The person who, next to the actors themselves, chanced to know most of their story, lived just below ‘Top o’ Town’ (as the spot was called) in an old substantially-built house, among its neighbours by having an oriel window on the first floor, whence could be obtained a raking view of the High Street, west and east, the former including Laura’s , the end of the Town Avenue hard by (in which were played the odd hereafter to be mentioned), the Port-Bredy road rising westwards, and the turning that led to the barracks where the Captain was quartered.  Looking down the town from the same favoured gazebo, the long perspective of houses declined and till they in the highway across the .  The white riband of road disappeared over Grey’s Bridge a quarter of a mile off, to into innumerable , shy shades, and undulations up hill and down dale for one hundred and twenty miles till it exhibited itself at Hyde Park Corner as a smooth surface in touch with a busy and fashionable world.  
To the barracks aforesaid had recently arrived the ---th Hussars, a new to the locality.  Almost before any acquaintance with its members had been made by the townspeople, a report spread that they were a ‘crack’ body of men, and had brought a splendid band.  For some reason or other the town had not been used as the headquarters of cavalry for many years, the various troops stationed there having consisted of casual detachments only; so that it was with a sense of honour that everybody—even the small furniture-broker from whom the married troopers hired tables and chairs—received the news of their crack quality.
 
In those days the Hussar still wore over the left shoulder that attractive , or frilled half-coat, hanging loosely behind like the wounded wing of a bird, which was called the pelisse, though it was known among the troopers themselves as a ‘sling-jacket.’  It added amazingly to their in women’s eyes, and, indeed, in the eyes of men also.
 
The burgher who lived in the house with the oriel window sat during a great many hours of the day in that , for he was an , and time hung heavily on his hands unless he maintained a constant interest in without.  Not more than a week after the arrival of the Hussars his ears were by the shout of one schoolboy to another in the street below.
 
‘Have ’ee heard this about the Hussars?  They are haunted!  Yes—a ghost troubles ’em; he has followed ’em about the world for years.’
 
A haunted regiment: that was a new idea for either invalid or stalwart.  The listener in the oriel came to the conclusion that there were some lively characters among the ---th Hussars.
 
He made Captain Maumbry’s acquaintance in an informal manner at an afternoon tea to which he went in a wheeled chair—one of the very rare outings that the state of his health permitted.  Maumbry showed himself to be a handsome man of twenty-eight or thirty, with an attractive hint of wickedness in his manner that was sure to make him adorable with good young women.  The large dark eyes that lit his pale face expressed this wickedness strongly, though such was the of their rays that one could think they might have expressed sadness or seriousness just as readily, if he had had a mind for such.
 
An old and deaf lady who was present asked Captain Maumbry bluntly: ‘What’s this we hear about you?  They say your regiment is haunted.’
 
The Captain’s face assumed an aspect of grave, even sad, concern.  ‘Yes,’ he replied, ‘it is too true.’
 
Some younger ladies smiled till they saw how serious he looked, when they looked serious likewise.
 
‘Really?’ said the old lady.
 
‘Yes.  We naturally don’t wish to say much about it.’
 
‘No, no; of course not.  But—how haunted?’
 
‘Well; the—thing, as I’ll call it, follows us.  In country quarters or town, abroad or at home, it’s just the same.’
 
‘How do you account for it?’
 
‘H’m.’  Maumbry lowered his voice.  ‘Some crime committed by certain of our regiment in past years, we suppose.’
 
‘Dear me . . . How very , and singular!’
 
‘But, as I said, we don’t speak of it much.’
 
‘No . . . no.’
 
When the Hussar was gone, a young lady, disclosing a long-suppressed interest, asked if the ghost had been seen by any of the town.
 
The lawyer’s son, who always had the latest news, said that, though it was seldom seen by any one but the Hussars themselves, more than one townsman and woman had already set eyes on it, to his or her terror.  The mostly appeared very late at night, under the trees of the town-avenue nearest the barracks.  It was about ten feet high; its teeth with a dry naked sound, as if they were those of a skeleton; and its hip-bones could be heard grating in their .
 
During the darkest weeks of winter several timid persons were seriously frightened by the object answering to this cheerful description, and the police began to look into the matter.  Whereupon the appearances grew less frequent, and some of the Boys of the regiment thankfully stated that they had not been so free from ghostly visitation for years as they had become since their arrival in Casterbridge.
 
This playing at ghosts was the most innocent of the amusements indulged in by the choice young spirits who inhabited the , red-brick building at the top of the town bearing ‘W.D.’ and a broad arrow on its quoins.  Far more serious escapades—levities relating to love, wine, cards, betting—were talked of, with no doubt more or less of exaggeration.  That the Hussars, Captain Maumbry included, were the cause of bitter tears to several young women of the town and country is unquestionably true, despite the fact that the gaieties of the young men wore a more staring colour in this old-fashioned place than they would have done in a large and modern city.

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