three ghost stories-第7部分

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assembled；　was；　to　draw　lots　for　bedrooms。　　That　done；　and　every

bedroom；　and；　indeed；　the　whole　house；　having　been　minutely　examined

by　the　whole　body；　we　allotted　the　various　household　duties；　as　if

we　had　been　on　a　gipsy　party；　or　a　yachting　party；　or　a　hunting

party；　or　were　shipwrecked。　　I　then　recounted　the　floating　rumours

concerning　the　hooded　lady；　the　owl；　and　Master　B。：　　with　others；

still　more　filmy；　which　had　floated　about　during　our　occupation；

relative　to　some　ridiculous　old　ghost　of　the　female　gender　who　went

up　and　down；　carrying　the　ghost　of　a　round　table；　and　also　to　an

impalpable　Jackass；　whom　nobody　was　ever　able　to　catch。　　Some　of

these　ideas　I　really　believe　our　people　below　had　communicated　to

one　another　in　some　diseased　way；　without　conveying　them　in　words。

We　then　gravely　called　one　another　to　witness；　that　we　were　not

there　to　be　deceived；　or　to　deceivewhich　we　considered　pretty　much

the　same　thingand　that；　with　a　serious　sense　of　responsibility；　we

would　be　strictly　true　to　one　another；　and　would　strictly　follow　out

the　truth。　　The　understanding　was　established；　that　any　one　who

heard　unusual　noises　in　the　night；　and　who　wished　to　trace　them；

should　knock　at　my　door；　lastly；　that　on　Twelfth　Night；　the　last

night　of　holy　Christmas；　all　our　individual　experiences　since　that

then　present　hour　of　our　coming　together　in　the　haunted　house；

should　be　brought　to　light　for　the　good　of　all；　and　that　we　would

hold　our　peace　on　the　subject　till　then；　unless　on　some　remarkable

provocation　to　break　silence。



We　were；　in　number　and　in　character；　as　follows：



Firstto　get　my　sister　and　myself　out　of　the　waythere　were　we

two。　　In　the　drawing　of　lots；　my　sister　drew　her　own　room；　and　I

drew　Master　B。's。　　Next；　there　was　our　first　cousin　John　Herschel；

so　called　after　the　great　astronomer：　　than　whom　I　suppose　a　better

man　at　a　telescope　does　not　breathe。　　With　him；　was　his　wife：　　a

charming　creature　to　whom　he　had　been　married　in　the　previous

spring。　　I　thought　it　（under　the　circumstances）　rather　imprudent　to

bring　her；　because　there　is　no　knowing　what　even　a　false　alarm　may

do　at　such　a　time；　but　I　suppose　he　knew　his　own　business　best；　and

I　must　say　that　if　she　had　been　MY　wife；　I　never　could　have　left　her

endearing　and　bright　face　behind。　　They　drew　the　Clock　Room。　　Alfred

Starling；　an　uncommonly　agreeable　young　fellow　of　eight…and…twenty

for　whom　I　have　the　greatest　liking；　was　in　the　Double　Room；　mine；

usually；　and　designated　by　that　name　from　having　a　dressing…room

within　it；　with　two　large　and　cumbersome　windows；　which　no　wedges　I

was　ever　able　to　make；　would　keep　from　shaking；　in　any　weather；　wind

or　no　wind。　　Alfred　is　a　young　fellow　who　pretends　to　be　〃fast〃

（another　word　for　loose；　as　I　understand　the　term）；　but　who　is　much

too　good　and　sensible　for　that　nonsense；　and　who　would　have

distinguished　himself　before　now；　if　his　father　had　not

unfortunately　left　him　a　small　independence　of　two　hundred　a　year；

on　the　strength　of　which　his　only　occupation　in　life　has　been　to

spend　six。　　I　am　in　hopes；　however；　that　his　Banker　may　break；　or

that　he　may　enter　into　some　speculation　guaranteed　to　pay　twenty　per

cent。；　for；　I　am　convinced　that　if　he　could　only　be　ruined；　his

fortune　is　made。　　Belinda　Bates；　bosom　friend　of　my　sister；　and　a

most　intellectual；　amiable；　and　delightful　girl；　got　the　Picture

Room。　　She　has　a　fine　genius　for　poetry；　combined　with　real　business

earnestness；　and　〃goes　in〃to　use　an　expression　of　Alfred'sfor

Woman's　mission；　Woman's　rights；　Woman's　wrongs；　and　everything　that

is　woman's　with　a　capital　W；　or　is　not　and　ought　to　be；　or　is　and

ought　not　to　be。　　〃Most　praiseworthy；　my　dear；　and　Heaven　prosper

you！〃　I　whispered　to　her　on　the　first　night　of　my　taking　leave　of

her　at　the　Picture…Room　door；　〃but　don't　overdo　it。　　And　in　respect

of　the　great　necessity　there　is；　my　darling；　for　more　employments

being　within　the　reach　of　Woman　than　our　civilisation　has　as　yet

assigned　to　her；　don't　fly　at　the　unfortunate　men；　even　those　men

who　are　at　first　sight　in　your　way；　as　if　they　were　the　natural

oppressors　of　your　sex；　for；　trust　me；　Belinda；　they　do　sometimes

spend　their　wages　among　wives　and　daughters；　sisters；　mothers；

aunts；　and　grandmothers；　and　the　play　is；　really；　not　ALL　Wolf　and

Red　Riding…Hood；　but　has　other　parts　in　it。〃　　However；　I　digress。



Belinda；　as　I　have　mentioned；　occupied　the　Picture　Room。　　We　had　but

three　other　chambers：　　the　Corner　Room；　the　Cupboard　Room；　and　the

Garden　Room。　　My　old　friend；　Jack　Governor；　〃slung　his　hammock；〃　as

he　called　it；　in　the　Corner　Room。　　I　have　always　regarded　Jack　as

the　finest…looking　sailor　that　ever　sailed。　　He　is　gray　now；　but　as

handsome　as　he　was　a　quarter　of　a　century　agonay；　handsomer。　　A

portly；　cheery；　well…built　figure　of　a　broad…shouldered　man；　with　a

frank　smile；　a　brilliant　dark　eye；　and　a　rich　dark　eyebrow。　　I

remember　those　under　darker　hair；　and　they　look　all　the　better　for

their　silver　setting。　　He　has　been　wherever　his　Union　namesake

flies；　has　Jack；　and　I　have　met　old　shipmates　of　his；　away　in　the

Mediterranean　and　on　the　other　side　of　the　Atlantic；　who　have　beamed

and　brightened　at　the　casual　mention　of　his　name；　and　have　cried；

〃You　know　Jack　Governor？　　Then　you　know　a　prince　of　men！〃　　That　he

is！　　And　so　unmistakably　a　naval　officer；　that　if　you　were　to　meet

him　coming　out　of　an　Esquimaux　snow…hut　in　seal's　skin；　you　would　be

vaguely　persuaded　he　was　in　full　naval　uniform。



Jack　once　had　that　bright　clear　eye　of　his　on　my　sister；　but；　it

fell　out　that　he　married　another　lady　and　took　her　to　South　America；

where　she　died。　　This　was　a　dozen　years　ago　or　more。　　He　brought

down　with　him　to　our　haunted　house　a　little　cask　of　salt　beef；　for；

he　is　always　convinced　that　all　salt　beef　not　of　his　own　pickling；

is　mere　carrion；　and　invariably；　when　he　goes　to　London；　packs　a

piece　in　his　portmanteau。　　He　had　also　volunteered　to　bring　with　him

one　〃Nat　Beaver；〃　an　old　comrade　of　his；　captain　of　a　merchantman。

Mr。　Beaver；　with　a　thick…set　wooden　face　and　figure；　and　apparently

as　hard　as　a　block　all　over；　proved　to　be　an　intelligent　man；　with　a

world　of　watery　experiences　in　him；　and　great　practical　knowledge。

At　times；　there　was　a　curious　nervousness　about　him；　apparently　the

lingering　result　of　some　old　illness；　but；　it　seldom　lasted　many

minutes。　　He　got　the　Cupboard　Room；　and　lay　there　next　to　Mr。

Undery；　my　friend　and　solicitor：　　who　came　down；　in　an　amateur

capacity；　〃to　go　through　with　it；〃　as　he　said；　and　who　plays　whist

better　than　the　whole　Law　List；　from　the　red　cover　at　the　beginning

to　the　red　cover　at　the　end。



I　never　was　happier　in　my　life；　and　I　believe　it　was　the　universal

feeling　among　us。　　Jack　Governor；　always　a　man　of　wonderful

resources；　was　Chief　Cook；　and　made　some　of　the　best　dishes　I　ever

ate；　including　unapproachable　curries。　　My　sister　was　pastrycook　and

confectioner。　　Starling　and　I　were　Cook's　Mate；　turn　and　turn　about；

and　on　special　occasions　the　chief　cook　〃pressed〃　Mr。　Beaver。　　We

had　a　great　deal　of　out…door　sport　and　exercise；　but　nothing　was

neglected　within；　and　there　was　no　ill…humour　or　misunderstanding

among　us；　and　our　evenings　were　so　delightful　that　we　had　at　least

one　good　reason　for　being　reluctant　to　go　to　bed。



We　had　a　few　night　alarms　in　the　beginning。　　On　the　first　night；　I

was　knocked　up　by　Jack　with　a　most　wonderful　ship's　lantern　in　his

hand；　like　the　gills　of　some　monster　of　the　deep；　who　informed　me

that　he　〃was　going　aloft　to　the　main　truck；〃　to　have　the　weathercock

down。　　It　was　a　stormy　night　and　I　remonstrated；　but　Jack　called　my

attention　to　its　making　a　sound　like　a　cry　of　despair；　and　said

somebody　would　be　〃hailing　a　ghost〃　presently；　if　it　wasn't　done。

So；　up　to　the　top　of　the　house；　where　I　could　hardly　stand　for　the

wind；　we　went；　accompanied　by　Mr。　Beaver；　and　there　Jack；　lantern

and　all；　with　Mr。　Beaver　after　him；　swarmed　up　to　the　top　of　a

cupola；　some　two　dozen　feet　above　the　chimneys；　and　stood　upon

nothing　particular；　coolly　knocking　the　weathercock　off；　until　they

both　got　into　such　good　spirits　with　the　wind　and　the　height；　that　I

thought　they　would　never　come　down。　　Another　night；　they　turned　out

again；　and　had　a　chimney…cowl　off。　　Another　night；　they　cut　a

sobbing　and　gulping　water…pipe　away。　　Another　night；　they　found　out

something　else。　　On　several　occasions；　they　both；　in　the　coolest

manner；　simultaneously　dropped　out　of　their　respective　bedroom

windows；　hand　over　hand　by　their　counterpanes；　to　〃overhaul〃

something　mysterious　in　the　garden。



The　engagement　among　us　was　faithfully　kept；　and　nobody　revealed

anything。　　All　we　knew　was；　if　any　one's　room　were　haunted；　no　one

looked　the　worse　for　it。







CHAPTER　IITHE　GHOST　IN　MASTER　B。'S　ROOM







When　I　established　myself　in　the　triangular　garret　which　had　gained

so　distinguished　a　reputation；　my　thoughts　naturally　turned　to

Master　B。　　My　speculations　about　him　were　uneasy　and　manifold。

Whether　his　Christian　name　was　Benjamin；　Bissextile　（from　his　having

been　born　in　Leap　Year）；　Bartholomew；　or　Bill。　　Whether　the　initial

letter　belonged　to　his　family　name；　and　that　was　Baxter；　Black；

Brown；　Barker；　Buggins；　Baker；　or　Bird。　　Whether　he　was　a　foundling；

and　had　been　baptized　B。　　Whether　he　was　a　lion…hearted　boy；　and　B。

was　short　for　Briton；　or　for　Bull。　　Whether　he　could　possibly　have

been　kith　and　kin　to　an　illustrious　lady　who　brightened　my　own

childhood；　and　had　come　of　the　blood　of　the　brilliant　Mother　Bunch？



With　these　profitless　meditations　I　tormented　myself　much。　　I　also

carried　the　mysterious　letter　into　the　appearance　and　pursuits　of

the　deceased；　wondering　whether　he　dressed　in　Blue；　wore　Boots　（he

couldn't　have　been　Bald）；　was　a　boy　of　Brains；　liked　Books；　was　good

at　Bowling；　had　any　skill　as　a　Boxer；　even　in　his　Buoyant　Boyhoo