the notch on the ax and on being found out-第10章

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〃the　house　is　at　your　service；　for　as　short　or　as　long　a　time　as
you　please。　　Rent　is　out　of　the　question；the　obligation　will　be
on　my　side　should　you　be　able　to　discover　the　cause　of　the　strange
phenomena　which　at　present　deprive　it　of　all　value。　　I　cannot　let
it；　for　I　cannot　even　get　a　servant　to　keep　it　in　order　or　answer
the　door。　　Unluckily　the　house　is　haunted；　if　I　may　use　that
expression；　not　only　by　night；　but　by　day；　though　at　night　the
disturbances　are　of　a　more　unpleasant　and　sometimes　of　a　more
alarming　character。　　The　poor　old　woman　who　died　in　it　three　weeks
ago　was　a　pauper　whom　I　took　out　of　a　workhouse；　for　in　her
childhood　she　had　been　known　to　some　of　my　family；　and　had　once
been　in　such　good　circumstances　that　she　had　rented　that　house　of
my　uncle。　　She　was　a　woman　of　superior　education　and　strong　mind；
and　was　the　only　person　I　could　ever　induce　to　remain　in　the　house。
Indeed；　since　her　death；　which　was　sudden；　and　the　coroner's
inquest；　which　gave　it　a　notoriety　in　the　neighborhood；　I　have　so
despaired　of　finding　any　person　to　take　charge　of　the　house；　much
more　a　tenant；　that　I　would　willingly　let　it　rent　free　for　a　year
to　anyone　who　would　pay　its　rates　and　taxes。〃

〃How　long　is　it　since　the　house　acquired　this　sinister　character？〃

〃That　I　can　scarcely　tell　you；　but　very　many　years　since。　　The　old
woman　I　spoke　of；　said　it　was　haunted　when　she　rented　it　between
thirty　and　forty　years　ago。　　The　fact　is；　that　my　life　has　been
spent　in　the　East　Indies；　and　in　the　civil　service　of　the　Company。
I　returned　to　England　last　year；　on　inheriting　the　fortune　of　an
uncle；　among　whose　possessions　was　the　house　in　question。　　I　found
it　shut　up　and　uninhabited。　　I　was　told　that　it　was　haunted；　that
no　one　would　inhabit　it。　　I　smiled　at　what　seemed　to　me　so　idle　a
story。　　I　spent　some　money　in　repairing　it；　added　to　its　old…
fashioned　furniture　a　few　modern　articles；advertised　it；　and
obtained　a　lodger　for　a　year。　　He　was　a　colonel　on　half　pay。　　He
came　in　with　his　family；　a　son　and　a　daughter；　and　four　or　five
servants：　they　all　left　the　house　the　next　day；　and；　although　each
of　them　declared　that　he　had　seen　something　different　from　that
which　had　scared　the　others；　a　something　still　was　equally　terrible
to　all。　　I　really　could　not　in　conscience　sue；　nor　even　blame；　the
colonel　for　breach　of　agreement。　　Then　I　put　in　the　old　woman　I
have　spoken　of；　and　she　was　empowered　to　let　the　house　in
apartments。　　I　never　had　one　lodger　who　stayed　more　than　three
days。　　I　do　not　tell　you　their　stories；to　no　two　lodgers　have
there　been　exactly　the　same　phenomena　repeated。　　It　is　better　that
you　should　judge　for　yourself；　than　enter　the　house　with　an
imagination　influenced　by　previous　narratives；　only　be　prepared　to
see　and　to　hear　something　or　other；　and　take　whatever　precautions
you　yourself　please。〃

〃Have　you　never　had　a　curiosity　yourself　to　pass　a　night　in　that
house？〃

〃Yes。　　I　passed　not　a　night；　but　three　hours　in　broad　daylight
alone　in　that　house。　　My　curiosity　is　not　satisfied；　but　it　is
quenched。　　I　have　no　desire　to　renew　the　experiment。　　You　cannot
complain；　you　see；　sir；　that　I　am　not　sufficiently　candid；　and
unless　your　interest　be　exceedingly　eager　and　your　nerves　unusually
strong；　I　honestly　add；　that　I　advise　you　NOT　to　pass　a　night　in
that　house。

〃My　interest　IS　exceedingly　keen；〃　said　I；　〃and　though　only　a
coward　will　boast　of　his　nerves　in　situations　wholly　unfamiliar　to
him；　yet　my　nerves　have　been　seasoned　in　such　variety　of　danger
that　I　have　the　right　to　rely　on　them；even　in　a　haunted　house。〃

Mr。　J　said　very　little　more；　he　took　the　keys　of　the　house　out
of　his　bureau；　gave　them　to　me；and；　thanking　him　cordially　for
his　frankness；　and　his　urbane　concession　to　my　wish；　I　carried　off
my　prize。

Impatient　for　the　experiment；　as　soon　as　I　reached　home；　I　summoned
my　confidential　servant；a　young　man　of　gay　spirits；　fearless
temper；　and　as　free　from　superstitious　prejudice　as　anyone　I　could
think　of。

F；〃　said　I；　〃you　remember　in　Germany　how　disappointed　we　were
at　not　finding　a　ghost　in　that　old　castle；　which　was　said　to　be
haunted　by　a　headless　apparition？　　Well；　I　have　heard　of　a　house　in
London　which；　I　have　reason　to　hope；　is　decidedly　haunted。　　I　mean
to　sleep　there　to…night。　　From　what　I　hear；　there　is　no　doubt　that
something　will　allow　itself　to　be　seen　or　to　be　heard；something；
perhaps；　excessively　horrible。　　Do　you　think　if　I　take　you　with　me；
I　may　rely　on　your　presence　of　mind；　whatever　may　happen？〃

〃Oh；　sir；　pray　trust　me；〃　answered　F；　grinning　with　delight。

〃Very　well；　then　here　are　the　keys　of　the　house；this　is　the
address。　　Go　now；select　for　me　any　bedroom　you　please；　and　since
the　house　has　not　been　inhabited　for　weeks；　make　up　a　good　fire；
air　the　bed　well；see；　of　course；　that　there　are　candles　as　well
as　fuel。　　Take　with　you　my　revolver　and　my　dagger；so　much　for　my
weapons；　arm　yourself　equally　well；　and　if　we　are　not　a　match　for　a
dozen　ghosts；　we　shall　be　but　a　sorry　couple　of　Englishmen。

I　was　engaged　for　the　rest　of　the　day　on　business　so　urgent　that　I
had　not　leisure　to　think　much　on　the　nocturnal　adventure　to　which　I
had　plighted　my　honor。　　I　dined　alone；　and　very　late；　and　while
dining；　read；　as　is　my　habit。　　I　selected　one　of　the　volumes　of
Macaulay's　Essays。　　I　thought　to　myself　that　I　would　take　the　book
with　me；　there　was　so　much　of　healthfulness　in　the　style；　and
practical　life　in　the　subjects；　that　it　would　serve　as　an　antidote
against　the　influences　of　superstitious　fancy。

Accordingly；　about　half…past　nine；　I　put　the　book　into　my　pocket；
and　strolled　leisurely　toward　the　haunted　house。　　I　took　with　me　a
favorite　dog：　an　exceedingly　sharp；　bold；　and　vigilant　bull
terrier；a　dog　fond　of　prowling　about　strange；　ghostly　corners　and
passages　at　night　in　search　of　rats；　a　dog　of　dogs　for　a　ghost。

I　reached　the　house；　knocked；　and　my　servant　opened　with　a　cheerful
smile。

We　did　not　stay　long　in　the　drawing…rooms；in　fact；　they　felt　so
damp　and　so　chilly　that　I　was　glad　to　get　to　the　fire　upstairs。　　We
locked　the　doors　of　the　drawing…rooms；a　precaution　which；　I
should　observe；　we　had　taken　with　all　the　rooms　we　had　searched
below。　　The　bedroom　my　servant　had　selected　for　me　was　the　best　on
the　floor；a　large　one；　with　two　windows　fronting　the　street。　　The
four…posted　bed；　which　took　up　no　inconsiderable　space；　was
opposite　to　the　fire；　which　burned　clear　and　bright；　a　door　in　the
wall　to　the　left；　between　the　bed　and　the　window；　communicated　with
the　room　which　my　servant　appropriated　to　himself。　　This　last　was　a
small　room　with　a　sofa　bed；　and　had　no　communication　with　the
landing　place；no　other　door　but　that　which　conducted　to　the
bedroom　I　was　to　occupy。　　On　either　side　of　my　fireplace　was　a
cupboard　without　locks；　flush　with　the　wall；　and　covered　with　the
same　dull…brown　paper。　　We　examined　these　cupboards；only　hooks　to
suspend　female　dresses；　nothing　else；　we　sounded　the　walls；
evidently　solid；　the　outer　walls　of　the　building。　　Having　finished
the　survey　of　these　apartments；　warmed　myself　a　few　moments；　and
lighted　my　cigar；　I　then；　still　accompanied　by　F；　went　forth　to
complete　my　reconnoiter。　　In　the　landing　place　there　was　another
door；　it　was　closed　firmly。　　〃Sir；〃　said　my　servant；　in　surprise；
〃I　unlocked　this　door　with　all　the　others　when　I　first　came；　it
cannot　have　got　locked　from　the　inside；　for〃

Before　he　had　finished　his　sentence；　the　door；　which　neither　of　us
then　was　touching；　opened　quietly　of　itself。　　We　looked　at　each
other　a　single　instant。　　The　same　thought　seized　both；some　human
agency　might　be　detected　here。　　I　rushed　in　first；　my　servant
followed。　　A　small；　blank；　dreary　room　without　furniture；　a　few
empty　boxes　and　hampers　in　a　corner；　a　small　window；　the　shutters
closed；　not　even　a　fireplace；　no　other　door　but　that　by　which　we
had　entered；　no　carpet　on　the　floor；　and　the　floor　seemed　very　old；
uneven；　worm…eaten；　mended　here　and　there；　as　was　shown　by　the
whiter　patches　on　the　wood；　but　no　living　being；　and　no　visible
place　in　which　a　living　being　could　have　hidden。　　As　we　stood
gazing　round；　the　door　by　which　we