An account

Their house must have been a quarter-of-an-hour's walk from Mr. G.'s, and Bertie died about 20 minutes before he [i.e., Mr. G.] left the house. The apparition had been in the room about 5 minutes when Mr. G. came in. What to me has always been so strange is, that I heard the handle of the door turn and the door open ; in fact, it was the noise of the lock turning which caused me to look up from my book. The figure walked across the room to the opposite side of the fireplace, and sat down while I lighted the candles. It was all so real and natural that I can hardly realise even now that it was not so. Later she adds : — - With regard to the 5 minutes, I daresay the time was not quite so long, although some minutes may have elapsed between the entrance of the apparition and that of Mr. G. The only light in the room was that of the fire, and as, of course, I had no idea but what it was the real ' Bertie,' I did not take much notice of him. I purposely did not ask him any questions on account of his apparent inability to talk, and I myself went on speaking in order to give him time to regain breath, which, on account of his delicate chest, often occurred, and his silence for 5 minutes or even longer would not have astonished me, as the cold outside was intense, and great cold often oppressed his breathing. There was nothing in his 534 THE DEVELOPMENT OF [chap. appearance that struck me as different from usual, except his paleness and silence, and to both I was accustomed. I am sorry to say that Mr. G. died about 10 years ago. Unfortunately the circumstance was never mentioned to any members of my family ; partly because Mr. Gr. advised me to say nothing, and partly from my own fear of being laughed at, as I was very young at the time. [Here, as in so many other cases, the central fact of the coincidence is independent of the details, and is far more likely than they to have been correctly retained in memory.] The second case is from Mr. B., confidential clerk to a firm with a principal of which we are well acquainted. He withholds his name from publication, having a strong dislike to the subject. The account is in the words of Mr. D. H. Wilson, of Rosemont, Hyeres, but has been read over and corrected by Mr. B. The fact that the percipient had just got up and opened his door may be taken as a proof that he was awake when the visual experience took place. October 24th, 1883. (199) Mr. B. is a gentleman whom I have known for more than 15 years. He is practical, shrewd, and very trustworthy. I am i