The wind howled mournfully about me as I scurried down the lonely, cobblestone path. I hoped the grey skies would hold back their angry tears long enough for me to get home.

But no such luck. Just as the thought flitted across my mind, large drops of rain began pelting me. It wasn't long before I realized that I was soaked through, my hair matted against my head and face. "I must look pretty scary," I thought. 

The road was deserted but shone like jewels along the way, each cobblestone reflected in the half-light. Muted shades of ruby and tigers eye, I thought, with a trace of moonstone for relief.  

Without realizing it, I found myself standing there in the rain, staring at my feet. The hackles rose up on my neck and I heard footfall in the distance. 

Quickly I stepped off the path and hid among the trees. I beheld an arrogant looking man with a scar running diagonally along his left cheek. His brow was high and proud and his cravat was ties carelessly around his throat. There seemed to be something odd about him but i couldnt put my finger on it. He scared me more than a little.

He stopped along the road and stood, as if to listen. Instinctively, I held my breath. I thought I was going to faint, if I couldn't breathe soon.  He looked all around and knelt to the ground. 

He used a small spade to turn over the earth on one side of the cobblestone path. Soon he lifted out a small metal box with carvings on it. Again, looking furtively over his shoulder and up and down the road, he put the box inside of his breastcoat and began walking quickly. I noticed he had forgotten his tool in his rush and bided my time.

After he was gone, I picked up the tool he had left behind and smoothed the mud back into place. I was curious, very much so, about the actions of this man.
I set off down the road he had taken, having taken care to place the small spade in a grove of trees where it wouldnt see the light of day without much searching.

I hurried and finally came within sight of him around a curve in the cobblestone path. I slowed down and began trailing him to find out what he was doing.
He seemed more relaxed in his walking, I suppose, thinking he had accomplished his deed without raising suspicion. 

I saw the crossroads ahead leading to Cromley and Danbury and wondered which way he would go. 
As i approached the crossroad, i had a vision of a gallow, with a man swinging from it. He was young and not unattractive, except for the bloat of death that he sported.

The voice of a young woman spoke to me and told me he had murdered for stealing jewels from a well-connected, rich woman in the town of Danbury and his death must be avenged, his innocence brought to light. She implored my help with this. 

I blinked my eyes and realized there was no gallows, no woman, no man hanging from a length of braided hemp. I raised my hand in fear to my throat and felt a locket there. It was not mine. I panicked and started running. I became senseless with fear and ran until I was exhausted.

I sank to the ground and wept. Morbid curiosity made me rip the locket from my neck and I had an overwhelming need to open it and look inside. It was as if I was myself and yet, not myself.

I gingerly opened the locket, all thought of the man gone from my mind, and found two pictures there. One was the man I had seen hanging from the gallows and one was the woman whose voice i had heard, I was certain in a way id never been certain before. 

As i sat there i smelled the perfume of verbena very strongly. I looked over towards the meadow, thick with butterflies as the clouds lifted and saw the ghostly shadows of the woman and man embracing one another. They were shimmering and transparent. Their apparent love for one another calmed me and i rose to my feet.

I reached out a hand and the woman came forward, her body fading in and out of the light. She said "I cannot appear long and will disappear with the birth of the sun, but i charge you with finding the scoudrel that engineered the death of my betrothed... Edward." 

She smiled at the wavering figure in the  meadow.  There is a clue in the locket she said. She returned to Edward and he turned to me and smiled the most ethereal, sweet smile I had ever seen. "I'll do what I can for you" i said. I watched them fade like an early morning fog burning off in the sunshine.

I looked at the locket again and i saw a name inscribed on it. "De Voe" i thought, i know that name. I headed into town thinking of that name.
Later that night I went out to a dance that was being held in town. I felt obligated to make the appearance even though my mind was on other things.

My dance card was filled by several men and I spent the night dancing thought my mind was occupied by the strange events of the day. 

I was drinking some punch when a man called out my name and i turned around and it was the furtive stranger i had pursued on the path. He looked haughtly and derisively at the ball room and took my hand and we started to waltz.   I was so taken aback i could not speak but only follow his lead. He was distasteful and odius but somehow i kept my countenance and did not offend him and thus, endanger myself.

I learned his name was Lord Devoe and that he was magistrate for the town. Suddenly, i heard the voice of the young woman in my head. She said "he condemned my love to hang after arranging to have the box stolen and pinned the crime on him." 

Unconsciously i murmured "what was in the box?" and she whispered to me "jewels- rubies, emeralds and diamonds".

"He keeps them in a table in his nightstand" she whispered. "Help me to restore the name of my fiance." 

I excused myself and went upstairs and started looking around. I found a room most elegantly furnished and opened the drawers of the nightstand there. It was as if i had been led to the mysterious box. I opened the box and admired in awe the beauty of the gems that lay on the  black velvet cloth. I knew that much had been risked to acquire these gems and i suddenly grew fearful.

A sound caught my ear and i whirled around and found the magistrate looking at me with unadulterated fury. He squeezed my neck with his giant hands and i dropped the box on the floor.

Out of nowhere came a screeching, howling, agonizing wail "Noooooooooooo....". My attacker turned pale and released me and tried to run out the door but slowly backed away from the vision there. He screamed at the bloated purple visage there and the glazed eyes filled with hatred. 

I retreated to the corner and watched the ghost as he reached out to Lord Devoe and as his hand reached out towards him, my attacker clutched his chest and blow poured from his mouth.

I heard the soft tinkle of laughter from behind me and i grew dizzy. I heard, as from a distance, the piteous moans of a human dying and through a haze saw the lovers embrace once more.

The woman came to me and handed me a ruby of great beauty. "This is your reward. I would like to have my locket back. I want you to call up the constable and tell him what you found here. But the ruby is yours. 

"Wordlessly i handed her her locket and thought to say "thank you". She took her lover's hand and they again shimmered like the lovely cold white light of the moon surrounded in a mist.

They faded away and i realized i was in a room with a manman, a dead madman. I ran from the room clutching the chest and found the constable. It was with no little trouble that i convinced him of my story. He followed me down the cobblestone road to retrieve the spade which had carvings on it that proved it was a tool belonging to the magistrate. 

I have long since thought this was a dream but there are times i walk that path and hear the laughter of young lovers, note the scent of verbena and thankfully, have not seen that young man swinging from the gallows again. I clasp the ruby often to prove to myself that it happened. 
I live in fear that one day, the magistrate Lord Devoe will come looking for me. I dont walk the cobblestones at night. I whisper words of protection. I look over my shoulder at night. I keep the ruby under my pillow in a velvet bag.  

I dream restless dreams

Sherry ©1998 October 11