Creole Sketches/Ghosteses

by Lafcadio Hearn

GHOSTESES^[1]

Midnight in an Ultra-Canal Pension.

You not know vat be dat noise of foots up de stair. Dat be de ole man vat die in my house ago ten year.

I see him now in my t'ought, 'sleep in ze berceuse; afraid to go to his room for cause of vat you call farfadet — goblin and ghosteses.

He vas very, very old, and he see always of tings vat not exist. He be much torment by goblin and ghosteses vat valk all roun' de house in de night; an' he say it vas one curssed house and one curssed city. He tell me dat people dressed like vas dress since one hoondred year come in his room in de middle of de night; dat he lock de door but not could dem keep out; dat dey sit silent and make at him face horrible and not speak and not make shadow on de door.

Den he commence to us avake. In de middle of de night he knock at mine door and say, — "Monsieur, mount to my room for dat dere be one man dead in my chamber." So I mount and look and not see no man dead. "He go himself away," say de ole man, "for dat he hear you on stair. But have made stop my clock and my vatch." And I see dat de clock and de vatch not more march, — I not know how.

After dat he often tell me vat dere be in his bed dead vomans; and dat dead beoples him look at trough de vindow. So he become afraid more to bed go, and ven he mount he not himself sleep, but valk all night on de gallery, one lantern in his hand, and shoes all vat be of mos' heavy for drive away ghosteses — ta-ta — tatata-tata — all de long of de night. Much also he sing in de night and swear for dat dis be one curssed country of ghosteses. Also he swear at proprietor of house; for dat he not chase ghosteses.

So it arrive at las' dat not person in de house could himself to sleep go, and dat all de vorld begin to demselves much fatigue. Den dey construct one goblin of vatermelon and inside one candle light; and dey it put on stick and one sheet of bed to make look like fantome. So it come to arrive dat ven de ole man march himself he see one goblin march more horrible dan he have before ever see. So he let fall his lantern — vat cost tirteen dollar —, and try to descend stair for me avake for dat I chase him de goblin. But he fall de top to bottom of stair, and make himself much of hurt. Never again he not speak and soon he be dead, and no person much sorry himself. But it vas much vicked!

It ten year since he be dead; but all de night he march like he march oder time. No one afraid; de ghost of de ole man not make much hurt to personne!

1. Item, August 18, 1880.