofmydoorshook“That’ssomeonetryingtocomein。”IsaidButnoonespoke，andIpersuadedmyselfthatitwasthegustywindTheshutteroftheroomnexttominewasattacked，flungback，andtheinnerdooropened“That’ssomeSub-DeputyAssistant。”Isaid，“andhehasbroughthisfriendswithhimNowthey’lltalkandspitandsmokeforanhour。”
　　ButtherewerenovoicesandnofootstepsNoonewasputtinghisluggageintothenextroomThedoorshut，andIthankedProvidencethatIwastobeleftinpeaceButIwascurioustoknowwherethedoolieshadgoneIgotoutofbedandlookedintothedarknessTherewasneverasignofadoolieJustasIwasgettingintobedagain，Iheard，inthenextroom，thesoundthatnomaninhissensescanpossiblymistake——thewhirofabilliardballdownthelengthoftheslateswhenthestrikerisstringingforbreakNoothersoundislikeitAminuteafterwardstherewasanotherwhir，andIgotintobedIwasnotfrightened——indeedI
　　wasnotIwasverycurioustoknowwhathadbecomeofthedooliesIjumpedintobedforthatreason。
　　NextminuteIheardthedoubleclickofacannonandmyhairsatupItisamistaketosaythathairstandsupTheskinoftheheadtightensandyoucanfeelafaint，prickly，bristlingalloverthescalpThatisthehairsittingup。
　　Therewasawhirandaclick，andbothsoundscouldonlyhavebeenmadebyonething——abilliardballIarguedthematteroutatgreatlengthwithmyself；andthemoreIarguedthelessprobableitseemedthatonebed，onetable，andtwochairs——allthefurnitureoftheroomnexttomine——couldsoexactlyduplicatethesoundsofagameofbilliardsAfteranothercannon，athree-cushiononetojudgebythewhir，IarguednomoreIhadfoundmyghostandwouldhavegivenworldstohaveescapedfromthatdak-
　　bungalowIlistened，andwitheachlistenthegamegrewclearer。
　　TherewaswhironwhirandclickonclickSometimestherewasadoubleclickandawhirandanotherclickBeyondanysortofdoubt，peoplewereplayingbilliardsinthenextroomAndthenextroomwasnotbigenoughtoholdabilliardtable！
　　BetweenthepausesofthewindIheardthegamegoforward——
　　strokeafterstrokeItriedtobelievethatIcouldnothearvoices；
　　butthatattemptwasafailure。