Bentley's Miscellany (Volume 11) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1842. Excerpt: ... venture alone into his own chamber, he summoned up the landlord and one or two others, to whom he again related the way in which his Satanic Majesty had visited him during the night; first, in the shape of a snake, and then in the form of an eagle. His hearers trembled, and looked at each other; but, as it was now daylight, they could not well refuse to accompany M'Carthy to his room, which they accordingly entered. No vestige, however, of the devilish visiter remained. One or two fancied they detected the smell of sulphur; but others declared this was mere fancy. Every corner was searched; nothing was visible. At length somebody proposed to look under the bed. No sooner did that person approach than a hissing noise proceeded from the spot. The whole group started back in dismay. Their cry of terror brought more persons to their assistance, and amongst others a native, armed with a long bamboo. He was requested to poke it in under the bed, in order to disturb the devil from his snug hiding-place. He did so. The hissing increased. The women actually shrieked with terror, and the men huddled themselves close together. A noise of wings was heard. M'Carthy, who was pale with fright, looked appealingly towards the company, and crossed himself. The native gave a still more violent thrust, when, lo out flew, not Beelzebub, but A Goobk --a poor, harmless goose, that by accident had got into the bedroom of the now-enraged Irishman. With the discovery of the cause of Mac's alarm, a general laugh arose at the unhappy man's mistake; and those who had fully shared his terrors a few moments before, were now the most forward to ridicule him. M'Carthy vainly endeavoured to hush the matter up. He called out two of his best friends for talking of a goose in his presence; ...