He began again, and at A came another rap.
Once more he tried, for something seemed to make him do so, and was stopped at M.
"I am," he murmured, and recommenced until the word "here" was spelt out, after which came three rapid raps to signify a full stop.
"Who is here ?" he asked in his own mind, at the same time determining that he would leave it at that.

It was of no use at all, for the other party evidently intended to go on.
There was a perfect rain of raps, on the bed, off the bed, on the floor, even on the jug by the washstand; indeed, he thought that this and other articles were being moved about the room.

To stop this multiform assault once more he took refuge in the alphabet, with the result that the raps unmistakably spelt the word "Eleanor." "Great Heavens!" he thought to himself, "that dreadful spirit girl here, in my bedroom! How can she?
It is most improper, but I don't suppose she cares a sou for that." In his despair and alarm he tucked the clothes tightly round him, and thrusting out his head, said in trembling accents: "Please go away.

You know I never asked you to come, and really it isn't right," remarks which he thought, though, like all the rest, this may have been fancy, were followed by a sound of ghostly laughter.

What was more, the bedclothes suddenly slipped off him, or--oh horror! perhaps they were pulled off.