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646 [Doc. 274.
THREE EXTRAORDINARY FACTS.
"A distinguished gentleman purchased in Stockholm an estate
from another gentleman. He paid his money, and received a
receipt. Soon after the purchaser died ; and after a while the
vendor demanded from the widow payment for the estate, threat
ening her, that otherwise he would again take possession
of the estate. The widow was frightened ; she knew that
her husband had paid for the property, and looked every
where for the receipt, but without being able to find it. Her
anxiety increased ; and as her deceased husband had been
acquainted with the Russian ambassador, and stood in friendly
relations with him, she had recourse to him.
The ambassador knew from his own experience what Sweden
borg in similar cases had done before ; and as the widow was
not acquainted with him, the ambassador undertook the manage
ment of the affair. As soon as he found an opportunity, he
spoke with Swedenborg on the subject, and recommended to him
the cause of the widow. After a few days Swedenborg came
to the ambassador and commissioned him to tell the widow,
that on such and such a night her husband would appear to her
at 12 o’clock, and tell her where the receipt was. However terrible
this was for the widow, she had to make up her mind to
the interview, because the second payment of the estate would
have plunged her into poverty, or perhaps she would not have
been able to raise the money at all. She therefore resolved to
meet her fate, and sat up during the appointed night ; but she
kept a maid with her, who very soon fell asleep, and could
not be kept awake. At 12 o’clock the deceased appeared ;
he looked serious, and seemed displeased, and then pointed
out to the widow the place where the receipt was, viz. in a
certain house, in a little closet in the wall, which it was very
difficult to notice. He then disappeared. Next morning the
widow went to the appointed place, and found the receipt. "
This narrative is an instance of the extent to which a simple
story is sometimes disfigured and changed by rumour and gossip.
The only real fact of the case seems to be, that Madame de
Marteville was advised by the Russian ambassador, who had
been a friend of her husband, the Dutch ambassador, to apply
in her need to Swedenborg.
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