the canterville ghost-第6部分

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round；　and；　after　insisting　on　his　wife　and　the　three　boys　sitting

down　to　dinner；　rode　off　down　the　Ascot　Road　with　a　groom。　　He　had

hardly；　however；　gone　a　couple　of　miles　when　he　heard　somebody

galloping　after　him；　and；　looking　round；　saw　the　little　Duke　coming

up　on　his　pony；　with　his　face　very　flushed　and　no　hat。　　'I'm

awfully　sorry；　Mr。　Otis；'　gasped　out　the　boy；　'but　I　can't　eat　any

dinner　as　long　as　Virginia　is　lost。　　Please；　don't　be　angry　with

me；　if　you　had　let　us　be　engaged　last　year；　there　would　never　have

been　all　this　trouble。　　You　won't　send　me　back；　will　you？　　I　can't

go！　　I　won't　go！'



The　Minister　could　not　help　smiling　at　the　handsome　young

scapegrace；　and　was　a　good　deal　touched　at　his　devotion　to

Virginia；　so　leaning　down　from　his　horse；　he　patted　him　kindly　on

the　shoulders；　and　said；　'Well；　Cecil；　if　you　won't　go　back　I

suppose　you　must　come　with　me；　but　I　must　get　you　a　hat　at　Ascot。'



'Oh；　bother　my　hat！　　I　want　Virginia！'　cried　the　little　Duke；

laughing；　and　they　galloped　on　to　the　railway　station。　　There　Mr。

Otis　inquired　of　the　station…master　if　any　one　answering　the

description　of　Virginia　had　been　seen　on　the　platform；　but　could

get　no　news　of　her。　　The　station…master；　however；　wired　up　and　down

the　line；　and　assured　him　that　a　strict　watch　would　be　kept　for

her；　and；　after　having　bought　a　hat　for　the　little　Duke　from　a

linen…draper；　who　was　just　putting　up　his　shutters；　Mr。　Otis　rode

off　to　Bexley；　a　village　about　four　miles　away；　which　he　was　told

was　a　well…known　haunt　of　the　gypsies；　as　there　was　a　large　common

next　to　it。　　Here　they　roused　up　the　rural　policeman；　but　could　get

no　information　from　him；　and；　after　riding　all　over　the　common；

they　turned　their　horses'　heads　homewards；　and　reached　the　Chase

about　eleven　o'clock；　dead…tired　and　almost　heart…broken。　　They

found　Washington　and　the　twins　waiting　for　them　at　the　gate…house

with　lanterns；　as　the　avenue　was　very　dark。　　Not　the　slightest

trace　of　Virginia　had　been　discovered。　　The　gypsies　had　been　caught

on　Brockley　meadows；　but　she　was　not　with　them；　and　they　had

explained　their　sudden　departure　by　saying　that　they　had　mistaken

the　date　of　Chorton　Fair；　and　had　gone　off　in　a　hurry　for　fear　they

might　be　late。　　Indeed；　they　had　been　quite　distressed　at　hearing

of　Virginia's　disappearance；　as　they　were　very　grateful　to　Mr。　Otis

for　having　allowed　them　to　camp　in　his　park；　and　four　of　their

number　had　stayed　behind　to　help　in　the　search。　　The　carp…pond　had

been　dragged；　and　the　whole　Chase　thoroughly　gone　over；　but　without

any　result。　　It　was　evident　that；　for　that　night　at　any　rate；

Virginia　was　lost　to　them；　and　it　was　in　a　state　of　the　deepest

depression　that　Mr　Otis　and　the　boys　walked　up　to　the　house；　the

groom　following　behind　with　the　two　horses　and　the　pony。　　In　the

hall　they　found　a　group　of　frightened　servants；　and　lying　on　a　sofa

in　the　library　was　poor　Mrs。　Otis；　almost　out　of　her　mind　with

terror　and　anxiety；　and　having　her　forehead　bathed　with　eau…de…

cologne　by　the　old　housekeeper。　　Mr。　Otis　at　once　insisted　on　her

having　something　to　eat；　and　ordered　up　supper　for　the　whole　party。

It　was　a　melancholy　meal；　as　hardly　any　one　spoke；　and　even　the

twins　were　awestruck　and　subdued；　as　they　were　very　fond　of　their

sister。　　When　they　had　finished；　Mr。　Otis；　in　spite　of　the

entreaties　of　the　little　Duke；　ordered　them　all　to　bed；　saying　that

nothing　more　could　be　done　that　night；　and　that　he　would　telegraph

in　the　morning　to　Scotland　Yard　for　some　detectives　to　be　sent　down

immediately。　　Just　as　they　were　passing　out　of　the　dining…room；

midnight　began　to　boom　from　the　clock　tower；　and　when　the　last

stroke　sounded　they　heard　a　crash　and　a　sudden　shrill　cry；　a

dreadful　peal　of　thunder　shook　the　house；　a　strain　of　unearthly

music　floated　through　the　air；　a　panel　at　the　top　of　the　staircase

flew　back　with　a　loud　noise；　and　out　on　the　landing；　looking　very

pale　and　white；　with　a　little　casket　in　her　hand；　stepped　Virginia。

In　a　moment　they　had　all　rushed　up　to　her。　　Mrs。　Otis　clasped　her

passionately　in　her　arms；　the　Duke　smothered　her　with　violent

kisses；　and　the　twins　executed　a　wild　war…dance　round　the　group。



'Good　heavens！　child；　where　have　you　been？'　said　Mr。　Otis；　rather

angrily；　thinking　that　she　had　been　playing　some　foolish　trick　on

them。　　'Cecil　and　I　have　been　riding　all　over　the　country　looking

for　you；　and　your　mother　has　been　frightened　to　death。　　You　must

never　play　these　practical　jokes　any　more。'



'Except　on　the　Ghost！　except　on　the　Ghost！'　shrieked　the　twins；　as

they　capered　about。



'My　own　darling；　thank　God　you　are　found；　you　must　never　leave　my

side　again；'　murmured　Mrs。　Otis；　as　she　kissed　the　trembling　child；

and　smoothed　the　tangled　gold　of　her　hair。



'Papa；'　said　Virginia　quietly；　'I　have　been　with　the　Ghost。　　He　is

dead；　and　you　must　come　and　see　him。　　He　had　been　very　wicked；　but

he　was　really　sorry　for　all　that　he　had　done；　and　he　gave　me　this

box　of　beautiful　jewels　before　he　died。'



The　whole　family　gazed　at　her　in　mute　amazement；　but　she　was　quite

grave　and　serious；　and；　turning　round；　she　led　them　through　the

opening　in　the　wainscoting　down　a　narrow　secret　corridor；

Washington　following　with　a　lighted　candle；　which　he　had　caught　up

from　the　table。　　Finally；　they　came　to　a　great　oak　door；　studded

with　rusty　nails。　　When　Virginia　touched　it；　it　swung　back　on　its

heavy　hinges；　and　they　found　themselves　in　a　little　low　room；　with

a　vaulted　ceiling；　and　one　tiny　grated　window。　　Imbedded　in　the

wall　was　a　huge　iron　ring；　and　chained　to　it　was　a　gaunt　skeleton；

that　was　stretched　out　at　full　length　on　the　stone　floor；　and

seemed　to　be　trying　to　grasp　with　its　long　fleshless　fingers　an

old…fashioned　trencher　and　ewer；　that　were　placed　just　out　of　its

reach。　　The　jug　had　evidently　been　once　filled　with　water；　as　it

was　covered　inside　with　green　mould。　　There　was　nothing　on　the

trencher　but　a　pile　of　dust。　　Virginia　knelt　down　beside　the

skeleton；　and；　folding　her　little　hands　together；　began　to　pray

silently；　while　the　rest　of　the　party　looked　on　in　wonder　at　the

terrible　tragedy　whose　secret　was　now　disclosed　to　them。



'Hallo！'　suddenly　exclaimed　one　of　the　twins；　who　had　been　looking

out　of　the　window　to　try　and　discover　in　what　wing　of　the　house　the

room　was　situated。　　'Hallo！　the　old　withered　almond…tree　has

blossomed。　　I　can　see　the　flowers　quite　plainly　in　the　moonlight。'



'God　has　forgiven　him；'　said　Virginia　gravely；　as　she　rose　to　her

feet；　and　a　beautiful　light　seemed　to　illumine　her　face。



'What　an　angel　you　are！'　cried　the　young　Duke；　and　he　put　his　arm

round　her　neck　and　kissed　her。







CHAPTER　VII







FOUR　days　after　these　curious　incidents　a　funeral　started　from

Canterville　Chase　at　about　eleven　o'clock　at　night。　　The　hearse　was

drawn　by　eight　black　horses；　each　of　which　carried　on　its　head　a

great　tuft　of　nodding　ostrich…plumes；　and　the　leaden　coffin　was

covered　by　a　rich　purple　pall；　on　which　was　embroidered　in　gold　the

Canterville　coat…of…arms。　　By　the　side　of　the　hearse　and　the

coaches　walked　the　servants　with　lighted　torches；　and　the　whole

procession　was　wonderfully　impressive。　　Lord　Canterville　was　the

chief　mourner；　having　come　up　specially　from　Wales　to　attend　the

funeral；　and　sat　in　the　first　carriage　along　with　little　Virginia。

Then　came　the　United　States　Minister　and　his　wife；　then　Washington

and　the　three　boys；　and　in　the　last　carriage　was　Mrs。　Umney。　　It

was　generally　felt　that；　as　she　had　been　frightened　by　the　ghost

for　more　than　fifty　years　of　her　life；　she　had　a　right　to　see　the

last　of　him。　　A　deep　grave　had　been　dug　in　the　corner　of　the

churchyard；　just　under　the　old　yew…tree；　and　the　service　was　read

in　the　most　impressive　manner　by　the　Rev。　Augustus　Dampier。　　When

the　ceremony　was　over；　the　servants；　according　to　an　old　custom

observed　in　the　Canterville　family；　extinguished　their　torches；

and；　as　the　coffin　was　being　lowered　into　the　grave；　Virginia

stepped　forward　and　laid　on　it　a　large　cross　made　of　white　and　pink

almond…blossoms。　　As　she　did　so；　the　moon　came　out　from　behind　a

cloud；　and　flooded　with　its　silent　silver　the　little　churchyard；

and　from　a　distant　copse　a　nightingale　began　to　sing。　　She　thought

of　the　ghost's　description　of　the　Garden　of　Death；　her　eyes　became

dim　with　tears；　and　she　hardly　spoke　a　word　during　the　drive　home。



The　next　morning；　before　Lord　Canterville　went　up　to　town；　Mr。　Otis

had　an　interview　with　him　on　the　subject　of　the　jewels　the　ghost

had　given　to　Virginia。　　They　were　perfectly　magnificent；　especially

a　certain　ruby　necklace　with　old　Venetian　setting；　which　was　really

a　superb　specimen　of　sixteenth…century　work；　and　their　value　was　so

great　that　Mr。　Otis　felt　considerable　scruples　about　allowing　his

daughter　to　accept　them。



'My　lord；'　he　said；　'I　know　that　in　this　country　mortmain　is　held

to　apply　to　trinkets　as　well　as　to　land；　and　it　is　quite　clear　to

me　that　these　jewels　are；　or　should　be；　heirlooms　in　your　family。

I　must　beg　you；　accordingly；　to　take　them　to　London　with　you；　and

to　regard　them　simply　as　a　portion　of　your　property　which　has　been

restored　to　you　under　certain　strange　conditions。　　As　for　my

daughter；　she　is　merely　a　child；　and　has　as　yet；　I　am　glad　to　say；

but　little　interest　in　such　appurtenances　of　idle　luxury。　　I　am

also　informed　by　Mrs。　Otis；　who；　I　may　say；　is　no　mean　authority

upon　Art　…　having　had　the　privilege　of　spending　several　winters　in

Boston　when　she　was　a　girl　…　that　these　gems　are　of　great　monetary

worth；　and　if　offered　for　sale　would　fetch　a　tall　price。　　Under

these　circumstances；　Lord　Canterville；　I　feel　sure　that　you　will

recognise　how　impossible　it　would　be　for　me　to　allow　them　to　remain

in　the　possession　of　any　member　of　my　family；　and；　indeed；　all　such

vain　gauds　and　toys；　however　suitable　or　necessary　to　the