the canterville ghost-第3部分

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

wear　the　suit　of　mail。　　He　had　hoped　that　even　modern　Americans

would　be　thrilled　by　the　sight　of　a　Spectre　In　Armour；　if　for　no

more　sensible　reason；　at　least　out　of　respect　for　their　national

poet　Longfellow；　over　whose　graceful　and　attractive　poetry　he

himself　had　whiled　away　many　a　weary　hour　when　the　Cantervilles

were　up　in　town。　　Besides；　it　was　his　own　suit。　　He　had　worn　it

with　great　success　at　the　Kenilworth　tournament；　and　had　been

highly　complimented　on　it　by　no　less　a　person　than　the　Virgin　Queen

herself。　　Yet　when　he　had　put　it　on；　he　had　been　completely

overpowered　by　the　weight　of　the　huge　breastplate　and　steel　casque；

and　had　fallen　heavily　on　the　stone　pavement；　barking　both　his

knees　severely；　and　bruising　the　knuckles　of　his　right　hand。



For　some　days　after　this　he　was　extremely　ill；　and　hardly　stirred

out　of　his　room　at　all；　except　to　keep　the　blood…stain　in　proper

repair。　　However；　by　taking　great　care　of　himself；　he　recovered；

and　resolved　to　make　a　third　attempt　to　frighten　the　United　States

Minister　and　his　family。　　He　selected　Friday；　the　17th　of　August；

for　his　appearance；　and　spent　most　of　that　day　in　looking　over　his

wardrobe；　ultimately　deciding　in　favour　of　a　large　slouched　hat

with　a　red　feather；　a　winding…sheet　frilled　at　the　wrists　and　neck；

and　a　rusty　dagger。　　Towards　evening　a　violent　storm　of　rain　came

on；　and　the　wind　was　so　high　that　all　the　windows　and　doors　in　the

old　house　shook　and　rattled。　　In　fact；　it　was　just　such　weather　as

he　loved。　　His　plan　of　action　was　this。　　He　was　to　make　his　way

quietly　to　Washington　Otis's　room；　gibber　at　him　from　the　foot　of

the　bed；　and　stab　himself　three　times　in　the　throat　to　the　sound　of

slow　music。　　He　bore　Washington　a　special　grudge；　being　quite　aware

that　it　was　he　who　was　in　the　habit　of　removing　the　famous

Canterville　blood…stain；　by　means　of　Pinkerton's　Paragon　Detergent。

Having　reduced　the　reckless　and　foolhardy　youth　to　a　condition　of

abject　terror；　he　was　then　to　proceed　to　the　room　occupied　by　the

United　States　Minister　and　his　wife；　and　there　to　place　a　clammy

hand　on　Mrs。　Otis's　forehead；　while　he　hissed　into　her　trembling

husband's　ear　the　awful　secrets　of　the　charnel…house。　　With　regard

to　little　Virginia；　he　had　not　quite　made　up　his　mind。　　She　had

never　insulted　him　in　any　way；　and　was　pretty　and　gentle。　　A　few

hollow　groans　from　the　wardrobe；　he　thought；　would　be　more　than

sufficient；　or；　if　that　failed　to　wake　her；　he　might　grabble　at　the

counterpane　with　palsy…twitching　fingers。　　As　for　the　twins；　he　was

quite　determined　to　teach　them　a　lesson。　　The　first　thing　to　be

done　was；　of　course；　to　sit　upon　their　chests；　so　as　to　produce　the

stifling　sensation　of　nightmare。　　Then；　as　their　beds　were　quite

close　to　each　other；　to　stand　between　them　in　the　form　of　a　green；

icy…cold　corpse；　till　they　became　paralysed　with　fear；　and　finally；

to　throw　off　the　winding…sheet；　and　crawl　round　the　room；　with

white　bleached　bones　and　one　rolling　eye…ball；　in　the　character　of

'Dumb　Daniel；　or　the　Suicide's　Skeleton；'　a　ROLE　in　which　he　had　on

more　than　one　occasion　produced　a　great　effect；　and　which　he

considered　quite　equal　to　his　famous　part　of　'Martin　the　Maniac；　or

the　Masked　Mystery。'



At　half…past　ten　he　heard　the　family　going　to　bed。　　For　some　time

he　was　disturbed　by　wild　shrieks　of　laughter　from　the　twins；　who；

with　the　light…hearted　gaiety　of　schoolboys；　were　evidently　amusing

themselves　before　they　retired　to　rest；　but　at　a　quarter　past

eleven　all　was　still；　and；　as　midnight　sounded；　he　sallied　forth。

The　owl　beat　against　the　window　panes；　the　raven　croaked　from　the

old　yew…tree；　and　the　wind　wandered　moaning　round　the　house　like　a

lost　soul；　but　the　Otis　family　slept　unconscious　of　their　doom；　and

high　above　the　rain　and　storm　he　could　hear　the　steady　snoring　of

the　Minister　for　the　United　States。　　He　stepped　stealthily　out　of

the　wainscoting；　with　an　evil　smile　on　his　cruel；　wrinkled　mouth；

and　the　moon　hid　her　face　in　a　cloud　as　he　stole　past　the　great

oriel　window；　where　his　own　arms　and　those　of　his　murdered　wife

were　blazoned　in　azure　and　gold。　　On　and　on　he　glided；　like　an　evil

shadow；　the　very　darkness　seeming　to　loathe　him　as　he　passed。　　Once

he　thought　he　heard　something　call；　and　stopped；　but　it　was　only

the　baying　of　a　dog　from　the　Red　Farm；　and　he　went　on；　muttering

strange　sixteenth…century　curses；　and　ever　and　anon　brandishing　the

rusty　dagger　in　the　midnight　air。　　Finally　he　reached　the　corner　of

the　passage　that　led　to　luckless　Washington's　room。　　For　a　moment

he　paused　there；　the　wind　blowing　his　long　grey　locks　about　his

head；　and　twisting　into　grotesque　and　fantastic　folds　the　nameless

horror　of　the　dead　man's　shroud。　　Then　the　clock　struck　the

quarter；　and　he　felt　the　time　was　come。　　He　chuckled　to　himself；

and　turned　the　corner；　but　no　sooner　had　he　done　so；　than；　with　a

piteous　wail　of　terror；　he　fell　back；　and　hid　his　blanched　face　in

his　long；　bony　hands。　　Right　in　front　of　him　was　standing　a

horrible　spectre；　motionless　as　a　carven　image；　and　monstrous　as　a

madman's　dream！　　Its　head　was　bald　and　burnished；　its　face　round；

and　fat；　and　white；　and　hideous　laughter　seemed　to　have　writhed　its

features　into　an　eternal　grin。　　From　the　eyes　streamed　rays　of

scarlet　light；　the　mouth　was　a　wide　well　of　fire；　and　a　hideous

garment；　like　to　his　own；　swathed　with　its　silent　snows　the　Titan

form。　　On　its　breast　was　a　placard　with　strange　writing　in　antique

characters；　some　scroll　of　shame　it　seemed；　some　record　of　wild

sins；　some　awful　calendar　of　crime；　and；　with　its　right　hand；　it

bore　aloft　a　falchion　of　gleaming　steel。



Never　having　seen　a　ghost　before；　he　naturally　was　terribly

frightened；　and；　after　a　second　hasty　glance　at　the　awful　phantom；

he　fled　back　to　his　room；　tripping　up　in　his　long　winding…sheet　as

he　sped　down　the　corridor；　and　finally　dropping　the　rusty　dagger

into　the　Minister's　jack…boots；　where　it　was　found　in　the　morning

by　the　butler。　　Once　in　the　privacy　of　his　own　apartment；　he　flung

himself　down　on　a　small　pallet…bed；　and　hid　his　face　under　the

clothes。　　After　a　time；　however；　the　brave　old　Canterville　spirit

asserted　itself；　and　he　determined　to　go　and　speak　to　the　other

ghost　as　soon　as　it　was　daylight。　　Accordingly；　just　as　the　dawn

was　touching　the　hills　with　silver；　he　returned　towards　the　spot

where　he　had　first　laid　eyes　on　the　grisly　phantom；　feeling　that；

after　all；　two　ghosts　were　better　than　one；　and　that；　by　the　aid　of

his　new　friend；　he　might　safely　grapple　with　the　twins。　　On

reaching　the　spot；　however；　a　terrible　sight　met　his　gaze。

Something　had　evidently　happened　to　the　spectre；　for　the　light　had

entirely　faded　from　its　hollow　eyes；　the　gleaming　falchion　had

fallen　from　its　hand；　and　it　was　leaning　up　against　the　wall　in　a

strained　and　uncomfortable　attitude。　　He　rushed　forward　and　seized

it　in　his　arms；　when；　to　his　horror；　the　head　slipped　off　and

rolled　on　the　floor；　the　body　assumed　a　recumbent　posture；　and　he

found　himself　clasping　a　white　dimity　bed…curtain；　with　a　sweeping…

brush；　a　kitchen　cleaver；　and　a　hollow　turnip　lying　at　his　feet！

Unable　to　understand　this　curious　transformation；　he　clutched　the

placard　with　feverish　haste；　and　there；　in　the　grey　morning　light；

he　read　these　fearful　words：…





YE　OLDE　GHOSTE



Ye　Onlie　True　and　Originale　Spook。

Beware　of　Ye　Imitationes。

All　others　are　Counterfeite。





The　whole　thing　flashed　across　him。　　He　had　been　tricked；　foiled；

and　outwitted！　　The　old　Canterville　look　came　into　his　eyes；　he

ground　his　toothless　gums　together；　and；　raising　his　withered　hands

high　above　his　head；　swore；　according　to　the　picturesque

phraseology　of　the　antique　school；　that　when　Chanticleer　had

sounded　twice　his　merry　horn；　deeds　of　blood　would　be　wrought；　and

Murder　walk　abroad　with　silent　feet。



Hardly　had　he　finished　this　awful　oath　when；　from　the　red…tiled

roof　of　a　distant　homestead；　a　cock　crew。　　He　laughed　a　long；　low；

bitter　laugh；　and　waited。　　Hour　after　hour　he　waited；　but　the　cock；

for　some　strange　reason；　did　not　crow　again。　　Finally；　at　half…past

seven；　the　arrival　of　the　housemaids　made　him　give　up　his　fearful

vigil；　and　he　stalked　back　to　his　room；　thinking　of　his　vain　hope

and　baffled　purpose。　　There　he　consulted　several　books　of　ancient

chivalry；　of　which　he　was　exceedingly　fond；　and　found　that；　on

every　occasion　on　which　his　oath　had　been　used；　Chanticleer　had

always　crowed　a　second　time。　　'Perdition　seize　the　naughty　fowl；'

he　muttered；　'I　have　seen　the　day　when；　with　my　stout　spear；　I

would　have　run　him　through　the　gorge；　and　made　him　crow　for　me　an

'twere　in　death！'　　He　then　retired　to　a　comfortable　lead　coffin；

and　stayed　there　till　evening。







CHAPTER　IV







THE　next　day　the　ghost　was　very　weak　and　tired。　　The　terrible

excitement　of　the　last　four　weeks　was　beginning　to　have　its　effect。

His　nerves　were　completely　shattered；　and　he　started　at　the

slightest　noise。　　For　five　days　he　kept　his　room；　and　at　last　made

up　his　mind　to　give　up　the　point　of　the　blood…stain　on　the　library

floor。　　If　the　Otis　family　did　not　want　it；　they　clearly　did　not

deserve　it。　　They　were　evidently　people　on　a　low；　material　plane　of

existence；　and　quite　incapable　of　appreciating　the　symbolic　value

of　sensuous　phenomena。　　The　question　of　phantasmic　apparitions；　and

the　development　of　astral　bodies；　was　of　course　quite　a　different

matter；　and　really　not　under　his　control。　　It　was　his　solemn　duty

to　appear　in　the　corridor　once　a　week；　and　to　gibber　from　the　large

oriel　window　on　the　first　and　third　Wednesday　in　every　month；　and

he　did　not　see　how　he　could　honourably　escape　from　his　obligations。

It　is　quite　true　that　his　life　had　been　very　evil；　but；　upon　the

other　hand；　he　was　most　conscientious　in　all　things　c