按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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？〃
20
… Page 21…
Three Ghost Stories
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 overunning 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；
21
… Page 22…
Three Ghost Stories
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 neighbourhood 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
22
… Page 23…
Three Ghost Stories
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 flavour 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
between patches of fertility represented by rooms； and there was a mouldy
old well with a green growth upon it； hiding like a murderous trap； near
the bottom of the back…stairs； under the double row of bells。 One of these
bells was labelled； on a black ground in faded white letters； MASTER B。
This； they told me； was the bell that rang the most。
〃Who was Master B。？〃 I asked。 〃Is it known what he did while the owl
hooted？〃
〃Rang the bell；〃 said Ikey。
I was rather struck by the prompt dexterity with which this young man
pitched his fur cap at the bell； and rang it himself。 It was a loud；
unpleasant bell； and made a very disagreeable sound。 The other bells were
inscribed according to the names of the rooms to which their wires were
conducted： as 〃Picture Room；〃 〃Double Room；〃 〃Clock Room；〃 and the
like。 Following Master B。's bell to its source I found that young gentleman
to have had but indifferent third…class accommodation in a triangular cabin
under the cock…loft； with a corner fireplace which Master B。 must have
been exceedingly small if he were ever able to warm himself at； and a
corner chimney… piece like a pyramidal staircase to the ceiling for Tom
Thumb。 The papering of one side of the room had dropped down bodily；
with fragments of plaster adhering to it； and almost blocked up the door。 It
appeared that Master B。； in his spiritual condition； always made a point of
pulling the paper down。 Neither the landlord nor Ikey could suggest why
23
… Page 24…
Three Ghost Stories
he made such a fool of himself。
Except that the house had an immensely large rambling loft at top； I
made no other discoveries。 It was moderately well furnished； but sparely。
Some of the furnituresay； a thirdwas as old as the house； the rest was of
various periods within the last half…century。 I was referred to a corn…
chandler in the market…place of the county town to treat fo