The Ghost of Egmont Castle

The Ghost of Egmont Castle By Jessie Middleton © 2008 by http://www.HorrorMasters.com

Attached to a certain French castle is the story of a famous and well authenticated ghost. It runs as follows: M. Patris, a soldier of Gaston d’Orleans, went to stay at the Castle of Egmont. When the dinner-hour arrived he left his apartment to go to the dining-room, but stopped on the way at the room of a friend, one of monsieur’s officers, wishing him to keep him company. As the officer did not appear he knocked at his door and called out to him to ask whether he was not ready for dinner. Patris thought it impossible for him to be in his room, and as the key was in the door, he went in. His friend was sitting at the table looking terribly agitated. He hurried up to him and asked what was the matter. The officer, coming to himself, said, “You would be feeling quite as astonished as J am if you had seen the book which is on that table there move, and the leaves apparently turning by themselves without my seeing any human agency. The book was Girolamo Cardan’s work, “De Subtilitate.” “Nonsense,” said M. Patris. “You imagined what you saw, or you must be dreaming. You probably became so absorbed in what you were reading that you got up, put the book in the place where it is now, and then came and sat down again, and, not finding the book, thought it had moved by itself.” “What I have told you is perfectly true,” said the officer; “and as a proof that it was not a mere hallucination, the ghost in the case opened that door and went out, shutting it after him.” Patris went to the door and, opening it, found it led to a long gallery, at the end of which was a large wooden chair, so solid and heavy that two men would be required to lift it. Suddenly he saw this solid chair raise itself and move out of its position towards him, apparently supported on air. Then Patris cried out: “Oh, Evil One, apart from God’s will, I am your servant!” At his words the chair went back to the place where it had stood originally. Patris was much impressed by this incident.