three ghost stories-第6节

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〃Who　was　Master　B。？〃　I　asked。　　〃Is　it　known　what　he　did　while　the

owl　hooted？〃



〃Rang　the　bell；〃　said　Ikey。



I　was　rather　struck　by　the　prompt　dexterity　with　which　this　young

man　pitched　his　fur　cap　at　the　bell；　and　rang　it　himself。　　It　was　a

loud；　unpleasant　bell；　and　made　a　very　disagreeable　sound。　　The

other　bells　were　inscribed　according　to　the　names　of　the　rooms　to

which　their　wires　were　conducted：　　as　〃Picture　Room；〃　〃Double　Room；〃

〃Clock　Room；〃　and　the　like。　　Following　Master　B。's　bell　to　its

source　I　found　that　young　gentleman　to　have　had　but　indifferent

third…class　accommodation　in　a　triangular　cabin　under　the　cock…loft；

with　a　corner　fireplace　which　Master　B。　must　have　been　exceedingly

small　if　he　were　ever　able　to　warm　himself　at；　and　a　corner　chimney…

piece　like　a　pyramidal　staircase　to　the　ceiling　for　Tom　Thumb。　　The

papering　of　one　side　of　the　room　had　dropped　down　bodily；　with

fragments　of　plaster　adhering　to　it；　and　almost　blocked　up　the　door。

It　appeared　that　Master　B。；　in　his　spiritual　condition；　always　made

a　point　of　pulling　the　paper　down。　　Neither　the　landlord　nor　Ikey

could　suggest　why　he　made　such　a　fool　of　himself。



Except　that　the　house　had　an　immensely　large　rambling　loft　at　top；　I

made　no　other　discoveries。　　It　was　moderately　well　furnished；　but

sparely。　　Some　of　the　furnituresay；　a　thirdwas　as　old　as　the

house；　the　rest　was　of　various　periods　within　the　last　half…century。

I　was　referred　to　a　corn…chandler　in　the　market…place　of　the　county

town　to　treat　for　the　house。　　I　went　that　day；　and　I　took　it　for　six

months。



It　was　just　the　middle　of　October　when　I　moved　in　with　my　maiden

sister　（I　venture　to　call　her　eight…and…thirty；　she　is　so　very

handsome；　sensible；　and　engaging）。　　We　took　with　us；　a　deaf　stable…

man；　my　bloodhound　Turk；　two　women　servants；　and　a　young　person

called　an　Odd　Girl。　　I　have　reason　to　record　of　the　attendant　last

enumerated；　who　was　one　of　the　Saint　Lawrence's　Union　Female

Orphans；　that　she　was　a　fatal　mistake　and　a　disastrous　engagement。



The　year　was　dying　early；　the　leaves　were　falling　fast；　it　was　a　raw

cold　day　when　we　took　possession；　and　the　gloom　of　the　house　was

most　depressing。　　The　cook　（an　amiable　woman；　but　of　a　weak　turn　of

intellect）　burst　into　tears　on　beholding　the　kitchen；　and　requested

that　her　silver　watch　might　be　delivered　over　to　her　sister　（2

Tuppintock's　Gardens；　Liggs's　Walk；　Clapham　Rise）；　in　the　event　of

anything　happening　to　her　from　the　damp。　　Streaker；　the　housemaid；

feigned　cheerfulness；　but　was　the　greater　martyr。　　The　Odd　Girl；　who

had　never　been　in　the　country；　alone　was　pleased；　and　made

arrangements　for　sowing　an　acorn　in　the　garden　outside　the　scullery

window；　and　rearing　an　oak。



We　went；　before　dark；　through　all　the　naturalas　opposed　to

supernaturalmiseries　incidental　to　our　state。　　Dispiriting　reports

ascended　（like　the　smoke）　from　the　basement　in　volumes；　and

descended　from　the　upper　rooms。　　There　was　no　rolling…pin；　there　was

no　salamander　（which　failed　to　surprise　me；　for　I　don't　know　what　it

is）；　there　was　nothing　in　the　house；　what　there　was；　was　broken；　the

last　people　must　have　lived　like　pigs；　what　could　the　meaning　of　the

landlord　be？　　Through　these　distresses；　the　Odd　Girl　was　cheerful

and　exemplary。　　But　within　four　hours　after　dark　we　had　got　into　a

supernatural　groove；　and　the　Odd　Girl　had　seen　〃Eyes；〃　and　was　in

hysterics。



My　sister　and　I　had　agreed　to　keep　the　haunting　strictly　to

ourselves；　and　my　impression　was；　and　still　is；　that　I　had　not　left

Ikey；　when　he　helped　to　unload　the　cart；　alone　with　the　women；　or

any　one　of　them；　for　one　minute。　　Nevertheless；　as　I　say；　the　Odd

Girl　had　〃seen　Eyes〃　（no　other　explanation　could　ever　be　drawn　from

her）；　before　nine；　and　by　ten　o'clock　had　had　as　much　vinegar

applied　to　her　as　would　pickle　a　handsome　salmon。



I　leave　a　discerning　public　to　judge　of　my　feelings；　when；　under

these　untoward　circumstances；　at　about　half…past　ten　o'clock　Master

B。's　bell　began　to　ring　in　a　most　infuriated　manner；　and　Turk　howled

until　the　house　resounded　with　his　lamentations！



I　hope　I　may　never　again　be　in　a　state　of　mind　so　unchristian　as　the

mental　frame　in　which　I　lived　for　some　weeks；　respecting　the　memory

of　Master　B。　　Whether　his　bell　was　rung　by　rats；　or　mice；　or　bats；

or　wind；　or　what　other　accidental　vibration；　or　sometimes　by　one

cause；　sometimes　another；　and　sometimes　by　collusion；　I　don't　know；

but；　certain　it　is；　that　it　did　ring　two　nights　out　of　three；　until

I　conceived　the　happy　idea　of　twisting　Master　B。's　neckin　other

words；　breaking　his　bell　short　offand　silencing　that　young

gentleman；　as　to　my　experience　and　belief；　for　ever。



But；　by　that　time；　the　Odd　Girl　had　developed　such　improving　powers

of　catalepsy；　that　she　had　become　a　shining　example　of　that　very

inconvenient　disorder。　　She　would　stiffen；　like　a　Guy　Fawkes　endowed

with　unreason；　on　the　most　irrelevant　occasions。　　I　would　address

the　servants　in　a　lucid　manner；　pointing　out　to　them　that　I　had

painted　Master　B。's　room　and　balked　the　paper；　and　taken　Master　B。's

bell　away　and　balked　the　ringing；　and　if　they　could　suppose　that

that　confounded　boy　had　lived　and　died；　to　clothe　himself　with　no

better　behaviour　than　would　most　unquestionably　have　brought　him　and

the　sharpest　particles　of　a　birch…broom　into　close　acquaintance　in

the　present　imperfect　state　of　existence；　could　they　also　suppose　a

mere　poor　human　being；　such　as　I　was；　capable　by　those　contemptible

means　of　counteracting　and　limiting　the　powers　of　the　disembodied

spirits　of　the　dead；　or　of　any　spirits？I　say　I　would　become

emphatic　and　cogent；　not　to　say　rather　complacent；　in　such　an

address；　when　it　would　all　go　for　nothing　by　reason　of　the　Odd

Girl's　suddenly　stiffening　from　the　toes　upward；　and　glaring　among

us　like　a　parochial　petrifaction。



Streaker；　the　housemaid；　too；　had　an　attribute　of　a　most

discomfiting　nature。　　I　am　unable　to　say　whether　she　was　of　an

usually　lymphatic　temperament；　or　what　else　was　the　matter　with　her；

but　this　young　woman　became　a　mere　Distillery　for　the　production　of

the　largest　and　most　transparent　tears　I　ever　met　with。　　Combined

with　these　characteristics；　was　a　peculiar　tenacity　of　hold　in　those

specimens；　so　that　they　didn't　fall；　but　hung　upon　her　face　and

nose。　　In　this　condition；　and　mildly　and　deplorably　shaking　her

head；　her　silence　would　throw　me　more　heavily　than　the　Admirable

Crichton　could　have　done　in　a　verbal　disputation　for　a　purse　of

money。　　Cook；　likewise；　always　covered　me　with　confusion　as　with　a

garment；　by　neatly　winding　up　the　session　with　the　protest　that　the

Ouse　was　wearing　her　out；　and　by　meekly　repeating　her　last　wishes

regarding　her　silver　watch。



As　to　our　nightly　life；　the　contagion　of　suspicion　and　fear　was

among　us；　and　there　is　no　such　contagion　under　the　sky。　　Hooded

woman？　　According　to　the　accounts；　we　were　in　a　perfect　Convent　of

hooded　women。　　Noises？　　With　that　contagion　downstairs；　I　myself

have　sat　in　the　dismal　parlour；　listening；　until　I　have　heard　so

many　and　such　strange　noises；　that　they　would　have　chilled　my　blood

if　I　had　not　warmed　it　by　dashing　out　to　make　discoveries。　　Try　this

in　bed；　in　the　dead　of　the　night：　　try　this　at　your　own　comfortable

fire…side；　in　the　life　of　the　night。　　You　can　fill　any　house　with

noises；　if　you　will；　until　you　have　a　noise　for　every　nerve　in　your

nervous　system。



I　repeat；　the　contagion　of　suspicion　and　fear　was　among　us；　and

there　is　no　such　contagion　under　the　sky。　　The　women　（their　noses　in

a　chronic　state　of　excoriation　from　smelling…salts）　were　always

primed　and　loaded　for　a　swoon；　and　ready　to　go　off　with　hair…

triggers。　　The　two　elder　detached　the　Odd　Girl　on　all　expeditions

that　were　considered　doubly　hazardous；　and　she　always　established

the　reputation　of　such　adventures　by　coming　back　cataleptic。　　If

Cook　or　Streaker　went　overhead　after　dark；　we　knew　we　should

presently　hear　a　bump　on　the　ceiling；　and　this　took　place　so

constantly；　that　it　was　as　if　a　fighting　man　were　engaged　to　go

about　the　house；　administering　a　touch　of　his　art　which　I　believe　is

called　The　Auctioneer；　to　every　domestic　he　met　with。



It　was　in　vain　to　do　anything。　　It　was　in　vain　to　be　frightened；　for

the　moment　in　one's　own　person；　by　a　real　owl；　and　then　to　show　the

owl。　　It　was　in　vain　to　discover；　by　striking　an　accidental　discord

on　the　piano；　that　Turk　always　howled　at　particular　notes　and

combinations。　　It　was　in　vain　to　be　a　Rhadamanthus　with　the　bells；

and　if　an　unfortunate　bell　rang　without　leave；　to　have　it　down

inexorably　and　silence　it。　　It　was　in　vain　to　fire　up　chimneys；　let

torches　down　the　well；　charge　furiously　into　suspected　rooms　and

recesses。　　We　changed　servants；　and　it　was　no　better。　　The　new　set

ran　away；　and　a　third　set　came；　and　it　was　no　better。　　At　last；　our

comfortable　housekeeping　got　to　be