the canterville ghost-第7部分

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vain　gauds　and　toys；　however　suitable　or　necessary　to　the　dignity

of　the　British　aristocracy；　would　be　completely　out　of　place　among

those　who　have　been　brought　up　on　the　severe；　and　I　believe

immortal；　principles　of　republican　simplicity。　　Perhaps　I　should

mention　that　Virginia　is　very　anxious　that　you　should　allow　her　to

retain　the　box　as　a　memento　of　your　unfortunate　but　misguided

ancestor。　　As　it　is　extremely　old；　and　consequently　a　good　deal　out

of　repair；　you　may　perhaps　think　fit　to　comply　with　her　request。

For　my　own　part；　I　confess　I　am　a　good　deal　surprised　to　find　a

child　of　mine　expressing　sympathy　with　mediaevalism　in　any　form；

and　can　only　account　for　it　by　the　fact　that　Virginia　was　born　in

one　of　your　London　suburbs　shortly　after　Mrs。　Otis　had　returned

from　a　trip　to　Athens。'



Lord　Canterville　listened　very　gravely　to　the　worthy　Minister's

speech；　pulling　his　grey　moustache　now　and　then　to　hide　an

involuntary　smile；　and　when　Mr。　Otis　had　ended；　he　shook　him

cordially　by　the　hand；　and　said；　'My　dear　sir；　your　charming　little

daughter　rendered　my　unlucky　ancestor；　Sir　Simon；　a　very　important

service；　and　I　and　my　family　are　much　indebted　to　her　for　her

marvellous　courage　and　pluck。　　The　jewels　are　clearly　hers；　and；

egad；　I　believe　that　if　I　were　heartless　enough　to　take　them　from

her；　the　wicked　old　fellow　would　be　out　of　his　grave　in　a

fortnight；　leading　me　the　devil　of　a　life。　　As　for　their　being

heirlooms；　nothing　is　an　heirloom　that　is　not　so　mentioned　in　a

will　or　legal　document；　and　the　existence　of　these　jewels　has　been

quite　unknown。　　I　assure　you　I　have　no　more　claim　on　them　than　your

butler；　and　when　Miss　Virginia　grows　up　I　daresay　she　will　be

pleased　to　have　pretty　things　to　wear。　　Besides；　you　forget；　Mr。

Otis；　that　you　took　the　furniture　and　the　ghost　at　a　valuation；　and

anything　that　belonged　to　the　ghost　passed　at　once　into　your

possession；　as；　whatever　activity　Sir　Simon　may　have　shown　in　the

corridor　at　night；　in　point　of　law　he　was　really　dead；　and　you

acquired　his　property　by　purchase。'



Mr。　Otis　was　a　good　deal　distressed　at　Lord　Canterville's　refusal；

and　begged　him　to　reconsider　his　decision；　but　the　good…natured

peer　was　quite　firm；　and　finally　induced　the　Minister　to　allow　his

daughter　to　retain　the　present　the　ghost　had　given　her；　and　when；

in　the　spring　of　1890；　the　young　Duchess　of　Cheshire　was　presented

at　the　Queen's　first　drawing…room　on　the　occasion　of　her　marriage；

her　jewels　were　the　universal　theme　of　admiration。　　For　Virginia

received　the　coronet；　which　is　the　reward　of　all　good　little

American　girls；　and　was　married　to　her　boy…lover　as　soon　as　he　came

of　age。　　They　were　both　so　charming；　and　they　loved　each　other　so

much；　that　every　one　was　delighted　at　the　match；　except　the　old

Marchioness　of　Dumbleton；　who　had　tried　to　catch　the　Duke　for　one

of　her　seven　unmarried　daughters；　and　had　given　no　less　than　three

expensive　dinner…parties　for　that　purpose；　and；　strange　to　say；　Mr。

Otis　himself。　　Mr。　Otis　was　extremely　fond　of　the　young　Duke

personally；　but；　theoretically；　he　objected　to　titles；　and；　to　use

his　own　words；　'was　not　without　apprehension　lest；　amid　the

enervating　influences　of　a　pleasure…loving　aristocracy；　the　true

principles　of　republican　simplicity　should　be　forgotten。'　　His

objections；　however；　were　completely　overruled；　and　I　believe　that

when　he　walked　up　the　aisle　of　St。　George's；　Hanover　Square；　with

his　daughter　leaning　on　his　arm；　there　was　not　a　prouder　man　in　the

whole　length　and　breadth　of　England。



The　Duke　and　Duchess；　after　the　honeymoon　was　over；　went　down　to

Canterville　Chase；　and　on　the　day　after　their　arrival　they　walked

over　in　the　afternoon　to　the　lonely　churchyard　by　the　pine…woods。

There　had　been　a　great　deal　of　difficulty　at　first　about　the

inscription　on　Sir　Simon's　tombstone；　but　finally　it　had　been

decided　to　engrave　on　it　simply　the　initials　of　the　old　gentleman's

name；　and　the　verse　from　the　library　window。　　The　Duchess　had

brought　with　her　some　lovely　roses；　which　she　strewed　upon　the

grave；　and　after　they　had　stood　by　it　for　some　time　they　strolled

into　the　ruined　chancel　of　the　old　abbey。　　There　the　Duchess　sat

down　on　a　fallen　pillar；　while　her　husband　lay　at　her　feet　smoking

a　cigarette　and　looking　up　at　her　beautiful　eyes。　　Suddenly　he

threw　his　cigarette　away；　took　hold　of　her　hand；　and　said　to　her；

'Virginia；　a　wife　should　have　no　secrets　from　her　husband。'



'Dear　Cecil！　　I　have　no　secrets　from　you。'



'Yes；　you　have；'　he　answered；　smiling；　'you　have　never　told　me　what

happened　to　you　when　you　were　locked　up　with　the　ghost。'



'I　have　never　told　any　one；　Cecil；'　said　Virginia　gravely。



'I　know　that；　but　you　might　tell　me。'



'Please　don't　ask　me；　Cecil；　I　cannot　tell　you。　　Poor　Sir　Simon！　　I

owe　him　a　great　deal。　　Yes；　don't　laugh；　Cecil；　I　really　do。　　He

made　me　see　what　Life　is；　and　what　Death　signifies；　and　why　Love　is

stronger　than　both。'



The　Duke　rose　and　kissed　his　wife　lovingly。



'You　can　have　your　secret　as　long　as　I　have　your　heart；'　he

murmured。



'You　have　always　had　that；　Cecil。'



'And　you　will　tell　our　children　some　day；　won't　you？'



Virginia　blushed。