Christmas Eve at
midnight
But , finding that there _ is _ a place of the name close by in the hills -- ruinous , haunted , but actual -- they take plenty of food , wine , and torches , etc. , and persuade , with no little difficulty , their _ arriero _ and even their companion and the real hirer of the vehicle -LRB- a theatrical manager , who has allowed them to accompany him , when they could get no other -RRB- to dare the night adventure . On the way the _ arriero _ tells them the legend , how , centuries before , Ghismondo de las Sierras , ruined by debauchery , established himself in this his last possession , with one squire , one page -LRB- both of the worst characters -RRB- , his beautiful niece Inès , whom he has seduced , and a few desperate followers , who help him to live by brigandage . Every night the three chiefs drank themselves senseless , and were regularly dragged to bed by their men . But one Christmas Eve at midnight , Inès , struck with remorse , entered the hall of orgies , and implored them to repent , actually kneeling before Ghismondo , and placing her hand on his heart . To which the ruffian replied by stabbing her , and leaving her for the men-at-arms to find , a corpse , among the drunken but live bodies . For a whole twelvemonth the three see , in dreams , their victim come and lay a burning hand on their hearts ; and at its end , on the same day and at the same hour , the dream comes true -- the phantom appears , speaks _ once _ , `` Here am I ! '' sits with them , eats and drinks , even sings and dances , but finally lays the flaming hand of the dream on each heart ; and they die in torture -- the men-at-arms entering as usual , only to find _ four _ corpses .