three ghost stories-第8节

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

their　silver　setting。　　He　has　been　wherever　his　Union　namesake

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

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

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

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

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

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

vaguely　persuaded　he　was　in　full　naval　uniform。



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

to　the　red　cover　at　the　end。



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

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

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

ate；　including　unapproachable　curries。　　My　sister　was　pastrycook　and

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

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

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

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

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

one　good　reason　for　being　reluctant　to　go　to　bed。



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

nothing　particular；　coolly　knocking　the　weathercock　off；　until　they

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

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

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

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

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

manner；　simultaneously　dropped　out　of　their　respective　bedroom

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

something　mysterious　in　the　garden。



The　engagement　among　us　was　faithfully　kept；　and　nobody　revealed

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

looked　the　worse　for　it。







CHAPTER　IITHE　GHOST　IN　MASTER　B。'S　ROOM







When　I　established　myself　in　the　triangular　garret　which　had　gained

so　distinguished　a　reputation；　my　thoughts　naturally　turned　to

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



With　these　profitless　meditations　I　tormented　myself　much。　　I　also

carried　the　mysterious　letter　into　the　appearance　and　pursuits　of

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

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

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

Bathed　from　a　Bathing…machine　at　Bognor；　Bangor；　Bournemouth；

Brighton；　or　Broadstairs；　like　a　Bounding　Billiard　Ball？



So；　from　the　first；　I　was　haunted　by　the　letter　B。



It　was　not　long　before　I　remarked　that　I　never　by　any　hazard　had　a

dream　of　Master　B。；　or　of　anything　belonging　to　him。　　But；　the

instant　I　awoke　from　sleep；　at　whatever　hour　of　the　night；　my

thoughts　took　him　up；　and　roamed　away；　trying　to　attach　his　initial

letter　to　something　that　would　fit　it　and　keep　it　quiet。



For　six　nights；　I　had　been　worried　this　in　Master　B。's　room；　when　I

began　to　perceive　that　things　were　going　wrong。



The　first　appearance　that　presented　itself　was　early　in　the　morning

when　it　was　but　just　daylight　and　no　more。　　I　was　standing　shaving

at　my　glass；　when　I　suddenly　discovered；　to　my　consternation　and

amazement；　that　I　was　shavingnot　myselfI　am　fiftybut　a　boy。

Apparently　Master　B。！



I　trembled　and　looked　over　my　shoulder；　nothing　there。　　I　looked

again　in　the　glass；　and　distinctly　saw　the　features　and　expression

of　a　boy；　who　was　shaving；　not　to　get　rid　of　a　beard；　but　to　get

one。　　Extremely　troubled　in　my　mind；　I　took　a　few　turns　in　the　room；

and　went　back　to　the　looking…glass；　resolved　to　steady　my　hand　and

complete　the　operation　in　which　I　had　been　disturbed。　　Opening　my

eyes；　which　I　had　shut　while　recovering　my　firmness；　I　now　met　in

the　glass；　looking　straight　at　me；　the　eyes　of　a　young　man　of　four

or　five　and　twenty。　　Terrified　by　this　new　ghost；　I　closed　my　eyes；

and　made　a　strong　effort　to　recover　myself。　　Opening　them　again；　I

saw；　shaving　his　cheek　in　the　glass；　my　father；　who　has　long　been

dead。　　Nay；　I　even　saw　my　grandfather　too；　whom　I　never　did　see　in

my　life。



Although　naturally　much　affected　by　these　remarkable　visitations；　I

determined　to　keep　my　secret；　until　the　time　agreed　upon　for　the

present　general　disclosure。　　Agitated　by　a　multitude　of　curious

thoughts；　I　retire