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views of the day； and particularly that on the question of what are
commonly called supernatural visitations I have a standpoint of my
own。 Therefore； it was not a bad move on his part to try to make
me believe that about the pipe on which he knew I had set my heart
there was something which could not be accounted for by ordinary
laws。 Yet； as his own sense would have told him it would do； if he
had only allowed himself to reflect for a moment； the move failed。
Because I am not yet so far gone as to suppose that a pipe； a thing
of meerschaum and of amber； in the sense in which I understand the
word； COULD be haunteda pipe； a mere pipe。
〃Hollo！ I thought the creature's legs were twined right round the
bowl！〃
I was holding the pipe in my hand； regarding it with the
affectionate eyes with which a connoisseur does regard a curio；
when I was induced to make this exclamation。 I was certainly under
the impression that； when I first took the pipe out of the box；
two； if not three of the feelers had been twined about the bowl
twined TIGHTLY； so that you could not see daylight between them and
it。 Now they were almost entirely detached； only the tips touching
the meerschaum； and those particular feelers were gathered up as
though the creature were in the act of taking a spring。 Of course
I was under a misapprehension： the feelers COULDN'T have been
twined； a moment before I should have been ready to bet a thousand
to one that they were。 Still； one does make mistakes； and very
egregious mistakes； at times。 At the same time； I confess that
when I saw that dreadful…looking animal poised on the extreme edge
of the bowl； for all the world as though it were just going to
spring at me； I was a little startled。 I remembered that when I
was smoking the pipe I did think I saw the uplifted tentacle
moving； as though it were reaching out to me。 And I had a clear
recollection that just as I had been sinking into that strange
state of unconsciousness； I had been under the impression that the
creature was writhing and twisting； as though it had suddenly
become instinct with life。 Under the circumstances； these
reflections were not pleasant。 I wished Tress had not talked that
nonsense about the thing being haunted。 It was surely sufficient
to know that it was drugged and poisonous； without anything else。
I replaced it in the sandalwood box。 I locked the box in a
cabinet。 Quite apart from the question as to whether that pipe was
or was not haunted； I know it haunted me。 It was with me in a
figurativewhich was worse than actualsense all the day。 Still
worse； it was with me all the night。 It was with me in my dreams。
Such dreams！ Possibly I had not yet wholly recovered from the
effects of that insidious drug； but； whether or no； it was very
wrong of Tress to set my thoughts into such a channel。 He knows
that I am of a highly imaginative temperament； and that it is
easier to get morbid thoughts into my mind than to get them out
again。 Before that night was through I wished very heartily that I
had never seen the pipe！ I woke from one nightmare to fall into
another。 One dreadful dream was with me all the timeof a
hideous； green reptile which advanced toward me out of some awful
darkness； slowly； inch by inch； until it clutched me round the
neck； and； gluing its lips to mine； sucked the life's blood out of
my veins as it embraced me with a slimy kiss。 Such dreams are not
restful。 I woke anything but refreshed when the morning came。 And
when I got up and dressed I felt that； on the whole； it would
perhaps have been better if I never had gone to bed。 My nerves
were unstrung； and I had that generally tremulous feeling which is；
I believe； an inseparable companion of the more advanced stages of
dipsomania。 I ate no breakfast。 I am no breakfast eater as a
rule； but that morning I ate absolutely nothing。
〃If this sort of thing is to continue； I will let Tress have his
pipe again。 He may have the laugh of me； but anything is better
than this。〃
It was with almost funereal forebodings that I went to the cabinet
in which I had placed the sandalwood box。 But when I opened it my
feelings of gloom partially vanished。 Of what phantasies had I
been guilty！ It must have been an entire delusion on my part to
have supposed that those tentacula had ever been twined about the
bowl。 The creature was in exactly the same position in which I had
left it the day beforeas； of course； I knew it would bepoised；
as if about to spring。 I was telling myself how foolish I had been
to allow myself to dwell for a moment on Tress's words； when Martin
Brasher was shown in。
Brasher is an old friend of mine。 We have a common groundghosts。
Only we approach them from different points of view。 He takes the
scientificpsychologicalinquiry side。 He is always anxious to
hear of a ghost； so that he may have an opportunity of 〃showing it
up。〃
〃I've something in your line here；〃 I observed； as he came in。
〃In my line？ How so？ I'M not pipe mad。〃
〃No； but you're ghost mad。 And this is a haunted pipe。〃
〃A haunted pipe！ I think you're rather more mad about ghosts； my
dear Pugh； than I am。〃
Then I told him all about it。 He was deeply interested； especially
when I told him that the pipe was drugged。 But when I repeated
Tress's words about its being haunted； and mentioned my own
delusion about the creature moving； he took a more serious view of
the case than I had expected he would do。
〃I propose that we act on Tress's suggestion； and go and make
inquiries of him。〃
〃But you don't really think that there is anything in it？〃
〃On these subjects I never allow myself to think at all。 There are
Tress's words； and there is your story。 It is agreed on all hands
that the pipe has peculiar properties。 It seems to me that there
is a sufficient case here to merit inquiry。〃
He persuaded me。 I went with him。 The pipe； in the sandalwood
box； went too。 Tress received us with a grina grin which was
accentuated when I placed the sandalwood box on the table。
〃You understand；〃 he said； 〃that a gift is a gift。 On no terms
will I consent to receive that pipe back in my possession。〃
I was rather nettled by his tone。
〃You need be under no alarm。 I have no intention of suggesting
anything of the kind。〃
〃Our business here；〃 began BrasherI must own that his manner is a
little ponderous〃is of a scientific； I may say also； and at the
same time； of a judicial nature。 Our object is the Pursuit of
Truth and the Advancement of Inquiry。〃
〃Have you been trying another smoke？〃 inquired Tress； nodding his
head toward me。
Before I had time to answer； Brasher went droning on：
〃Our friend here tells me that you say this pipe is haunted。〃
〃I say it is haunted because it IS haunted。〃
I looked at Tress。 I half suspected that he was poking fun at us。
But he appeared to be se