classic mystery and detective stories-第2章

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within　a　year　or　two；　been　cheaply　repaired　to　render　it　habitable；

I　say　cheaply；　because　the　work　had　been　done　in　a　surface　manner；

and　was　already　decaying　as　to　the　paint　and　plaster；　though　the

colors　were　fresh。　　A　lop…sided　board　drooped　over　the　garden　wall；

announcing　that　it　was　〃to　let　on　very　reasonable　terms；　well

furnished。〃　　It　was　much　too　closely　and　heavily　shadowed　by　trees；

and；　in　particular；　there　were　six　tall　poplars　before　the　front

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