The answer, by return of post, said that it was not possible for Mr Sesemann to leave his business and return home so precipitately. He was surprised to hear of a ‘ghost’ about the house, and hoped it was only some temporary disturbance. However, if the trouble continued, he suggested that Miss Rottenmeier should write and ask his mother to return to Frankfurt. She would certainly know how to deal with any ‘ghosts’ effectively, so that they did not show themselves again. Miss Rottenmeier was annoyed that he did not take the matter more seriously. She wrote immediately to Mrs Sesemann, but got no satisfaction from this quarter either. The old lady replied somewhat tartly that she had no intention of travelling all the way to Frankfurt again because Rottenmeier imagined she had seen a ghost. There had never been a ‘ghost’ in the house, and in the old lady’s opinion, the present one would prove to be very much alive. If Rottenmeier could not deal with the matter herself, the letter went on, she should send for the police.
Miss Rottenmeier was not inclined to endure much more, and she had a shrewd idea how to make the Sesemanns take notice of her complaint. So far she had not told the children anything, as she was afraid they would be too frightened ever to be left alone — and that would have been most tiresome. Now, however, she went straight to the study and told them in a hoarse whisper about the nightly visitations. Clara at once demanded that she should not be left alone, never, not for a single second.
‘Papa must come home. You must sleep in my room,’ she cried. ‘Heidi mustn’t be left alone either, in case the ghost does anything to her. We’d better all stay together in one room and keep the light on all night, and Tinette will have to sleep in the next room and John and Sebastian had better be out in the corridor so that they can frighten the ghost away if it comes upstairs.’ Clara was thoroughly worked up by that time, and Miss Rottenmeier had great difficulty in calming her.
‘I’ll write at once to your papa,’ she promised, ‘and put my bed in your room so that you’re never alone. But we can’t all sleep in one room. If Adelheid is frightened Tinette shall put up a bed in her room.’ But Heidi was much more afraid of Tinette than of ghosts, of which indeed she had never heard, so she said she was not frightened and would sleep alone in her own room. Miss Rottenmeier then went to her desk and wrote dutifully to Mr Sesemann to let him know that the mysterious happenings in the house still continued, and were threatening to have a very bad effect on Clara in her delicate state of health. ‘Fright might even send her into fits,’ she wrote, ‘or bring on an attack of St Vitus’ dance.’
Her plot was successful. Two days later Mr Sesemann stood at his front door, ringing the bell so vigorously that everyone jumped, thinking the ghost had started playing tricks by daylight. Sebastian peeped through one of the upstairs windows to see what was happening, and at that moment the bell rang again so loudly that there could be no real doubt that a human hand had pulled it. He realized that it was his master and rushed downstairs, almost falling head over heels in his haste. Mr Sesemann hardly noticed him, but went at once to Clara’s room. She welcomed him joyfully and he was greatly relieved to find her so cheerful and, to all appearances, much as usual. Clara assured him she was really no worse, and was so pleased to see him that she felt quite grateful to the ghost for bringing him home.
‘And how has the “ghost” been behaving, Miss Rotten‐meier?’ he asked that lady with a smile.
‘Oh, it’s a serious matter,’ she replied stiffly. ‘I don’t think even you will be laughing about it tomorrow. It seems to me that something terrible must have happened here some time in the past, though it has not come out until now.’
‘I must ask you not to cast reflections on my entirely respectable forebears!’ said Mr Sesemann. ‘Now please send Sebastian to me in the dining‐room. I want to talk to him alone.’ He had noticed that Sebastian and Miss Rottenmeier were not exactly on the best of terms and that gave him an idea.
‘Come here,’ he said, as Sebastian entered, ‘and tell me the truth. Did you play the ghost to frighten Miss Rottenmeier?’
‘Oh, sir, please don’t think that. I’m just as frightened as she is,’ replied Sebastian, and it was plain that he was speaking the truth.
‘Well, if that’s the case, I shall have to show you and the worthy John what ghosts look like by daylight. A great strong chap like you ought to be ashamed of running away from such a thing. Now I want you to take a message to Dr Classen. Give him my regards and ask him to come and see me without fail at nine o’clock tonight. Say I’ve come back from Paris on purpose to consult him, and that the matter is so serious that he’d better come prepared to spend the night. Is that clear?’
‘Yes, sir. I’ll see to it at once.’
Mr Sesemann then went back to tell his daughter that he hoped to lay the ghost by the next day.
Punctually at nine o’clock, when both children were in bed and Miss Rottenmeier had retired for the night, the doctor arrived. Although his hair was grey, he had a fresh complexion and his eyes were bright and kind. He looked rather worried when he came in, but as soon as he saw his friend, he burst out laughing.
‘I must say you look pretty well for a man wanting someone to sit up all night with you!’ he said, patting him on the shoulder.
‘Not so fast, my friend,’ replied Mr Sesemann. ‘Your attention is likely to be needed all right, and by someone who won’t look as well as I do when we’ve caught him.’
‘So there really is a patient in the house,’ returned the doctor, ‘and one who has to be caught, eh?’
‘Much worse than that! We’ve a ghost! The house is haunted.’
The doctor laughed outright.
‘You’re not very sympathetic,’ objected Mr Sesemann. ‘It’s a good thing Miss Rottenmeier can’t hear you at the moment. She’s firmly convinced one of my ancestors is prowling around, doing penance for his sins.’
‘How did she come to meet him?’ asked the doctor, still chuckling.
Mr Sesemann told him all he knew, and added, ‘To be on the safe side I’ve put two loaded pistols in the room, where you and I are going to keep watch. I’ve a feeling it may be a very stupid practical joke which some friend of the servants is playing in order to alarm the household during my absence. In that case a shot fired into the air to frighten him will do no harm. If, on the other hand, burglars are preparing the ground for themselves by making everyone so afraid of the “ghost” that they won’t dare to leave their rooms, it may equally be advisable to have a good weapon handy.’
While he was talking, Mr Sesemann led the way to the same room where John and Sebastian had spent the night. On the table were the two guns and a bottle of wine, for if they had to sit up all night, a little refreshment would certainly be welcome. The room was lit by two candelabra, each holding three candles. Mr Sesemann had no intention of waiting for a ghost in the dark, but the door was shut so that no light should penetrate into the corridor to give warning to the ghost. The men settled themselves comfortably in their armchairs, for a good chat and a drink. Time passed quickly and they were quite surprised when the clock struck midnight.
‘The ghost’s got wind of us and isn’t coming,’ said the doctor.
‘We must wait a while yet,’ replied Mr Sesemann. ‘It isn’t supposed to appear till about one o’clock.’