three ghost stories-第7章

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descended　from　the　upper　rooms。　　There　was　no　rolling…pin；　there　was

no　salamander　（which　failed　to　surprise　me；　for　I　don't　know　what　it

is）；　there　was　nothing　in　the　house；　what　there　was；　was　broken；　the

last　people　must　have　lived　like　pigs；　what　could　the　meaning　of　the

landlord　be？　　Through　these　distresses；　the　Odd　Girl　was　cheerful

and　exemplary。　　But　within　four　hours　after　dark　we　had　got　into　a

supernatural　groove；　and　the　Odd　Girl　had　seen　〃Eyes；〃　and　was　in

hysterics。



My　sister　and　I　had　agreed　to　keep　the　haunting　strictly　to

ourselves；　and　my　impression　was；　and　still　is；　that　I　had　not　left

Ikey；　when　he　helped　to　unload　the　cart；　alone　with　the　women；　or

any　one　of　them；　for　one　minute。　　Nevertheless；　as　I　say；　the　Odd

Girl　had　〃seen　Eyes〃　（no　other　explanation　could　ever　be　drawn　from

her）；　before　nine；　and　by　ten　o'clock　had　had　as　much　vinegar

applied　to　her　as　would　pickle　a　handsome　salmon。



I　leave　a　discerning　public　to　judge　of　my　feelings；　when；　under

these　untoward　circumstances；　at　about　half…past　ten　o'clock　Master

B。's　bell　began　to　ring　in　a　most　infuriated　manner；　and　Turk　howled

until　the　house　resounded　with　his　lamentations！



I　hope　I　may　never　again　be　in　a　state　of　mind　so　unchristian　as　the

mental　frame　in　which　I　lived　for　some　weeks；　respecting　the　memory

of　Master　B。　　Whether　his　bell　was　rung　by　rats；　or　mice；　or　bats；

or　wind；　or　what　other　accidental　vibration；　or　sometimes　by　one

cause；　sometimes　another；　and　sometimes　by　collusion；　I　don't　know；

but；　certain　it　is；　that　it　did　ring　two　nights　out　of　three；　until

I　conceived　the　happy　idea　of　twisting　Master　B。's　neckin　other

words；　breaking　his　bell　short　offand　silencing　that　young

gentleman；　as　to　my　experience　and　belief；　for　ever。



But；　by　that　time；　the　Odd　Girl　had　developed　such　improving　powers

of　catalepsy；　that　she　had　become　a　shining　example　of　that　very

inconvenient　disorder。　　She　would　stiffen；　like　a　Guy　Fawkes　endowed

with　unreason；　on　the　most　irrelevant　occasions。　　I　would　address

the　servants　in　a　lucid　manner；　pointing　out　to　them　that　I　had

painted　Master　B。's　room　and　balked　the　paper；　and　taken　Master　B。's

bell　away　and　balked　the　ringing；　and　if　they　could　suppose　that

that　confounded　boy　had　lived　and　died；　to　clothe　himself　with　no

better　behaviour　than　would　most　unquestionably　have　brought　him　and

the　sharpest　particles　of　a　birch…broom　into　close　acquaintance　in

the　present　imperfect　state　of　existence；　could　they　also　suppose　a

mere　poor　human　being；　such　as　I　was；　capable　by　those　contemptible

means　of　counteracting　and　limiting　the　powers　of　the　disembodied

spirits　of　the　dead；　or　of　any　spirits？I　say　I　would　become

emphatic　and　cogent；　not　to　say　rather　complacent；　in　such　an

address；　when　it　would　all　go　for　nothing　by　reason　of　the　Odd

Girl's　suddenly　stiffening　from　the　toes　upward；　and　glaring　among

us　like　a　parochial　petrifaction。



Streaker；　the　housemaid；　too；　had　an　attribute　of　a　most

discomfiting　nature。　　I　am　unable　to　say　whether　she　was　of　an

usually　lymphatic　temperament；　or　what　else　was　the　matter　with　her；

but　this　young　woman　became　a　mere　Distillery　for　the　production　of

the　largest　and　most　transparent　tears　I　ever　met　with。　　Combined

with　these　characteristics；　was　a　peculiar　tenacity　of　hold　in　those

specimens；　so　that　they　didn't　fall；　but　hung　upon　her　face　and

nose。　　In　this　condition；　and　mildly　and　deplorably　shaking　her

head；　her　silence　would　throw　me　more　heavily　than　the　Admirable

Crichton　could　have　done　in　a　verbal　disputation　for　a　purse　of

money。　　Cook；　likewise；　always　covered　me　with　confusion　as　with　a

garment；　by　neatly　winding　up　the　session　with　the　protest　that　the

Ouse　was　wearing　her　out；　and　by　meekly　repeating　her　last　wishes

regarding　her　silver　watch。



As　to　our　nightly　life；　the　contagion　of　suspicion　and　fear　was

among　us；　and　there　is　no　such　contagion　under　the　sky。　　Hooded

woman？　　According　to　the　accounts；　we　were　in　a　perfect　Convent　of

hooded　women。　　Noises？　　With　that　contagion　downstairs；　I　myself

have　sat　in　the　dismal　parlour；　listening；　until　I　have　heard　so

many　and　such　strange　noises；　that　they　would　have　chilled　my　blood

if　I　had　not　warmed　it　by　dashing　out　to　make　discoveries。　　Try　this

in　bed；　in　the　dead　of　the　night：　　try　this　at　your　own　comfortable

fire…side；　in　the　life　of　the　night。　　You　can　fill　any　house　with

noises；　if　you　will；　until　you　have　a　noise　for　every　nerve　in　your

nervous　system。



I　repeat；　the　contagion　of　suspicion　and　fear　was　among　us；　and

there　is　no　such　contagion　under　the　sky。　　The　women　（their　noses　in

a　chronic　state　of　excoriation　from　smelling…salts）　were　always

primed　and　loaded　for　a　swoon；　and　ready　to　go　off　with　hair…

triggers。　　The　two　elder　detached　the　Odd　Girl　on　all　expeditions

that　were　considered　doubly　hazardous；　and　she　always　established

the　reputation　of　such　adventures　by　coming　back　cataleptic。　　If

Cook　or　Streaker　went　overhead　after　dark；　we　knew　we　should

presently　hear　a　bump　on　the　ceiling；　and　this　took　place　so

constantly；　that　it　was　as　if　a　fighting　man　were　engaged　to　go

about　the　house；　administering　a　touch　of　his　art　which　I　believe　is

called　The　Auctioneer；　to　every　domestic　he　met　with。



It　was　in　vain　to　do　anything。　　It　was　in　vain　to　be　frightened；　for

the　moment　in　one's　own　person；　by　a　real　owl；　and　then　to　show　the

owl。　　It　was　in　vain　to　discover；　by　striking　an　accidental　discord

on　the　piano；　that　Turk　always　howled　at　particular　notes　and

combinations。　　It　was　in　vain　to　be　a　Rhadamanthus　with　the　bells；

and　if　an　unfortunate　bell　rang　without　leave；　to　have　it　down

inexorably　and　silence　it。　　It　was　in　vain　to　fire　up　chimneys；　let

torches　down　the　well；　charge　furiously　into　suspected　rooms　and

recesses。　　We　changed　servants；　and　it　was　no　better。　　The　new　set

ran　away；　and　a　third　set　came；　and　it　was　no　better。　　At　last；　our

comfortable　housekeeping　got　to　be　so　disorganised　and　wretched；

that　I　one　night　dejectedly　said　to　my　sister：　　〃Patty；　I　begin　to

despair　of　our　getting　people　to　go　on　with　us　here；　and　I　think　we

must　give　this　up。〃



My　sister；　who　is　a　woman　of　immense　spirit；　replied；　〃No；　John；

don't　give　it　up。　　Don't　be　beaten；　John。　　There　is　another　way。〃



〃And　what　is　that？〃　said　I。



〃John；〃　returned　my　sister；　〃if　we　are　not　to　be　driven　out　of　this

house；　and　that　for　no　reason　whatever；　that　is　apparent　to　you　or

me；　we　must　help　ourselves　and　take　the　house　wholly　and　solely　into

our　own　hands。〃



〃But；　the　servants；〃　said　I。



〃Have　no　servants；〃　said　my　sister；　boldly。



Like　most　people　in　my　grade　of　life；　I　had　never　thought　of　the

possibility　of　going　on　without　those　faithful　obstructions。　　The

notion　was　so　new　to　me　when　suggested；　that　I　looked　very　doubtful。

〃We　know　they　come　here　to　be　frightened　and　infect　one　another；　and

we　know　they　are　frightened　and　do　infect　one　another；〃　said　my

sister。



〃With　the　exception　of　Bottles；〃　I　observed；　in　a　meditative　tone。



（The　deaf　stable…man。　　I　kept　him　in　my　service；　and　still　keep　him；

as　a　phenomenon　of　moroseness　not　to　be　matched　in　England。）



〃To　be　sure；　John；〃　assented　my　sister；　〃except　Bottles。　　And　what

does　that　go　to　prove？　　Bottles　talks　to　nobody；　and　hears　nobody

unless　he　is　absolutely　roared　at；　and　what　alarm　has　Bottles　ever

given；　or　taken！　　None。〃



This　was　perfectly　true；　the　individual　in　question　having　retired；

every　night　at　ten　o'clock；　to　his　bed　over　the　coach…house；　with　no

other　company　than　a　pitchfork　and　a　pail　of　water。　　That　the　pail

of　water　would　have　been　over　me；　and　the　pitchfork　through　me；　if　I

had　put　myself　without　announcement　in　Bottles's　way　after　that

minute；　I　had　deposited　in　my　own　mind　as　a　fact　worth　remembering。

Neither　had　Bottles　ever　taken　the　least　notice　of　any　of　our　many

uproars。　　An　imperturbable　and