condensed novels-第10部分

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〃Have　then　your　wish。　　And　take　this　with　you；　man　whom　I　renounce。
From　this　day　henceforth　you　shall　live　with　those　whom　I　displace。
Without　forgetting　me；　't　will　be　your　lot　to　walk　through　life　as
if　we　had　not　met。　　But　first　you　shall　survey　these　scenes　that
henceforth　must　be　yours。　　At　one　to…night；　prepare　to　meet　the
phantom　I　have　raised。　　Farewell！〃

The　sound　of　its　voice　seemed　to　fade　away　with　the　dying　wind；　and
the　Haunted　Man　was　alone。　　But　the　firelight　flickered　gayly；　and
the　light　danced　on　the　walls；　making　grotesque　figures　of　the
furniture。

〃Ha；　ha！〃　said　the　Haunted　Man；　rubbing　his　hands　gleefully；　〃now
for　a　whiskey　punch　and　a　cigar。〃


BOOK　II。

THE　SECOND　PHANTOM。


One！　　The　stroke　of　the　far…off　bell　had　hardly　died　before　the
front　door　closed　with　a　reverberating　clang。　　Steps　were　heard
along　the　passage；　the　library　door　swung　open　of　itself；　and　the
Knockeryes；　the　Knockerslowly　strode　into　the　room。　　The
Haunted　Man　rubbed　his　eyes；no！　there　could　be　no　mistake　about
it；it　was　the　Knocker's　face；　mounted　on　a　misty；　almost
imperceptible　body。　　The　brazen　rod　was　transferred　from　its　mouth
to　its　right　hand；　where　it　was　held　like　a　ghostly　truncheon。

〃It's　a　cold　evening；〃　said　the　Haunted　Man。

〃It　is；〃　said　the　Goblin；　in　a　hard；　metallic　voice。

〃It　must　be　pretty　cold　out　there；〃　said　the　Haunted　Man；　with
vague　politeness。　　〃Do　you　everwill　youtake　some　hot　water　and
brandy？〃

〃No；〃　said　the　Goblin。

〃Perhaps　you'd　like　it　cold；　by　way　of　change？〃　continued　the
Haunted　Man；　correcting　himself；　as　he　remembered　the　peculiar
temperature　with　which　the　Goblin　was　probably　familiar。

〃Time　flies；〃　said　the　Goblin　coldly。　　〃We　have　no　leisure　for　idle
talk。　　Come！〃　　He　moved　his　ghostly　truncheon　toward　the　window；
and　laid　his　hand　upon　the　other's　arm。　　At　his　touch　the　body　of
the　Haunted　Man　seemed　to　become　as　thin　and　incorporeal　as　that　of
the　Goblin　himself；　and　together　they　glided　out　of　the　window　into
the　black　and　blowy　night。

In　the　rapidity　of　their　flight　the　senses　of　the　Haunted　Man
seemed　to　leave　him。　　At　length　they　stopped　suddenly。

〃What　do　you　see？〃　asked　the　Goblin。

〃I　see　a　battlemented　mediaeval　castle。　　Gallant　men　in　mail　ride
over　the　drawbridge；　and　kiss　their　gauntleted　fingers　to　fair
ladies；　who　wave　their　lily　hands　in　return。　　I　see　fight　and　fray
and　tournament。　　I　hear　roaring　heralds　bawling　the　charms　of
delicate　women；　and　shamelessly　proclaiming　their　lovers。　　Stay。　　I
see　a　Jewess　about　to　leap　from　a　battlement。　　I　see　knightly
deeds；　violence；　rapine；　and　a　good　deal　of　blood。　　I've　seen
pretty　much　the　same　at　Astley's。〃

〃Look　again。〃

〃I　see　purple　moors；　glens；　masculine　women；　bare…legged　men；
priggish　book…worms；　more　violence；　physical　excellence；　and　blood。
Always　blood；and　the　superiority　of　physical　attainments。〃

〃And　how　do　you　feel　now？〃　said　the　Goblin。

The　Haunted　Man　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　〃None　the　better　for　being
carried　back　and　asked　to　sympathize　with　a　barbarous　age。〃

The　Goblin　smiled　and　clutched　his　arm；　they　again　sped　rapidly
through　the　black　night　and　again　halted。

〃What　do　you　see？〃　said　the　Goblin。

〃I　see　a　barrack　room；　with　a　mess　table；　and　a　group　of
intoxicated　Celtic　officers　telling　funny　stories；　and　giving
challenges　to　duel。　　I　see　a　young　Irish　gentleman　capable　of
performing　prodigies　of　valor。　　I　learn　incidentally　that　the　acme
of　all　heroism　is　the　cornetcy　of　a　dragoon　regiment。　　I　hear　a
good　deal　of　French！　　No；　thank　you；〃　said　the　Haunted　Man
hurriedly；　as　he　stayed　the　waving　hand　of　the　Goblin；　〃I　would
rather　NOT　go　to　the　Peninsula；　and　don't　care　to　have　a　private
interview　with　Napoleon。〃

Again　the　Goblin　flew　away　with　the　unfortunate　man；　and　from　a
strange　roaring　below　them　he　judged　they　were　above　the　ocean。　　A
ship　hove　in　sight；　and　the　Goblin　stayed　its　flight。　　〃Look；〃　he
said；　squeezing　his　companion's　arm。

The　Haunted　Man　yawned。　　〃Don't　you　think；　Charles；　you're　rather
running　this　thing　into　the　ground？　　Of　course　it's　very　moral　and
instructive；　and　all　that。　　But　ain't　there　a　little　too　much
pantomime　about　it？　　Come　now！〃

〃Look！〃　repeated　the　Goblin；　pinching　his　arm　malevolently。　　The
Haunted　Man　groaned。

〃O；　of　course；　I　see　her　Majesty's　ship　Arethusa。　Of　course　I　am
familiar　with　her　stern　First　Lieutenant；　her　eccentric　Captain；
her　one　fascinating　and　several　mischievous　midshipmen。　　Of　course
I　know　it's　a　splendid　thing　to　see　all　this；　and　not　to　be
seasick。　　O；　there　the　young　gentlemen　are　going　to　play　a　trick　on
the　purser。　　For　God's　sake；　let　us　go；〃　and　the　unhappy　man
absolutely　dragged　the　Goblin　away　with　him。

When　they　next　halted；　it　was　at　the　edge　of　a　broad　and　boundless
prairie；　in　the　middle　of　an　oak　opening。

〃I　see；〃　said　the　Haunted　Man；　without　waiting　for　his　cue；　but
mechanically；　and　as　if　he　were　repeating　a　lesson　which　the　Goblin
had　taught　him；〃I　see　the　Noble　Savage。　　He　is　very　fine　to　look
at！　　But　I　observe　under　his　war…paint；　feathers；　and　picturesque
blanket；　dirt；　disease；　and　an　unsymmetrical　contour。　　I　observe
beneath　his　inflated　rhetoric　deceit　and　hypocrisy；　beneath　his
physical　hardihood；　cruelty；　malice；　and　revenge。　　The　Noble　Savage
is　a　humbug。　　I　remarked　the　same　to　Mr。　Catlin。〃

〃Come；〃　said　the　phantom。

The　Haunted　Man　sighed；　and　took　out　his　watch。　　〃Couldn't　we　do
the　rest　of　this　another　time？〃

〃My　hour　is　almost　spent；　irreverent　being；　but　there　is　yet　a
chance　for　your　reformation。　　Come！〃

Again　they　sped　through　the　night；　and　again　halted。　　The　sound　of
delicious　but　melancholy　music　fell　upon　their　ears。

〃I　see；〃　said　the　Haunted　Man；　with　something　of　interest　in　his
manner；〃I　see　an　old　moss…covered　manse　beside　a　sluggish；
flowing　river。　　I　see　weird　shapes：　witches；　Puritans；　clergymen；
little　children；　judges；　mesmerized　maidens；　moving　to　the　sound　of
melody　that　thrills　me　with　its　sweetness　and　purity。　　But；
although　carried　along　its　calm　and　evenly　flowing　current；　the
shapes　are　strange　and　frightful：　an　eating　lichen　gnaws　at　the
heart　of　each。　　Not　only　the　clergymen；　but　witch；　maiden；　judge；
and　Puritan；　all　wear　Scarlet　Letters　of　some　kind　burned　upon
their　hearts。　　I　am　fascinated　and　thrilled；　but　I　feel　a　morbid
sensitiveness　creeping　over　me。　　II　beg　your　pardon。〃　　The　Goblin
was　yawning　frightfully。　　〃Well；　perhaps　we　had　better　go。〃

〃One　more；　and　the　last；〃　said　the　Goblin。

They　were　moving　home。　　Streaks　of　red　were　beginning　to　appear　in
the　eastern　sky。　　Along　the　banks　of　the　blackly　flowing　river　by
moorland　and　stagnant　fens；　by　low　houses；　clustering　close　to　the
water's　edge；　like　strange　mollusks；　crawled　upon　the　beach　to　dry；
by　misty　black　barges；　the　more　misty　and　indistinct　seen　through
its　mysterious　veil；　the　river　fog　was　slowly　rising。　　So　rolled
away　and　rose　from　the　heart　of　the　Haunted　Man；　etc。；　etc。

They　stopped　before　a　quaint　mansion　of　red　brick。　　The　Goblin
waved　his　hand　without　speaking。

〃I　see；〃　said　the　Haunted　Man；　〃a　gay　drawing…room。　　I　see　my　old
friends　of　the　club；　of　the　college；　of　society；　even　as　they　lived
and　moved。　　I　see　the　gallant　and　unselfish　men；　whom　I　have　loved；
and　the　snobs　whom　I　have　hated。　　I　see　strangely　mingling　with
them；　and　now　and　then　blending　with　their　forms；　our　old　friends
Dick　Steele；　Addison；　and　Congreve。　　I　observe；　though；　that　these
gentlemen　have　a　habit　of　getting　too　much　in　the　way。　　The　royal
standard　of　Queen　Anne；　not　in　itself　a　beautiful　ornament；　is
rather　too　prominent　in　the　picture。　　The　long　galleries　of　black
oak；　the　formal　furniture；　the　old　portraits；　are　picturesque；　but
depressing。　　The　house　is　damp。　　I　enjoy　myself　better　here　on　the
lawn；　where　they　are　getting　up　a　Vanity　Fair。　　See；　the　bell
rings；　the　curtain　is　rising；　the　puppets　are　brought　out　for　a　new
play。　　Let　me　see。〃

The　Haunted　Man　was　pressing　forward　in　his　eagerness；　but　the　hand
of　the　Goblin　stayed　him；　and　pointing　to　his　feet　he　saw；　between
him　and　the　rising　curtain；　a　new…made　grave。　　And　bending　above
the　grave　in　passionate　grief；　the　Haunted　Man　beheld　the　phantom
of　the　previous　night。

　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*

The　Haunted　Man　started；　andwoke。　　The　bright　sunshine　streamed
into　the　room。　　The　air　was　sparkling　with　frost。　　He　ran　joyously
to　the　window　and　opened　it。　　A　small　boy　saluted　him　with　〃Merry
Christmas。〃　　The　Haunted　Man　instantly　gave　him　a　Bank　of　England
note。　　〃How　much　like　Tiny　Tim；　Tom；　and　Bobby　that　boy　looked；
bless　my　soul；　what　a　genius　this　Dickens　has！〃

A　knock　at　the　door；　and　Boots　entered。

〃Consider　your　salary　doubled　instantly。　　Have　you　read　David
Copperfield？〃

〃Yezzur。〃

〃Your　salary　is　quadrupled。　　What　do　you　think　of　the　Old　Curiosity
Shop？〃

The　man　instantly　burst　into　a　torrent　of　tears；　and　then　into　a
roar　of　laughter。

〃Enough！　　Here　are　five　thousand　pounds。　　Open　a　porter…house；　and
call　it；　'Our　Mutual　Friend。'　　Huzza！　　I　feel　so　happy！〃　　And　the
haunted　Man　danced　about　the　room。

And　so；　bathed　in　the　light　of　that　blessed　sun；　and　yet　glowing
with　the　warmth　of　a　good　action；　the　Haunted　Man；　haunted　no
longer；　save　by　those　shapes　which　make　the　dreams　of　children
beautiful；　reseated　himself　in　his　chair；　and　finished　Our　Mutual
Friend。



MISS　MIX。

BY　CHLTTE　BRNTE。


CHAPTER　I。


My　earliest　impressions　are　of　a　huge；　misshapen　rock；　against
which　the　hoarse　waves　beat　unceasingly。　　On　this　rock　three
pelicans　are　standing　in　a　defiant　attitude。　　A　dark　sky　lowers　in
the　background；　while　two　sea…gulls　and　a　gigantic　cormorant　eye
with　extreme　disfavor　the　floating　corpse　of　a　drowned　woman　in　the
foreground。　　A　few　bracelets；　coral　necklaces；　and　other　articles
of　jewelry；　scattered　around　loosely；　complete　this　remarkable
picture。

It　is　one　which；　in　some　vague；　unconscious　way；　symbolizes；　to　my
fancy；　the　character　of　a　man。　　I　have　never　been　able　to　explain
exactly　why。　　I　think　I　must　have　seen　the　picture　in　some
illustrated　volume；　when　a　baby；　or　my　mother