The dark-whiskered, handsome Professor Marshal stood talking to a group of three or four interested listeners. He was animatedly expounding about the mood-altering merits of nitrous oxide when he saw me approaching. “But here is our host,” he said, and he graciously turned over the floor to me.
“I do not wish to interrupt your fascinating narrative, Professor,” I apologized. “But I perceive that your daughter is unattended. I was indisposed when she arrived, so I wonder if I might trouble you for an introduction. I promise that I will let you return to your story immediately thereafter.” The professor laughed heartily. “Of course, sir! Of course! But I must inform you that she does not sit alone out of rejection. She has a suitor, you know.” It pained me to hear this news from two mouths in the span of five minutes, but I pretended not to be concerned, and followed the professor to his daughter.
We were introduced, and the professor left us to return to his small audience. I had learned that her name was Dierdra, that she was 20 years of age, and that she lived about ten miles south of the city. For several delightful minutes we talked of trivial things (the weather, politics, religion) at which point we began to discover several similar interests. She laughed at my jests, and her eyes widened at my modest boasts. Together we praised the same books and cursed the same pestilence. In twenty minutes time I was hopelessly in love, and the unnamed suitor had vanished from my mind.
We continued to converse, and her brown eyes were fixed on me. I imagined it was because she was becoming infatuated, but it turned out she had gradually recalled some news she had heard from her father about me. “Were you not involved in some immortality experiments with a professor at the university? I answered in the affirmative, informing her that I had worked with the late Prof. Glauben.
“I beg your pardon,” she asked, as the level of noise had begun to interfere with our conversation.
“I had worked with the late Prof. Glauben of the Physiology department,” I repeated, trying to raise my voice about Mr. Fillmore’s steamboat impressions.
“Whom?” asked Dierdra, cupping a hand to her ear.
“Ludwig Glauben!” I shouted, realizing that, at the same moment, a quiet had fallen over the room. I felt embarrassed at my outburst, but this feeling soon turned to horror when I realized the consequences of my action.
I recalled my instructions to the living skeleton that was biding its time upstairs; I had told it to wait until I called its name, at which point it was to descend the staircase. My plan had been to first deliver a detailed accounting of our experiments as a prophylaxis against my guests’ frightened reaction to the specter. As yet I had not yet given them even a hint of what was in store, let alone warn them that they would be witnessing something truly outré. What’s more, I had been having second thoughts all evening about going through with the macabre scene.
Then I recalled my dream–now so close to reality–in which the remains of Prof. Glauben appeared just as I was romancing a beautiful young woman. It all fell into place!
I glanced at the staircase in anxious terror, hoping against hope that the terrible apparition would not fulfill the awful prophesy of my dream. I remembered all too clearly how the guests in my dream screamed in horror as the frightful monster joined their company.
I kept my eyes fixed on the staircase for what seemed like an eternity. I became aware of two-dozen sets of eyes following my gaze. All remained silent.
And then, from the top of the stair appeared a polished black patent-leather shoe, followed by a baggy trouser leg of the same color.
PART 12 WILL APPEAR ON FRIDAY
Chasing Phantoms 