the notch on the ax and on being found out-第4节

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that　minute；　I　had　deposited　in　my　own　mind　as　a　fact　worth
remembering。　　Neither　had　Bottles　ever　taken　the　least　notice　of
any　of　our　many　uproars。　　An　imperturbable　and　speechless　man；　he
had　sat　at　his　supper；　with　Streaker　present　in　a　swoon；　and　the
Odd　Girl　marble；　and　had　only　put　another　potato　in　his　cheek；　or
profited　by　the　general　misery　to　help　himself　to　beefsteak　pie。

〃And　so；〃　continued　my　sister；　〃I　exempt　Bottles。　　And　considering；
John；　that　the　house　is　too　large；　and　perhaps　too　lonely；　to　be
kept　well　in　hand　by　Bottles；　you；　and　me；　I　propose　that　we　cast
about　among　our　friends　for　a　certain　selected　number　of　the　most
reliable　and　willingform　a　Society　here　for　three　monthswait
upon　ourselves　and　one　anotherlive　cheerfully　and　sociallyand
see　what　happens。〃

I　was　so　charmed　with　my　sister；　that　I　embraced　her　on　the　spot；
and　went　into　her　plan　with　the　greatest　ardor。

We　were　then　in　the　third　week　of　November；　but；　we　took　our
measures　so　vigorously；　and　were　so　well　seconded　by　the　friends　in
whom　we　confided；　that　there　was　still　a　week　of　the　month
unexpired；　when　our　party　all　came　down　together　merrily；　and
mustered　in　the　haunted　house。

I　will　mention；　in　this　place；　two　small　changes　that　I　made　while
my　sister　and　I　were　yet　alone。　　It　occurring　to　me　as　not
improbable　that　Turk　howled　in　the　house　at　night；　partly　because
he　wanted　to　get　out　of　it；　I　stationed　him　in　his　kennel　outside；
but　unchained；　and　I　seriously　warned　the　village　that　any　man　who
came　in　his　way　must　not　expect　to　leave　him　without　a　rip　in　his
own　throat。　　I　then　casually　asked　Ikey　if　he　were　a　judge　of　a
gun？　　On　his　saying；　〃Yes；　sir；　I　knows　a　good　gun　when　I　sees
her；〃　I　begged　the　favor　of　his　stepping　up　to　the　house　and
looking　at　mine。

〃SHE'S　a　true　one；　sir；〃　said　Ikey；　after　inspecting　a　double…
barrelled　rifle　that　I　bought　in　New　York　a　few　years　ago。　　〃No
mistake　about　HER；　sir。〃

〃Ikey；〃　said　I；　〃don't　mention　it；　I　have　seen　something　in　this
house。〃

〃No；　sir？〃　he　whispered；　greedily　opening　his　eyes。　　〃'Ooded　lady；
sir？〃

〃Don't　be　frightened；〃　said　I。　　〃It　was　a　figure　rather　like　you。〃

〃Lord；　sir？〃

〃Ikey！〃　said　I；　shaking　hands　with　him　warmly；　I　may　say
affectionately；　〃if　there　is　any　truth　in　these　ghost…stories；　the
greatest　service　I　can　do　you；　is；　to　fire　at　that　figure。　　And　I
promise　you；　by　Heaven　and　earth；　I　will　do　it　with　this　gun　if　I
see　it　again！〃

The　young　man　thanked　me；　and　took　his　leave　with　some　little
precipitation；　after　declining　a　glass　of　liquor。　　I　imparted　my
secret　to　him；　because　I　had　never　quite　forgotten　his　throwing　his
cap　at　the　bell；　because　I　had；　on　another　occasion；　noticed
something　very　like　a　fur　cap；　lying　not　far　from　the　bell；　one
night　when　it　had　burst　out　ringing；　and　because　I　had　remarked
that　we　were　at　our　ghostliest　whenever　he　came　up　in　the　evening
to　comfort　the　servants。　　Let　me　do　Ikey　no　injustice。　　He　was
afraid　of　the　house；　and　believed　in　its　being　haunted；　and　yet　he
would　play　false　on　the　haunting　side；　so　surely　as　he　got　an
opportunity。　The　Odd　Girl's　case　was　exactly　similar。　　She　went
about　the　house　in　a　state　of　real　terror；　and　yet　lied　monstrously
and　wilfully；　and　invented　many　of　the　alarms　she　spread；　and　made
many　of　the　sounds　we　heard。　　I　had　had　my　eye　on　the　two；　and　I
know　it。　　It　is　not　necessary　for　me；　here；　to　account　for　this
preposterous　state　of　mind；　I　content　myself　with　remarking　that　it
is　familiarly　known　to　every　intelligent　man　who　has　had　fair
medical；　legal；　or　other　watchful　experience；　that　it　is　as　well
established　and　as　common　a　state　of　mind　as　any　with　which
observers　are　acquainted；　and　that　it　is　one　of　the　first　elements；
above　all　others；　rationally　to　be　suspected　in；　and　strictly
looked　for；　and　separated　from；　any　question　of　this　kind。

To　return　to　our　party。　　The　first　thing　we　did　when　we　were　all
assembled；　was；　to　draw　lots　for　bedrooms。　　That　done；　and　every
bedroom；　and；　indeed；　the　whole　house；　having　been　minutely
examined　by　the　whole　body；　we　allotted　the　various　household
duties；　as　if　we　had　been　on　a　gipsy　party；　or　a　yachting　party；　or
a　hunting　party；　or　were　shipwrecked。　　I　then　recounted　the
floating　rumors　concerning　the　hooded　lady；　the　owl；　and　Master　B。：
with　others；　still　more　filmy；　which　had　floated　about　during　our
occupation；　relative　to　some　ridiculous　old　ghost　of　the　female
gender　who　went　up　and　down；　carrying　the　ghost　of　a　round　table；
and　also　to　an　impalpable　Jackass；　whom　nobody　was　ever　able　to
catch。　　Some　of　these　ideas　I　really　believe　our　people　below　had
communicated　to　one　another　in　some　diseased　way；　without　conveying
them　in　words。　　We　then　gravely　called　one　another　to　witness；　that
we　were　not　there　to　be　deceived；　or　to　deceivewhich　we
considered　pretty　much　the　same　thingand　that；　with　a　serious
sense　of　responsibility；　we　would　be　strictly　true　to　one　another；
and　would　strictly　follow　out　the　truth。　　The　understanding　was
established；　that　any　one　who　heard　unusual　noises　in　the　night；
and　who　wished　to　trace　them；　should　knock　at　my　door；　lastly；　that
on　Twelfth　Night；　the　last　night　of　holy　Christmas；　all　our
individual　experiences　since　that　then　present　hour　of　our　coming
together　in　the　haunted　house；　should　be　brought　to　light　for　the
good　of　all；　and　that　we　would　hold　our　peace　on　the　subject　till
then；　unless　on　some　remarkable　provocation　to　break　silence。

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

Firstto　get　my　sister　and　myself　out　of　the　waythere　were　we
two。　　In　the　drawing　of　lots；　my　sister　drew　her　own　room；　and　I
drew　Master　B。's。　　Next；　there　was　our　first　cousin　John　Herschel；
so　called　after　the　great　astronomer：　than　whom　I　suppose　a　better
man　at　a　telescope　does　not　breathe。　　With　him；　was　his　wife：　a
charming　creature　to　whom　he　had　been　married　in　the　previous
spring。　　I　thought　it　（under　the　circumstances）　rather　imprudent　to
bring　her；　because　there　is　no　knowing　what　even　a　false　alarm　may
do　at　such　a　time；　but　I　suppose　he　knew　his　own　business　best；　and
I　must　say　that　if　she　had　been　MY　wife；　I　never　could　have　left
her　endearing　and　bright　face　behind。　　They　drew　the　Clock　Room。
Alfred　Starling；　an　uncommonly　agreeable　young　fellow　of　eight…and…
twenty　for　whom　I　have　the　greatest　liking；　was　in　the　Double　Room；
mine；　usually；　and　designated　by　that　name　from　having　a　dressing…
room　within　it；　with　two　large　and　cumbersome　windows；　which　no
wedges　I　was　ever　able　to　make；　would　keep　from　shaking；　in　any
weather；　wind　or　no　wind。　　Alfred　is　a　young　fellow　who　pretends　to
be　〃fast〃　（another　word　for　loose；　as　I　understand　the　term）；　but
who　is　much　too　good　and　sensible　for　that　nonsense；　and　who　would
have　distinguished　himself　before　now；　if　his　father　had　not
unfortunately　left　him　a　small　independence　of　two　hundred　a　year；
on　the　strength　of　which　his　only　occupation　in　life　has　been　to
spend　six。　　I　am　in　hopes；　however；　that　his　Banker　may　break；　or
that　he　may　enter　into　some　speculation　guaranteed　to　pay　twenty
per　cent。；　for；　I　am　convinced　that　if　he　could　only　be　ruined；　his
fortune　is　made。　　Belinda　Bates；　bosom　friend　of　my　sister；　and　a
most　intellectual；　amiable；　and　delightful　girl；　got　the　Picture
Room。　　She　has　a　fine　genius　for　poetry；　combined　with　real
business　earnestness；　and　〃goes　in〃to　use　an　expression　of
Alfred'sfor　Woman's　mission；　Woman's　rights；　Woman's　wrongs；　and
everything　that　is　woman's　with　a　capital　W；　or　is　not　and　ought　to
be；　or　is　and　ought　not　to　be。　　〃Most　praiseworthy；　my　dear；　and
Heaven　prosper　you！〃　I　whispered　to　her　on　the　first　night　of　my
taking　leave　of　her　at　the　Picture…Room　door；　〃but　don't　overdo　it。
And　in　respect　of　the　great　necessity　there　is；　my　darling；　for
more　employments　being　within　the　reach　of　Woman　than　our
civilisation　has　as　yet　assigned　to　her；　don't　fly　at　the
unfortunate　men；　even　those　men　who　are　at　first　sight　in　your　way；
as　if　they　were　the　natural　oppressors　of　your　sex；　for；　trust　me；
Belinda；　they　do　sometimes　spend　their　wages　among　wives　and
daughters；　sisters；　mothers；　aunts；　and　grandmothers；　and　the　play
is；　really；　not　ALL　Wolf　and　Red　Riding…Hood；　but　has　other　parts
in　it。〃　　However；　I　digress。

Belinda；　as　I　have　mentioned；　occupied　the　Picture　Room。　　We　had
but　three　other　chambers：　the　Corner　Room；　the　Cupboard　Room；　and
the　Garden　Room。　　My　old　friend；　Jack　Governor；　〃slung　his
hammock；〃　as　he　called　it；　in　the　Corner　Room。　　I　have　always
regarded　Jack　as　the　finest…looking　sailor　that　ever　sailed。　　He　is
gray　now；　but　as　handsome　as　he　was　a　quarter　of　a　century　ago
nay；　handsomer。　　A　portly；　cheery；　well…built　figure　of　a　broad…
shouldered　man；　with　a　frank　smile；　a　brilliant　dark　eye；　and　a
rich　dark　eyebrow。　　I　remember　those　under　darker　hair；　and　they
look　all　the　better　for　their　silver　setting。　　He　has　been　wherever
his　Union　namesake　flies；　has　Jack；　and　I　have　met　old　shipmates　of
his；　away　in　the　Mediterranean　and　on　the　other　side　of　the
Atlantic；　who　have　beamed　and　brightened　at　the　casual　mention　of
his　name；　and　have　cried；　〃