R,19:47:41/30,R GC@TOMMYT:x*#Q%Tx&#Q#EU/ S,19:47:44,C YTOMMYT:Q R,19:47:44/30,- I~2 @-#Y1~"@ S,19:47:44,, Y~4 @-#Y1~/ R,19:47:44/30,1 RTITLE-PAGE.TXT? S,19:47:44,, S~2 @-#Y1~' R,19:47:44/18,- Y~4 @-#Y1~"R S,19:47:44,1!FTITLE-PAGE.TXT4 R,19:47:44/18,#!Y? S,19:47:44,x"DTHE CANTERVILLE GHOST#M#J#M#Jby#M#J#M#JWILDE#M#J#M#JAn amusing chronicle of the tribuR R,19:47:44/18,#"Y@ S,19:47:44,x#Dlations of the Ghost of Canterville#M#JChase when his ancestral halls became the home3 R,19:47:44/18,##YA S,19:47:44,x$D of the American Minister#M#Jto the Court of St. James.#M#J#M#JIllustrated by Wallace4 R,19:47:44/18,#$YB S,19:47:44,r%D Goldsmith#M#J#M#JJohn W. Luce and Company#M#JBoston and London#M#J#M#J1906#M#J= R,19:47:44/18,#%YC S,19:47:44,#&ZE R,19:47:44/18,#&YD S,19:47:44,#'B. R,19:47:44/18,#'YE R,19:47:44/30,- I~2 @-#Y1~"@ S,19:47:44,, Y~4 @-#Y1~/ R,19:47:44/30,1 RTITLE-PAGE.TXT? S,19:47:44,, S~2 @-#Y1~' R,19:47:44/18,- Y~4 @-#Y1~"R S,19:47:44,1!FTITLE-PAGE.TXT4 R,19:47:44/18,#!Y? S,19:47:44,x"DTHE CANTERVILLE GHOST#M#J#M#Jby#M#J#M#JWILDE#M#J#M#JAn amusing chronicle of the tribuR R,19:47:44/18,#"Y@ S,19:47:44,x#Dlations of the Ghost of Canterville#M#JChase when his ancestral halls became the home3 R,19:47:44/18,##YA S,19:47:44,x$D of the American Minister#M#Jto the Court of St. James.#M#J#M#JIllustrated by Wallace4 R,19:47:44/18,#$YB S,19:47:44,r%D Goldsmith#M#J#M#JJohn W. Luce and Company#M#JBoston and London#M#J#M#J1906#M#J= R,19:47:44/18,#%YC S,19:47:44,#&ZE R,19:47:44/18,#&YD S,19:47:44,#'B. R,19:47:44/18,#'YE R,19:47:44/30,- I~2 @-#Y1~"@ S,19:47:44,, Y~4 @-#Y1~/ R,19:47:44/30,* R*.TXT.03 S,19:47:44,, S~2 @-#Y1~' R,19:47:44/18,- Y~4 @-#Y1~"R S,19:47:44,D!FGUTENBERG-POSTFIX-AND-LICENSE.TXT& R,19:47:44/18,#!Y? 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You may copy it, give it away or#M#JE R,19:47:44/18,#NY- S,19:47:44,xODre-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included#M#Jwith this eBooV R,19:47:44/18,#OY. S,19:47:44,yPDk or online at ~#w.gutenberg.net#M#J#M#J#M#J#M#J#M#J#M#JTitle: The Canterville Ghost#M, R,19:47:44/18,#PY/ S,19:47:44,xQD#J#M#JAuthor: Oscar Wilde#M#J#M#JRelease Date: December 30, 2004 [eBook ##14522]#M#JZ R,19:47:44/18,#QY0 S,19:47:44,yRD#M#JLanguage: English#M#J#M#JCharacter set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)#M#J#M#J#M#J\ R,19:47:44/18,#RY1 S,19:47:44,xSD~#*START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CANTERVILLE GHOST~#*#M#J#M#J#M#JE-text pr# R,19:47:44/18,#SY2 S,19:47:44,xTDepared by Robert Cicconetti, Karina Aleksandrova, and the Project#M#JGutenberg OnlineJ R,19:47:44/18,#TY3 S,19:47:44,xUD Distributed Proofreading Team#M#J#M#J#M#J#M#JNote: Project Gutenberg also has an HTM] R,19:47:44/18,#UY4 S,19:47:44,xVDL version of this#M#J~& file which includes the original illustrations.#M#J~& See 145V R,19:47:44/18,#VY5 S,19:47:44,xWD22-h.htm or 14522-h.zip:#M#J~& (http://~#w.gutenberg.net/dirs/1/4/5/2/14522/14522-h/1* R,19:47:44/18,#WY6 S,19:47:44,yXD4522-h.htm)#M#J~& or#M#J~& (http://~#w.gutenberg.net/dirs/1/4/5/2/14522/14522-h.zip)#ML R,19:47:44/18,#XY7 S,19:47:44,%YD#JO R,19:47:44/18,#YY8 S,19:47:44,#ZZ: R,19:47:44/18,#ZY9 S,19:47:44,([FI.TXT! R,19:47:44/18,#[Y: S,19:47:44,x\D~$#I I#M#J#M#JWhen Mr. Hiram B. Otis, the American Minister, bought Canterville#M#JCN R,19:47:44/18,#\Y; S,19:47:44,x]Dhase, every one told him he was doing a very foolish thing, as there#M#Jwas no doubt @ R,19:47:44/18,#]Y< S,19:47:44,x^Dat all that the place was haunted. Indeed, Lord#M#JCanterville himself, who was a maZ R,19:47:44/18,#^Y= S,19:47:44,x_Dn of the most punctilious honour, had#M#Jfelt it his duty to mention the fact to Mr. 0 R,19:47:44/18,#_Y> S,19:47:44,x DOtis when they came to#M#Jdiscuss terms.#M#J#M#J"We have not cared to live in the plaJ R,19:47:44/18,# Y> S,19:47:44,x!Dce ourselves," said Lord#M#JCanterville, "since my grandaunt, the Dowager Duchess of I R,19:47:44/18,#!Y? S,19:47:44,x"DBolton, was#M#Jfrightened into a fit, from which she never really recovered, by two#M* R,19:47:44/18,#"Y@ S,19:47:44,x#D#Jskeleton hands being placed on her shoulders as she was dressing for#M#Jdinner, andD R,19:47:44/18,##YA S,19:47:44,x$D I feel bound to tell you, Mr. Otis, that the ghost has#M#Jbeen seen by several livin6 R,19:47:44/18,#$YB S,19:47:44,x%Dg members of my family, as well as by the#M#Jrector of the parish, the Rev. Augustus ' R,19:47:44/18,#%YC S,19:47:44,x&DDampier, who is a Fellow of#M#JKing's College, Cambridge. After the unfortunate acciJ R,19:47:44/18,#&YD S,19:47:44,x'Ddent to the#M#JDuchess, none of our younger servants would stay with us, and Lady#M#J= R,19:47:44/18,#'YE S,19:47:44,x(DCanterville often got very little sleep at night, in consequence of#M#Jthe mysteriousS R,19:47:44/18,#(YF S,19:47:44,x)D noises that came from the corridor and the library."#M#J#M#J"My Lord," answered the , R,19:47:44/18,#)YG S,19:47:44,x*DMinister, "I will take the furniture and the#M#Jghost at a valuation. I have come fr! R,19:47:44/18,#*YH S,19:47:44,x+Dom a modern country, where we#M#Jhave everything that money can buy; and with all our[ R,19:47:44/18,#+YI S,19:47:44,y,D spry young#M#Jfellows painting the Old World red, and carrying off your best actors#M4 R,19:47:44/18,#,YJ S,19:47:44,x-D#Jand prima-donnas, I reckon that if there were such a thing as a ghost#M#Jin Europe,L R,19:47:44/18,#-YK S,19:47:44,x.D we'd have it at home in a very short time in one of our#M#Jpublic museums, or on the( R,19:47:44/18,#.YL S,19:47:44,x/D road as a show."#M#J#M#J"I fear that the ghost exists," said Lord Canterville, smiliT R,19:47:44/18,#/YM S,19:47:44,x0Dng,#M#J"though it may have resisted the overtures of your enterprising#M#Jimpresarios_ R,19:47:44/18,#0YN S,19:47:44,x1D. It has been well known for three centuries, since 1584#M#Jin fact, and always make2 R,19:47:44/18,#1YO S,19:47:44,x2Ds its appearance before the death of any#M#Jmember of our family."#M#J#M#J"Well, so d- R,19:47:44/18,#2YP S,19:47:44,x3Does the family doctor for that matter, Lord Canterville.#M#JBut there is no such thin- R,19:47:44/18,#3YQ S,19:47:44,x4Dg, sir, as a ghost, and I guess the laws of#M#JNature are not going to be suspended f: R,19:47:44/18,#4YR S,19:47:44,x5Dor the British aristocracy."#M#J#M#J"You are certainly very natural in America," answ' R,19:47:44/18,#5YS S,19:47:44,x6Dered Lord#M#JCanterville, who did not quite understand Mr. Otis's last#M#Jobservation9 R,19:47:44/18,#6YT S,19:47:44,x7D, "and if you don't mind a ghost in the house, it is all#M#Jright. Only you must remZ R,19:47:44/18,#7YU S,19:47:44,x8Dember I warned you."#M#J#M#JA few weeks after this, the purchase was concluded, and a# R,19:47:44/18,#8YV S,19:47:44,x9Dt the close#M#Jof the season the Minister and his family went down to Canterville#M#J0 R,19:47:44/18,#9YW S,19:47:44,x:DChase. Mrs. Otis, who, as Miss Lucretia R. Tappan, of West 53d#M#JStreet, had been aR R,19:47:44/18,#:YX S,19:47:44,x;D celebrated New York belle, was now a very handsome,#M#Jmiddle-aged woman, with fine : R,19:47:44/18,#;YY S,19:47:44,xDEuropean#M#Jrefinement, but Mrs. Otis had never fallen into this error. She had a#M#JO R,19:47:44/18,#>Y\ S,19:47:44,x?Dmagnificent constitution, and a really wonderful amount of animal#M#Jspirits. Indeed0 R,19:47:44/18,#?Y] S,19:47:44,x@D, in many respects, she was quite English, and was an#M#Jexcellent example of the fac/ R,19:47:44/18,#@Y^ S,19:47:44,xADt that we have really everything in common#M#Jwith America nowadays, except, of coursF R,19:47:44/18,#AY_ S,19:47:44,xBDe, language. Her eldest son,#M#Jchristened Washington by his parents in a moment of R,19:47:44/18,#BY S,19:47:44,xCDpatriotism, which#M#Jhe never ceased to regret, was a fair-haired, rather good-lookin/ R,19:47:44/18,#CY! S,19:47:44,xDDg#M#Jyoung man, who had qualified himself for American diplomacy by leading#M#Jthe GeZ R,19:47:44/18,#DY# S,19:47:44,xEDrman at the Newport Casino for three successive seasons, and#M#Jeven in London was we= R,19:47:44/18,#EY$ S,19:47:44,xFDll known as an excellent dancer. Gardenias and#M#Jthe peerage were his only weakness\ R,19:47:44/18,#FY% S,19:47:44,xGDes. Otherwise he was extremely#M#Jsensible. Miss Virginia E. Otis was a little girlK R,19:47:44/18,#GY& S,19:47:44,xHD of fifteen, lithe#M#Jand lovely as a fawn, and with a fine freedom in her large blue2 R,19:47:44/18,#HY' S,19:47:44,xID eyes.#M#JShe was a wonderful Amazon, and had once raced old Lord Bilton on her#M#Jpo1 R,19:47:44/18,#IY( S,19:47:44,xJDny twice round the park, winning by a length and a half, just in#M#Jfront of the Achi/ R,19:47:44/18,#JY) S,19:47:44,xKDlles statue, to the huge delight of the young Duke of#M#JCheshire, who proposed for hJ R,19:47:44/18,#KY* S,19:47:44,yLDer on the spot, and was sent back to Eton#M#Jthat very night by his guardians, in flooP R,19:47:44/18,#LY+ S,19:47:44,xMDds of tears. After Virginia#M#Jcame the twins, who were usually called "The Star and) R,19:47:44/18,#MY, S,19:47:44,xND Stripes," as#M#Jthey were always getting swished. They were delightful boys, and,#MW R,19:47:44/18,#NY- S,19:47:44,xOD#Jwith the exception of the worthy Minister, the only true republicans#M#Jof the famiL R,19:47:44/18,#OY. S,19:47:44,xPDly.#M#J#M#JAs Canterville Chase is seven miles from Ascot, the nearest railway#M#JstaM R,19:47:44/18,#PY/ S,19:47:44,xQDtion, Mr. Otis had telegraphed for a waggonette to meet them, and#M#Jthey started on 7 R,19:47:44/18,#QY0 S,19:47:44,xRDtheir drive in high spirits. It was a lovely July#M#Jevening, and the air was delica4 R,19:47:44/18,#RY1 S,19:47:44,xSDte with the scent of the pinewoods.#M#JNow and then they heard a wood-pigeon brooding. R,19:47:44/18,#SY2 S,19:47:44,xTD over its own sweet#M#Jvoice, or saw, deep in the rustling fern, the burnished breast; R,19:47:44/18,#TY3 S,19:47:44,xUD of the#M#Jpheasant. Little squirrels peered at them from the beech-trees as#M#Jthey R,19:47:44/18,#UY4 S,19:47:44,xVD went by, and the rabbits scudded away through the brushwood and#M#Jover the mossy kn# R,19:47:44/18,#VY5 S,19:47:44,xWDolls, with their white tails in the air. As they#M#Jentered the avenue of CantervillQ R,19:47:44/18,#WY6 S,19:47:44,yXDe Chase, however, the sky became#M#Jsuddenly overcast with clouds, a curious stillnessV R,19:47:44/18,#XY7 S,19:47:44,xYD seemed to hold the#M#Jatmosphere, a great flight of rooks passed silently over theirX R,19:47:44/18,#YY8 S,19:47:44,xZD heads,#M#Jand, before they reached the house, some big drops of rain had fallen.#M#JG R,19:47:44/18,#ZY9 S,19:47:44,x[D#M#JStanding on the steps to receive them was an old woman, neatly dressed#M#Jin blacT R,19:47:44/18,#[Y: S,19:47:44,x\Dk silk, with a white cap and apron. This was Mrs. Umney, the#M#Jhousekeeper, whom Mr6 R,19:47:44/18,#\Y; S,19:47:44,x]Ds. Otis, at Lady Canterville's earnest request,#M#Jhad consented to keep in her formeB R,19:47:44/18,#]Y< S,19:47:44,x^Dr position. She made them each a#M#Jlow curtsey as they alighted, and said in a quai] R,19:47:44/18,#^Y= S,19:47:44,x_Dnt, old-fashioned#M#Jmanner, "I bid you welcome to Canterville Chase." Following her5 R,19:47:44/18,#_Y> S,19:47:44,x D, they#M#Jpassed through the fine Tudor hall into the library, a long, low room,#M#JpS R,19:47:44/18,# Y> S,19:47:44,x!Danelled in black oak, at the end of which was a large stained glass#M#Jwindow. Here " R,19:47:44/18,#!Y? S,19:47:44,x"Dthey found tea laid out for them, and, after taking off#M#Jtheir wraps, they sat downZ R,19:47:44/18,#"Y@ S,19:47:44,x#D and began to look round, while Mrs. Umney#M#Jwaited on them.#M#J#M#JSuddenly Mrs. Ot[ R,19:47:44/18,##YA S,19:47:44,x$Dis caught sight of a dull red stain on the floor just#M#Jby the fireplace, and, quite8 R,19:47:44/18,#$YB S,19:47:44,x%D unconscious of what it really signified,#M#Jsaid to Mrs. Umney, "I am afraid somethi= R,19:47:44/18,#%YC S,19:47:44,x&Dng has been spilt there."#M#J#M#J"Yes, madam," replied the old housekeeper in a low v. R,19:47:44/18,#&YD S,19:47:44,x'Doice, "blood has#M#Jbeen spilt on that spot."#M#J#M#J"How horrid!" cried Mrs. Otis; "_ R,19:47:44/18,#'YE S,19:47:44,x(DI don't at all care for blood-stains#M#Jin a sitting-room. It must be removed at oncK R,19:47:44/18,#(YF S,19:47:44,x)De."#M#J#M#JThe old woman smiled, and answered in the same low, mysterious voice,#M#J". R,19:47:44/18,#)YG S,19:47:44,x*DIt is the blood of Lady Eleanore de Canterville, who was murdered on#M#Jthat very spo_ R,19:47:44/18,#*YH S,19:47:44,x+Dt by her own husband, Sir Simon de Canterville, in 1575.#M#JSir Simon survived her niT R,19:47:44/18,#+YI S,19:47:44,x,Dne years, and disappeared suddenly under very#M#Jmysterious circumstances. His body A R,19:47:44/18,#,YJ S,19:47:44,x-Dhas never been discovered, but his#M#Jguilty spirit still haunts the Chase. The bloo4 R,19:47:44/18,#-YK S,19:47:44,y.Dd-stain has been much#M#Jadmired by tourists and others, and cannot be removed."#M#J#M; R,19:47:44/18,#.YL S,19:47:44,x/D#J"That is all nonsense," cried Washington Otis; "Pinkerton's Champion#M#JStain Remov& R,19:47:44/18,#/YM S,19:47:44,x0Der and Paragon Detergent will clean it up in no time," and#M#Jbefore the terrified hoI R,19:47:44/18,#0YN S,19:47:44,x1Dusekeeper could interfere, he had fallen upon#M#Jhis knees, and was rapidly scouring M R,19:47:44/18,#1YO S,19:47:44,x2Dthe floor with a small stick of#M#Jwhat looked like a black cosmetic. In a few momen) R,19:47:44/18,#2YP S,19:47:44,x3Dts no trace of the#M#Jblood-stain could be seen.#M#J#M#J"I knew Pinkerton would do itY R,19:47:44/18,#3YQ S,19:47:44,x4D," he exclaimed, triumphantly, as he#M#Jlooked round at his admiring family; but no s# R,19:47:44/18,#4YR S,19:47:44,x5Dooner had he said these#M#Jwords than a terrible flash of lightning lit up the sombre9 R,19:47:44/18,#5YS S,19:47:44,x6D room, a#M#Jfearful peal of thunder made them all start to their feet, and Mrs.#M#JUm? R,19:47:44/18,#6YT S,19:47:44,x7Dney fainted.#M#J#M#J"What a monstrous climate!" said the American Minister, calmly, a R,19:47:44/18,#7YU S,19:47:44,x8Ds he#M#Jlit a long cheroot. "I guess the old country is so overpopulated that#M#Jthe, R,19:47:44/18,#8YV S,19:47:44,x9Dy have not enough decent weather for everybody. I have always been#M#Jof opinion tha> R,19:47:44/18,#9YW S,19:47:44,x:Dt emigration is the only thing for England."#M#J#M#J"My dear Hiram," cried Mrs. Otis,1 R,19:47:44/18,#:YX S,19:47:44,x;D "what can we do with a woman who#M#Jfaints?"#M#J#M#J"Charge it to her like breakages- R,19:47:44/18,#;YY S,19:47:44,xD, and she#M#Jsternly warned Mr. Otis to beware of some trouble coming to the#M#JhouseW R,19:47:44/18,#>Y\ S,19:47:44,x?D.#M#J#M#J"I have seen things with my own eyes, sir," she said, "that would make#M#Jan5 R,19:47:44/18,#?Y] S,19:47:44,x@Dy Christian's hair stand on end, and many and many a night I have#M#Jnot closed my ey7 R,19:47:44/18,#@Y^ S,19:47:44,xADes in sleep for the awful things that are done here."#M#JMr. Otis, however, and his w+ R,19:47:44/18,#AY_ S,19:47:44,xBDife warmly assured the honest soul that#M#Jthey were not afraid of ghosts, and, afterY R,19:47:44/18,#BY S,19:47:44,xCD invoking the blessings of#M#JProvidence on her new master and mistress, and making aH R,19:47:44/18,#CY! S,19:47:44,xDDrrangements for#M#Jan increase of salary, the old housekeeper tottered off to her ownL R,19:47:44/18,#DY# S,19:47:44,0ED#M#Jroom.#M#J? R,19:47:44/18,#EY$ S,19:47:44,#FZ& R,19:47:44/18,#FY% S,19:47:44,)GFII.TXTW R,19:47:44/18,#GY& S,19:47:44,yHD~$#I II#M#J#M#JThe storm raged fiercely all that night, but nothing of particular#M#JI R,19:47:44/18,#HY' S,19:47:44,xIDnote occurred. The next morning, however, when they came down to#M#Jbreakfast, they E R,19:47:44/18,#IY( S,19:47:44,xJDfound the terrible stain of blood once again on the#M#Jfloor. "I don't think it can D R,19:47:44/18,#JY) S,19:47:44,xKDbe the fault of the Paragon Detergent,"#M#Jsaid Washington, "for I have tried it withM R,19:47:44/18,#KY* S,19:47:44,xLD everything. It must be the#M#Jghost." He accordingly rubbed out the stain a second" R,19:47:44/18,#LY+ S,19:47:44,yMD time, but the#M#Jsecond morning it appeared again. The third morning also it was#M#J] R,19:47:44/18,#MY, S,19:47:44,xNDthere, though the library had been locked up at night by Mr. Otis#M#Jhimself, and theN R,19:47:44/18,#NY- S,19:47:44,xOD key carried up-stairs. The whole family were now#M#Jquite interested; Mr. Otis bega" R,19:47:44/18,#OY. S,19:47:44,xPDn to suspect that he had been too#M#Jdogmatic in his denial of the existence of ghostA R,19:47:44/18,#PY/ S,19:47:44,xQDs, Mrs. Otis expressed#M#Jher intention of joining the Psychical Society, and Washing( R,19:47:44/18,#QY0 S,19:47:44,xRDton#M#Jprepared a long letter to Messrs. Myers and Podmore on the subject of#M#Jthe P+ R,19:47:44/18,#RY1 S,19:47:44,xSDermanence of Sanguineous Stains when connected with Crime. That#M#Jnight all doubts H R,19:47:44/18,#SY2 S,19:47:44,xTDabout the objective existence of phantasmata were#M#Jremoved for ever.#M#J#M#JThe dayX R,19:47:44/18,#TY3 S,19:47:44,xUD had been warm and sunny; and, in the cool of the evening, the#M#Jwhole family went oY R,19:47:44/18,#UY4 S,19:47:44,xVDut to drive. They did not return home till nine#M#Jo'clock, when they had a light su1 R,19:47:44/18,#VY5 S,19:47:44,xWDpper. The conversation in no way#M#Jturned upon ghosts, so there were not even those_ R,19:47:44/18,#WY6 S,19:47:44,xXD primary conditions of#M#Jreceptive expectations which so often precede the presentatB R,19:47:44/18,#XY7 S,19:47:44,xYDion of#M#Jpsychical phenomena. The subjects discussed, as I have since learned#M#JfrS R,19:47:44/18,#YY8 S,19:47:44,xZDom Mr. Otis, were merely such as form the ordinary conversation of#M#Jcultured Americ8 R,19:47:44/18,#ZY9 S,19:47:44,x[Dans of the better class, such as the immense#M#Jsuperiority of Miss Fanny Devonport o9 R,19:47:44/18,#[Y: S,19:47:44,x\Dver Sarah Bernhardt as an#M#Jactress; the difficulty of obtaining green corn, buckwhe= R,19:47:44/18,#\Y; S,19:47:44,x]Dat cakes, and#M#Jhominy, even in the best English houses; the importance of Boston inU R,19:47:44/18,#]Y< S,19:47:44,x^D#M#Jthe development of the world-soul; the advantages of the baggage-check#M#Jsystem E R,19:47:44/18,#^Y= S,19:47:44,x_Din railway travelling; and the sweetness of the New York accent#M#Jas compared to the) R,19:47:44/18,#_Y> S,19:47:44,x D London drawl. No mention at all was made of the#M#Jsupernatural, nor was Sir Simon ) R,19:47:44/18,# Y> S,19:47:44,x!Dde Canterville alluded to in any way.#M#JAt eleven o'clock the family retired, and by\ R,19:47:44/18,#!Y? S,19:47:44,x"D half-past all the lights#M#Jwere out. Some time after, Mr. Otis was awakened by a cR R,19:47:44/18,#"Y@ S,19:47:44,x#Durious noise#M#Jin the corridor, outside his room. It sounded like the clank of#M#JmT R,19:47:44/18,##YA S,19:47:44,x$Detal, and seemed to be coming nearer every moment. He got up at#M#Jonce, struck a ma/ R,19:47:44/18,#$YB S,19:47:44,x%Dtch, and looked at the time. It was exactly one#M#Jo'clock. He was quite calm, and = R,19:47:44/18,#%YC S,19:47:44,x&Dfelt his pulse, which was not at all#M#Jfeverish. The strange noise still continued,Z R,19:47:44/18,#&YD S,19:47:44,x'D and with it he heard#M#Jdistinctly the sound of footsteps. He put on his slippers, _ R,19:47:44/18,#'YE S,19:47:44,x(Dtook a#M#Jsmall oblong phial out of his dressing-case, and opened the door.#M#JRight Y R,19:47:44/18,#(YF S,19:47:44,x)Din front of him he saw, in the wan moonlight, an old man of#M#Jterrible aspect. His A R,19:47:44/18,#)YG S,19:47:44,x*Deyes were as red burning coals; long grey hair#M#Jfell over his shoulders in matted c^ R,19:47:44/18,#*YH S,19:47:44,x+Doils; his garments, which were of#M#Jantique cut, were soiled and ragged, and from hiH R,19:47:44/18,#+YI S,19:47:44,x,Ds wrists and ankles#M#Jhung heavy manacles and rusty gyves.#M#J#M#J"My dear sir," saiX R,19:47:44/18,#,YJ S,19:47:44,x-Dd Mr. Otis, "I really must insist on your oiling#M#Jthose chains, and have brought yoH R,19:47:44/18,#-YK S,19:47:44,x.Du for that purpose a small bottle of#M#Jthe Tammany Rising Sun Lubricator. It is sai3 R,19:47:44/18,#.YL S,19:47:44,x/Dd to be completely#M#Jefficacious upon one application, and there are several testimoS R,19:47:44/18,#/YM S,19:47:44,x0Dnials#M#Jto that effect on the wrapper from some of our most eminent native#M#JdivineK R,19:47:44/18,#0YN S,19:47:44,y1Ds. I shall leave it here for you by the bedroom candles, and#M#Jwill be happy to suppF R,19:47:44/18,#1YO S,19:47:44,x2Dly you with more, should you require it." With#M#Jthese words the United States Mini- R,19:47:44/18,#2YP S,19:47:44,x3Dster laid the bottle down on a#M#Jmarble table, and, closing his door, retired to res= R,19:47:44/18,#3YQ S,19:47:44,x4Dt.#M#J#M#JFor a moment the Canterville ghost stood quite motionless in natural#M#Jind' R,19:47:44/18,#4YR S,19:47:44,x5Dignation; then, dashing the bottle violently upon the polished#M#Jfloor, he fled downX R,19:47:44/18,#5YS S,19:47:44,x6D the corridor, uttering hollow groans, and emitting#M#Ja ghastly green light. Just, 7 R,19:47:44/18,#6YT S,19:47:44,x7Dhowever, as he reached the top of the#M#Jgreat oak staircase, a door was flung open, ( R,19:47:44/18,#7YU S,19:47:44,x8Dtwo little white-robed#M#Jfigures appeared, and a large pillow whizzed past his head!# R,19:47:44/18,#8YV S,19:47:44,x9D There was#M#Jevidently no time to be lost, so, hastily adopting the Fourth#M#JdimenT R,19:47:44/18,#9YW S,19:47:44,x:Dsion of Space as a means of escape, he vanished through the#M#Jwainscoting, and the h: R,19:47:44/18,#:YX S,19:47:44,x;Douse became quite quiet.#M#J#M#JOn reaching a small secret chamber in the left wing, = R,19:47:44/18,#;YY S,19:47:44,xDd years, had he been so grossly insulted. He thought of the#M#JDowager Duchess, whomQ R,19:47:44/18,#>Y\ S,19:47:44,x?D he had frightened into a fit as she stood before#M#Jthe glass in her lace and diamonS R,19:47:44/18,#?Y] S,19:47:44,x@Dds; of the four housemaids, who had#M#Jgone into hysterics when he merely grinned at A R,19:47:44/18,#@Y^ S,19:47:45,xADthem through the#M#Jcurtains on one of the spare bedrooms; of the rector of the parisU R,19:47:45/18,#AY_ S,19:47:45,xBDh,#M#Jwhose candle he had blown out as he was coming late one night from the#M#JlibraX R,19:47:45/18,#BY S,19:47:45,xCDry, and who had been under the care of Sir William Gull ever#M#Jsince, a perfect martJ R,19:47:45/18,#CY! S,19:47:45,xDDyr to nervous disorders; and of old Madame de#M#JTremouillac, who, having wakened up D R,19:47:45/18,#DY# S,19:47:45,xEDone morning early and seen a#M#Jskeleton seated in an armchair by the fire reading heH R,19:47:45/18,#EY$ S,19:47:45,xFDr diary, had been#M#Jconfined to her bed for six weeks with an attack of brain fever,T R,19:47:45/18,#FY% S,19:47:45,xGD and,#M#Jon her recovery, had become reconciled to the Church, and broken off#M#Jher ! R,19:47:45/18,#GY& S,19:47:45,xHDconnection with that notorious sceptic, Monsieur de Voltaire. He#M#Jremembered the tS R,19:47:45/18,#HY' S,19:47:45,xIDerrible night when the wicked Lord Canterville was#M#Jfound choking in his dressing-r8 R,19:47:45/18,#IY( S,19:47:45,xJDoom, with the knave of diamonds#M#Jhalf-way down his throat, and confessed, just befo? R,19:47:45/18,#JY) S,19:47:45,xKDre he died, that he#M#Jhad cheated Charles James Fox out of L50,~#0 at Crockford's byD R,19:47:45/18,#KY* S,19:47:45,xLD means#M#Jof that very card, and swore that the ghost had made him swallow it.#M#JAll2 R,19:47:45/18,#LY+ S,19:47:45,xMD his great achievements came back to him again, from the butler who#M#Jhad shot himse_ R,19:47:45/18,#MY, S,19:47:45,xNDlf in the pantry because he had seen a green hand#M#Jtapping at the window-pane, to t1 R,19:47:45/18,#NY- S,19:47:45,xODhe beautiful Lady Stutfield, who was#M#Jalways obliged to wear a black velvet band ro] R,19:47:45/18,#OY. S,19:47:45,xPDund her throat to hide#M#Jthe mark of five fingers burnt upon her white skin, and whoG R,19:47:45/18,#PY/ S,19:47:45,xQD drowned#M#Jherself at last in the carp-pond at the end of the King's Walk. With#M#J) R,19:47:45/18,#QY0 S,19:47:45,xRDthe enthusiastic egotism of the true artist, he went over his most#M#Jcelebrated perf8 R,19:47:45/18,#RY1 S,19:47:45,xSDormances, and smiled bitterly to himself as he recalled#M#Jto mind his last appearancI R,19:47:45/18,#SY2 S,19:47:45,xTDe as "Red Reuben, or the Strangled Babe,"#M#Jhis _debut_ as "Guant Gibeon, the Blood-Z R,19:47:45/18,#TY3 S,19:47:45,xUDsucker of Bexley Moor," and#M#Jthe _furore_ he had excited one lovely June evening by? R,19:47:45/18,#UY4 S,19:47:45,xVD merely playing#M#Jninepins with his own bones upon the lawn-tennis ground. And afte& R,19:47:45/18,#VY5 S,19:47:45,xWDr#M#Jall this some wretched modern Americans were to come and offer him the#M#JRising\ R,19:47:45/18,#WY6 S,19:47:45,xXD Sun Lubricator, and throw pillows at his head! It was quite#M#Junbearable. Besides7 R,19:47:45/18,#XY7 S,19:47:45,xYD, no ghost in history had ever been treated in#M#Jthis manner. Accordingly, he deterH R,19:47:45/18,#YY8 S,19:47:45,xZDmined to have vengeance, and#M#Jremained till daylight in an attitude of deep thoughtE R,19:47:45/18,#ZY9 S,19:47:45,([D.#M#J5 R,19:47:45/18,#[Y: S,19:47:45,#\Z< R,19:47:45/18,#\Y; S,19:47:45,*]F~#I.TXTH R,19:47:45/18,#]Y< S,19:47:45,x^D~$#I ~#I#M#J#M#JThe next morning, when the Otis family met at breakfast, they#M#Jdisc[ R,19:47:45/18,#^Y= S,19:47:45,x_Dussed the ghost at some length. The United States Minister was#M#Jnaturally a little\ R,19:47:45/18,#_Y> S,19:47:45,x D annoyed to find that his present had not been#M#Jaccepted. "I have no wish," he saiA R,19:47:45/18,# Y> S,19:47:45,x!Dd, "to do the ghost any personal#M#Jinjury, and I must say that, considering the lengN R,19:47:45/18,#!Y? S,19:47:45,x"Dth of time he has#M#Jbeen in the house, I don't think it is at all polite to throw piP R,19:47:45/18,#"Y@ S,19:47:45,x#Dllows#M#Jat him,"--a very just remark, at which, I am sorry to say, the twins#M#JbursZ R,19:47:45/18,##YA S,19:47:45,x$Dt into shouts of laughter. "Upon the other hand," he continued,#M#J"if he really decX R,19:47:45/18,#$YB S,19:47:45,x%Dlines to use the Rising Sun Lubricator, we shall have#M#Jto take his chains from him.H R,19:47:45/18,#%YC S,19:47:45,x&D It would be quite impossible to sleep,#M#Jwith such a noise going on outside the be< R,19:47:45/18,#&YD S,19:47:45,y'Ddrooms."#M#J#M#JFor the rest of the week, however, they were undisturbed, the only#M#J% R,19:47:45/18,#'YE S,19:47:45,x(Dthing that excited any attention being the continual renewal of the#M#Jblood-stain on! R,19:47:45/18,#(YF S,19:47:45,x)D the library floor. This certainly was very strange, as#M#Jthe door was always locke0 R,19:47:45/18,#)YG S,19:47:45,x*Dd at night by Mr. Otis, and the windows kept#M#Jclosely barred. The chameleon-like cW R,19:47:45/18,#*YH S,19:47:45,x+Dolour, also, of the stain excited#M#Ja good deal of comment. Some mornings it was a W R,19:47:45/18,#+YI S,19:47:45,x,Ddull (almost Indian)#M#Jred, then it would be vermilion, then a rich purple, and once$ R,19:47:45/18,#,YJ S,19:47:45,x-D when#M#Jthey came down for family prayers, according to the simple rites of#M#Jthe F6 R,19:47:45/18,#-YK S,19:47:45,x.Dree American Reformed Episcopalian Church, they found it a bright#M#Jemerald-green. U R,19:47:45/18,#.YL S,19:47:45,x/DThese kaleidoscopic changes naturally amused the party#M#Jvery much, and bets on the A R,19:47:45/18,#/YM S,19:47:45,x0Dsubject were freely made every evening.#M#JThe only person who did not enter into the5 R,19:47:45/18,#0YN S,19:47:45,x1D joke was little Virginia,#M#Jwho, for some unexplained reason, was always a good deaG R,19:47:45/18,#1YO S,19:47:45,x2Dl distressed at#M#Jthe sight of the blood-stain, and very nearly cried the morning it) R,19:47:45/18,#2YP S,19:47:45,x3D was#M#Jemerald-green.#M#J#M#JThe second appearance of the ghost was on Sunday night.C R,19:47:45/18,#3YQ S,19:47:45,x4D Shortly after#M#Jthey had gone to bed they were suddenly alarmed by a fearful crashO R,19:47:45/18,#4YR S,19:47:45,x5D in#M#Jthe hall. Rushing down-stairs, they found that a large suit of old#M#Jarmour [ R,19:47:45/18,#5YS S,19:47:45,x6Dhad become detached from its stand, and had fallen on the stone#M#Jfloor, while seate5 R,19:47:45/18,#6YT S,19:47:45,x7Dd in a high-backed chair was the Canterville ghost,#M#Jrubbing his knees with an expr= R,19:47:45/18,#7YU S,19:47:45,x8Dession of acute agony on his face. The#M#Jtwins, having brought their pea-shooters w- R,19:47:45/18,#8YV S,19:47:45,x9Dith them, at once discharged#M#Jtwo pellets on him, with that accuracy of aim which c- R,19:47:45/18,#9YW S,19:47:45,y:Dan only be#M#Jattained by long and careful practice on a writing-master, while the#M#J_ R,19:47:45/18,#:YX S,19:47:45,x;DUnited States Minister covered him with his revolver, and called upon#M#Jhim, in accoU R,19:47:45/18,#;YY S,19:47:45,xDon Otis's candle as he passed,#M#Jand so leaving them all in total darkness. On reac_ R,19:47:45/18,#>Y\ S,19:47:45,x?Dhing the top of the#M#Jstaircase he recovered himself, and determined to give his cel# R,19:47:45/18,#?Y] S,19:47:45,x@Debrated#M#Jpeal of demoniac laughter. This he had on more than one occasion#M#Jfound+ R,19:47:45/18,#@Y^ S,19:47:45,xAD extremely useful. It was said to have turned Lord Raker's wig#M#Jgrey in a single n% R,19:47:45/18,#AY_ S,19:47:45,xBDight, and had certainly made three of Lady#M#JCanterville's French governesses give w- R,19:47:45/18,#BY S,19:47:45,xCDarning before their month was#M#Jup. He accordingly laughed his most horrible laugh,A R,19:47:45/18,#CY! S,19:47:45,xDD till the old#M#Jvaulted roof rang and rang again, but hardly had the fearful echo di= R,19:47:45/18,#DY# S,19:47:45,xEDed#M#Jaway when a door opened, and Mrs. Otis came out in a light blue#M#Jdressing-gowU R,19:47:45/18,#EY$ S,19:47:45,xFDn. "I am afraid you are far from well," she said, "and#M#Jhave brought you a bottle ( R,19:47:45/18,#FY% S,19:47:45,xGDof Doctor Dobell's tincture. If it is#M#Jindigestion, you will find it a most excell0 R,19:47:45/18,#GY& S,19:47:45,xHDent remedy." The ghost#M#Jglared at her in fury, and began at once to make preparatiD R,19:47:45/18,#HY' S,19:47:45,xIDons for#M#Jturning himself into a large black dog, an accomplishment for which he#M#J; R,19:47:45/18,#IY( S,19:47:45,xJDwas justly renowned, and to which the family doctor always attributed#M#Jthe permanen@ R,19:47:45/18,#JY) S,19:47:45,xKDt idiocy of Lord Canterville's uncle, the Hon. Thomas#M#JHorton. The sound of approa R,19:47:45/18,#KY* S,19:47:45,xLDching footsteps, however, made him#M#Jhesitate in his fell purpose, so he contented hN R,19:47:45/18,#LY+ S,19:47:45,xMDimself with becoming#M#Jfaintly phosphorescent, and vanished with a deep churchyard g4 R,19:47:45/18,#MY, S,19:47:45,xNDroan,#M#Jjust as the twins had come up to him.#M#J#M#JOn reaching his room he entirelT R,19:47:45/18,#NY- S,19:47:45,xODy broke down, and became a prey to the#M#Jmost violent agitation. The vulgarity of t0 R,19:47:45/18,#OY. S,19:47:45,xPDhe twins, and the gross#M#Jmaterialism of Mrs. Otis, were naturally extremely annoyin; R,19:47:45/18,#PY/ S,19:47:45,xQDg, but what#M#Jreally distressed him most was that he had been unable to wear the#M#JY R,19:47:45/18,#QY0 S,19:47:45,xRDsuit of mail. He had hoped that even modern Americans would be#M#Jthrilled by the si< R,19:47:45/18,#RY1 S,19:47:45,xSDght of a Spectre in armour, if for no more sensible#M#Jreason, at least out of respec R,19:47:45/18,#SY2 S,19:47:45,xTDt for their natural poet Longfellow,#M#Jover whose graceful and attractive poetry he ] R,19:47:45/18,#TY3 S,19:47:45,xUDhimself had whiled away#M#Jmany a weary hour when the Cantervilles were up in town. 3 R,19:47:45/18,#UY4 S,19:47:45,yVDBesides it#M#Jwas his own suit. He had worn it with great success at the Kenilworth#MT R,19:47:45/18,#VY5 S,19:47:45,xWD#Jtournament, and had been highly complimented on it by no less a person#M#Jthan the C R,19:47:45/18,#WY6 S,19:47:45,xXDVirgin Queen herself. Yet when he had put it on, he had been#M#Jcompletely overpower- R,19:47:45/18,#XY7 S,19:47:45,xYDed by the weight of the huge breastplate and steel#M#Jcasque, and had fallen heavily W R,19:47:45/18,#YY8 S,19:47:45,xZDon the stone pavement, barking both his#M#Jknees severely, and bruising the knuckles R,19:47:45/18,#ZY9 S,19:47:45,x[Dof his right hand.#M#J#M#JFor some days after this he was extremely ill, and hardly sV R,19:47:45/18,#[Y: S,19:47:45,y\Dtirred out#M#Jof his room at all, except to keep the blood-stain in proper repair.#M#JS R,19:47:45/18,#\Y; S,19:47:45,x]DHowever, by taking great care of himself, he recovered, and resolved#M#Jto make a thi( R,19:47:45/18,#]Y< S,19:47:45,x^Drd attempt to frighten the United States Minister and his#M#Jfamily. He selected Fri. R,19:47:45/18,#^Y= S,19:47:45,x_Dday, August 17th, for his appearance, and#M#Jspent most of that day in looking over hF R,19:47:45/18,#_Y> S,19:47:45,x Dis wardrobe, ultimately#M#Jdeciding in favour of a large slouched hat with a red featP R,19:47:45/18,# Y> S,19:47:45,x!Dher, a#M#Jwinding-sheet frilled at the wrists and neck, and a rusty dagger.#M#JToward# R,19:47:45/18,#!Y? S,19:47:45,x"Ds evening a violent storm of rain came on, and the wind was so#M#Jhigh that all the w& R,19:47:45/18,#"Y@ S,19:47:45,x#Dindows and doors in the old house shook and#M#Jrattled. In fact, it was just such we: R,19:47:45/18,##YA S,19:47:45,x$Dather as he loved. His plan of#M#Jaction was this. He was to make his way quietly t? R,19:47:45/18,#$YB S,19:47:45,x%Do Washington Otis's#M#Jroom, gibber at him from the foot of the bed, and stab himself0 R,19:47:45/18,#%YC S,19:47:45,x&D three#M#Jtimes in the throat to the sound of low music. He bore Washington a#M#Jspe$ R,19:47:45/18,#&YD S,19:47:45,x'Dcial grudge, being quite aware that it was he who was in the habit#M#Jof removing the_ R,19:47:45/18,#'YE S,19:47:45,x(D famous Canterville blood-stain by means of Pinkerton's#M#JParagon Detergent. HavingO R,19:47:45/18,#(YF S,19:47:45,x)D reduced the reckless and foolhardy youth to#M#Ja condition of abject terror, he was ; R,19:47:45/18,#)YG S,19:47:45,x*Dthen to proceed to the room#M#Joccupied by the United States Minister and his wife, a7 R,19:47:45/18,#*YH S,19:47:45,y+Dnd there to#M#Jplace a clammy hand on Mrs. Otis's forehead, while he hissed into her#M' R,19:47:45/18,#+YI S,19:47:45,x,D#Jtrembling husband's ear the awful secrets of the charnel-house. With#M#Jregard to O R,19:47:45/18,#,YJ S,19:47:45,x-Dlittle Virginia, he had not quite made up his mind. She had#M#Jnever insulted him in. R,19:47:45/18,#-YK S,19:47:45,x.D any way, and was pretty and gentle. A few#M#Jhollow groans from the wardrobe, he th5 R,19:47:45/18,#.YL S,19:47:45,x/Dought, would be more than#M#Jsufficient, or, if that failed to wake her, he might gra1 R,19:47:45/18,#/YM S,19:47:45,y0Dbble at the#M#Jcounterpane with palsy-twitching fingers. As for the twins, he was#M#JJ R,19:47:45/18,#0YN S,19:47:45,x1Dquite determined to teach them a lesson. The first thing to be done#M#Jwas, of cours: R,19:47:45/18,#1YO S,19:47:45,x2De, to sit upon their chests, so as to produce the#M#Jstifling sensation of nightmare.' R,19:47:45/18,#2YP S,19:47:45,x3D Then, as their beds were quite close#M#Jto each other, to stand between them in theV R,19:47:45/18,#3YQ S,19:47:45,y4D form of a green, icy-cold#M#Jcorpse, till they became paralyzed with fear, and finallH R,19:47:45/18,#4YR S,19:47:45,y5Dy, to throw#M#Joff the winding-sheet, and crawl round the room, with white, bleached#MH R,19:47:45/18,#5YS S,19:47:45,x6D#Jbones and one rolling eyeball, in the character of "Dumb Daniel, or#M#Jthe Suicide'5 R,19:47:45/18,#6YT S,19:47:45,x7Ds Skeleton," a _role_ in which he had on more than one#M#Joccasion produced a great eG R,19:47:45/18,#7YU S,19:47:45,x8Dffect, and which he considered quite equal#M#Jto his famous part of "Martin the Mania* R,19:47:45/18,#8YV S,19:47:45,y9Dc, or the Masked Mystery."#M#J#M#JAt half-past ten he heard the family going to bed. $ R,19:47:45/18,#9YW S,19:47:45,x:DFor some time he#M#Jwas disturbed by wild shrieks of laughter from the twins, who, wiA R,19:47:45/18,#:YX S,19:47:45,x;Dth#M#Jthe light-hearted gaiety of schoolboys, were evidently amusing#M#Jthemselves be[ R,19:47:45/18,#;YY S,19:47:45,xD croaked from the old#M#Jyew-tree, and the wind wandered moaning round the house likeN R,19:47:45/18,#>Y\ S,19:47:45,x?D a lost#M#Jsoul; but the Otis family slept unconscious of their doom, and high#M#Jabo8 R,19:47:45/18,#?Y] S,19:47:45,x@Dve the rain and storm he could hear the steady snoring of the#M#JMinister for the Uni, R,19:47:45/18,#@Y^ S,19:47:45,xADted States. He stepped stealthily out of the#M#Jwainscoting, with an evil smile on hX R,19:47:45/18,#AY_ S,19:47:45,xBDis cruel, wrinkled mouth, and the#M#Jmoon hid her face in a cloud as he stole past th4 R,19:47:45/18,#BY S,19:47:45,xCDe great oriel window,#M#Jwhere his own arms and those of his murdered wife were blazo8 R,19:47:45/18,#CY! S,19:47:45,xDDned in#M#Jazure and gold. On and on he glided, like an evil shadow, the very#M#Jdark& R,19:47:45/18,#DY# S,19:47:45,xEDness seeming to loathe him as he passed. Once he thought he heard#M#Jsomething call,K R,19:47:45/18,#EY$ S,19:47:45,xFD and stopped; but it was only the baying of a dog from#M#Jthe Red Farm, and he went o> R,19:47:45/18,#FY% S,19:47:45,xGDn, muttering strange sixteenth-century#M#Jcurses, and ever and anon brandishing the rB R,19:47:45/18,#GY& S,19:47:45,xHDusty dagger in the midnight#M#Jair. Finally he reached the corner of the passage tha? R,19:47:45/18,#HY' S,19:47:45,xIDt led to#M#Jluckless Washington's room. For a moment he paused there, the wind#M#JblE R,19:47:45/18,#IY( S,19:47:45,xJDowing his long grey locks about his head, and twisting into#M#Jgrotesque and fantasti] R,19:47:45/18,#JY) S,19:47:45,xKDc folds the nameless horror of the dead man's#M#Jshroud. Then the clock struck the q> R,19:47:45/18,#KY* S,19:47:45,xLDuarter, and he felt the time was#M#Jcome. He chuckled to himself, and turned the corN R,19:47:45/18,#LY+ S,19:47:45,xMDner; but no sooner#M#Jhad he done so than, with a piteous wail of terror, he fell bac' R,19:47:45/18,#MY, S,19:47:45,xNDk, and#M#Jhid his blanched face in his long, bony hands. Right in front of him#M#Jwa\ R,19:47:45/18,#NY- S,19:47:45,xODs standing a horrible spectre, motionless as a carven image, and#M#Jmonstrous as a ma/ R,19:47:45/18,#OY. S,19:47:45,xPDdman's dream! Its head was bald and burnished; its#M#Jface round, and fat, and white R,19:47:45/18,#PY/ S,19:47:45,xQD; and hideous laughter seemed to have#M#Jwrithed its features into an eternal grin. 8 R,19:47:45/18,#QY0 S,19:47:45,xRDFrom the eyes streamed#M#Jrays of scarlet light, the mouth was a wide well of fire, aS R,19:47:45/18,#RY1 S,19:47:45,xSDnd a#M#Jhideous garment, like to his own, swathed with its silent snows the#M#JTitan \ R,19:47:45/18,#SY2 S,19:47:45,xTDform. On its breast was a placard with strange writing in#M#Jantique characters, som? R,19:47:45/18,#TY3 S,19:47:45,xUDe scroll of shame it seemed, some record of#M#Jwild sins, some awful calendar of crimO R,19:47:45/18,#UY4 S,19:47:45,xVDe, and, with its right hand, it#M#Jbore aloft a falchion of gleaming steel.#M#J#M#JNeB R,19:47:45/18,#VY5 S,19:47:45,xWDver having seen a ghost before, he naturally was terribly#M#Jfrightened, and, after a+ R,19:47:45/18,#WY6 S,19:47:45,xXD second hasty glance at the awful phantom, he#M#Jfled back to his room, tripping up i_ R,19:47:45/18,#XY7 S,19:47:45,xYDn his long winding-sheet as he#M#Jsped down the corridor, and finally dropping the ruO R,19:47:45/18,#YY8 S,19:47:45,xZDsty dagger into the#M#JMinister's jack-boots, where it was found in the morning by th_ R,19:47:45/18,#ZY9 S,19:47:45,x[De#M#Jbutler. Once in the privacy of his own apartment, he flung himself#M#Jdown on aZ R,19:47:45/18,#[Y: S,19:47:45,x\D small pallet-bed, and hid his face under the clothes. After#M#Ja time, however, theI R,19:47:45/18,#\Y; S,19:47:45,x]D brave old Canterville spirit asserted itself, and#M#Jhe determined to go and speak t> R,19:47:45/18,#]Y< S,19:47:45,x^Do the other ghost as soon as it was#M#Jdaylight. Accordingly, just as the dawn was tC R,19:47:45/18,#^Y= S,19:47:45,x_Douching the hills with#M#Jsilver, he returned towards the spot where he had first lai3 R,19:47:45/18,#_Y> S,19:47:45,x Dd eyes on#M#Jthe grisly phantom, feeling that, after all, two ghosts were better#M#Jt; R,19:47:45/18,# Y> S,19:47:45,x!Dhan one, and that, by the aid of his new friend, he might safely#M#Jgrapple with the 2 R,19:47:45/18,#!Y? S,19:47:45,x"Dtwins. On reaching the spot, however, a terrible#M#Jsight met his gaze. Something h+ R,19:47:45/18,#"Y@ S,19:47:45,x#Dad evidently happened to the spectre,#M#Jfor the light had entirely faded from its ho* R,19:47:45/18,##YA S,19:47:45,x$Dllow eyes, the gleaming#M#Jfalchion had fallen from its hand, and it was leaning up a2 R,19:47:45/18,#$YB S,19:47:45,x%Dgainst the#M#Jwall in a strained and uncomfortable attitude. He rushed forward and#M. R,19:47:45/18,#%YC S,19:47:45,x&D#Jseized it in his arms, when, to his horror, the head slipped off and#M#Jrolled on tY R,19:47:45/18,#&YD S,19:47:45,x'Dhe floor, the body assumed a recumbent posture, and he#M#Jfound himself clasping a wh6 R,19:47:45/18,#'YE S,19:47:45,x(Dite dimity bed-curtain, with a#M#Jsweeping-brush, a kitchen cleaver, and a hollow tur# R,19:47:45/18,#(YF S,19:47:45,x)Dnip lying at his#M#Jfeet! Unable to understand this curious transformation, he clutc, R,19:47:45/18,#)YG S,19:47:45,x*Dhed#M#Jthe placard with feverish haste, and there, in the grey morning light,#M#Jhe r' R,19:47:45/18,#*YH S,19:47:45,x+Dead these fearful words:--#M#J#M#J#I#I+~D-+#M#J#I#I|#I YE OTIS GHOSTE~- |#M#J#I#I| Y R,19:47:45/18,#+YI S,19:47:45,x,De Onlie True and Originale Spook, |#M#J#I#I|~$ Beware of Ye Imitationes.~' |#M#J#I#I|) R,19:47:45/18,#,YJ S,19:47:45,y-D~# All others are counterfeite.~% |#M#J#I#I+~D-+#M#J#M#JThe whole thing flashed across< R,19:47:45/18,#-YK S,19:47:45,x.D him. He had been tricked, foiled, and#M#Jout-witted! The old Canterville look cameH R,19:47:45/18,#.YL S,19:47:45,x/D into his eyes; he ground#M#Jhis toothless gums together; and, raising his withered h+ R,19:47:45/18,#/YM S,19:47:45,y0Dands high#M#Jabove his head, swore according to the picturesque phraseology of the#M#J: R,19:47:45/18,#0YN S,19:47:45,x1Dantique school, that, when Chanticleer had sounded twice his merry#M#Jhorn, deeds of 2 R,19:47:45/18,#1YO S,19:47:45,x2Dblood would be wrought, and murder walk abroad with#M#Jsilent feet.#M#J#M#JHardly had- R,19:47:45/18,#2YP S,19:47:45,x3D he finished this awful oath when, from the red-tiled roof#M#Jof a distant homestead,< R,19:47:45/18,#3YQ S,19:47:45,x4D a cock crew. He laughed a long, low, bitter#M#Jlaugh, and waited. Hour after hour C R,19:47:45/18,#4YR S,19:47:45,x5Dhe waited, but the cock, for some#M#Jstrange reason, did not crow again. Finally, at[ R,19:47:45/18,#5YS S,19:47:45,x6D half-past seven, the#M#Jarrival of the housemaids made him give up his fearful vigil@ R,19:47:45/18,#6YT S,19:47:45,x7D, and he#M#Jstalked back to his room, thinking of his vain oath and baffled#M#JpurposR R,19:47:45/18,#7YU S,19:47:45,x8De. There he consulted several books of ancient chivalry, of#M#Jwhich he was exceedinT R,19:47:45/18,#8YV S,19:47:45,x9Dgly fond, and found that, on every occasion on#M#Jwhich this oath had been used, ChanH R,19:47:45/18,#9YW S,19:47:45,x:Dticleer had always crowed a second#M#Jtime. "Perdition seize the naughty fowl," he m+ R,19:47:45/18,#:YX S,19:47:45,x;Duttered, "I have seen#M#Jthe day when, with my stout spear, I would have run him thro& R,19:47:45/18,#;YY S,19:47:45,xZ] R,19:47:45/18,#>Y\ S,19:47:45,)?FIV.TXT\ R,19:47:45/18,#?Y] S,19:47:45,x@D~$#I IV#M#J#M#JThe next day the ghost was very weak and tired. The terrible#M#Jexci< R,19:47:45/18,#@Y^ S,19:47:45,xADtement of the last four weeks was beginning to have its effect.#M#JHis nerves were coW R,19:47:45/18,#AY_ S,19:47:45,xBDmpletely shattered, and he started at the slightest#M#Jnoise. For five days he kept J R,19:47:45/18,#BY S,19:47:45,xCDhis room, and at last made up his mind#M#Jto give up the point of the blood-stain on [ R,19:47:45/18,#CY! S,19:47:45,xDDthe library floor. If the#M#JOtis family did not want it, they clearly did not deser7 R,19:47:45/18,#DY# S,19:47:45,xEDve it. They#M#Jwere evidently people on a low, material plane of existence, and quit$ R,19:47:45/18,#EY$ S,19:47:45,xFDe#M#Jincapable of appreciating the symbolic value of sensuous phenomena.#M#JThe quest" R,19:47:45/18,#FY% S,19:47:45,xGDion of phantasmic apparitions, and the development of astral#M#Jbodies, was of course? R,19:47:45/18,#GY& S,19:47:45,xHD quite a different matter, and really not under#M#Jhis control. It was his solemn du+ R,19:47:45/18,#HY' S,19:47:45,xIDty to appear in the corridor once a#M#Jweek, and to gibber from the large oriel windoB R,19:47:45/18,#IY( S,19:47:45,xJDw on the first and third#M#JWednesdays in every month, and he did not see how he coulI R,19:47:45/18,#JY) S,19:47:45,xKDd honourably#M#Jescape from his obligations. It is quite true that his life had been; R,19:47:45/18,#KY* S,19:47:45,xLD#M#Jvery evil, but, upon the other hand, he was most conscientious in all#M#Jthings c+ R,19:47:45/18,#LY+ S,19:47:45,xMDonnected with the supernatural. For the next three Saturdays,#M#Jaccordingly, he traD R,19:47:45/18,#MY, S,19:47:45,xNDversed the corridor as usual between midnight and#M#Jthree o'clock, taking every possX R,19:47:45/18,#NY- S,19:47:45,xODible precaution against being either#M#Jheard or seen. He removed his boots, trod as- R,19:47:45/18,#OY. S,19:47:45,xPD lightly as possible on#M#Jthe old worm-eaten boards, wore a large black velvet cloak& R,19:47:45/18,#PY/ S,19:47:45,yQD, and was#M#Jcareful to use the Rising Sun Lubricator for oiling his chains. I am#M#JF R,19:47:45/18,#QY0 S,19:47:45,xRDbound to acknowledge that it was with a good deal of difficulty that#M#Jhe brought hiS R,19:47:45/18,#RY1 S,19:47:45,xSDmself to adopt this last mode of protection. However,#M#Jone night, while the familyJ R,19:47:45/18,#SY2 S,19:47:45,xTD were at dinner, he slipped into Mr.#M#JOtis's bedroom and carried off the bottle. H0 R,19:47:45/18,#TY3 S,19:47:45,xUDe felt a little#M#Jhumiliated at first, but afterwards was sensible enough to see tha@ R,19:47:45/18,#UY4 S,19:47:45,xVDt#M#Jthere was a great deal to be said for the invention, and, to a certain#M#Jdegree[ R,19:47:45/18,#VY5 S,19:47:45,xWD, it served his purpose. Still in spite of everything he was#M#Jnot left unmolested.C R,19:47:45/18,#WY6 S,19:47:45,yXD Strings were continually being stretched across#M#Jthe corridor, over which he trippU R,19:47:45/18,#XY7 S,19:47:45,xYDed in the dark, and on one occasion,#M#Jwhile dressed for the part of "Black Isaac, oC R,19:47:45/18,#YY8 S,19:47:45,xZDr the Huntsman of Hogley#M#JWoods," he met with a severe fall, through treading on a ^ R,19:47:45/18,#ZY9 S,19:47:45,y[Dbutter-slide,#M#Jwhich the twins had constructed from the entrance of the Tapestry#M#JM R,19:47:45/18,#[Y: S,19:47:45,x\DChamber to the top of the oak staircase. This last insult so enraged#M#Jhim, that he* R,19:47:45/18,#\Y; S,19:47:45,x]D resolved to make one final effort to assert his dignity#M#Jand social position, and B R,19:47:45/18,#]Y< S,19:47:45,x^Ddetermined to visit the insolent young#M#JEtonians the next night in his celebrated cN R,19:47:45/18,#^Y= S,19:47:45,x_Dharacter of "Reckless#M#JRupert, or the Headless Earl."#M#J#M#JHe had not appeared in" R,19:47:45/18,#_Y> S,19:47:45,x D this disguise for more than seventy years; in#M#Jfact, not since he had so frightene\ R,19:47:45/18,# Y> S,19:47:45,x!Dd pretty Lady Barbara Modish by#M#Jmeans of it, that she suddenly broke off her engag7 R,19:47:45/18,#!Y? S,19:47:45,x"Dement with the#M#Jpresent Lord Canterville's grandfather, and ran away to Gretna GreeV R,19:47:45/18,#"Y@ S,19:47:45,x#Dn#M#Jwith handsome Jack Castletown, declaring that nothing in the world#M#Jwould indu) R,19:47:45/18,##YA S,19:47:45,x$Dce her to marry into a family that allowed such a horrible#M#Jphantom to walk up and 4 R,19:47:45/18,#$YB S,19:47:45,x%Ddown the terrace at twilight. Poor Jack was#M#Jafterwards shot in a duel by Lord CanC R,19:47:45/18,#%YC S,19:47:45,x&Dterville on Wandsworth Common,#M#Jand Lady Barbara died of a broken heart at TunbridgF R,19:47:45/18,#&YD S,19:47:45,x'De Wells before the#M#Jyear was out, so, in every way, it had been a great success. I7 R,19:47:45/18,#'YE S,19:47:45,x(Dt was,#M#Jhowever an extremely difficult "make-up," if I may use such a#M#Jtheatrical3 R,19:47:45/18,#(YF S,19:47:45,x)D expression in connection with one of the greatest mysteries#M#Jof the supernatural, : R,19:47:45/18,#)YG S,19:47:45,x*Dor, to employ a more scientific term, the#M#Jhigher-natural world, and it took him fu8 R,19:47:45/18,#*YH S,19:47:45,x+Dlly three hours to make his#M#Jpreparations. At last everything was ready, and he wa[ R,19:47:45/18,#+YI S,19:47:45,x,Ds very pleased#M#Jwith his appearance. The big leather riding-boots that went with tC R,19:47:45/18,#,YJ S,19:47:45,x-Dhe#M#Jdress were just a little too large for him, and he could only find one#M#Jof th5 R,19:47:45/18,#-YK S,19:47:45,x.De two horse-pistols, but, on the whole, he was quite satisfied,#M#Jand at a quarter-p# R,19:47:45/18,#.YL S,19:47:45,x/Dast one he glided out of the wainscoting and crept#M#Jdown the corridor. On reachingV R,19:47:45/18,#/YM S,19:47:45,x0D the room occupied by the twins, which#M#JI should mention was called the Blue Bed Ch& R,19:47:45/18,#0YN S,19:47:45,x1Damber, on account of the#M#Jcolour of its hangings, he found the door just ajar. Wis6 R,19:47:45/18,#1YO S,19:47:45,x2Dhing to make#M#Jan effective entrance, he flung it wide open, when a heavy jug of#M#JC R,19:47:45/18,#2YP S,19:47:45,x3Dwater fell right down on him, wetting him to the skin, and just#M#Jmissing his left sI R,19:47:45/18,#3YQ S,19:47:45,x4Dhoulder by a couple of inches. At the same moment#M#Jhe heard stifled shrieks of lau< R,19:47:45/18,#4YR S,19:47:45,x5Dghter proceeding from the four-post#M#Jbed. The shock to his nervous system was so gQ R,19:47:45/18,#5YS S,19:47:45,x6Dreat that he fled back#M#Jto his room as hard as he could go, and the next day he was" R,19:47:45/18,#6YT S,19:47:45,x7D laid up#M#Jwith a severe cold. The only thing that at all consoled him in the#M#JwhN R,19:47:45/18,#7YU S,19:47:45,x8Dole affair was the fact that he had not brought his head with him,#M#Jfor, had he don& R,19:47:45/18,#8YV S,19:47:45,x9De so, the consequences might have been very serious.#M#J#M#JHe now gave up all hope oB R,19:47:45/18,#9YW S,19:47:45,x:Df ever frightening this rude American family,#M#Jand contented himself, as a rule, wiZ R,19:47:45/18,#:YX S,19:47:45,x;Dth creeping about the passages in#M#Jlist slippers, with a thick red muffler round hi9 R,19:47:45/18,#;YY S,19:47:45,xDHe had gone down-stairs to the great entrance-hall, feeling sure that#M#Jthere, at an( R,19:47:45/18,#>Y\ S,19:47:45,x?Dy rate, he would be quite unmolested, and was amusing#M#Jhimself by making satirical & R,19:47:45/18,#?Y] S,19:47:45,x@Dremarks on the large Saroni photographs of#M#Jthe United States Minister and his wifeU R,19:47:45/18,#@Y^ S,19:47:45,xAD which had now taken the place#M#Jof the Canterville family pictures. He was simply N R,19:47:45/18,#AY_ S,19:47:45,xBDbut neatly clad in#M#Ja long shroud, spotted with churchyard mould, had tied up his j0 R,19:47:45/18,#BY S,19:47:45,xCDaw with#M#Ja strip of yellow linen, and carried a small lantern and a sexton's#M#Jspa$ R,19:47:45/18,#CY! S,19:47:45,xDDde. In fact, he was dressed for the character of "Jonas the#M#JGraveless, or the Cor_ R,19:47:45/18,#DY# S,19:47:45,xEDpse-Snatcher of Chertsey Barn," one of his most#M#Jremarkable impersonations, and one* R,19:47:45/18,#EY$ S,19:47:45,xFD which the Cantervilles had every#M#Jreason to remember, as it was the real origin of< R,19:47:45/18,#FY% S,19:47:45,xGD their quarrel with#M#Jtheir neighbour, Lord Rufford. It was about a quarter-past tw/ R,19:47:45/18,#GY& S,19:47:45,xHDo#M#Jo'clock in the morning, and, as far as he could ascertain, no one was#M#JstirrinL R,19:47:45/18,#HY' S,19:47:45,xIDg. As he was strolling towards the library, however, to see if#M#Jthere were any tra? R,19:47:45/18,#IY( S,19:47:45,xJDces left of the blood-stain, suddenly there leaped#M#Jout on him from a dark corner tY R,19:47:45/18,#JY) S,19:47:45,xKDwo figures, who waved their arms wildly#M#Jabove their heads, and shrieked out "BOO!"O R,19:47:45/18,#KY* S,19:47:45,xLD in his ear.#M#J#M#JSeized with a panic, which, under the circumstances, was only natI R,19:47:45/18,#LY+ S,19:47:45,xMDural,#M#Jhe rushed for the staircase, but found Washington Otis waiting for him#M#Jth+ R,19:47:45/18,#MY, S,19:47:45,xNDere with the big garden-syringe, and being thus hemmed in by his#M#Jenemies on every M R,19:47:45/18,#NY- S,19:47:45,xODside, and driven almost to bay, he vanished into the#M#Jgreat iron stove, which, fortK R,19:47:45/18,#OY. S,19:47:45,xPDunately for him, was not lit, and had to#M#Jmake his way home through the flues and c& R,19:47:45/18,#PY/ S,19:47:45,xQDhimneys, arriving at his own#M#Jroom in a terrible state of dirt, disorder, and despaN R,19:47:45/18,#QY0 S,19:47:45,xRDir.#M#J#M#JAfter this he was not seen again on any nocturnal expedition. The#M#JtwinQ R,19:47:45/18,#RY1 S,19:47:45,xSDs lay in wait for him on several occasions, and strewed the#M#Jpassages with nutshell' R,19:47:45/18,#SY2 S,19:47:45,xTDs every night to the great annoyance of their#M#Jparents and the servants, but it was2 R,19:47:45/18,#TY3 S,19:47:45,xUD of no avail. It was quite#M#Jevident that his feelings were so wounded that he woul, R,19:47:45/18,#UY4 S,19:47:45,xVDd not appear.#M#JMr. Otis consequently resumed his great work on the history of the#MG R,19:47:45/18,#VY5 S,19:47:45,xWD#JDemocratic Party, on which he had been engaged for some years; Mrs.#M#JOtis organizX R,19:47:45/18,#WY6 S,19:47:45,xXDed a wonderful clam-bake, which amazed the whole county;#M#Jthe boys took to lacrosseX R,19:47:45/18,#XY7 S,19:47:45,xYD euchre, poker, and other American national#M#Jgames, and Virginia rode about the lan8 R,19:47:45/18,#YY8 S,19:47:45,xZDes on her pony, accompanied by#M#Jthe young Duke of Cheshire, who had come to spend t# R,19:47:45/18,#ZY9 S,19:47:45,x[Dhe last week of his#M#Jholidays at Canterville Chase. It was generally assumed that E R,19:47:45/18,#[Y: S,19:47:45,x\Dthe#M#Jghost had gone away, and, in fact, Mr. Otis wrote a letter to that#M#Jeffect t2 R,19:47:45/18,#\Y; S,19:47:45,x]Do Lord Canterville, who, in reply, expressed his great#M#Jpleasure at the news, and s4 R,19:47:45/18,#]Y< S,19:47:45,x^Dent his best congratulations to the#M#JMinister's worthy wife.#M#J#M#JThe Otises, how( R,19:47:45/18,#^Y= S,19:47:45,x_Dever, were deceived, for the ghost was still in the#M#Jhouse, and though now almost a] R,19:47:45/18,#_Y> S,19:47:45,x Dn invalid, was by no means ready to let#M#Jmatters rest, particularly as he heard thaV R,19:47:45/18,# Y> S,19:47:45,x!Dt among the guests was the#M#Jyoung Duke of Cheshire, whose grand-uncle, Lord Francis( R,19:47:45/18,#!Y? S,19:47:45,x"D Stilton, had#M#Jonce bet a hundred guineas with Colonel Carbury that he would play#MJ R,19:47:45/18,#"Y@ S,19:47:45,y#D#Jdice with the Canterville ghost, and was found the next morning lying#M#Jon the flooM R,19:47:45/18,##YA S,19:47:45,x$Dr of the card-room in such a helpless paralytic state that,#M#Jthough he lived on to N R,19:47:45/18,#$YB S,19:47:45,x%Da great age, he was never able to say anything#M#Jagain but "Double Sixes." The stor9 R,19:47:45/18,#%YC S,19:47:45,x&Dy was well known at the time,#M#Jthough, of course, out of respect to the feelings ofN R,19:47:45/18,#&YD S,19:47:45,x'D the two noble#M#Jfamilies, every attempt was made to hush it up, and a full account L R,19:47:45/18,#'YE S,19:47:45,x(Dof#M#Jall the circumstances connected with it will be found in the third#M#Jvolume ofI R,19:47:45/18,#(YF S,19:47:45,x)D Lord Tattle's _Recollections of the Prince Regent and his#M#JFriends_. The ghost, t" R,19:47:45/18,#)YG S,19:47:45,x*Dhen, was naturally very anxious to show that he#M#Jhad not lost his influence over th8 R,19:47:45/18,#*YH S,19:47:45,x+De Stiltons, with whom, indeed, he#M#Jwas distantly connected, his own first cousin ha; R,19:47:45/18,#+YI S,19:47:45,x,Dving been married _en#M#Jsecondes noces_ to the Sieur de Bulkeley, from whom, as ever3 R,19:47:45/18,#,YJ S,19:47:45,x-Dy one#M#Jknows, the Dukes of Cheshire are lineally descended. Accordingly, he#M#Jmad3 R,19:47:45/18,#-YK S,19:47:45,x.De arrangements for appearing to Virginia's little lover in his#M#Jcelebrated impersonQ R,19:47:45/18,#.YL S,19:47:45,x/Dation of "The Vampire Monk, or the Bloodless#M#JBenedictine," a performance so horrib^ R,19:47:45/18,#/YM S,19:47:45,x0Dle that when old Lady Startup saw#M#Jit, which she did on one fatal New Year's Eve, i% R,19:47:45/18,#0YN S,19:47:45,x1Dn the year 1764, she#M#Jwent off into the most piercing shrieks, which culminated in F R,19:47:45/18,#1YO S,19:47:45,x2Dviolent#M#Japoplexy, and died in three days, after disinheriting the#M#JCantervilles,Z R,19:47:45/18,#2YP S,19:47:45,x3D who were her nearest relations, and leaving all her#M#Jmoney to her London apothecar9 R,19:47:45/18,#3YQ S,19:47:45,x4Dy. At the last moment, however, his#M#Jterror of the twins prevented his leaving hisN R,19:47:45/18,#4YR S,19:47:45,x5D room, and the little#M#JDuke slept in peace under the great feathered canopy in the > R,19:47:45/18,#5YS S,19:47:45,T6DRoyal#M#JBedchamber, and dreamed of Virginia.#M#J: R,19:47:45/18,#6YT S,19:47:45,#7ZV R,19:47:45/18,#7YU S,19:47:45,<8FLIST-OF-ILLUSTRATIONS.TXT0 R,19:47:45/18,#8YV S,19:47:45,x9DLIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS#M#J#M#J#M#JMISS VIRGINIA E. OTIS#M#J#M#J"HAD ONCE RACED OLD LOR\ R,19:47:45/18,#9YW S,19:47:45,x:DD BILTON ON HER PONY"#M#J#M#J"BLOOD HAS BEEN SPILLED ON THAT SPOT"#M#J#M#J"I REALLY MF R,19:47:45/18,#:YX S,19:47:45,x;DUST INSIST ON YOUR OILING THOSE CHAINS"#M#J#M#J"THE TWINS ~#. AT ONCE DISCHARGED TWO 9 R,19:47:45/18,#;YY S,19:47:45,xDREMARKS ON THE PHOTOGRAPHS"#M#J#M#J"SUDDENLY THERE LEAPED OUT TWO FIGURES"#M#J#M#J"'PD R,19:47:45/18,#>Y\ S,19:47:45,x?DOOR, POOR GHOST,' SHE MURMURED; 'HAVE YOU NO PLACE WHERE YOU CAN#M#JSLEEP?'"#M#J#M#J"J R,19:47:45/18,#?Y] S,19:47:45,y@DTHE GHOST GLIDED ON MORE SWIFTLY"#M#J#M#J"HE HEARD SOMEBODY GALLOPING AFTER HIM"#M#J#M^ R,19:47:45/18,#@Y^ S,19:47:45,xAD#J"OUT ON THE LANDING STEPPED VIRGINIA"#M#J#M#J"CHAINED TO IT WAS A GAUNT SKELETON"#M; R,19:47:45/18,#AY_ S,19:47:45,xBD#J#M#J"BY THE SIDE OF THE HEARSE AND THE COACHES WALKED THE SERVANTS WITH#M#JLIGHTED N R,19:47:45/18,#BY S,19:47:45,^CDTORCHES"#M#J#M#J"THE MOON CAME OUT FROM BEHIND A CLOUD"#M#J: R,19:47:45/18,#CY! S,19:47:45,#DZ$ R,19:47:45/18,#DY# S,19:47:45,1EFTITLE-PAGE.TXTX R,19:47:45/18,#EY$ S,19:47:45,xFDTHE CANTERVILLE GHOST#M#J#M#Jby#M#J#M#JWILDE#M#J#M#JAn amusing chronicle of the tribu7 R,19:47:45/18,#FY% S,19:47:45,xGDlations of the Ghost of Canterville#M#JChase when his ancestral halls became the homeW R,19:47:45/18,#GY& S,19:47:45,xHD of the American Minister#M#Jto the Court of St. James.#M#J#M#JIllustrated by WallaceX R,19:47:45/18,#HY' S,19:47:45,rID Goldsmith#M#J#M#JJohn W. Luce and Company#M#JBoston and London#M#J#M#J1906#M#J" R,19:47:45/18,#IY( S,19:47:45,#JZ* R,19:47:45/18,#JY) S,19:47:45,(KFV.TXT] R,19:47:45/18,#KY* S,19:47:45,xLD~$#I V#M#J#M#JA few days after this, Virginia and her curly-haired cavalier went out$ R,19:47:45/18,#LY+ S,19:47:45,xMD#M#Jriding on Brockley meadows, where she tore her habit so badly in#M#Jgetting throuY R,19:47:45/18,#MY, S,19:47:45,xNDgh a hedge that, on their return home, she made up her#M#Jmind to go up by the back s R,19:47:45/18,#NY- S,19:47:45,xODtaircase so as not to be seen. As she was#M#Jrunning past the Tapestry Chamber, the S R,19:47:45/18,#OY. S,19:47:45,xPDdoor of which happened to be#M#Jopen, she fancied she saw some one inside, and thinki" R,19:47:45/18,#PY/ S,19:47:45,xQDng it was her#M#Jmother's maid, who sometimes used to bring her work there, looked in[ R,19:47:45/18,#QY0 S,19:47:45,xRD#M#Jto ask her to mend her habit. To her immense surprise, however, it#M#Jwas the Ca: R,19:47:45/18,#RY1 S,19:47:45,xSDnterville Ghost himself! He was sitting by the window,#M#Jwatching the ruined gold o\ R,19:47:45/18,#SY2 S,19:47:45,xTDf the yellowing trees fly through the air,#M#Jand the red leaves dancing madly down t. R,19:47:45/18,#TY3 S,19:47:45,xUDhe long avenue. His head was#M#Jleaning on his hand, and his whole attitude was one L R,19:47:45/18,#UY4 S,19:47:45,yVDof extreme#M#Jdepression. Indeed, so forlorn, and so much out of repair did he#M#JlooH R,19:47:45/18,#VY5 S,19:47:45,xWDk, that little Virginia, whose first idea had been to run away and#M#Jlock herself in9 R,19:47:45/18,#WY6 S,19:47:45,xXD her room, was filled with pity, and determined to try#M#Jand comfort him. So light - R,19:47:45/18,#XY7 S,19:47:45,xYDwas her footfall, and so deep his#M#Jmelancholy, that he was not aware of her presenc\ R,19:47:45/18,#YY8 S,19:47:45,xZDe till she spoke to#M#Jhim.#M#J#M#J"I am so sorry for you," she said, "but my brother= R,19:47:45/18,#ZY9 S,19:47:45,x[Ds are going back to#M#JEton to-morrow, and then, if you behave yourself, no one will B R,19:47:45/18,#[Y: S,19:47:45,x\Dannoy#M#Jyou."#M#J#M#J"It is absurd asking me to behave myself," he answered, looking_ R,19:47:45/18,#\Y; S,19:47:45,x]D round#M#Jin astonishment at the pretty little girl who had ventured to address#M#JhiN R,19:47:45/18,#]Y< S,19:47:45,x^Dm, "quite absurd. I must rattle my chains, and groan through#M#Jkeyholes, and walk a/ R,19:47:45/18,#^Y= S,19:47:45,y_Dbout at night, if that is what you mean. It is my#M#Jonly reason for existing."#M#J#M" R,19:47:45/18,#_Y> S,19:47:45,x D#J"It is no reason at all for existing, and you know you have been very#M#Jwicked. M7 R,19:47:45/18,# Y> S,19:47:45,y!Drs. Umney told us, the first day we arrived here, that you#M#Jhad killed your wife."#M/ R,19:47:45/18,#!Y? S,19:47:45,x"D#J#M#J"Well, I quite admit it," said the Ghost, petulantly, "but it was a#M#Jpurely f# R,19:47:45/18,#"Y@ S,19:47:45,x#Damily matter, and concerned no one else."#M#J#M#J"It is very wrong to kill any one," _ R,19:47:45/18,##YA S,19:47:45,x$Dsaid Virginia, who at times had a#M#Jsweet puritan gravity, caught from some old New R,19:47:45/18,#$YB S,19:47:45,x%DEngland ancestor.#M#J#M#J"Oh, I hate the cheap severity of abstract ethics! My wife J R,19:47:45/18,#%YC S,19:47:45,y&Dwas very#M#Jplain, never had my ruffs properly starched, and knew nothing about#M#Jcoo< R,19:47:45/18,#&YD S,19:47:45,x'Dkery. Why, there was a buck I had shot in Hogley Woods, a#M#Jmagnificent pricket, an7 R,19:47:45/18,#'YE S,19:47:45,x(Dd do you know how she had it sent to table?#M#JHowever, it is no matter now, for it i, R,19:47:45/18,#(YF S,19:47:45,x)Ds all over, and I don't think it#M#Jwas very nice of her brothers to starve me to dea. R,19:47:45/18,#)YG S,19:47:45,x*Dth, though I did kill#M#Jher."#M#J#M#J"Starve you to death? Oh, Mr. Ghost--I mean Si; R,19:47:45/18,#*YH S,19:47:45,x+Dr Simon, are you#M#Jhungry? I have a sandwich in my case. Would you like it?"#M#J#M9 R,19:47:45/18,#+YI S,19:47:45,x,D#J"No, thank you, I never eat anything now; but it is very kind of you,#M#Jall the sa. R,19:47:45/18,#,YJ S,19:47:45,x-Dme, and you are much nicer than the rest of your horrid,#M#Jrude, vulgar, dishonest f? R,19:47:45/18,#-YK S,19:47:45,y.Damily."#M#J#M#J"Stop!" cried Virginia, stamping her foot, "it is you who are rude,#M#JH R,19:47:45/18,#.YL S,19:47:45,x/Dand horrid, and vulgar, and as for dishonesty, you know you stole the#M#Jpaints out o; R,19:47:45/18,#/YM S,19:47:45,x0Df my box to try and furbish up that ridiculous blood-stain#M#Jin the library. First > R,19:47:45/18,#0YN S,19:47:45,x1Dyou took all my reds, including the vermilion,#M#Jand I couldn't do any more sunsets,G R,19:47:45/18,#1YO S,19:47:45,x2D then you took the emerald-green#M#Jand the chrome-yellow, and finally I had nothing # R,19:47:45/18,#2YP S,19:47:45,x3Dleft but indigo and#M#JChinese white, and could only do moonlight scenes, which are aD R,19:47:45/18,#3YQ S,19:47:45,x4Dlways#M#Jdepressing to look at, and not at all easy to paint. I never told on#M#Jyou/ R,19:47:45/18,#4YR S,19:47:45,x5D, though I was very much annoyed, and it was most ridiculous, the#M#Jwhole thing; forV R,19:47:45/18,#5YS S,19:47:45,x6D who ever heard of emerald-green blood?"#M#J#M#J"Well, really," said the Ghost, rathe/ R,19:47:45/18,#6YT S,19:47:45,x7Dr meekly, "what was I to do? It#M#Jis a very difficult thing to get real blood nowad[ R,19:47:45/18,#7YU S,19:47:45,x8Days, and, as your#M#Jbrother began it all with his Paragon Detergent, I certainly sawM R,19:47:45/18,#8YV S,19:47:45,x9D no#M#Jreason why I should not have your paints. As for colour, that is#M#Jalways a " R,19:47:45/18,#9YW S,19:47:45,x:Dmatter of taste: the Cantervilles have blue blood, for#M#Jinstance, the very bluest i. R,19:47:45/18,#:YX S,19:47:45,x;Dn England; but I know you Americans don't#M#Jcare for things of this kind."#M#J#M#J"Y_ R,19:47:45/18,#;YY S,19:47:45,xDgh there is a heavy duty on spirits#M#Jof every kind, there will be no difficulty abo5 R,19:47:45/18,#>Y\ S,19:47:45,x?Dut the Custom House, as#M#Jthe officers are all Democrats. Once in New York, you are@ R,19:47:45/18,#?Y] S,19:47:45,x@D sure to be#M#Ja great success. I know lots of people there who would give a hundredJ R,19:47:45/18,#@Y^ S,19:47:45,xAD#M#Jthousand dollars to have a grandfather, and much more than that to#M#Jhave a fami^ R,19:47:45/18,#AY_ S,19:47:45,xBDly ghost."#M#J#M#J"I don't think I should like America."#M#J#M#J"I suppose because we> R,19:47:45/18,#BY S,19:47:45,xCD have no ruins and no curiosities," said#M#JVirginia, satirically.#M#J#M#J"No ruins! A R,19:47:45/18,#CY! S,19:47:45,yDDno curiosities!" answered the Ghost; "you have your navy#M#Jand your manners."#M#J#M#J\ R,19:47:45/18,#DY# S,19:47:45,xED"Good evening; I will go and ask papa to get the twins an extra week's#M#Jholiday."#M: R,19:47:45/18,#EY$ S,19:47:45,xFD#J#M#J"Please don't go, Miss Virginia," he cried; "I am so lonely and so#M#Junhappy, * R,19:47:45/18,#FY% S,19:47:45,xGDand I really don't know what to do. I want to go to sleep#M#Jand I cannot."#M#J#M#J"^ R,19:47:45/18,#GY& S,19:47:45,xHDThat's quite absurd! You have merely to go to bed and blow out the#M#Jcandle. It is= R,19:47:45/18,#HY' S,19:47:45,yID very difficult sometimes to keep awake, especially at#M#Jchurch, but there is no diffW R,19:47:45/18,#IY( S,19:47:45,xJDiculty at all about sleeping. Why, even#M#Jbabies know how to do that, and they are I R,19:47:45/18,#JY) S,19:47:45,xKDnot very clever."#M#J#M#J"I have not slept for three hundred years," he said sadly, aF R,19:47:45/18,#KY* S,19:47:45,xLDnd#M#JVirginia's beautiful blue eyes opened in wonder; "for three hundred#M#Jyears I = R,19:47:45/18,#LY+ S,19:47:45,xMDhave not slept, and I am so tired."#M#J#M#JVirginia grew quite grave, and her little Y R,19:47:45/18,#MY, S,19:47:45,xNDlips trembled like#M#Jrose-leaves. She came towards him, and kneeling down at his si8 R,19:47:45/18,#NY- S,19:47:45,xODde,#M#Jlooked up into his old withered face.#M#J#M#J"Poor, poor Ghost," she murmured;^ R,19:47:45/18,#OY. S,19:47:45,xPD "have you no place where you can#M#Jsleep?"#M#J#M#J"Far away beyond the pine-woods,"N R,19:47:45/18,#PY/ S,19:47:45,xQD he answered, in a low, dreamy voice,#M#J"there is a little garden. There the grass U R,19:47:45/18,#QY0 S,19:47:45,xRDgrows long and deep, there#M#Jare the great white stars of the hemlock flower, there ) R,19:47:45/18,#RY1 S,19:47:45,xSDthe nightingale#M#Jsings all night long. All night long he sings, and the cold cryst7 R,19:47:45/18,#SY2 S,19:47:45,xTDal#M#Jmoon looks down, and the yew-tree spreads out its giant arms over the#M#Jsleepe> R,19:47:45/18,#TY3 S,19:47:45,xUDrs."#M#J#M#JVirginia's eyes grew dim with tears, and she hid her face in her#M#JhandsW R,19:47:45/18,#UY4 S,19:47:45,xVD.#M#J#M#J"You mean the Garden of Death," she whispered.#M#J#M#J"Yes, death. Death muD R,19:47:45/18,#VY5 S,19:47:45,xWDst be so beautiful. To lie in the soft brown#M#Jearth, with the grasses waving above6 R,19:47:45/18,#WY6 S,19:47:45,xXD one's head, and listen to#M#Jsilence. To have no yesterday, and no to-morrow. To fJ R,19:47:45/18,#XY7 S,19:47:45,xYDorget time, to#M#Jforget life, to be at peace. You can help me. You can open for meB R,19:47:45/18,#YY8 S,19:47:45,xZD#M#Jthe portals of death's house, for love is always with you, and love is#M#JstrongeT R,19:47:45/18,#ZY9 S,19:47:45,x[Dr than death is."#M#J#M#JVirginia trembled, a cold shudder ran through her, and for aQ R,19:47:45/18,#[Y: S,19:47:45,y\D few#M#Jmoments there was silence. She felt as if she was in a terrible#M#Jdream.#M#JM R,19:47:45/18,#\Y; S,19:47:45,x]D#M#JThen the ghost spoke again, and his voice sounded like the sighing of#M#Jthe wind/ R,19:47:45/18,#]Y< S,19:47:45,x^D.#M#J#M#J"Have you ever read the old prophecy on the library window?"#M#J#M#J"Oh, oftS R,19:47:45/18,#^Y= S,19:47:45,x_Den," cried the little girl, looking up; "I know it quite well.#M#JIt is painted in cu] R,19:47:45/18,#_Y> S,19:47:45,y Drious black letters, and is difficult to read.#M#JThere are only six lines:#M#J#M#J~$ % R,19:47:45/18,# Y> S,19:47:45,x!D"'When a golden girl can win#M#J~$ Prayer from out the lips of sin,#M#J~$ When the baZ R,19:47:45/18,#!Y? S,19:47:45,y"Drren almond bears,#M#J~$ And a little child gives away its tears,#M#J~$ Then shall allU R,19:47:45/18,#"Y@ S,19:47:45,x#D the house be still#M#J~$ And peace come to Canterville.'#M#J#M#J"But I don't know wh$ R,19:47:45/18,##YA S,19:47:45,x$Dat they mean."#M#J#M#J"They mean," he said, sadly, "that you must weep with me for my0 R,19:47:45/18,#$YB S,19:47:45,x%D sins,#M#Jbecause I have no tears, and pray with me for my soul, because I have#M#Jno. R,19:47:45/18,#%YC S,19:47:45,x&D faith, and then, if you have always been sweet, and good, and#M#Jgentle, the angel o4 R,19:47:45/18,#&YD S,19:47:45,x'Df death will have mercy on me. You will see#M#Jfearful shapes in darkness, and wickeF R,19:47:45/18,#'YE S,19:47:45,x(Dd voices will whisper in your#M#Jear, but they will not harm you, for against the pur8 R,19:47:45/18,#(YF S,19:47:45,x)Dity of a little#M#Jchild the powers of Hell cannot prevail."#M#J#M#JVirginia made no + R,19:47:45/18,#)YG S,19:47:45,x*Danswer, and the ghost wrung his hands in wild despair#M#Jas he looked down at her bow? R,19:47:45/18,#*YH S,19:47:45,x+Ded golden head. Suddenly she stood up,#M#Jvery pale, and with a strange light in herO R,19:47:45/18,#+YI S,19:47:45,x,D eyes. "I am not afraid,"#M#Jshe said firmly, "and I will ask the angel to have mercU R,19:47:45/18,#,YJ S,19:47:45,y-Dy on you."#M#J#M#JHe rose from his seat with a faint cry of joy, and taking her hand#M^ R,19:47:45/18,#-YK S,19:47:45,x.D#Jbent over it with old-fashioned grace and kissed it. His fingers were#M#Jas cold aO R,19:47:45/18,#.YL S,19:47:45,x/Ds ice, and his lips burned like fire, but Virginia did not#M#Jfalter, as he led her aG R,19:47:45/18,#/YM S,19:47:45,x0Dcross the dusky room. On the faded green#M#Jtapestry were broidered little huntsmen.B R,19:47:45/18,#0YN S,19:47:45,x1D They blew their tasselled#M#Jhorns and with their tiny hands waved to her to go bac* R,19:47:45/18,#1YO S,19:47:45,y2Dk. "Go back!#M#Jlittle Virginia," they cried, "go back!" but the ghost clutched her#M) R,19:47:45/18,#2YP S,19:47:45,x3D#Jhand more tightly, and she shut her eyes against them. Horrible#M#Janimals with liW R,19:47:45/18,#3YQ S,19:47:45,x4Dzard tails and goggle eyes blinked at her from the#M#Jcarven chimneypiece, and murmur7 R,19:47:45/18,#4YR S,19:47:45,x5Ded, "Beware! little Virginia, beware!#M#Jwe may never see you again," but the Ghost gK R,19:47:45/18,#5YS S,19:47:45,x6Dlided on more swiftly, and#M#JVirginia did not listen. When they reached the end of 1 R,19:47:45/18,#6YT S,19:47:45,x7Dthe room he#M#Jstopped, and muttered some words she could not understand. She opened1 R,19:47:45/18,#7YU S,19:47:45,x8D#M#Jher eyes, and saw the wall slowly fading away like a mist, and a great#M#Jblack c< R,19:47:45/18,#8YV S,19:47:45,x9Davern in front of her. A bitter cold wind swept round them,#M#Jand she felt somethinL R,19:47:45/18,#9YW S,19:47:45,x:Dg pulling at her dress. "Quick, quick," cried#M#Jthe Ghost, "or it will be too late,J R,19:47:45/18,#:YX S,19:47:45,x;D" and in a moment the wainscoting#M#Jhad closed behind them, and the Tapestry ChamberH R,19:47:45/18,#;YY S,19:47:45,2FVI.TXT[ R,19:47:45/18,#>Y\ S,19:47:45,y?D~$#I VI#M#J#M#JAbout ten minutes later, the bell rang for tea, and, as Virginia did#MS R,19:47:45/18,#?Y] S,19:47:45,x@D#Jnot come down, Mrs. Otis sent up one of the footmen to tell her.#M#JAfter a little R R,19:47:45/18,#@Y^ S,19:47:45,xADtime he returned and said that he could not find Miss#M#JVirginia anywhere. As she w. R,19:47:45/18,#AY_ S,19:47:45,xBDas in the habit of going out to the garden#M#Jevery evening to get flowers for the diV R,19:47:45/18,#BY S,19:47:45,xCDnner-table, Mrs. Otis was not#M#Jat all alarmed at first, but when six o'clock struck* R,19:47:45/18,#CY! S,19:47:45,xDD, and Virginia did#M#Jnot appear, she became really agitated, and sent the boys out tJ R,19:47:45/18,#DY# S,19:47:45,xEDo look#M#Jfor her, while she herself and Mr. Otis searched every room in the#M#Jhouse7 R,19:47:45/18,#EY$ S,19:47:45,xFD. At half-past six the boys came back and said that they could#M#Jfind no trace of t' R,19:47:45/18,#FY% S,19:47:45,xGDheir sister anywhere. They were all now in the#M#Jgreatest state of excitement, and 0 R,19:47:45/18,#GY& S,19:47:45,xHDdid not know what to do, when Mr.#M#JOtis suddenly remembered that, some few days befJ R,19:47:45/18,#HY' S,19:47:45,xIDore, he had given a#M#Jband of gipsies permission to camp in the park. He accordingl, R,19:47:45/18,#IY( S,19:47:45,xJDy at#M#Jonce set off for Blackfell Hollow, where he knew they were,#M#Jaccompanied byI R,19:47:45/18,#JY) S,19:47:45,xKD his eldest son and two of the farm-servants. The#M#Jlittle Duke of Cheshire, who wa^ R,19:47:45/18,#KY* S,19:47:45,xLDs perfectly frantic with anxiety,#M#Jbegged hard to be allowed to go too, but Mr. OtiD R,19:47:45/18,#LY+ S,19:47:45,xMDs would not allow him,#M#Jas he was afraid there might be a scuffle. On arriving at T R,19:47:45/18,#MY, S,19:47:45,xNDthe spot,#M#Jhowever, he found that the gipsies had gone, and it was evident that#M#J1 R,19:47:45/18,#NY- S,19:47:45,xODtheir departure had been rather sudden, as the fire was still burning,#M#Jand some pl_ R,19:47:45/18,#OY. S,19:47:45,xPDates were lying on the grass. Having sent off Washington#M#Jand the two men to scour* R,19:47:45/18,#PY/ S,19:47:45,xQD the district, he ran home, and despatched#M#Jtelegrams to all the police inspectors P R,19:47:45/18,#QY0 S,19:47:45,xRDin the county, telling them to#M#Jlook out for a little girl who had been kidnapped b* R,19:47:45/18,#RY1 S,19:47:45,ySDy tramps or#M#Jgipsies. He then ordered his horse to be brought round, and, after#M#JO R,19:47:45/18,#SY2 S,19:47:45,xTDinsisting on his wife and the three boys sitting down to dinner, rode#M#Joff down the$ R,19:47:45/18,#TY3 S,19:47:45,xUD Ascot road with a groom. He had hardly, however, gone a#M#Jcouple of miles, when heB R,19:47:45/18,#UY4 S,19:47:45,xVD heard somebody galloping after him, and,#M#Jlooking round, saw the little Duke cominN R,19:47:45/18,#VY5 S,19:47:45,xWDg up on his pony, with his#M#Jface very flushed, and no hat. "I'm awfully sorry, Mr.3 R,19:47:45/18,#WY6 S,19:47:45,xXD Otis," gasped#M#Jout the boy, "but I can't eat any dinner as long as Virginia is losC R,19:47:45/18,#XY7 S,19:47:45,xYDt.#M#JPlease don't be angry with me; if you had let us be engaged last year,#M#Jthere< R,19:47:45/18,#YY8 S,19:47:45,xZD would never have been all this trouble. You won't send me back,#M#Jwill you? I canO R,19:47:45/18,#ZY9 S,19:47:45,x[D't go! I won't go!"#M#J#M#JThe Minister could not help smiling at the handsome young\ R,19:47:45/18,#[Y: S,19:47:45,x\D scapegrace,#M#Jand was a good deal touched at his devotion to Virginia, so leaning#M5 R,19:47:45/18,#\Y; S,19:47:45,x]D#Jdown from his horse, he patted him kindly on the shoulders, and said,#M#J"Well, CecH R,19:47:45/18,#]Y< S,19:47:45,x^Dil, if you won't go back, I suppose you must come with me,#M#Jbut I must get you a haI R,19:47:45/18,#^Y= S,19:47:45,x_Dt at Ascot."#M#J#M#J"Oh, bother my hat! I want Virginia!" cried the little Duke,#M#J^ R,19:47:45/18,#_Y> S,19:47:45,x Dlaughing, and they galloped on to the railway station. There Mr.#M#JOtis inquired ofP R,19:47:45/18,# Y> S,19:47:45,x!D the station-master if any one answering to the#M#Jdescription of Virginia had been s/ R,19:47:45/18,#!Y? S,19:47:45,x"Deen on the platform, but could get#M#Jno news of her. The station-master, however, w- R,19:47:45/18,#"Y@ S,19:47:45,x#Dired up and down the#M#Jline, and assured him that a strict watch would be kept for h' R,19:47:45/18,##YA S,19:47:45,y$Der, and,#M#Jafter having bought a hat for the little Duke from a linen-draper, who#M#J# R,19:47:45/18,#$YB S,19:47:45,x%Dwas just putting up his shutters, Mr. Otis rode off to Bexley, a#M#Jvillage about fou$ R,19:47:45/18,#%YC S,19:47:45,x&Dr miles away, which he was told was a well-known#M#Jhaunt of the gipsies, as there wa] R,19:47:45/18,#&YD S,19:47:45,x'Ds a large common next to it. Here#M#Jthey roused up the rural policeman, but could g@ R,19:47:45/18,#'YE S,19:47:45,x(Det no information from#M#Jhim, and, after riding all over the common, they turned the" R,19:47:45/18,#(YF S,19:47:45,x)Dir horses'#M#Jheads homewards, and reached the Chase about eleven o'clock,#M#Jdead-tiU R,19:47:45/18,#)YG S,19:47:45,x*Dred and almost heart-broken. They found Washington and the#M#Jtwins waiting for them< R,19:47:45/18,#*YH S,19:47:45,x+D at the gate-house with lanterns, as the avenue#M#Jwas very dark. Not the slightest R,19:47:45/18,#+YI S,19:47:45,x,Dtrace of Virginia had been#M#Jdiscovered. The gipsies had been caught on Brockley meD R,19:47:45/18,#,YJ S,19:47:45,x-Dadows, but she#M#Jwas not with them, and they had explained their sudden departure by) R,19:47:45/18,#-YK S,19:47:45,x.D#M#Jsaying that they had mistaken the date of Chorton Fair, and had gone#M#Joff in a R,19:47:45/18,#.YL S,19:47:45,x/Dhurry for fear they should be late. Indeed, they had been#M#Jquite distressed at heaI R,19:47:45/18,#/YM S,19:47:45,x0Dring of Virginia's disappearance, as they were#M#Jvery grateful to Mr. Otis for havin+ R,19:47:45/18,#0YN S,19:47:45,x1Dg allowed them to camp in his#M#Jpark, and four of their number had stayed behind to O R,19:47:45/18,#1YO S,19:47:45,x2Dhelp in the#M#Jsearch. The carp-pond had been dragged, and the whole Chase#M#Jthorou+ R,19:47:45/18,#2YP S,19:47:45,x3Dghly gone over, but without any result. It was evident that,#M#Jfor that night at anR R,19:47:45/18,#3YQ S,19:47:45,x4Dy rate, Virginia was lost to them; and it was in a#M#Jstate of the deepest depression R,19:47:45/18,#4YR S,19:47:45,x5D that Mr. Otis and the boys walked up#M#Jto the house, the groom following behind witD R,19:47:45/18,#5YS S,19:47:45,x6Dh the two horses and the#M#Jpony. In the hall they found a group of frightened servaD R,19:47:45/18,#6YT S,19:47:45,x7Dnts, and#M#Jlying on a sofa in the library was poor Mrs. Otis, almost out of her#M#JmZ R,19:47:45/18,#7YU S,19:47:45,x8Dind with terror and anxiety, and having her forehead bathed with eau#M#Jde cologne by_ R,19:47:45/18,#8YV S,19:47:45,x9D the old housekeeper. Mr. Otis at once insisted on her#M#Jhaving something to eat, a[ R,19:47:45/18,#9YW S,19:47:45,x:Dnd ordered up supper for the whole party.#M#JIt was a melancholy meal, as hardly any V R,19:47:45/18,#:YX S,19:47:45,x;Done spoke, and even the twins#M#Jwere awestruck and subdued, as they were very fond oP R,19:47:45/18,#;YY S,19:47:45,xDthat night, and that he would telegraph in the morning to#M#JScotland Yard for some d# R,19:47:45/18,#>Y\ S,19:47:45,x?Detectives to be sent down immediately. Just#M#Jas they were passing out of the dinin@ R,19:47:45/18,#?Y] S,19:47:45,x@Dg-room, midnight began to boom#M#Jfrom the clock tower, and when the last stroke sounM R,19:47:45/18,#@Y^ S,19:47:45,xADded they heard a#M#Jcrash and a sudden shrill cry; a dreadful peal of thunder shook tY R,19:47:45/18,#AY_ S,19:47:45,xBDhe#M#Jhouse, a strain of unearthly music floated through the air, a panel at#M#Jthe t_ R,19:47:45/18,#BY S,19:47:45,xCDop of the staircase flew back with a loud noise, and out on the#M#Jlanding, looking vH R,19:47:45/18,#CY! S,19:47:45,xDDery pale and white, with a little casket in her#M#Jhand, stepped Virginia. In a mome5 R,19:47:45/18,#DY# S,19:47:45,xEDnt they had all rushed up to her.#M#JMrs. Otis clasped her passionately in her arms, M R,19:47:45/18,#EY$ S,19:47:45,xFDthe Duke smothered#M#Jher with violent kisses, and the twins executed a wild war-danc/ R,19:47:45/18,#FY% S,19:47:45,xGDe round#M#Jthe group.#M#J#M#J"Good heavens! child, where have you been?" said Mr. Oti= R,19:47:45/18,#GY& S,19:47:45,xHDs, rather#M#Jangrily, thinking that she had been playing some foolish trick on#M#Jthe1 R,19:47:45/18,#HY' S,19:47:45,xIDm. "Cecil and I have been riding all over the country looking for#M#Jyou, and your mR R,19:47:45/18,#IY( S,19:47:45,xJDother has been frightened to death. You must never#M#Jplay these practical jokes any R,19:47:45/18,#JY) S,19:47:45,xKD more."#M#J#M#J"Except on the Ghost! except on the Ghost!" shrieked the twins, as#M#JF R,19:47:45/18,#KY* S,19:47:45,xLDthey capered about.#M#J#M#J"My own darling, thank God you are found; you must never l1 R,19:47:45/18,#LY+ S,19:47:45,yMDeave my side#M#Jagain," murmured Mrs. Otis, as she kissed the trembling child, and#M#J: R,19:47:45/18,#MY, S,19:47:45,xNDsmoothed the tangled gold of her hair.#M#J#M#J"Papa," said Virginia, quietly, "I haveT R,19:47:45/18,#NY- S,19:47:45,xOD been with the Ghost. He is#M#Jdead, and you must come and see him. He had been verR R,19:47:45/18,#OY. S,19:47:45,xPDy wicked, but he#M#Jwas really sorry for all that he had done, and he gave me this bo, R,19:47:45/18,#PY/ S,19:47:45,xQDx of#M#Jbeautiful jewels before he died."#M#J#M#JThe whole family gazed at her in mutS R,19:47:45/18,#QY0 S,19:47:45,xRDe amazement, but she was quite#M#Jgrave and serious; and, turning round, she led them' R,19:47:45/18,#RY1 S,19:47:45,ySD through the#M#Jopening in the wainscoting down a narrow secret corridor, Washington#M9 R,19:47:45/18,#SY2 S,19:47:45,xTD#Jfollowing with a lighted candle, which he had caught up from the#M#Jtable. Finally' R,19:47:45/18,#TY3 S,19:47:45,xUD, they came to a great oak door, studded with rusty#M#Jnails. When Virginia touched J R,19:47:45/18,#UY4 S,19:47:45,xVDit, it swung back on its heavy hinges,#M#Jand they found themselves in a little low r" R,19:47:45/18,#VY5 S,19:47:45,xWDoom, with a vaulted#M#Jceiling, and one tiny grated window. Imbedded in the wall was: R,19:47:45/18,#WY6 S,19:47:45,xXD a huge#M#Jiron ring, and chained to it was a gaunt skeleton, that was stretched#M#JoY R,19:47:45/18,#XY7 S,19:47:45,xYDut at full length on the stone floor, and seemed to be trying to#M#Jgrasp with its lo/ R,19:47:45/18,#YY8 S,19:47:45,xZDng fleshless fingers an old-fashioned trencher and#M#Jewer, that were placed just outC R,19:47:45/18,#ZY9 S,19:47:45,x[D of its reach. The jug had evidently#M#Jbeen once filled with water, as it was cover) R,19:47:45/18,#[Y: S,19:47:45,x\Ded inside with green#M#Jmould. There was nothing on the trencher but a pile of dust." R,19:47:45/18,#\Y; S,19:47:45,x]D#M#JVirginia knelt down beside the skeleton, and, folding her little hands#M#JtogetheN R,19:47:45/18,#]Y< S,19:47:45,x^Dr, began to pray silently, while the rest of the party looked#M#Jon in wonder at the & R,19:47:45/18,#^Y= S,19:47:45,x_Dterrible tragedy whose secret was now disclosed to#M#Jthem.#M#J#M#J"Hallo!" suddenly > R,19:47:45/18,#_Y> S,19:47:45,x Dexclaimed one of the twins, who had been looking out#M#Jof the window to try and discD R,19:47:45/18,# Y> S,19:47:45,x!Dover in what wing of the house the room#M#Jwas situated. "Hallo! the old withered al( R,19:47:45/18,#!Y? S,19:47:45,x"Dmond-tree has blossomed. I#M#Jcan see the flowers quite plainly in the moonlight."#M_ R,19:47:45/18,#"Y@ S,19:47:45,x#D#J#M#J"God has forgiven him," said Virginia, gravely, as she rose to her#M#Jfeet, and( R,19:47:45/18,##YA S,19:47:45,x$D a beautiful light seemed to illumine her face.#M#J#M#J"What an angel you are!" cried2 R,19:47:45/18,#$YB S,19:47:45,m%D the young Duke, and he put his arm#M#Jround her neck, and kissed her.#M#J. R,19:47:45/18,#%YC S,19:47:45,#&ZE R,19:47:45/18,#&YD S,19:47:45,*'FVII.TXTO R,19:47:45/18,#'YE S,19:47:45,x(D~$#I VII#M#J#M#JFour days after these curious incidents, a funeral started from#M#JCa_ R,19:47:45/18,#(YF S,19:47:45,x)Dnterville Chase at about eleven o'clock at night. The hearse was#M#Jdrawn by eight bY R,19:47:45/18,#)YG S,19:47:45,x*Dlack horses, each of which carried on its head a great#M#Jtuft of nodding ostrich-pluY R,19:47:45/18,#*YH S,19:47:45,x+Dmes, and the leaden coffin was covered by a#M#Jrich purple pall, on which was embroidI R,19:47:45/18,#+YI S,19:47:45,x,Dered in gold the Canterville#M#Jcoat-of-arms. By the side of the hearse and the coac- R,19:47:45/18,#,YJ S,19:47:45,x-Dhes walked the#M#Jservants with lighted torches, and the whole procession was#M#JwondQ R,19:47:45/18,#-YK S,19:47:45,x.Derfully impressive. Lord Canterville was the chief mourner,#M#Jhaving come up speciaF R,19:47:45/18,#.YL S,19:47:45,y/Dlly from Wales to attend the funeral, and sat in#M#Jthe first carriage along with litt- R,19:47:45/18,#/YM S,19:47:45,x0Dle Virginia. Then came the United#M#JStates Minister and his wife, then Washington aQ R,19:47:45/18,#0YN S,19:47:45,x1Dnd the three boys, and#M#Jin the last carriage was Mrs. Umney. It was generally felt9 R,19:47:45/18,#1YO S,19:47:45,y2D that, as#M#Jshe had been frightened by the ghost for more than fifty years of her#M#JC R,19:47:45/18,#2YP S,19:47:45,x3Dlife, she had a right to see the last of him. A deep grave had been#M#Jdug in the co? R,19:47:45/18,#3YQ S,19:47:45,x4Drner of the churchyard, just under the old yew-tree, and#M#Jthe service was read in t, R,19:47:45/18,#4YR S,19:47:45,x5Dhe most impressive manner by the Rev.#M#JAugustus Dampier. When the ceremony was ove9 R,19:47:45/18,#5YS S,19:47:45,x6Dr, the servants, according#M#Jto an old custom observed in the Canterville family, ex] R,19:47:45/18,#6YT S,19:47:45,x7Dtinguished#M#Jtheir torches, and, as the coffin was being lowered into the grave,#M#JK R,19:47:45/18,#7YU S,19:47:45,x8DVirginia stepped forward, and laid on it a large cross made of white#M#Jand pink almo8 R,19:47:45/18,#8YV S,19:47:45,x9Dnd-blossoms. As she did so, the moon came out from#M#Jbehind a cloud, and flooded wi> R,19:47:45/18,#9YW S,19:47:45,x:Dth its silent silver the little#M#Jchurchyard, and from a distant copse a nightingale/ R,19:47:45/18,#:YX S,19:47:45,x;D began to sing. She#M#Jthought of the ghost's description of the Garden of Death, heJ R,19:47:45/18,#;YY S,19:47:45,x R,19:47:45/18,#Dn interview with him on the subject of the jewels the ghost had#M#Jgiven to Virginia." R,19:47:45/18,#>Y\ S,19:47:45,x?D They were perfectly magnificent, especially a#M#Jcertain ruby necklace with old VenT R,19:47:45/18,#?Y] S,19:47:45,x@Detian setting, which was really a#M#Jsuperb specimen of sixteenth-century work, and t? R,19:47:45/18,#@Y^ S,19:47:45,xADheir value was so#M#Jgreat that Mr. Otis felt considerable scruples about allowing hiO R,19:47:45/18,#AY_ S,19:47:45,xBDs#M#Jdaughter to accept them.#M#J#M#J"My lord," he said, "I know that in this country* R,19:47:45/18,#BY S,19:47:45,xCD mortmain is held to#M#Japply to trinkets as well as to land, and it is quite clear t8 R,19:47:45/18,#CY! S,19:47:45,yDDo me that#M#Jthese jewels are, or should be, heirlooms in your family. I must beg#M#J@ R,19:47:45/18,#DY# S,19:47:45,xEDyou, accordingly, to take them to London with you, and to regard them#M#Jsimply as a 9 R,19:47:45/18,#EY$ S,19:47:45,xFDportion of your property which has been restored to you#M#Junder certain strange cond# R,19:47:45/18,#FY% S,19:47:45,xGDitions. As for my daughter, she is merely a#M#Jchild, and has as yet, I am glad to s' R,19:47:45/18,#GY& S,19:47:45,xHDay, but little interest in such#M#Jappurtenances of idle luxury. I am also informed F R,19:47:45/18,#HY' S,19:47:45,xIDby Mrs. Otis, who,#M#JI may say, is no mean authority upon Art,--having had the priviU R,19:47:45/18,#IY( S,19:47:45,xJDlege of#M#Jspending several winters in Boston when she was a girl,--that these#M#Jgem) R,19:47:45/18,#JY) S,19:47:45,xKDs are of great monetary worth, and if offered for sale would fetch#M#Ja tall price. 5 R,19:47:45/18,#KY* S,19:47:45,xLDUnder these circumstances, Lord Canterville, I feel#M#Jsure that you will recognize h- R,19:47:45/18,#LY+ S,19:47:45,xMDow impossible it would be for me to#M#Jallow them to remain in the possession of any ' R,19:47:45/18,#MY, S,19:47:45,xNDmember of my family;#M#Jand, indeed, all such vain gauds and toys, however suitable o/ R,19:47:45/18,#NY- S,19:47:45,xODr#M#Jnecessary to the dignity of the British aristocracy, would be#M#Jcompletely out & R,19:47:45/18,#OY. S,19:47:45,xPDof place among those who have been brought up on the#M#Jsevere, and I believe immorta* R,19:47:45/18,#PY/ S,19:47:45,xQDl, principles of Republican simplicity.#M#JPerhaps I should mention that Virginia is 8 R,19:47:45/18,#QY0 S,19:47:45,xRDvery anxious that you should#M#Jallow her to retain the box, as a memento of your unf) R,19:47:45/18,#RY1 S,19:47:45,ySDortunate but#M#Jmisguided ancestor. As it is extremely old, and consequently a good#M R,19:47:45/18,#SY2 S,19:47:45,xTD#Jdeal out of repair, you may perhaps think fit to comply with her#M#Jrequest. For mD R,19:47:45/18,#TY3 S,19:47:45,xUDy own part, I confess I am a good deal surprised to#M#Jfind a child of mine expressinZ R,19:47:45/18,#UY4 S,19:47:45,xVDg sympathy with mediaevalism in any#M#Jform, and can only account for it by the fact 4 R,19:47:45/18,#VY5 S,19:47:45,xWDthat Virginia was born#M#Jin one of your London suburbs shortly after Mrs. Otis had r* R,19:47:45/18,#WY6 S,19:47:45,xXDeturned#M#Jfrom a trip to Athens."#M#J#M#JLord Canterville listened very gravely to t( R,19:47:45/18,#XY7 S,19:47:45,xYDhe worthy Minister's#M#Jspeech, pulling his grey moustache now and then to hide an inO R,19:47:45/18,#YY8 S,19:47:45,xZDvoluntary#M#Jsmile, and when Mr. Otis had ended, he shook him cordially by the#M#Jhan; R,19:47:45/18,#ZY9 S,19:47:45,x[Dd, and said: "My dear sir, your charming little daughter rendered#M#Jmy unlucky ances/ R,19:47:45/18,#[Y: S,19:47:45,x\Dtor, Sir Simon, a very important service, and I and my#M#Jfamily are much indebted to9 R,19:47:45/18,#\Y; S,19:47:45,x]D her for her marvellous courage and pluck.#M#JThe jewels are clearly hers, and, egad,7 R,19:47:45/18,#]Y< S,19:47:45,x^D I believe that if I were#M#Jheartless enough to take them from her, the wicked old f= R,19:47:45/18,#^Y= S,19:47:45,x_Dellow would be#M#Jout of his grave in a fortnight, leading me the devil of a life. AL R,19:47:45/18,#_Y> S,19:47:45,x Ds#M#Jfor their being heirlooms, nothing is an heirloom that is not so#M#Jmentioned in+ R,19:47:45/18,# Y> S,19:47:45,x!D a will or legal document, and the existence of these#M#Jjewels has been quite unknow9 R,19:47:45/18,#!Y? S,19:47:45,x"Dn. I assure you I have no more claim on#M#Jthem than your butler, and when Miss Virg+ R,19:47:45/18,#"Y@ S,19:47:45,x#Dinia grows up, I dare say she#M#Jwill be pleased to have pretty things to wear. BesiO R,19:47:45/18,##YA S,19:47:45,x$Ddes, you forget,#M#JMr. Otis, that you took the furniture and the ghost at a valuatio4 R,19:47:45/18,#$YB S,19:47:45,x%Dn,#M#Jand anything that belonged to the ghost passed at once into your#M#Jpossession,J R,19:47:45/18,#%YC S,19:47:45,x&D as, whatever activity Sir Simon may have shown in the#M#Jcorridor at night, in pointX R,19:47:45/18,#&YD S,19:47:45,x'D of law he was really dead, and you#M#Jacquired his property by purchase."#M#J#M#JMr.* R,19:47:45/18,#'YE S,19:47:45,x(D Otis was a good deal distressed at Lord Canterville's refusal,#M#Jand begged him to 0 R,19:47:45/18,#(YF S,19:47:45,x)Dreconsider his decision, but the good-natured peer#M#Jwas quite firm, and finally ind[ R,19:47:45/18,#)YG S,19:47:45,x*Duced the Minister to allow his daughter#M#Jto retain the present the ghost had given @ R,19:47:45/18,#*YH S,19:47:45,x+Dher, and when, in the spring#M#Jof 1890, the young Duchess of Cheshire was presented 8 R,19:47:45/18,#+YI S,19:47:45,x,Dat the Queen's#M#Jfirst drawing-room on the occasion of her marriage, her jewels wereC R,19:47:45/18,#,YJ S,19:47:45,x-D#M#Jthe universal theme of admiration. For Virginia received the coronet,#M#Jwhich iH R,19:47:45/18,#-YK S,19:47:45,x.Ds the reward of all good little American girls, and was married#M#Jto her boy-lover aY R,19:47:45/18,#.YL S,19:47:45,x/Ds soon as he came of age. They were both so#M#Jcharming, and they loved each other s" R,19:47:45/18,#/YM S,19:47:45,x0Do much, that every one was#M#Jdelighted at the match, except the old Marchioness of D4 R,19:47:45/18,#0YN S,19:47:45,x1Dumbleton, who#M#Jhad tried to catch the Duke for one of her seven unmarried daughters- R,19:47:45/18,#1YO S,19:47:45,x2D,#M#Jand had given no less than three expensive dinner-parties for that#M#Jpurpose, a3 R,19:47:45/18,#2YP S,19:47:45,x3Dnd, strange to say, Mr. Otis himself. Mr. Otis was#M#Jextremely fond of the young Du] R,19:47:45/18,#3YQ S,19:47:45,x4Dke personally, but, theoretically, he#M#Jobjected to titles, and, to use his own word# R,19:47:45/18,#4YR S,19:47:45,x5Ds, "was not without#M#Japprehension lest, amid the enervating influences of a pleasur_ R,19:47:45/18,#5YS S,19:47:45,x6De-loving#M#Jaristocracy, the true principles of Republican simplicity should be#M#JfoC R,19:47:45/18,#6YT S,19:47:45,x7Drgotten." His objections, however, were completely overruled, and I#M#Jbelieve that M R,19:47:45/18,#7YU S,19:47:45,x8Dwhen he walked up the aisle of St. George's, Hanover#M#JSquare, with his daughter lea\ R,19:47:45/18,#8YV S,19:47:45,x9Dning on his arm, there was not a prouder#M#Jman in the whole length and breadth of EnM R,19:47:45/18,#9YW S,19:47:45,x:Dgland.#M#J#M#JThe Duke and Duchess, after the honeymoon was over, went down to#M#JCan) R,19:47:45/18,#:YX S,19:47:45,y;Dterville Chase, and on the day after their arrival they walked over#M#Jin the afternoo! R,19:47:45/18,#;YY S,19:47:45,xD been decided to engrave on#M#Jit simply the initials of the old gentleman's name, an] R,19:47:45/18,#>Y\ S,19:47:45,x?Dd the verse from#M#Jthe library window. The Duchess had brought with her some lovelyU R,19:47:45/18,#?Y] S,19:47:45,x@D#M#Jroses, which she strewed upon the grave, and after they had stood by#M#Jit for so; R,19:47:45/18,#@Y^ S,19:47:45,xADme time they strolled into the ruined chancel of the old#M#Jabbey. There the Duchess< R,19:47:45/18,#AY_ S,19:47:45,xBD sat down on a fallen pillar, while her#M#Jhusband lay at her feet smoking a cigarett" R,19:47:45/18,#BY S,19:47:45,xCDe and looking up at her#M#Jbeautiful eyes. Suddenly he threw his cigarette away, tooP R,19:47:45/18,#CY! S,19:47:45,xDDk hold of#M#Jher hand, and said to her, "Virginia, a wife should have no secrets#M#Jf- R,19:47:45/18,#DY# S,19:47:45,xEDrom her husband."#M#J#M#J"Dear Cecil! I have no secrets from you."#M#J#M#J"Yes, you 7 R,19:47:45/18,#EY$ S,19:47:45,xFDhave," he answered, smiling, "you have never told me what#M#Jhappened to you when youU R,19:47:45/18,#FY% S,19:47:45,xGD were locked up with the ghost."#M#J#M#J"I have never told any one, Cecil," said Virg[ R,19:47:45/18,#GY& S,19:47:45,xHDinia, gravely.#M#J#M#J"I know that, but you might tell me."#M#J#M#J"Please don't ask " R,19:47:45/18,#HY' S,19:47:45,xIDme, Cecil, I cannot tell you. Poor Sir Simon! I#M#Jowe him a great deal. Yes, don'[ R,19:47:45/18,#IY( S,19:47:45,xJDt laugh, Cecil, I really do. He made#M#Jme see what Life is, and what Death signifie= R,19:47:45/18,#JY) S,19:47:45,xKDs, and why Love is#M#Jstronger than both."#M#J#M#JThe Duke rose and kissed his wife lK R,19:47:45/18,#KY* S,19:47:45,xLDovingly.#M#J#M#J"You can have your secret as long as I have your heart," he murmured.$ R,19:47:45/18,#LY+ S,19:47:45,xMD#M#J#M#J"You have always had that, Cecil."#M#J#M#J"And you will tell our children som6 R,19:47:45/18,#MY, S,19:47:45,RNDe day, won't you?"#M#J#M#JVirginia blushed.#M#J( R,19:47:45/18,#NY- S,19:47:45,#OZ/ R,19:47:45/18,#OY. S,19:47:45,#PBW R,19:47:45/18,#PY/ R,19:47:45/30,$ GF4 S,19:47:45,# Y>