the canterville ghost-第2部分

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

in　no　way　turned　upon　ghosts；　so　there　were　not　even　those　primary

conditions　of　receptive　expectation　which　so　often　precede　the

presentation　of　psychical　phenomena。　　The　subjects　discussed；　as　I

have　since　learned　from　Mr。　Otis；　were　merely　such　as　form　the

ordinary　conversation　of　cultured　Americans　of　the　better　class；

such　as　the　immense　superiority　of　Miss　Fanny　Davenport　over　Sarah

Bernhardt　as　an　actress；　the　difficulty　of　obtaining　green　corn；

buckwheat　cakes；　and　hominy；　even　in　the　best　English　houses；　the

importance　of　Boston　in　the　development　of　the　world…soul；　the

advantages　of　the　baggage　check　system　in　railway　travelling；　and

the　sweetness　of　the　New　York　accent　as　compared　to　the　London

drawl。　　No　mention　at　all　was　made　of　the　supernatural；　nor　was　Sir

Simon　de　Canterville　alluded　to　in　any　way。　　At　eleven　o'clock　the

family　retired；　and　by　half…past　all　the　lights　were　out。　　Some

time　after；　Mr。　Otis　was　awakened　by　a　curious　noise　in　the

corridor；　outside　his　room。　　It　sounded　like　the　clank　of　metal；

and　seemed　to　be　coming　nearer　every　moment。　　He　got　up　at　once；

struck　a　match；　and　looked　at　the　time。　　It　was　exactly　one

o'clock。　　He　was　quite　calm；　and　felt　his　pulse；　which　was　not　at

all　feverish。　　The　strange　noise　still　continued；　and　with　it　he

heard　distinctly　the　sound　of　footsteps。　　He　put　on　his　slippers；

took　a　small　oblong　phial　out　of　his　dressing…case；　and　opened　the

door。　　Right　in　front　of　him　he　saw；　in　the　wan　moonlight；　an　old

man　of　terrible　aspect。　　His　eyes　were　as　red　burning　coals；　long

grey　hair　fell　over　his　shoulders　in　matted　coils；　his　garments；

which　were　of　antique　cut；　were　soiled　and　ragged；　and　from　his

wrists　and　ankles　hung　heavy　manacles　and　rusty　gyves。



'My　dear　sir；'　said　Mr。　Otis；　'I　really　must　insist　on　your　oiling

those　chains；　and　have　brought　you　for　that　purpose　a　small　bottle

of　the　Tammany　Rising　Sun　Lubricator。　　It　is　said　to　be　completely

efficacious　upon　one　application；　and　there　are　several

testimonials　to　that　effect　on　the　wrapper　from　some　of　our　most

eminent　native　divines。　　I　shall　leave　it　here　for　you　by　the

bedroom　candles；　and　will　be　happy　to　supply　you　with　more　should

you　require　it。'　　With　these　words　the　United　States　Minister　laid

the　bottle　down　on　a　marble　table；　and；　closing　his　door；　retired

to　rest。



For　a　moment　the　Canterville　ghost　stood　quite　motionless　in

natural　indignation；　then；　dashing　the　bottle　violently　upon　the

polished　floor；　he　fled　down　the　corridor；　uttering　hollow　groans；

and　emitting　a　ghastly　green　light。　　Just；　however；　as　he　reached

the　top　of　the　great　oak　staircase；　a　door　was　flung　open；　two

little　white…robed　figures　appeared；　and　a　large　pillow　whizzed

past　his　head！　　There　was　evidently　no　time　to　be　lost；　so；　hastily

adopting　the　Fourth　Dimension　of　Space　as　a　means　of　escape；　he

vanished　through　the　wainscoting；　and　the　house　became　quite　quiet。



On　reaching　a　small　secret　chamber　in　the　left　wing；　he　leaned　up

against　a　moonbeam　to　recover　his　breath；　and　began　to　try　and

realise　his　position。　　Never；　in　a　brilliant　and　uninterrupted

career　of　three　hundred　years；　had　he　been　so　grossly　insulted。　　He

thought　of　the　Dowager　Duchess；　whom　he　had　frightened　into　a　fit

as　she　stood　before　the　glass　in　her　lace　and　diamonds；　of　the　four

housemaids；　who　had　gone　off　into　hysterics　when　he　merely　grinned

at　them　through　the　curtains　of　one　of　the　spare　bedrooms；　of　the

rector　of　the　parish；　whose　candle　he　had　blown　out　as　he　was

coming　late　one　night　from　the　library；　and　who　had　been　under　the

care　of　Sir　William　Gull　ever　since；　a　perfect　martyr　to　nervous

disorders；　and　of　old　Madame　de　Tremouillac；　who；　having　wakened　up

one　morning　early　and　seen　a　skeleton　seated　in　an　arm…chair　by　the

fire　reading　her　diary；　had　been　confined　to　her　bed　for　six　weeks

with　an　attack　of　brain　fever；　and；　on　her　recovery；　had　become

reconciled　to　the　Church；　and　broken　off　her　connection　with　that

notorious　sceptic　Monsieur　de　Voltaire。　　He　remembered　the　terrible

night　when　the　wicked　Lord　Canterville　was　found　choking　in　his

dressing…room；　with　the　knave　of　diamonds　half…way　down　his　throat；

and　confessed；　just　before　he　died；　that　he　had　cheated　Charles

James　Fox　out　of　50；000　pounds　at　Crockford's　by　means　of　that　very

card；　and　swore　that　the　ghost　had　made　him　swallow　it。　　All　his

great　achievements　came　back　to　him　again；　from　the　butler　who　had

shot　himself　in　the　pantry　because　he　had　seen　a　green　hand　tapping

at　the　window　pane；　to　the　beautiful　Lady　Stutfield；　who　was　always

obliged　to　wear　a　black　velvet　band　round　her　throat　to　hide　the

mark　of　five　fingers　burnt　upon　her　white　skin；　and　who　drowned

herself　at　last　in　the　carp…pond　at　the　end　of　the　King's　Walk。

With　the　enthusiastic　egotism　of　the　true　artist　he　went　over　his

most　celebrated　performances；　and　smiled　bitterly　to　himself　as　he

recalled　to　mind　his　last　appearance　as　'Red　Ruben；　or　the

Strangled　Babe；'　his　DEBUT　as　'Gaunt　Gibeon；　the　Blood…sucker　of

Bexley　Moor；'　and　the　FURORE　he　had　excited　one　lovely　June　evening

by　merely　playing　ninepins　with　his　own　bones　upon　the　lawn…tennis

ground。　　And　after　all　this；　some　wretched　modern　Americans　were　to

come　and　offer　him　the　Rising　Sun　Lubricator；　and　throw　pillows　at

his　head！　　It　was　quite　unbearable。　　Besides；　no　ghosts　in　history

had　ever　been　treated　in　this　manner。　　Accordingly；　he　determined

to　have　vengeance；　and　remained　till　daylight　in　an　attitude　of

deep　thought。







CHAPTER　III







THE　next　morning　when　the　Otis　family　met　at　breakfast；　they

discussed　the　ghost　at　some　length。　　The　United　States　Minister　was

naturally　a　little　annoyed　to　find　that　his　present　had　not　been

accepted。　　'I　have　no　wish；'　he　said；　'to　do　the　ghost　any　personal

injury；　and　I　must　say　that；　considering　the　length　of　time　he　has

been　in　the　house；　I　don't　think　it　is　at　all　polite　to　throw

pillows　at　him'　…　a　very　just　remark；　at　which；　I　am　sorry　to　say；

the　twins　burst　into　shouts　of　laughter。　　'Upon　the　other　hand；'　he

continued；　'if　he　really　declines　to　use　the　Rising　Sun　Lubricator；

we　shall　have　to　take　his　chains　from　him。　　It　would　be　quite

impossible　to　sleep；　with　such　a　noise　going　on　outside　the

bedrooms。'



For　the　rest　of　the　week；　however；　they　were　undisturbed；　the　only

thing　that　excited　any　attention　being　the　continual　renewal　of　the

blood…stain　on　the　library　floor。　　This　certainly　was　very　strange；

as　the　door　was　always　locked　at　night　by　Mr。　Otis；　and　the　windows

kept　closely　barred。　　The　chameleon…like　colour；　also；　of　the　stain

excited　a　good　deal　of　comment。　　Some　mornings　it　was　a　dull

（almost　Indian）　red；　then　it　would　be　vermilion；　then　a　rich

purple；　and　once　when　they　came　down　for　family　prayers；　according

to　the　simple　rites　of　the　Free　American　Reformed　Episcopalian

Church；　they　found　it　a　bright　emerald…green。　　These　kaleidoscopic

changes　naturally　amused　the　party　very　much；　and　bets　on　the

subject　were　freely　made　every　evening。　　The　only　person　who　did

not　enter　into　the　joke　was　little　Virginia；　who；　for　some

unexplained　reason；　was　always　a　good　deal　distressed　at　the　sight

of　the　blood…stain；　and　very　nearly　cried　the　morning　it　was

emerald…green。



The　second　appearance　of　the　ghost　was　on　Sunday　night。　　Shortly

after　they　had　gone　to　bed　they　were　suddenly　alarmed　by　a　fearful

crash　in　the　hall。　　Rushing　downstairs；　they　found　that　a　large

suit　of　old　armour　had　become　detached　from　its　stand；　and　had

fallen　on　the　stone　floor；　while；　seated　in　a　high…backed　chair；

was　the　Canterville　ghost；　rubbing　his　knees　with　an　expression　of

acute　agony　on　his　face。　　The　twins；　having　brought　their　pea…

shooters　with　them；　at　once　discharged　two　pellets　on　him；　with

that　accuracy　of　aim　which　can　only　be　attained　by　long　and　careful

practice　on　a　writing…master；　while　the　United　States　Minister

covered　him　with　his　revolver；　and　called　upon　him；　in　accordance

with　Californian　etiquette；　to　hold　up　his　hands！　　The　ghost

started　up　with　a　wild　shriek　of　rage；　and　swept　through　them　like

a　mist；　extinguishing　Washington　Otis's　candle　as　he　passed；　and　so

leaving　them　all　in　total　darkness。　　On　reaching　the　top　of　the

staircase　he　recovered　himself；　and　determined　to　give　his

celebrated　peal　of　demoniac　laughter。　　This　he　had　on　more　than　one

occasion　found　extremely　useful。　　It　was　said　to　have　turned　Lord

Raker's　wig　grey　in　a　single　night；　and　had　certainly　made　three　of

Lady　Canterville's　French　governesses　give　warning　before　their

month　was　up。　　He　accordingly　laughed　his　most　horrible　laugh；　till

the　old　vaulted　roof　rang　and　rang　again；　but　hardly　had　the

fearful　echo　died　away　when　a　door　opened；　and　Mrs。　Otis　came　out

in　a　light　blue　dressing…gown。　　'I　am　afraid　you　are　far　from

well；'　she　said；　'and　have　brought　you　a　bottle　of　Dr。　Dobell's

tincture。　　If　it　is　indigestion；　you　will　find　it　a　most　excellent

remedy。'　　The　ghost　glared　at　her　in　fury；　and　began　at　once　to

make　preparations　for　turning　himself　into　a　large　black　dog；　an

accomplishment　for　which　he　was　justly　renowned；　and　to　which　the

family　doctor　always　attributed　the　permanent　idiocy　of　Lord

Canterville's　uncle；　the　Hon。　Thomas　Horton。　　The　sound　of

approaching　footsteps；　however；　made　him　hesitate　in　his　fell

purpose；　so　he　contented　himself　with　becoming　faintly

phosphorescent；　and　vanished　with　a　deep　churchyard　groan；　just　as

the　twins　had　come　up　to　him。



On　reaching　his　room　he　entirely　broke　down；　and　became　a　prey　to

the　most　violent　agitation。　　The　vulgarity　of　the　twins；　and　the

gross　materialism　of　Mrs。　Otis；　were　naturally　extremely　annoying；

but　what　really　distressed　him　most　was；　that　he　had　been　unable　to

wear　the　suit　of　mail。　　He　had　hoped　that