sketches new and old-第42节

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slipped　deliberately　away；　till　my　breast　was　uncovered。　　Then　with　a
great　effort　I　seized　them　and　drew　them　over　my　head。　　I　waited；
listened；　waited。　　Once　more　that　steady　pull　began；　and　once　more　I　lay
torpid　a　century　of　dragging　seconds　till　my　breast　was　naked　again。　　At
last　I　roused　my　energies　and　snatched　the　covers　back　to　their　place　and
held　them　with　a　strong　grip。　　I　waited。　　By　and　by　I　felt　a　faint　tug；
and　took　a　fresh　grip。；　The　tug　strengthened　to　a　steady　strainit　grew
stronger　and　stronger。　　My　hold　parted；　and　for　the　third　time　the
blankets　slid　away。　　I　groaned。　　An　answering　groan　came　from　the　foot　of
the　bed！　　Beaded　drops　of　sweat　stood　upon　my　forehead。　　I　was　more　dead
than　alive。　　Presently　I　heard　a　heavy　footstep　in　my　roomthe　step　of
an　elephant；　it　seemed　to　meit　was　not　like　anything　human。　　But　it　was
moving　from　methere　was　relief　in　that。　　I　heard　it　approach　the　door
pass　out　without　moving　bolt　or　lockand　wander　away　among　the　dismal
corridors；　straining　the　floors　and　joists　till　they　creaked　again　as　it
passedand　then　silence　reigned　once　more。

When　my　excitement　had　calmed；　I　said　to　myself；　〃This　is　a　dreamsimply
a　hideous　dream。〃　　And　so　I　lay　thinking　it　over　until　I　convinced　myself
that　it　was　a　dream；　and　then　a　comforting　laugh　relaxed　my　lips　and　I
was　happy　again。　　I　got　up　and　struck　a　light；　and　when　I　found　that　the
locks　and　bolts　were　just　as　I　had　left　them；　another　soothing　laugh
welled　in　my　heart　and　rippled　from　my　lips。　　I　took　my　pipe　and　lit　it；
and　was　just　sitting　down　before　the　fire；　when…down　went　the　pipe　out　of
my　nerveless　fingers；　the　blood　forsook　my　cheeks；　and　my　placid
breathing　was　cut　short　with　a　gasp！　　In　the　ashes　on　the　hearth；　side　by
side　with　my　own　bare　footprint；　was　another；　so　vast　that　in　comparison
mine　was　but　an　infant's！　　Then　I　had　had　a　visitor；　and　the　elephant
tread　was　explained。

I　put　out　the　light　and　returned　to　bed；　palsied　with　fear。　　I　lay　a　long
time；　peering　into　the　darkness；　and　listening。　Then　I　heard　a　grating
noise　overhead；　like　the　dragging　of　a　heavy　body　across　the　floor；　then
the　throwing　down　of　the　body；　and　the　shaking　of　my　windows　in　response
to　the　concussion。　　In　distant　parts　of　the　building　I　heard　the　muffled
slamming　of　doors。　　I　heard；　at　intervals；　stealthy　footsteps　creeping　in
and　out　among　the　corridors；　and　up　and　down　the　stairs。　　Sometimes　these
noises　approached　my　door；　hesitated；　and　went　away　again。　　I　heard　the
clanking　of　chains　faintly；　in　remote　passages；　and　listened　while　the
clanking　grew　nearerwhile　it　wearily　climbed　the　stairways；　marking
each　move　by　the　loose　surplus　of　chain　that　fell　with　an　accented　rattle
upon　each　succeeding　step　as　the　goblin　that　bore　it　advanced。　　I　heard
muttered　sentences；　half…uttered　screams　that　seemed　smothered　violently；
and　the　swish　of　invisible　garments；　the　rush　of　invisible　wings。　　Then　I
became　conscious　that　my　chamber　was　invadedthat　I　was　not　alone。
I　heard　sighs　and　breathings　about　my　bed；　and　mysterious　whisperings。
Three　little　spheres　of　soft　phosphorescent　light　appeared　on　the　ceiling
directly　over　my　head；　clung　and　glowed　there　a　moment；　and　then　dropped
two　of　them　upon　my　face　and　one　upon　the　pillow。　　They；　spattered；
liquidly；　and　felt　warm。　　Intuition　told　me　they　hadturned　to　gouts　of
blood　as　they　fellI　needed　no　light　to　satisfy　myself　of　that。　　Then　I
saw　pallid　faces；　dimly　luminous；　and　white　uplifted　hands；　floating
bodiless　in　the　airfloating　a　moment　and　then　disappearing。
The　whispering　ceased；　and　the　voices　and　the　sounds；　anal　a　solemn
stillness　followed。　　I　waited　and　listened。　　I　felt　that　I　must　have
light　or　die。　　I　was　weak　with　fear。　　I　slowly　raised　myself　toward　a
sitting　posture；　and　my　face　came　in　contact　with　a　clammy　hand！
All　strength　went　from　me　apparently；　and　I　fell　back　like　a　stricken
invalid。　　Then　I　heard　the　rustle　of　a　garment　it　seemed　to　pass　to　the
door　and　go　out。

When　everything　was　still　once　more；　I　crept　out　of　bed；　sick　and　feeble；
and　lit　the　gas　with　a　hand　that　trembled　as　if　it　were　aged　with　a
hundred　years。　　The　light　brought　some　little　cheer　to　my　spirits。　　I　sat
down　and　fell　into　a　dreamy　contemplation　of　that　great　footprint　in　the
ashes。　　By　and　by　its　outlines　began　to　waver　and　grow　dim。　　I　glanced　up
and　the　broad　gas…flame　was　slowly　wilting　away。　　In　the　same　moment　I
heard　that　elephantine　tread　again。　　I　noted　its　approach；　nearer　and
nearer；　along　the　musty　halls；　and　dimmer　and　dimmer　the　light　waned。
The　tread　reached　my　very　door　and　pausedthe　light　had　dwindled　to　a
sickly　blue；　and　all　things　about　me　lay　in　a　spectral　twilight。　　The
door　did　not　open；　and　yet　I　felt　a　faint　gust　of　air　fan　my　cheek；　and
presently　was　conscious　of　a　huge；　cloudy　presence　before　me。　　I　watched
it　with　fascinated　eyes。　　A　pale　glow　stole　over　the　Thing；　gradually　its
cloudy　folds　took　shapean　arm　appeared；　then　legs；　then　a　body；　and
last　a　great　sad　face　looked　out　of　the　vapor。　　Stripped　of　its　filmy
housings；　naked；　muscular　and　comely；　the　majestic　Cardiff　Giant　loomed
above　me！

All　my　misery　vanishedfor　a　child　might　know　that　no　harm　could　come
with　that　benignant　countenance。　　My　cheerful　spirits　returned　at　once；
and　in　sympathy　with　them　the　gas　flamed　up　brightly　again。　　Never　a
lonely　outcast　was　so　glad　to　welcome　company　as　I　was　to　greet　the
friendly　giant。　　I　said：

〃Why；　is　it　nobody　but　you？　　Do　you　know；　I　have　been　scared　to　death　for
the　last　two　or　three　hours？　　I　am　most　honestly　glad　to　see　you。　　I　wish
I　had　a　chair　Here；　here；　don't　try　to　sit　down　in　that　thing

But　it　was　too　late。　　He　was　in　it　before　I　could　stop　him　and　down　he
wentI　never　saw　a　chair　shivered　so　in　my　life。

〃Stop；　stop；　you'll　ruin　ev〃

Too　late　again。　　There　was　another　crash；　and　another　chair　was　resolved
into　its　original　elements。

〃Confound　it；　haven't　you　got　any　judgment　at'　all？　　Do　you　want　to　ruin
all　the　furniture　on　the　place？　　Here；　here；　you　petrified　fool〃

But　it　was　no　use。　　Before　I　could　arrest　him　he　had　sat　down　on　the　bed；
and　it　was　a　melancholy　ruin。

〃Now　what　sort　of　a　way　is　that　to　do？　　First　you　come　lumbering　about
the　place　bringing　a　legion　of　vagabond　goblins　along　with　you　to　worry
me　to　death；　and　then　when　I　overlook　an　indelicacy　of　costume　which
would　not　be　tolerated　anywhere　by　cultivated　people　except　in　a
respectable　theater；　and　not　even　there　if　the　nudity　were　of　your　sex；
you　repay　me　by　wrecking　all　the　furniture　you　can　find　to　sit　down　on。
And　why　will　you？　　You　damage　yourself　as　much　as　you　do　me。　　You　have
broken　off　the　end　of　your　spinal　column；　and　littered　up　the　floor　with
chips　of　your　hams　till　the　place　looks　like　a　marble　yard。　　You　ought　to
be　ashamed　of　yourselfyou　are　big　enough　to　know　better。〃

〃Well；　I　will　not　break　any　more　furniture。　　But　what　am　I　to　do？　　I　have
not　had　a　chance　to　sit　down　for　a　century。〃　　And　the　tears　came　into　his
eyes。

〃Poor　devil；〃　I　said；　〃I　should　not　have　been　so　harsh　with　you。　　And　you
are　an　orphan；　too；　no　doubt。　　But　sit　down　on　the　floor　herenothing
else　can　stand　your　weightand　besides；　we　cannot　be　sociable　with　you
away　up　there　above　me；　I　want　you　down　where　I　can　perch　on　this　high
counting…house　stool　and　gossip　with　you　face　to　face。〃　　So　he　sat　down
on　the　floor；　and　lit　a　pipe　which　I　gave　him；　threw　one　of　my　red
blankets　over　his　shoulders；　inverted　my　sitz…bath　on　his　head；　helmet
fashion；　and　made　himself　picturesque　and　comfortable。　　Then　he　crossed
his　ankles；　while　I　renewed　the　fire；　and　exposed　the　flat；　honeycombed
bottoms　of　his　prodigious　feet　to　the　grateful　warmth。

〃What　is　the　matter　with　the　bottom　of　your　feet　and　the　back　of　your
legs；　that　they　are　gouged　up　so？〃

〃Infernal　chilblainsI　caught　them　clear　up　to　the　back　of　my　head；
roosting　out　there　under　Newell's　farm。　　But　I　love　the　place；　I　love　it
as　one　loves　his　old　home。　　There　is　no　peace　for　me　like　the　peace　I
feel　when　I　am　there。〃

We　talked　along　for　half　an　hour；　and　then　I　noticed　that　he　looked
tired；　and　spoke　of　it。

〃Tired？〃　he　said。　　〃Well；　I　should　think　so。　　And　now　I　will　tell　you　all
about　it；　since　you　have　treated　me　so　well。　　I　am　the　spirit　of　the
Petrified　Man　that　lies　across　the　street　there　in　the　museum。　I　am　the
ghost　of　the　Cardiff　Giant。　　I　can　have　no　rest；　no　peace；　till　they　have
given　that　poor　body　burial　again。　　Now　what　was　the　most　natural　thing
for　me　to　do；　to　make　men　satisfy　this　wish？　　Terrify　them　into　it！
haunt　the　place　where　the　body　lay！　　So　I　haunted　the　museum　night　after
night。　　I　even　got　other　spirits　to　help　me。　　But　it　did　no　good；　for
nobody　ever　came　to　the　museum　at　midnight。　　Then　it　occurred　to　me　to
come　over　the　way　and　haunt　this　place　a　little。　　I　felt　that　if　I　ever
got　a　hearing　I　must　succeed；　for　I　had　the　most　efficient　company　that
perdition　could　furnish。　　Night　after　night　we　have　shivered　around
through　these　mildewed　halls；　dragging　chains；　groaning；　whispering；
tramping　up　and　down　stairs；　till；　to　tell　you　the　truth；　I　am　almost
worn　out。　　But　when　I　saw　a　ligh