the notch on the ax and on being found out-第2章

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windows；　which　were　excessively　melancholy；　and　the　site　of　which
had　been　extremely　ill　chosen。

It　was　easy　to　see　that　it　was　an　avoided　housea　house　that　was
shunned　by　the　village；　to　which　my　eye　was　guided　by　a　church
spire　some　half　a　mile　offa　house　that　nobody　would　take。　　And
the　natural　inference　was；　that　it　had　the　reputation　of　being　a
haunted　house。

No　period　within　the　four…and…twenty　hours　of　day　and　night　is　so
solemn　to　me；　as　the　early　morning。　　In　the　summer…time；　I　often
rise　very　early；　and　repair　to　my　room　to　do　a　day's　work　before
breakfast；　and　I　am　always　on　those　occasions　deeply　impressed　by
the　stillness　and　solitude　around　me。　　Besides　that　there　is
something　awful　in　the　being　surrounded　by　familiar　faces　asleep
in　the　knowledge　that　those　who　are　dearest　to　us　and　to　whom　we
are　dearest；　are　profoundly　unconscious　of　us；　in　an　impassive
state；　anticipative　of　that　mysterious　condition　to　which　we　are
all　tendingthe　stopped　life；　the　broken　threads　of　yesterday；　the
deserted　seat；　the　closed　book；　the　unfinished　but　abandoned
occupation；　all　are　images　of　Death。　　The　tranquillity　of　the　hour
is　the　tranquillity　of　Death。　　The　color　and　the　chill　have　the
same　association。　　Even　a　certain　air　that　familiar　household
objects　take　upon　them　when　they　first　emerge　from　the　shadows　of
the　night　into　the　morning；　of　being　newer；　and　as　they　used　to　be
long　ago；　has　its　counterpart　in　the　subsidence　of　the　worn　face　of
maturity　or　age；　in　death；　into　the　old　youthful　look。　　Moreover；　I
once　saw　the　apparition　of　my　father；　at　this　hour。　　He　was　alive
and　well；　and　nothing　ever　came　of　it；　but　I　saw　him　in　the
daylight；　sitting　with　his　back　towards　me；　on　a　seat　that　stood
beside　my　bed。　　His　head　was　resting　on　his　hand；　and　whether　he
was　slumbering　or　grieving；　I　could　not　discern。　　Amazed　to　see　him
there；　I　sat　up；　moved　my　position；　leaned　out　of　bed；　and　watched
him。　　As　he　did　not　move；　I　spoke　to　him　more　than　once。　　As　he　did
not　move　then；　I　became　alarmed　and　laid　my　hand　upon　his　shoulder；
as　I　thoughtand　there　was　no　such　thing。

For　all　these　reasons；　and　for　others　less　easily　and　briefly
statable；　I　find　the　early　morning　to　be　my　most　ghostly　time。　　Any
house　would　be　more　or　less　haunted；　to　me；　in　the　early　morning；
and　a　haunted　house　could　scarcely　address　me　to　greater　advantage
than　then。

I　walked　on　into　the　village；　with　the　desertion　of　this　house　upon
my　mind；　and　I　found　the　landlord　of　the　little　inn；　sanding　his
door…step。　　I　bespoke　breakfast；　and　broached　the　subject　of　the
house。

〃Is　it　haunted？〃　I　asked。

The　landlord　looked　at　me；　shook　his　head；　and　answered；　〃I　say
nothing。〃

〃Then　it　IS　haunted？〃

〃Well！〃　cried　the　landlord；　in　an　outburst　of　frankness　that　had
the　appearance　of　desperation〃I　wouldn't　sleep　in　it。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃If　I　wanted　to　have　all　the　bells　in　a　house　ring；　with　nobody　to
ring　'em；　and　all　the　doors　in　a　house　bang；　with　nobody　to　bang
'em；　and　all　sorts　of　feet　treading　about；　with　no　feet　there；　why；
then；〃　said　the　landlord；　〃I'd　sleep　in　that　house。〃

〃Is　anything　seen　there？〃

The　landlord　looked　at　me　again；　and　then；　with　his　former
appearance　of　desperation；　called　down　his　stable…yard　for　〃Ikey！〃

The　call　produced　a　high…shouldered　young　fellow；　with　a　round　red
face；　a　short　crop　of　sandy　hair；　a　very　broad　humorous　mouth；　a
turned…up　nose；　and　a　great　sleeved　waistcoat　of　purple　bars；　with
mother…of…pearl　buttons；　that　seemed　to　be　growing　upon　him；　and　to
be　in　a　fair　wayif　it　were　not　prunedof　covering　his　head　and
overrunning　his　boots。

〃This　gentleman　wants　to　know；〃　said　the　landlord；　〃if　anything's
seen　at　the　Poplars。〃

〃'Ooded　woman　with　a　howl；〃　said　Ikey；　in　a　state　of　great
freshness。

〃Do　you　mean　a　cry？〃

〃I　mean　a　bird；　sir。〃

〃A　hooded　woman　with　an　owl。　　Dear　me！　　Did　you　ever　see　her？〃

〃I　seen　the　howl。〃

〃Never　the　woman？〃

〃Not　so　plain　as　the　howl；　but　they　always　keeps　together。〃

〃Has　anybody　ever　seen　the　woman　as　plainly　as　the　owl？〃

〃Lord　bless　you；　sir！　　Lots。〃

〃Who？〃

〃Lord　bless　you；　sir！　　Lots。〃

〃The　general…dealer　opposite；　for　instance；　who　is　opening　his
shop？〃

〃Perkins？　　Bless　you；　Perkins　wouldn't　go　a…nigh　the　place。　　No！〃
observed　the　young　man；　with　considerable　feeling；　〃he　an't
overwise；　an't　Perkins；　but　he　an't　such　a　fool　as　THAT。〃

（Here；　the　landlord　murmured　his　confidence　in　Perkins's　knowing
better。）

〃Who　isor　who　wasthe　hooded　woman　with　the　owl？　　Do　you　know？〃

〃Well！〃　said　Ikey；　holding　up　his　cap　with　one　hand　while　he
scratched　his　head　with　the　other；　〃they　say；　in　general；　that　she
was　murdered；　and　the　howl　he　'ooted　the　while。〃

This　very　concise　summary　of　the　facts　was　all　I　could　learn；
except　that　a　young　man；　as　hearty　and　likely　a　young　man　as　ever　I
see；　had　been　took　with　fits　and　held　down　in　'em；　after　seeing　the
hooded　woman。　　Also；　that　a　personage；　dimly　described　as　〃a　hold
chap；　a　sort　of　one…eyed　tramp；　answering　to　the　name　of　Joby；
unless　you　challenged　him　as　Greenwood；　and　then　he　said；　'Why　not？
and　even　if　so；　mind　your　own　business；'〃　had　encountered　the
hooded　woman；　a　matter　of　five　or　six　times。　　But；　I　was　not
materially　assisted　by　these　witnesses：　inasmuch　as　the　first　was
in　California；　and　the　last　was；　as　Ikey　said　（and　he　was　confirmed
by　the　landlord）；　Anywheres。

Now；　although　I　regard　with　a　hushed　and　solemn　fear；　the
mysteries；　between　which　and　this　state　of　existence　is　interposed
the　barrier　of　the　great　trial　and　change　that　fall　on　all　the
things　that　live；　and　although　I　have　not　the　audacity　to　pretend
that　I　know　anything　of　them；　I　can　no　more　reconcile　the　mere
banging　of　doors；　ringing　of　bells；　creaking　of　boards；　and　such…
like　insignificances；　with　the　majestic　beauty　and　pervading
analogy　of　all　the　Divine　rules　that　I　am　permitted　to　understand；
than　I　had　been　able；　a　little　while　before；　to　yoke　the　spiritual
intercourse　of　my　fellow…　traveller　to　the　chariot　of　the　rising
sun。　　Moreover；　I　had　lived　in　two　haunted　housesboth　abroad。　　In
one　of　these；　an　old　Italian　palace；　which　bore　the　reputation　of
being　very　badly　haunted　indeed；　and　which　had　recently　been　twice
abandoned　on　that　account；　I　lived　eight　months；　most　tranquilly
and　pleasantly：　notwithstanding　that　the　house　had　a　score　of
mysterious　bedrooms；　which　were　never　used；　and　possessed；　in　one
large　room　in　which　I　sat　reading；　times　out　of　number　at　all
hours；　and　next　to　which　I　slept；　a　haunted　chamber　of　the　first
pretensions。　　I　gently　hinted　these　considerations　to　the　landlord。
And　as　to　this　particular　house　having　a　bad　name；　I　reasoned　with
him；　Why；　how　many　things　had　bad　names　undeservedly；　and　how　easy
it　was　to　give　bad　names；　and　did　he　not　think　that　if　he　and　I
were　persistently　to　whisper　in　the　village　that　any　weird…looking
old　drunken　tinker　of　the　neighborhood　had　sold　himself　to　the
Devil；　he　would　come　in　time　to　be　suspected　of　that　commercial
venture！　　All　this　wise　talk　was　perfectly　ineffective　with　the
landlord；　I　am　bound　to　confess；　and　was　as　dead　a　failure　as　ever
I　made　in　my　life。

To　cut　this　part　of　the　story　short；　I　was　piqued　about　the　haunted
house；　and　was　already　half　resolved　to　take　it。　　So；　after
breakfast；　I　got　the　keys　from　Perkins's　brother…in…law　（a　whip　and
harness　maker；　who　keeps　the　Post　Office；　and　is　under　submission
to　a　most　rigorous　wife　of　the　Doubly　Seceding　Little　Emmanuel
persuasion）；　and　went　up　to　the　house；　attended　by　my　landlord　and
by　Ikey。

Within；　I　found　it；　as　I　had　expected；　transcendently　dismal。　　The
slowly　changing　shadows　waved　on　it　from　the　heavy　trees；　were
doleful　in　the　last　degree；　the　house　was　ill…placed；　ill…built；
ill…planned；　and　ill…fitted。　　It　was　damp；　it　was　not　free　from　dry
rot；　there　was　a　flavor　of　rats　in　it；　and　it　was　the　gloomy　victim
of　that　indescribable　decay　which　settles　on　all　the　work　of　man's
hands　whenever　it's　not　turned　to　man's　account。　　The　kitchens　and
offices　were　too　large；　and　too　remote　from　each　other。　　Above
stairs　and　below；　waste　tracts　of　passage　intervened