the canterville ghost-第1部分

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THE　CANTERVILLE　GHOST









CHAPTER　I







WHEN　Mr。　Hiram　B。　Otis；　the　American　Minister；　bought　Canterville

Chase；　every　one　told　him　he　was　doing　a　very　foolish　thing；　as

there　was　no　doubt　at　all　that　the　place　was　haunted。　　Indeed；　Lord

Canterville　himself；　who　was　a　man　of　the　most　punctilious　honour；

had　felt　it　his　duty　to　mention　the　fact　to　Mr。　Otis　when　they　came

to　discuss　terms。



'We　have　not　cared　to　live　in　the　place　ourselves；'　said　Lord

Canterville；　'since　my　grandaunt；　the　Dowager　Duchess　of　Bolton；

was　frightened　into　a　fit；　from　which　she　never　really　recovered；

by　two　skeleton　hands　being　placed　on　her　shoulders　as　she　was

dressing　for　dinner；　and　I　feel　bound　to　tell　you；　Mr。　Otis；　that

the　ghost　has　been　seen　by　several　living　members　of　my　family；　as

well　as　by　the　rector　of　the　parish；　the　Rev。　Augustus　Dampier；　who

is　a　Fellow　of　King's　College；　Cambridge。　　After　the　unfortunate

accident　to　the　Duchess；　none　of　our　younger　servants　would　stay

with　us；　and　Lady　Canterville　often　got　very　little　sleep　at　night；

in　consequence　of　the　mysterious　noises　that　came　from　the　corridor

and　the　library。'



'My　Lord；'　answered　the　Minister；　'I　will　take　the　furniture　and

the　ghost　at　a　valuation。　　I　come　from　a　modern　country；　where　we

have　everything　that　money　can　buy；　and　with　all　our　spry　young

fellows　painting　the　Old　World　red；　and　carrying　off　your　best

actresses　and　prima…donnas；　I　reckon　that　if　there　were　such　a

thing　as　a　ghost　in　Europe；　we'd　have　it　at　home　in　a　very　short

time　in　one　of　our　public　museums；　or　on　the　road　as　a　show。'



'I　fear　that　the　ghost　exists；'　said　Lord　Canterville；　smiling；

'though　it　may　have　resisted　the　overtures　of　your　enterprising

impresarios。　　It　has　been　well　known　for　three　centuries；　since

1584　in　fact；　and　always　makes　its　appearance　before　the　death　of

any　member　of　our　family。'



'Well；　so　does　the　family　doctor　for　that　matter；　Lord　Canterville。

But　there　is　no　such　thing；　sir；　as　a　ghost；　and　I　guess　the　laws

of　Nature　are　not　going　to　be　suspended　for　the　British

aristocracy。'



'You　are　certainly　very　natural　in　America；'　answered　Lord

Canterville；　who　did　not　quite　understand　Mr。　Otis's　last

observation；　'and　if　you　don't　mind　a　ghost　in　the　house；　it　is　all

right。　　Only　you　must　remember　I　warned　you。'



A　few　weeks　after　this；　the　purchase　was　completed；　and　at　the

close　of　the　season　the　Minister　and　his　family　went　down　to

Canterville　Chase。　　Mrs。　Otis；　who；　as　Miss　Lucretia　R。　Tappan；　of

West　53rd　Street；　had　been　a　celebrated　New　York　belle；　was　now　a

very　handsome；　middle…aged　woman；　with　fine　eyes；　and　a　superb

profile。　　Many　American　ladies　on　leaving　their　native　land　adopt

an　appearance　of　chronic　ill…health；　under　the　impression　that　it

is　a　form　of　European　refinement；　but　Mrs。　Otis　had　never　fallen

into　this　error。　　She　had　a　magnificent　constitution；　and　a　really

wonderful　amount　of　animal　spirits。　　Indeed；　in　many　respects；　she

was　quite　English；　and　was　an　excellent　example　of　the　fact　that　we

have　really　everything　in　common　with　America　nowadays；　except；　of

course；　language。　　Her　eldest　son；　christened　Washington　by　his

parents　in　a　moment　of　patriotism；　which　he　never　ceased　to　regret；

was　a　fair…haired；　rather　good…looking　young　man；　who　had　qualified

himself　for　American　diplomacy　by　leading　the　German　at　the　Newport

Casino　for　three　successive　seasons；　and　even　in　London　was　well

known　as　an　excellent　dancer。　　Gardenias　and　the　peerage　were　his

only　weaknesses。　　Otherwise　he　was　extremely　sensible。　　Miss

Virginia　E。　Otis　was　a　little　girl　of　fifteen；　lithe　and　lovely　as

a　fawn；　and　with　a　fine　freedom　in　her　large　blue　eyes。　　She　was　a

wonderful　amazon；　and　had　once　raced　old　Lord　Bilton　on　her　pony

twice　round　the　park；　winning　by　a　length　and　a　half；　just　in　front

of　the　Achilles　statue；　to　the　huge　delight　of　the　young　Duke　of

Cheshire；　who　proposed　for　her　on　the　spot；　and　was　sent　back　to

Eton　that　very　night　by　his　guardians；　in　floods　of　tears。　　After

Virginia　came　the　twins；　who　were　usually　called　'The　Stars　and

Stripes；'　as　they　were　always　getting　swished。　　They　were

delightful　boys；　and　with　the　exception　of　the　worthy　Minister　the

only　true　republicans　of　the　family。



As　Canterville　Chase　is　seven　miles　from　Ascot；　the　nearest　railway

station；　Mr。　Otis　had　telegraphed　for　a　waggonette　to　meet　them；

and　they　started　on　their　drive　in　high　spirits。　　It　was　a　lovely

July　evening；　and　the　air　was　delicate　with　the　scent　of　the　pine…

woods。　　Now　and　then　they　heard　a　wood　pigeon　brooding　over　its　own

sweet　voice；　or　saw；　deep　in　the　rustling　fern；　the　burnished

breast　of　the　pheasant。　　Little　squirrels　peered　at　them　from　the

beech…trees　as　they　went　by；　and　the　rabbits　scudded　away　through

the　brushwood　and　over　the　mossy　knolls；　with　their　white　tails　in

the　air。　　As　they　entered　the　avenue　of　Canterville　Chase；　however；

the　sky　became　suddenly　overcast　with　clouds；　a　curious　stillness

seemed　to　hold　the　atmosphere；　a　great　flight　of　rooks　passed

silently　over　their　heads；　and；　before　they　reached　the　house；　some

big　drops　of　rain　had　fallen。



Standing　on　the　steps　to　receive　them　was　an　old　woman；　neatly

dressed　in　black　silk；　with　a　white　cap　and　apron。　　This　was　Mrs。

Umney；　the　housekeeper；　whom　Mrs。　Otis；　at　Lady　Canterville's

earnest　request；　had　consented　to　keep　on　in　her　former　position。

She　made　them　each　a　low　curtsey　as　they　alighted；　and　said　in　a

quaint；　old…fashioned　manner；　'I　bid　you　welcome　to　Canterville

Chase。'　　Following　her；　they　passed　through　the　fine　Tudor　hall

into　the　library；　a　long；　low　room；　panelled　in　black　oak；　at　the

end　of　which　was　a　large　stained…glass　window。　　Here　they　found　tea

laid　out　for　them；　and；　after　taking　off　their　wraps；　they　sat　down

and　began　to　look　round；　while　Mrs。　Umney　waited　on　them。



Suddenly　Mrs。　Otis　caught　sight　of　a　dull　red　stain　on　the　floor

just　by　the　fireplace　and；　quite　unconscious　of　what　it　really

signified；　said　to　Mrs。　Umney；　'I　am　afraid　something　has　been

spilt　there。'



'Yes；　madam；'　replied　the　old　housekeeper　in　a　low　voice；　'blood

has　been　spilt　on　that　spot。'



'How　horrid；'　cried　Mrs。　Otis；　'I　don't　at　all　care　for　blood…

stains　in　a　sitting…room。　　It　must　be　removed　at　once。'



The　old　woman　smiled；　and　answered　in　the　same　low；　mysterious

voice；　'It　is　the　blood　of　Lady　Eleanore　de　Canterville；　who　was

murdered　on　that　very　spot　by　her　own　husband；　Sir　Simon　de

Canterville；　in　1575。　　Sir　Simon　survived　her　nine　years；　and

disappeared　suddenly　under　very　mysterious　circumstances。　　His　body

has　never　been　discovered；　but　his　guilty　spirit　still　haunts　the

Chase。　　The　blood…stain　has　been　much　admired　by　tourists　and

others；　and　cannot　be　removed。'



'That　is　all　nonsense；'　cried　Washington　Otis；　'Pinkerton's

Champion　Stain　Remover　and　Paragon　Detergent　will　clean　it　up　in　no

time；'　and　before　the　terrified　housekeeper　could　interfere　he　had

fallen　upon　his　knees；　and　was　rapidly　scouring　the　floor　with　a

small　stick　of　what　looked　like　a　black　cosmetic。　　In　a　few　moments

no　trace　of　the　blood…stain　could　be　seen。



'I　knew　Pinkerton　would　do　it；'　he　exclaimed　triumphantly；　as　he

looked　round　at　his　admiring　family；　but　no　sooner　had　he　said

these　words　than　a　terrible　flash　of　lightning　lit　up　the　sombre

room；　a　fearful　peal　of　thunder　made　them　all　start　to　their　feet；

and　Mrs。　Umney　fainted。



'What　a　monstrous　climate！'　said　the　American　Minister　calmly；　as

he　lit　a　long　cheroot。　　'I　guess　the　old　country　is　so

overpopulated　that　they　have　not　enough　decent　weather　for

everybody。　　I　have　always　been　of　opinion　that　emigration　is　the

only　thing　for　England。'



'My　dear　Hiram；'　cried　Mrs。　Otis；　'what　can　we　do　with　a　woman　who

faints？'



'Charge　it　to　her　like　breakages；'　answered　the　Minister；　'she

won't　faint　after　that'；　and　in　a　few　moments　Mrs。　Umney　certainly

came　to。　　There　was　no　doubt；　however；　that　she　was　extremely

upset；　and　she　sternly　warned　Mr。　Otis　to　beware　of　some　trouble

coming　to　the　house。



'I　have　seen　things　with　my　own　eyes；　sir；'　she　said；　'that　would

make　any　Christian's　hair　stand　on　end；　and　many　and　many　a　night　I

have　not　closed　my　eyes　in　sleep　for　the　awful　things　that　are　done

here。'　　Mr。　Otis；　however；　and　his　wife　warmly　assured　the　honest

soul　that　they　were　not　afraid　of　ghosts；　and；　after　invoking　the

blessings　of　Providence　on　her　new　master　and　mistress；　and　making

arrangements　for　an　increase　of　salary；　the　old　housekeeper

tottered　off　to　her　own　room。







CHAPTER　II







THE　storm　raged　fiercely　all　that　night；　but　nothing　of　particular

note　occurred。　　The　next　morning；　however；　when　they　came　down　to

breakfast；　they　found　the　terrible　stain　of　blood　once　again　on　the

floor。　　'I　don't　think　it　can　be　the　fault　of　the　Paragon

Detergent；'　said　Washington；　'for　I　have　tried　it　with　everything。

It　must　be　the　ghost。'　　He　accordingly　rubbed　out　the　stain　a

second　time；　but　the　second　morning　it　appeared　again。　　The　third

morning　also　it　was　there；　though　the　library　had　been　locked　up　at

night　by　Mr。　Otis　himself；　and　the　key　carried　upstairs。　　The　whole

family　were　now　quite　interested；　Mr。　Otis　began　to　suspect　that　he

had　been　too　dogmatic　in　his　denial　of　the　existence　of　ghosts；

Mrs。　Otis　expressed　her　intention　of　joining　the　Psychical　Society；

and　Washington　prepared　a　long　letter　to　Messrs。　Myers　and　Podmore

on　the　subject　of　the　Permanence　of　Sanguineous　Stains　when

connected　with　Crime。　　That　night　all　doubts　about　the　objective

existence　of　phantasmata　were　removed　for　ever。



The　day　had　been　warm　and　sunny；　and；　in　the　cool　of　the　evening；

the　whole　family　went　out　for　a　drive。　　They　did　not　return　home

till　nine　o'clock；　when　they　had　a　light　supper。　　The