Canterville Ghost

•
V
OLTN
.
1
y
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http://www.archive.org/details/cu31 92401 3571 207
Date Due
'"5
1924 013 571 207
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THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
(HmtttxtilU
fn An amusing chronicle of the tribulations
of the Ghost of Cantervllle Chase when
his ancestral halls became the home of the
^
American Minister
Oic-o'
to the
Court of
St.
James.
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JOHN W. LUCE AND COMPANY
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THE GHOST GLIDED ON MORE SWIFTLY
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
"
The ghost glided on more swiftly "
Frontispiece
Miss Virginia E. Otis
7
"Had once raced old Lord
PONY
Bilton on her
"
9
"Blood has been spilled on that spot"
.
14
"I really must insist on your oiling those
chains "
23
"The twins ... at once discharged two
pellets on him
"
33
47
head was bald and burnished "
" He met with a severe fall "
-37
" A heavy jug of water fell right down on
61
him"
"Making satirical remarks on the photo65
graphs"
"
69
" Suddenly there leaped out two figures
"'Poor, poor ghost,' she murmured; 'have
83
you no place where you can sleep ? "
" Its
.
.
.
.
.
.
'
.
"
"
He heard somebody galloping after him "
Out on the landing stepped Virginia "
V
.
.
95
loi
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGB
*'
Chained to
was a gaunt skeleton "
of the hearse and the coaches
the servants with lighted
it
"
By the side
walked
"
The moon came out from behind a cloud "
torches
"
105
107
.
in
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
"^-p-^HEN
^
V
^^
V
^>^^^
the
Mr. Hiram B.
American
Otis,
Minister,
bought Canterville Chase,
every
one
told
him he
was doing a very foohsh thing, as
there was no doubt at all that the
Indeed, Lord
place was haunted.
Canterville himself,
who was a man
of the most punctihous honour, had
felt it his
duty to mention the fact to
Mr. Otis when they came
to discuss
terms.
"We
place
have not cared to hve in the
ourselves,"
said
1
Lord Canter-
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
ville,
" since
my
grandaunt, the
Dow-
ager Duchess of Bolton, was fright-
ened into a
from which she never
fit,
really recovered,
by two skeleton hands
being placed on her shoulders as she
was dressing for dinner, and I
boimd to
tell
feel
you, Mr. Otis, that the
ghost has been seen by several living
members of
my
family, as well as
the rector of the parish, the Rev.
gustus Dampier,
King's
College,
who
is
none
of
Cambridge.
our
would stay with
ville
often
got
us,
Au-
a Fellow of
After
the unfortunate accident to the
ess,
by
younger
Duch-
servants
and Lady Canter-
very
little
sleep
at
night, in consequence of the mysteri-
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
ous noises that came from the corridor
and the
"
My
" I
will
library."
Lord," answered the Minister,
take the
furniture
ghost at a valuation.
and the
I have come
from a modern coimtry, where we have
everything that money can buy; and
with
all
our spry yoimg fellows paint-
ing the Old
World
red,
and carrying
your best actors and prima-donnas,
I reckon that if there were such a
thing as a ghost in Europe, we'd have
off
it
at
home
in a very short time in one
of oiu" public museums, or on the road
as a show."
" I fear that the ghost exists," said
Lord
Canterville, smiling,
may
have
resisted
the
"though
overtures
it
of
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
your enterprising impresarios.
been well
known
1584 in
since
It has
for three centuries,
and always makes
fact,
appearance before the death of any
its
member
of our family."
" Well, so does the family doctor
for
that
matter.
But
there
is
ghost,
Lord
Canterville.
no such thing,
sir,
as a
and I guess the laws of Nature
are not going to be suspended for the
British aristocracy."
"
You
are certainly very natural in
America," answered Lord Canterville,
who
Otis's
did
last
not
quite
understand
Mr.
" and
you
observation,
if
mind a ghost in the house, it is
all right.
Only you must remember
I warned you."
don't
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
A
few weeks
after
the pur-
this,
chase was concluded, and at the close
of the season the Minister and his family
went down
Mrs.
Canterville
to
Chase.
who, as Miss Lucretia R.
Otis,
Tappan, of West 53d
a celebrated
Street,
New York
had been
beUe, was
now
a very handsome, middle-aged woman,
with fine eyes, and a superb
Many American
native land
chronic
ladies
finement,
it is
a form of European
but
Mrs.
nificent constitution,
many
re-
had never
Otis
She had a magand a really won-
amount of animal
deed, in
their
under the impres-
fallen into this error.
derful
on leaving
adopt an appearance of
ill-health,
sion that
profile.
spirits.
respects, she
In-
was quite
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
English, and was an excellent example of the
we have really
common with America
fact that
everything in
nowadays, except, of course, language.
Her
eldest
son,
christened
ton by his parents in a
Washing-
moment
of
patriotism, which he never ceased to
regret,
was a
fair-haired, rather
looking yoimg man,
who had
himself for American
leading the
German
Casino
three
for
and even
as
in
qualified
diplomacy by
at the
Newport
successive
London was
an excellent dancer.
good-
seasons,
well
known
Gardenias and
the peerage were his only weaknesses.
Otherwise he was extremely sensible.
Miss Virginia E. Otis was a
little girl
of fifteen, lithe and lovely as a fawn,
MISS VIRGINIA
E.
OTIS
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
and with a
freedom in her large
She was a wonderful Ama-
blue eyes.
zon,
fine
and had once raced old Lord
Bil-
ton on her pony twice rovmd the park,
winning
by a
length and a half,
just
the
in
front
of
Achilles
statue, to the
delight
young
Cheshire,
huge
of the
Duke of
who pro-
posed for her on the spot, and was sent
back to Eton that very night by his
After
guardians, in floods of tears.
Virginia came the twins, who were
usually called " The Star and Stripes,"
as they were always getting swished.
9
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
They were
delightful boys, and, with
the exception of the worthy Minister,
the only true republicans of the famiiy-
As
CanterviUe Chase
is
seven miles
from Ascot, the nearest railway
tion,
sta-
Mr. Otis had telegraphed for a
waggonette to meet them, and they
started
on
their drive in high spirits.
It
was a lovely July evening, and the
air
was deUcate with the scent of the
pinewoods.
Now
and then they heard
a wood-pigeon brooding over
its
own
sweet voice, or saw, deep in the rustling fern, the burnished breast of the
pheasant.
Little
them from the
by,
and
the
squirrels
peered at
beech-trees as they
rabbits
10
scudded
went
away
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
through the brushwood and over the
mossy
the
knolls, with their white tails in
air.
As
they entered the avenue
of Canterville Chase, however, the sky
became suddenly overcast with
clouds,
a curious stillness seemed to hold the
atmosphere,
a great flight of rooks
passed silently over their heads, and,
before they reached the house, some
big drops of rain had fallen.
Standing on the
them
was
an
dressed in black
and apron.
silk,
receive
woman,
neatly
with a white cap
This was Mrs. Umney,
the housekeeper,
Lady
old
to
steps
whom
Mrs.
Otis,
Canterville's earnest request,
at
had
consented to keep in her former position.
She made them each a low
11
curt-
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
and
sey as they alighted,
said
in
a
quaint, old-fashioned manner, " I bid
you welcome
to
Canterville
Chase."
Following her, they passed through
Tudor
the fine
hall into the library,
a long, low room, panelled in black
oak, at the end of which
stained
glass
found tea
window.
was a large
Here
they
laid out for them, and, after
taking off their wraps, they sat
down
and began to look rovmd, while Mrs.
Umney
waited on them.
Suddenly Mrs. Otis caught sight of
a dull red stain on the floor just by the
fireplace,
what
it
Umney,
been
and,
quite
unconscious
really signified,
" I
am
said to
of
Mrs.
afraid something has
spilt there."
12
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
" Yes,
madam,"
replied
old
the
" blood
housekeeper in a low voice,
has been spilt on that spot."
"How
horrid!"
Mrs.
cried
Otis;
" I don't at all care for blood-stains in
a sitting-room.
It
must be removed
at once."
The
old
woman
smiled,
and an-
swered in the same low, mysterious
voice, " It is the blood of
Lady
Elea-
who was murdered
by her own husband,
nore de Canterville,
on that very spot
Sir
Simon de
Canterville, in 1575.
Simon survived her nine
years,
Sir
and
disappeared suddenly imder very mysterious
circumstances.
His body has
never been discovered, but his guilty
spirit
still
haimts
13
the
Chase.
The
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
much admired by
blood-stain has been
and
tourists
and cannot be
others,
re-
moved."
"
That
is all
ington Otis;
Stain
nonsense," cried
Wash-
"Pmkerton's Champion
Remover and Paragon Detergent will clean
up
in
no time," and
before
fied
it
the
terri-
housekeeper
could interfere, he
had
upon
and was
fallen
his knees,
rapidly scouring the floor with a small
stick of
metic.
what looked
like
a black cos-
In a few moments no trace of
the blood-stain could be seen.
" I knew Pinkerton would
14
do
it,"
he
"
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
exclaimed, triumphantly, as he looked
round at
his
admiring family; but no
sooner had he said these words than a
terrible
flash
of lightning
lit
up
the
sombre room, a fearful peal of thunder
made them
and
all start to their feet,
Umney fainted.
"What a monstrous
Mrs.
American Minister, calmly,
the
lit
climate!" said
a long cheroot.
country
is
as he
" I guess the old
so overpopulated that they
have not enough decent weather for
everybody.
opinion that
I have always
emigration
is
been
the
of
only
thing for England."
"
"
My
dear Hiram," cried Mrs. Otis,
what can we do with a woman who
faints?
15
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
"
Charge
it
to her
hke breakages,"
"she won't
answered the Minister;
faint after that; "
ments Mrs.
Umney
and in a few mocertainly
came
to.
There was no doubt, however, that she
was extremely upset, and she sternly
warned Mr. Otis to beware of some
trouble
coming to the house.
" I have seen things with
eyes, sir," she said, " that
my own
would make
any Christian's hair stand on end, and
many and many a night I have not
closed
my
eyes in sleep for the awful
things that are done here."
however, and his
Mr. Otis,
wife warmly assured
the
that they
honest
soul
were not
afraid of ghosts, and, after invoking
the blessings of Providence on her
16
new
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
master and mistress, and making ar-
rangements for an increase of
salary,
the old housekeeper tottered off to her
own room.
17
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
II
CHE
all
storm raged fiercely
that night, but noth-
ing of particular note oc-
The next mornhowever, when they came down
curred.
ing,
they found the terrible
to breakfast,
stain of blood once again
on the
floor,
" I don't think it can be the fault of
the
Paragon Detergent,"
ington, " for I
thing.
It
accordingly
have tried
Wash-
said
it
with every-
must be the ghost."
rubbed
out
the
He
stain
a
second time, but the second morning
it
appeared again.
is
The
third
morn-
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
ing also
it
was
there,
though the
li-
brary had been locked up at night by
Mr. Otis
up-stairs.
himself,
and the key carried
The whole family were now
quite interested;
Mr. Otis began
to
suspect that he had been too dogmatic
in his denial of the existence
of ghosts,
Mrs. Otis expressed her intention of
joining
the
Psychical
Society,
and
Washington prepared a long letter to
Messrs. Myers and Podmore on the
subject of the Permanence
of
San-
guineous Stains when connected with
Crime.
That night
all
doubts about
the objective existence of phantasmata
were removed for
ever.
The day had been warm and sunny;
and, in the cool of the evening, the
19
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
whole family went out to drive.
did not return
home
They
tiU nine o'clock,
The
no way turned upon
when they had a
conversation in
light supper.
ghosts, so there were not even those
primary conditions of receptive expecwhich
tations
precede
often
so
the
presentation of psychical phenomena.
The
subjects discussed, as I have since
learned from Mr.
Otis,
were merely
such as form the ordinary conversation
of cultured Americans of the better
class,
such as the immense superiority
of Miss
Fanny Devonport
over Sarah
Bernhardt as an actress; the
of
obtaining
cakes,
green
com, buckwheat
and hominy, even
English
houses;
the
20
difficulty
in
the best
importance
of
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
Boston in
the
world-soul;
the
development
of
the
advantages
of
the
baggage-check system in railway trav-
York
New
and the sweetness of the
elling;
accent as compared to the Lon-
don drawl.
No
mention at
was
all
made of the supernatural, nor was
Simon de Canterville alluded to
At
any way.
ily
retired,
and by half-past
Some time
Otis was awakened
all
the
after,
Mr.
by a curious
noise
in the corridor, outside his room.
sounded
like the clank of metal,
seemed
to
It
and
coming nearer every
be
He
in
eleven o'clock the fam-
hghts were out.
moment.
Sir
got up at once, struck
a match, and looked at the time.
was exactly one
o'clock.
21
He
It
was quite
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
calm, and felt his pulse, which
at all feverish.
The strange
continued, and with
put on
phial
of
still
he heard dis-
He
took a small ohlong
his slippers,
out
noise
sound of footsteps.
the
tinctly
it
was not
dressing-case,
his
and
opened the door.
Right in front of
him he saw,
wan
old
man
in the
moonlight, an
of terrible aspect.
His eyes
were as red burning coals; long grey
hair fell over his shoulders in matted
coils;
garments,
his
which were of
antique cut, were soiled and ragged,
and from
his wrists
and ankles himg
heavy manacles and rusty gyves.
"My
really
chains,
dear
must
sir,"
insist
said
Mr.
Otis,
"I
on your oiling those
and have brought you for that
22
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
Tam-
purpose a small bottle of the
many
Rising Sun Lubricator.
It
said to be completely eflScacious
is
upon
one application, and there are several
testimonials to that effect
on the wrap-
per from some of our most eminent
native divines.
I shall leave
28
it
here
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
for
you by the bedroom
will
be
happy
candles,
and
supply you with
to
more, should you require
it."
With
these words the United States Minister laid the bottle
down on a marble
table, and, closing his door, retired to
rest.
For a moment
the Canterville ghost
stood quite motionless in natural indignation;
lently
down
then, dashing the bottle vio-
upon the polished
the
corridor,
floor,
uttering
he
fled
hollow
groans, and emitting a ghastly green
light.
Just,
however, as he reached
the top of the great oak staircase, a
door was flung open, two
little
white-
robed figures appeared, and a large
pillow whizzed past his head!
24
There
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
was evidently no time to be
lost,
so,
Fourth dimension
hastily adopting the
of Space as a means of escape, he vanished
through
wainscoting,
the
and
the house became quite quiet.
On
reaching a small secret chamber
in the left wing, he leaned
a
moonbeam
up
against
to recover his breath,
began to try and
and
realize his position.
Never, in a brilliant and uninterrupted
career of three himdred years, had he
been so grossly insulted.
of the
the
monds;
had
thought
Dowager Duchess, whom he had
frightened into a
fore
He
glass
in
fit
as she stood be-
her lace and dia-
of the foiu* housemaids,
gone
into
hysterics
when
who
he
merely grinned at them through the
26
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
curtains
on one of the spare bedrooms;
of the rector of the parish, whose candle he
late
had blown out as he was coming
one night from the library, and
who had been under
William Gull ever
the care of Sir
a
perfect
martyr to nervous disorders;
and of
old
Madame
de
since,
Tremouillac,
who,
having wakened up one morning early
and seen a skeleton seated in an armchair
by the
fire
reading her diary,
had been confined to her bed for six
weeks with an attack of brain fever,
and, on her recovery, had become reconciled to the Church,
and broken
her
that
connection
with
off
notorious
Monsieur de Voltaire.
He
remembered the terrible night when
sceptic,
26
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
the wicked
Lord
Canterville
was found
choking in his dressing-room, with the
knave of diamonds half-way down
and confessed, just before he
throat,
that
died,
his
had
he
cheated
Charles
James Fox out of ,£50,000 at Crockford's by means of that very card, and
swore that the ghost had made him
swallow
it.
All his great achievements
came back
butler
to
him
who had
again,
from the
himself in the
shot
pantry because he had seen a green
hand tapping
the beautiful
at the window-pane, to
Lady
Stutfield,
who was
always obliged to wear a black velvet
mark
band round her throat
to hide the
of five fingers burnt
upon her white
skin,
and who drowned
27
herself at last
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
in
the carp-pond at the end of the
With
King's Walk.
egotism of the true
the enthusiastic
artist,
he went
over his most celebrated performances,
and smiled
bitterly to himself
recalled to
mind
"
his
last
as he
appearance
Red Reuben,
or the Strangled
Babe," his debut as " Guant Gibeon,
as
the
Blood-sucker
of
Bexley Moor,"
and the furore he had excited one
Jxme evening by merely play-
lovely
ing ninepins with his
the
lawn-tennis
all this
own
ground.
bones upon
And
after
some wretched modern Ameri-
cans were to come and offer
him the
Rising Sun Lubricator, and throw
lows at his head!
able.
Besides,
It
was quite unbear-
no ghost
28
pil-
in history
had
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
ever been treated in this manner.
Ac-
cordingly, he determined to have ven-
geance, and remained
till
daylight in
an attitude of deep thought.
29
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
III
CHE
the
next morning, when
Otis
breakfast,
they
the ghost at
The United
urally a
some length.
was nat-
annoyed to find that
present had not been accepted.
have no wish," he
at
discussed
States Minister
little
met
family
said,
" to
his
" I
do the
ghost any personal injury, and I must
say
that,
considering
the
length
of
time he has been in the house, I don't
think
it
is
at all polite to
lows at him,"
at which, I
—a
am
throw
pil-
very just remark,
sorry to say, the twins
30
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
burst into shouts of laughter.
"
Upon
the other hand," he continued, "if he
really declines to use the Rising
Lubricator,
chains
we
Sun
have to take his
shall
It would be quite
from him.
impossible to sleep, with such a noise
going on outside the bedrooms."
For
the rest of the week, however,
they were imdisturbed, the only thing
that excited
continual
any attention being the
renewal of the blood-stain
on the hbrary
floor.
was very strange,
as
This certainly
the
door was
always locked at night by Mr. Otis,
and the windows kept
The
closely barred.
chameleon-like colour, also, of the
stain excited a
Some mornings
good deal of comment.
it
was a
31
dull (almost
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
Indian)
red,
then
would be ver-
it
milion, then a rich purple,
when they came down
ers,
and once
for family pray-
according to the simple rites of the
Free American Reformed Episcopalian
Church, they found
These
emerald-green.
it
a bright
kaleidoscopic
changes naturally amused the party
very much, and bets on the subject
were freely made every evening.
only person
joke was
who
little
The
did not enter into the
Virginia, who, for
some
vmexplained reason, was always a good
deal
distressed
blood-stain,
morning
it
at
the
sight
of
the
and very nearly cried the
was emerald-green.
The second appearance of the ghost
was on Sunday night. Shortly after
82
" THE TWINS ... AT ONCE DISCHARGED
PELLETS ON HIM "
TWO
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
they had gone to bed they were sud-
denly alarmed by a fearful crash in
the haU.
Rushing down-stairs, they
found that a large
suit of old armoiu*
had become detached from
and had
fallen
on the stone
its
floor,
seated in a high-backed chair
stand,
while
was the
CanterviUe ghost, rubbing his knees
with an 3xpression of acute agony on
his face.
The
twins, having brought
their pea-shooters with them, at once
discharged two pellets on him, with
that accuracy of aim which can only
be attained by long and careful prac-
on a writing-master, while the
United States Minister covered him
tice
with his revolver, and called upon him,
in
accordance
with
36
Californian
eti-
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
to
quette,
hold up his hands!
The
up with a wild shriek
and swept through them like
Washington
extinguishing
ghost started
of rage,
a
mist,
Otis's
candle
leaving them
as
all
he
passed,
and so
in total darkness.
On
reaching the top of the staircase he
recovered himself, and determined to
give his celebrated peal of demoniac
laughter.
This he had on more than
one occasion found extremely useful.
It
was
said
to
have
turned
Lord
Raker's wig grey in a single night,
and had certainly made three of Lady
Canterville's
French governesses give
warning before
He
their
month was up.
accordingly laughed his most hor-
rible laugh, till
the old vaulted roof
36
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
rang and rang again, but hardly had
away when a
door opened, and Mrs. Otis came out
fearful echo
the
in
a light blue
am
bottle of
it
is
dressing-gown.
" I
you are far from weU,"
afraid
she said,
died
" and have brought you a
Doctor Dobell's
you
indigestion,
If
tincture.
will
most excellent remedy."
find
it
a
The ghost
glared at her in fvuy, and began at
once to
make
preparations for turn-
ing himself into a large black dog,
an accomplishment for which he was
family
doctor
permanent
viUe's uncle,
ton.
and
renowned,
justly
always
to
which the
attributed
the
Lord Canterthe Hon. Thomas Hor-
idiocy
The sound
of
of approaching foot87
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
steps,
made him
however,
his fell purpose, so
self
hesitate in
he contented him-
with becoming faintly phospho-
rescent,
and vanished with a deep
churchyard groan, just as the twins
had come up to him.
On
reaching his room he entirely
broke down, and became a prey to
the most violent agitation.
garity
of
the
twins,
materialism of Mrs.
The
vul-
and the gross
Otis,
were nat-
urally extremely annoying, but
what
him most was that
he had been tmable to wear the suit
of mail.
He had hoped that even
really
distressed
modem
by the
if
for
Americans would be
thrilled
sight of a Spectre in armour,
no more
sensible
38
reason,
at
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
least out of respect for their natural
Longfellow, over whose grace-
poet
and
ful
poetry he himself
attractive
had whiled away many a weary hour
when the
town.
He
at
Cantervilles
Besides
was
it
had worn
it
his
with great success
Kenilworth
the
up in
own suit.
were
tournament,
and
had been highly complimented on
a person than the Virgin
by no
less
Queen
herself.
it
on,
it
Yet when he had put
he had been completely over-
powered by the weight of the huge
breastplate
and
steel casque,
and had
fallen heavily
on the stone pavement,
barking both
his
bruising
the
knees severely, and
knuckles
hand.
39
of
his
right
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
For some days
extremely
of his
ill,
room
this
and hardly
all,
he was
stirred
out
except to keep the
proper repair.
How-
by taking great care of
himself,
blood-stain
ever,
at
after
in
he recovered, and resolved to
third attempt to frighten the
States Minister
and
selected Friday,
August
his
make
a
United
family.
He
17th, for his
appearance, and spent most of that
day
looking
in
ultimately
over
deciding
in
his
wardrobe,
favovu"
of
a
large slouched hat with a red feather,
a winding-sheet frilled at the wrists
and neck, and a rusty dagger. Towards evening a violent storm of rain
came
that
and the wind was so high
the windows and doors in the
on,
all
40
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
old house shook
it
and
rattled.
was just such weather
His plan of action was
to
make
his
way
In
fact,
as he loved.
this.
quietly to
He
was
Washing-
ton Otis's room, gibber at him from
and stab himself
the foot of the bed,
three times in the throat to the sound
of low music.
He
bore Washington
a special grudge, being quite aware
that
of
it
was he who was
in the habit
removing the famous
blood-stain
Paragon
duced
by means of Pinkerton's
Detergent.
the
Canterville
reckless
Having
and
re-
foolhardy
youth to a condition of abject
terror,
he was then to proceed to the room
occupied by the United States Minister
and
his wife,
and there to place
41
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
a clammy hand on Mrs. Otis's forehead, while he hissed into her trembling husband's ear the awful secrets
With regard
of the charnel-house.
to
Virginia,
little
made up
and
pretty
She had never
mind.
his
him
insulted
he had not quite
any way, and was
in
A
gentle.
few hollow
groans from the wardrobe, he thought,
would be more than
that
failed
to
suiBcient, or,
wake
her,
if
might
he
grabble at the counterpane with palsy-
As
twitching fingers.
he
was
them a
determined
quite
The
lesson.
first
done was, of course, to
chests,
so
sensation
for the twins,
sit
to
thing to be
upon
produce the
as
to
of
nightmare.
42
teach
their
stifling
Then,
as
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
their
beds were
quite
close
them
to stand between
other,
form of a green, icy-cold
each
to
in the
corpse,
till
they became paralyzed with fear, and
to
throw
off
and
crawl
roimd
finally,
sheet,
with white,
rolling
"
the
bleached bones
eyeball,
Dmnb
winding-
the
or
Daniel,
and one
character
the
in
room,
the
of
Suicide's
Skeleton," a role in which he had on
more than one occasion produced a
great effect, and which he considered
quite
"
equal
to
famous
his
part
of
Martin the Maniac, or the Masked
Mystery."
At
ily
was
half -past ten he heard the fam-
For some time he
going to bed.
disturbed
by
43
wild
shrieks
of
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
laughter from the
who, with
twins,
the hght-hearted gaiety of schoolboys,
were
amusing
evidently
before they retired to
themselves
but at a
rest,
quarter-past eleven all was
and,
still,
as midnight sounded, he salhed forth.
The owl
beat
the
panes,
against
raven
wind wandered
moaning round the house
soul;
from the
croaked
old yew-tree, and the
window-
the
like
a
lost
but the Otis family slept imof
conscious
their
doom,
and high
above the rain and storm he could hear
the
steady
snoring
for the United
of
States.
the
Minister
He
stepped
stealthily out of the wainscoting,
an
kled
evil
smile
on
his
cruel,
with
^v^in-
mouth, and the moon hid her
44
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
face in a cloud as he stole past the
great
oriel
window, where
arms and those of
his
his
murdered wife
were blazoned in azure and gold.
and on he
glided, like
own
an
evil
On
shadow,
the very darkness seeming to loathe
him
Once he thought
as he passed.
he heard something
call,
and stopped;
was only the baying of a dog
from the Red Farm, and he went on,
but
it
muttering
curses,
strange
sixteenth-century
and ever and anon brandish-
ing the rusty dagger in the midnight
Finally he reached the corner of
air.
Washmoment he
the passage that led to luckless
ington's
room.
For a
paused there, the wind blowing his
long grey locks about his head, and
45
THE CAXTERVILLE GHOST
twisting into grotesque
and
fantastic
dead
folds the nameless horror of the
man's shroud.
Then
the clock struck
the quarter, and he felt the time
He
come.
was
chuckled to himself, and
but no sooner had
turned the corner;
he done so than, with a piteous wail
of terror, he
back,
fell
and hid
his
blanched face in his long, bony hands.
Right
a
in
front of
horrible
carven
motionless
as
a
and monstrous
as
a
spectre,
image,
him was standing
madman's dream! Its head was bald
and burnished; its face round, and
fat, and white;
and hideous laughter
seemed to have writhed
tures into an eternal grin.
eyes
streamed rays
46
of
fea-
its
From
scarlet
the
light,
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
the
mouth was a wide well
and a hideous garment,
own, swathed with
On
placard with
Titan
form.
like
its silent
its
of
to
fire,
his
snows the
breast
was a
strange writing in
antique characters,
some scroll of
shame
some
wild
f
it
seemed,
record
sins,
of
some aw-
u 1 calendar o
crime, and,
its
with
right hand,
of gleaming
f
it
bore aloft a falchion
steel.
Never having seen a ghost before,
he naturally was terribly frightened,
and, after a second hasty glance at
47
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
the awful phantom, he fled back to
his
room, tripping up in his long wind-
ing-sheet as he sped
dor,
and
down
the corri-
dropping the rusty
finally
dagger into the Minister's jack-boots,
where it was found in the morning
by the
butler.
Once
in the privacy
own apartment, he flung himdown on a small pallet-bed, and
of his
self
hid his face under the clothes.
After
a time, however, the brave old Canterville
spirit asserted itself,
and he de-
termined to go and speak to the other
ghost as soon as it was daylight. Accordingly,
just
touching the
hills
as
the
with
dawn
silver,
he
was
re-
turned towards the spot where he had
first laid
eyes on the grisly phantom,
48
THE CANTERVILLE GHOS T
feeling
after
that,
two
all,
were better than one, and
the aid of his
new
ghosts
by
that,
might
friend, he
On
grapple with the twins.
safely
reaching the spot, however, a terrible
sight
met
his
gaze.
Something had
evidently happened to the spectre, for
the light had entirely faded from
hollow
eyes,
gleaming
the
had fallen from
its
up
strained
and uncomfortable
He
against
falchion
hand, and
leaning
the
it
wall
slipped
his horror, the
when, to
off
and
rolled
was
in
a
attitude.
rushed forward and seized
his arms,
its
on the
it
in
head
floor,
the body assumed a recumbent posture,
and he found himself clasping
a white
dimity
bed-curtain,
49
with
a
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
sweeping-brush, a kitchen cleaver, and
a
hollow
Unable
lying
turnip
at
understand
to
his
feet!
curious
this
transformation, he clutched the plac-
ard with feverish haste, and there, in
the grey
morning
words
fearful
:
—
light,
he read these
YE OTIS GHOSTE
Ye Onlie True and Originale Spook,
Beware
of
Ye Imitationes.
All others are counterfeite.
The whole thing
He
had been
witted!
came
toothless
ing
his
across
tricked, foiled,
The
into
flashed
his
gums
old
hands
50
look
he groimd his
together;
withered
and out-
Canterville
eyes;
him.
and,
high
rais-
above
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
his head,
swore according to the pic-
turesque
phraseology of the
school,
when
that,
sounded twice
his
antique
had
Chanticleer
merry horn, deeds
of blood would be wrought, and mur-
der walk abroad with
silent feet.
Hardly had he finished this awful
oath when, from the red-tiled roof of
a
distant
He
and
a
homestead,
laughed a long, low,
Hour
waited.
cock
crew.
bitter laugh,
hour
after
he
waited, but the cock, for some strange
Finally,
reason, did not crow again.
at half -past seven, the arrival of the
housemaids
made him
fearful vigil,
his
and
up
his
and he stalked back to
room, thinking of
baffled
give
purpose.
51
his
vain oath
There he con-
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
suited
several books of ancient chiv-
of
alry,
which
he
was exceedingly
fond, and found that, on every occasion
on which
oath had been used.
this
Chanticleer had always crowed a sec" Perdition
seize
the
ond time.
naughty fowl," he muttered, " I have
the
seen
spear, I
day when, with
made him crow
an 'twere in death! "
a
stout
would have run him through
the gorge, and
to
my
comfortable
stayed there
till
He
lead
evening.
52
for
me
then retired
coifin,
and
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
IV
^^^^^^HE next day the ghost was
m
Li
^L
J
^^^^^
"^^^y
five
four weeks was be-
last
its effect.
completely
started
at
The
tired.
terrible excitement of the
ginning to have
were
weak and
the
His nerves
shattered,
slightest
and
For
noise.
days he kept his room, and at
made up
his
mind
to give
up
If the Otis family did not want
evidently people
it.
last
the point
of the blood-stain on the library
clearly did not deserve
he
it,
floor.
they
They were
on a low, material
plane of existence, and quite incapable
63
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
of appreciating the symbolic value of
sensuous phenomena.
The
phantasmic apparitions,
velopment
of
astral
question of
and the de-
bodies,
was of
and
course quite a different matter,
really not
his
under
his control.
It was
solemn duty to appear in the cor-
ridor once a week,
and
to gibber
from
window on the first and
third Wednesdays in every month, and
he did not see how he could honourthe large oriel
ably escape from his obhgations.
quite true that his life
evil, but,
upon
It
had been very
the other hand, he
most conscientious in
is
all
was
things con-
nected with the supernatural.
For
the
next three Saturdays, accordingly, he
traversed the corridor as usual between
54
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
midnight
and
three
o'clock,
taking
every possible precaution against being
either heard or seen.
He
removed
his
on the
boots, trod as lightly as possible
old worm-eaten boards, wore a large
black velvet cloak, and was careful to
use the Rising Sim. Lubricator for
knowledge that
am bovmd
I
ing his chains.
it
to
oil-
ac-
was with a good deal
of difficulty that he brought himself
to adopt this last
However, one
mode
of protection.
night, while the family
were at dinner, he slipped into Mr.
Otis's
tle.
bedroom and
He
felt
a
carried off the bot-
little
humihated at
first,
but afterwards was sensible enough to
see that there
was a great deal
to be
said for the invention, and, to a certain
66
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
degree,
it
served his purpose.
in spite of everything he
Still,
was not
left
Strings were continually
unmolested.
being stretched across the corridor, over
which he tripped in the dark, and on
one occasion, while dressed for the part
of " Black Isaac, or the
Huntsman
Hogley Woods," he met with a
fall,
of
severe
through treading on a butter-shde,
which the twins had constructed from
the entrance of the Tapestry
Chamber
to the top of the oak staircase.
enraged him, that he re-
last insult so
solved to
his
make one
dignity
This
and
determined to
final effort to assert
social
visit
position,
the insolent
young
Etonians the next night in his
56
and
cele-
"HE MET
WITH A SEVERE FALL
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
brated character of " Reckless Rupert,
or the Headless Earl."
He
for
had not appeared
in this disguise
more than seventy years;
in fact,
not since he had so frightened pretty
Lady Barbara Modish by means
of
it,
that she suddenly broke off her engage-
Lord Canterville's grandfather, and ran away to
Gretna Green with handsome Jack
ment with
the present
Castletown, declaring that nothing in
the world
would induce her to marry
into a family that allowed such a horrible
walk up and down the
Poor Jack was
twilight.
phantom
terrace
at
afterwards
to
shot in
Canterville on
a duel by Lord
Wandsworth Common,
and Lady Barbara died of a broken
69
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
heart at Tunbridge Wells before the
year was out,
so,
in every way,
it
had
been a great success.
It was, however,
an extremely
"make-up,"
may
difficult
if
I
use such a theatrical expression in
one of the greatest
connection with
mysteries of the supernatural, or, to
employ a more
higher-natural world, and
fully three hom-s to
tions.
At
last
term,
scientific
make
it
took him
his
prepara-
everything was ready,
and he was very pleased with
The big
pearance.
the
leather
his ap-
riding-
boots that went with the dress were
just a httle too large for him, and he
could only find one of the two horse-
on the whole, he was quite
and at a quarter-past one he
pistols, but,
satisfied,
A HEAVY JUG OF WATER FELL RIGHT
HIM."
DOWN ON
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
glided out of the wiainscoting and crept
down
On
the corridor.
reaching the
room occupied by the twins, which I
should mention was called the Blue
Bed Chamber, on account
of
its
ajar.
of the colour
hangings, he found the door just
Wishing to make an
entrance, he flung
it
effective
wide open, when
a heavy jug of water
fell
right
on him, wetting him to the
down
skin,
and
couple of inches.
by a
At the same moment
he heard
shrieks
just missing his left
stifled
proceeding
The shock
from the
shoulder
of
laughter
four-post
to his nervous system
so great that he fled back to his
as hard as he could go,
day he was
bed.
laid
room
and the next
up with a
62
was
severe cold.
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
The only thing
that at all consoled
was the
in the whole affair
him
fact that
he had not brought his head with him,
for,
had he done
the consequences
so,
might have been very
He now
gave up
serious.
all
hope of ever
frightening this rude American family,
and contented
himself, as a rule, with
creeping about the passages in
list slip-
a thick red muffler roimd
his throat for fear of draughts, and a
small arquebuse, in case he should be
pers, with
attacked
by the
twins.
The
final
blow
he received occurred on the 19th of
September.
He
had gone down-stairs
to the great entrance-hall, feeling sure
that there, at any rate, he would be
quite
immolested,
and was amusing
63
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
himself by
making
satirical
remarks
on the large Saroni photographs of the
United States Minister and
which had
now taken
his wife,
the place of the
He
CantervUle family pictures.
was
simply but neatly clad in a long shroud,
spotted with
tied
up
linen,
his
chiu-chyard mould,
jaw with a
had
strip of yellow
and carried a small lantern and
In
a sexton's spade.
fact,
he was
dressed for the character of " Jonas the
Graveless, or the Corpse- Snatcher of
Chertsey Barn," one of his most re-
markable
impersonations,
and
one
which the Cantervilles had every reason to remember, as
it
was the
real
origin of their quarrel with their neigh-
bour.
Lord Ruiford.
64
It was about a
" MAKING
SATIRICAL REMARKS ON THE
PHOTOGRAPHS "
"
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
quaxter-past two o'clock in the morning, and, as far as he coiold ascertain,
no one was
stirring.
As
he was
strol-
ling towards the library, however, to
see if there
were any traces
left of the
blood-stain, suddenly there leaped out
on bim from a dark corner two figures,
who waved their arms wildly above
their heads,
and shrieked out
"
BOO
!
in his ear.
Seized with a panic, which, under the
circumstances,
was only
rushed for the
natural,
staircase,
but
he
found
him there
with the big garden-syringe, and being
thus hemmed in by his enemies on
Washington Otis waiting
every
side,
for
and driven almost
to bay,
he vanished into the great iron stove,
67
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
which, fortunately for him, was not
and had
the flues
to
After
his
way home through
and chimneys, arriving
own room
disorder,
make
lit,
at his
in a terrible state of dirt,
and
this
despair.
he was not seen again on
any nocturnal expedition.
lay in wait for
him on
The twins
several occasions,
and strewed the passages with nutshells
every night to the great annoyance of
their parents
was of no
and the
avail.
servants, but
it
It was quite evident
wounded that
he would not appear. Mr. Otis consequently resumed his great work on
that his feelings were so
the history of the Democratic Party,
on which he had been engaged for some
years;
Mrs. Otis organized a wonder68
" SUDDENLY THERE
LEAFED OUT
TWO
FIGURES,
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
ful clam-bake,
which amazed the whole
county;
boys
the
took
lacrosse,
to
euchre, poker,
and other American na-
tional games,
and Virginia rode about
by
who had
the lanes on her pony, accompanied
yoimg Duke of Cheshire,
come to spend the last week of
the
days at
Canterville
his holi-
It was
Chase.
generally assumed that the ghost had
gone away, and, in
a
fact,
Mr. Otis wrote
letter to that effect to
ville,
Lord Canter-
who, in reply, expressed
his great
pleasure at the news, and sent his best
congratulations to the Minister's worthy
wife.
The
Otises, however,
for the ghost
was
still
in the house,
though now almost an
70
were deceived,
invalid,
and
was by
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
no means ready
to
let
matters
rest,
among
young Duke of
particularly as he heard that
the guests was the
Cheshire,
whose
grand-vmcle,
Lord
Francis Stilton, had once bet a hun-
dred guineas with Colonel Carbury that
he would play dice with the Canterville
and was found the next
ghost,
morning lying on the
floor of the card-
room
in such a helpless paralytic state
that,
though he lived on to a great age,
he was never able to say anything again
The
but "Double Sixes."
well
known
at the
time,
story
was
though, of
course, out of respect to the feelings
of the two noble famiUes, every attempt
was made
account of
to hush
all
it
up, and a full
the circvmistances con71
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
nected with
it
will
be fotmd in the third
volume of Lord Tattle's Recollections
of the Prince Regent and his Friends.
The
ghost,
then,
was naturally very
anxious to show that he had not lost his
influence over the Stiltons, with
indeed, he
own
first
was
whom,
distantly connected, his
cousin having been married en
secondes noces to the Sieur de Bulke-
from whom,
ley,
the
as every one knows,
Dukes of Cheshire
are lineally de-
Accordingly,
scended.
he made ar-
rangements for appearing to Virginia's
little
lover in his celebrated impersona-
tion of "
The Vampire Monk,
or the
Bloodless Benedictine," a performance
so horrible that
saw
it,
when
old
Lady Startup
which she did on one fatal
72
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
New
Year's Eve, in the year 1764, she
went
off into the
most piercing
shrieks,
which cuhninated in violent apoplexy,
and died
ing
the
in three days, after disinheritCantervilles,
who were her
nearest relations, and leaving
money
the last
the
to her
London
apothecary.
moment, however,
twins
all
her
At
his terror of
prevented his leaving his
room, and the Uttle
Duke
slept in peace
under the great feathered canopy in the
Royal Bedchamher, and dreamed of
Virginia.
78
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
FEW
days
this,
and her curly-
Virginia
haired
after
cavalier
went out
riding on Brockley mead-
ows, where she tore her habit so badly
in getting through a
their return
mind
so
to
hedge
that,
on
home, she made up her
go up by the back
staircase
As
she was
as not to be
seen.
running past the Tapestry Chamber,
the
door of which happened to be
open, she fancied she saw some one
inside,
er's
and thinking
maid,
it
was her moth-
who sometimes used
74
to
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
bring her work there, looked in to
ask her to
immense
mend
surprise, however,
Canterville
sitting
To
her habit.
Ghost himself!
it
her
was the
He
was
by the window, watching
the
ruined gold of the yellowing trees
through the
air,
and the red
fly
leaves
dancing madly down the long avenue.
His head was leaning ,on his hand,
and his whole attitude was one of
extreme depression.
lorn,
he
first
Indeed, so for-
and so much out of repair did
look,
that
little
Virginia,
idea had been to run
lock herself in her room,
whose
away and
was
filled
with pity, and determined to try and
comfort him. So light was her footfall,
and so deep
his melancholy, that
76
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
he was not aware of her presence
till
she spoke to him.
" I
am
so sorry for you," she said,
" but
my
brothers are going back to
Eton to-morrow, and
behave yom-self,
then,
no one
if
you
annoy
will
you."
"It
is
absurd asking
me
to behave
myself," he answered, looking round
in
girl
astonishment
at
pretty
the
who had ventured
little
to address him,
" quite
absurd.
chains,
and groan through keyholes,
I
must
and walk about at night,
what you mean.
It
son for existing."
" It is no reason at
is
my
all
rattle
if
my
that
is
only rea-
for existing,
and you know you have been very
7S
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
day we arrived
first
had
Umney
Mrs.
wicked.
killed
the
here,
that
you
your wife."
"Well, I
Ghost,
us,
told
quite admit
"but
petulantly,
said the
it,"
was
it
a
purely family matter, and concerned
no one
" It
said
sweet
else."
is
very wrong to
Virginia,
ptu-itan
some old
who
kill
any one,"
times
at
caught
gravity,
New England
had a
from
ancestor.
" Oh, I hate the cheap severity of
wife was very
abstract ethics!
My
plain,
never had
starched,
and
my
ruffs
properly
knew nothing
about
was a buck I
had shot in Hogley Woods, a magnificent pricket, and do you know
cookery.
Why,
there
77
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
how
ever,
all
it
no matter now, for
is
and I don't think
over,
though I did
to death,
" Starve
you
Ghost — I
hvmgry?
case.
mean
is
was
starve
kill her."
Oh, Mr.
death?
to
it
it
very nice of her brothers to
me
How-
she had it sent to table?
Sir Simon, are
you
I have a sandwich in
my
Would you
like it?
"
" No, thank you, I never eat any-
thing now; but
all
the same,
it is
very kind of you,
and you are much nicer
than the rest of your horrid, rude,
vulgar, dishonest family."
"Stop!"
her foot, "
horrid,
honesty,
cried
it is
Virginia,
stamping
you who are rude, and
and vulgar, and
you
# ^^
know
78
you
as
for disstole
tiie
"
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
my
paints out of
up
bish
fur-
that ridiculous blood-stain in
my
First you took all
the library.
reds,
box to try and
including the vermihon, and I
couldn't
do any more
sunsets,
then
you took the emerald-green and the
chrome-yellow, and finally I had
nothing left but indigo and Chinese
white, and could only do moonUght
which
scenes,
to
look
at,
always
are
and not
at
depressing
all
easy to
I never told on you, though
I was very much annoyed, and it was
most ridiculous, the whole thing; for
paint.
.
who
ever
of
heard
emerald-green
blood?
"Well,
really,"
rather meekly,
said
the
"what was I
79
Ghost,
to
do?
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
It
is
a very
thing to get real
difficult
blood nowadays, and, as your brother
began
it
aU with
gent, I certainly
his
Paragon Deter-
saw no reason why
I should not have your paints.
for colour, that
taste:
blood,
in
the
for
is
As
always a matter of
have
Cantervilles
the
instance,
blue
very bluest
England; but I know you Ameri-
cans
don't
care
for
things
of
this
it,
and
kind."
"
You know
nothing about
the best thing you can do
is
to emi-
grate and improve your mind.
My
happy to give
and though there
father will be only too
you a
is
free passage,
a heavy duty on spirits of every
kind, there
wiH be no
80
difficulty
about
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
the Ciostom House, as the officers are
all
you are sure
I
Once
Democrats.
know
lots
New
in
York,
be a great success.
to
people
of
there
who
would give a hundred thousand dollars to have a grandfather, and much
more than
that
to
have
a
ghost."
" I don't think I should like
family
Amer-
ica."
we have no
" I
suppose
because
ruins
and no
curiosities,"
ginia,
satirically.
"No
ruins!
no
swered the Ghost;
said
curiosities!"
Vir-
an-
"you have your
navy and your manners."
"Good evening; I wiU go and
SI
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
ask papa to get the twins an extra
week's holiday."
" Please don't go.
"I am
he cried;
unhappy,
what to
and I
lonely
so
really
want
I
do.
Miss Virginia,"
and
don't
so
know
to
go to
sleep
absurd!
You
have
and I cannot."
" That's
quite
merely to go to bed and blow out the
very
sometimes
candle.
It
to keep
awake, especially at church,
but there
sleeping.
how
is
is
no
difficulty at all
Why,
to do that,
difficult
even
babies
about
know
and they are not very
clever."
" I have not
slept
for three him-
dred years," he said sadly, and Virginia's beautiful blue eyes
82
opened in
POOR, POOR GHOST, SHE MURMURED
YOU NO PLACE WHERE YOU CAN SLEEP
'
«
;
?
'
HAVE
"
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
wonder;
" for three hundred years I
have not
slept,
and I
am
so tu-ed."
Virginia grew quite grave, and her
httle
trembled
lips
rose-leaves.
like
She came towards him, and kneeling
down
at his side, looked
up
old withered face.
" Poor,
poor Ghost,"
into his
she
mur-
"have you no place where
mured;
you can sleep?"
"
Far
answered,
woods,"
he
dreamy
voice,
den.
beyond
away
"there
There the
is
grass
pine-
the
in
a
a
little
grows
low,
gar-
long
and deep, there are the great white
stars of the hemlock flower, there the
nightingale sings
night
long
he
all
night long.
All
and the
cold
sings,
86
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
moon
crystal
down,
looks
yew-tree spreads out
its
and
the
giant arms
over the sleepers."
Virginia's
tears,
grew
eyes
dim
and she hid her face
with
her
in
hands.
"
You mean
Garden of Death,"
the
she whispered.
" Yes,
Death must be
death.
To
beautiful.
in the soft
lie
earth, with the grasses
one's head,
and
so
brown
waving above
listen to sUence.
To
have no yesterday, and no to-morrow.
To
forget time, to forget
You
open for me
at peace.
can
house,
for
and love
is
love
life,
can help me.
to be
You
the portals of death's
is
always with you,
stronger than death
86
is."
"
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
Virginia trembled, a cold shudder
ran through her, and for a few mo-
ments there was
if
She
silence.
felt as
she was in a terrible dream.
Then
the
ghost spoke again, and
his voice
sounded
the wind.
" Have
you
like the sighing of
ever
read
the
old
prophecy on the library window?
"Oh,
often,"
looking up;
It
"I know
the httle
it
is
diflScult
letters,
There are
read.
to
only six lines:
<<
<
When
a golden girl can win
Prayer from out the lips of
When the
And a
sin,
barren almond bears,
little child
gives
87
girl,
quite well.
painted in curious black
is
and
cried
away
its tears,
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
Then
And
But
shall all the bouse be still
peace come to Canterrille.'
I don't
know what they mean."
They mean," he said, sadly, " that
you must weep with me for my sins,
"
because I have no tears, and pray with
me
for
faith,
my
soul,
and then,
because I have no
if
you have always
been sweet, and good, and gentle, the
angel of death wiU have mercy on
You
me.
darkness,
will
and
see
fearful shapes in
wicked
voices
will
whisper in your ear, but they will
not
harm you,
of a
little
for against the purity
child the
powers of Hell
cannot prevail."
made no answer, and the
ghost wrvmg his hands in wild despair
Virginia
88
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
he
as
down
looked
at
bowed
her
Suddenly she stood up,
golden head.
very pale, and with a strange hght in
her
" I
eyes.
said firmly, "
to have
He
am
not
and I
she
afraid,"
will ask the angel
mercy on you."
rose
from
his seat
with a faint
cry of joy, and taking her hand bent
over
it
kissed
with old-fashioned grace and
it.
as ice,
and
His
his
fingers were
hps burned
but Virginia did not
as
cold
like
fire,
he led
falter, as
her across the dusky room.
On
the
faded green tapestry were broidered
httle
himtsmen.
selled horns
They blew
and with
waved
to her to
little
Virginia,"
their tiny
hands
Go
back!
go back.
they
89
their tas-
"
cried,
"go
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
back!"
but
hand more
the
ghost
and she shut her
tightly,
Horrible animals
eyes against them.
hzard
with
and
tails
her
clutched
goggle
eyes
blinked at her from the carven chimneypiece,
little
and
murmured,
" Beware!
we may never
Virginia, beware!
you again," but the Ghost gUded
on more swiftly, and Virginia did not
see
listen.
When
they reached the end
of the room he stopped, and muttered some words she could not understand.
She opened her
eyes,
the wall slowly fading
mist,
and saw
away
like
and a great black cavern
front of her.
a
in
A bitter cold wind swept
round them, and she
pulling at her dress.
90
felt
something
" Quick, quick,"
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
cried
late,"
the
Ghost, "or
and
in
a
it
moment
will
the
be too
wain-
scoting had closed behind them, and
the Tapestry
Chamber was empty.
91
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
VI
'bout
the
ten minutes later,
rang
bell
for
tea,
and, as Virginia did not
come
sent
her.
and
up one of
After a
down,
the
little
Mrs.
footmen to
anywhere.
tell
time he returned
said that he could not find
Virginia
Otis
As
she
Miss
was
in
the habit of going out to the garden
every evening to get flowers for the
dinner-table, Mrs. Otis
alarmed at
struck,
first,
was not
at
aU
but when six o'clock
and Virginia did not appear,
she became really agitated, and sent
92
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
the boys out to look for her, while she
and Mr. Otis searched every
herself
room
At
in the house.
came back and
the boys
could
find
said that they
no trace of
They were
anywhere.
half -past six
all
their
sister
now
in the
greatest state of excitement,
not
know what
to do,
and did
when Mr.
Otis
suddenly remembered that, some few
days before, he had given a band of
gipsies
permission
park.
He
off
accordingly
Blackfell
for
to
camp
at
in
once
the
set
Hollow, where he
knew they
were, accompanied by his
eldest son
and two of the farm-serv-
ants.
The
who was
ety,
little
Duke
of
Cheshire,
perfectly frantic with anxi-
begged hard to be allowed
98
to
go
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
but Mr.
too,
Otis
would not allow
him, as he was afraid there might be
a
On
scuffle.
however,
he
arriving
at
the
spot,
found that the gipsies
had gone, and
it
was evident that
their departure
had been rather sud-
den, as the
was
some
sent off
two men
home,
on the grass.
Washington and the
despatched
telegrams
to
the police inspectors in the county,
them
girl
to
look
out for a
lit-
who had been kidnapped by
tramps or
his
burning, and
to scorn- the district, he ran
and
telling
tle
still
plates were lying
Having
all
fire
He
gipsies.
then ordered
horse to be brought round, and,
after
insisting
three
boys
on
sitting
04
his
wife
down
to
and the
dinner,
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
rode off
a groom.
down
He
the Ascot
had hardly, however,
gone a couple of
miles,
somebody galloping
looking
round,
coming up on
when he heard
after
saw the
his
sorry,
Mr.
him,
little
and.
Duke
pony, with his face
very flushed, and no hat.
fully
road with
Otis,"
"
I'm aw-
gasped out
" but I can't eat any dinner
the boy,
96
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
as long as
Virginia
don't be angry with
let
us
be
engaged
is
me;
if
last
year,
would never have been
You
ble.
you?
Please,
lost.
won't send
there
this trou-
all
me
you had
back, will
I won't go!"
I can't go!
The Minister could not help smiling at the handsome young scapegrace,
and was a good deal touched
at his devotion to Virginia,
ing
down from
his
him kindly on the
" Well, Cecil,
so lean-
he patted
horse,
shoulders,
and
said,
you won't go back,
I suppose you must come with me,
but I must get you a hat at Ascot."
" Oh, bother
if
my
hat!
I want Vir-
ginia! " cried the little
Duke, laugh-
ing,
and they galloped on
96
to the rail-
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
way
station.
quired
of
the
Mr.
There
Otis
station-master
if
in-
any
one answering to the description of
Virginia had been seen on the plat-
form, but could get no news of her.
The station-master, however, wired
up and down the hne, and assured
him that a
for her,
strict
and, after having bought a
hat for the httle
draper,
shutters,
a
watch would be kept
who was
Duke from
just putting
Mr. Otis rode
village
about
a linen-
up
his
off to Bexley,
four
miles
away,
which he was told was a well-known
haunt of the
gipsies,
common next to
roused up the rural
large
as there
it.
was a
Here they
policeman,
but
could get no information from him,
97
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
and,
riding
after
all
mon, they turned
homewards,
almost
heads
their horses'
and reached
about eleven
com-
over the
o'clock,
the
Chase
dead-tired
They
heart-broken.
and
found
Washington and the twins waiting
for them at the gate-house with lanas the avenue
terns,
Not
the
slightest
trace
The
had been discovered.
been
caught
was very dark.
of
Virginia
gipsies
had
on Brockley meadows,
but she was not with them, and they
had explained
their
sudden departure
by saying that they had mistaken the
date of Chorton Fair, and had gone
off in
be
a hurry for fear they should
late.
distressed
Indeed, they had been quite
at
hearing
98
of
Virginia's
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
disappearance,
grateful to
were
they
as
very
Mr. Otis for having
lowed them to camp in
his park,
al-
and
number had stayed behind to help in the search. The carppond had been dragged, and the
of their
fovir
whole
Chase
gone
thoroughly
but without any
result.
over,
was
It
evi-
dent that, for that night at any rate,
Virginia
was
sion
was
to
lost
them;
and
it
in a state of the deepest depres-
that
Mr.
Otis
and
boys
the
walked up to the house, the groom
following behind with the two horses
and the pony.
In the
hall they
found
a group of frightened servants, and
lying on a sofa in the library was
poor Mrs.
Otis,
almost
99
out
of
her
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
mind with
and anxiety,
terror
and
having her forehead hathed with eau
de cologne
Mr. Otis
by the old housekeeper.
at once insisted
ing something to
eat,
on her hav-
and ordered up
supper for the whole party.
It
was
a melancholy meal, as hardly any one
spoke, and even the twins were awestruck and subdued, as they were very
fond of their
jBnished,
Mr.
sister.
they had
Otis, in spite of the en-
treaties of the httle
all
When
Duke, ordered them
to bed, saying that nothing
more
could be done that night, and that he
would telegraph in the morning to
Yard for some detectives to be
down immediately. Just as they
Scotland
sent
were passing out of the dining-room,
100
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
midnight began to boom
clock tower, and
when
from
the
the last stroke
somided they heard a
and
crash
shrill
cry;
a
sudden
a dreadful
peal of thimder shook
the house, a strain of
unearthly music floated
through the
air,
a panel
at the top of the stair-
case flew back with a
loud noise, and out on
the
landing,
looking
very pale and white,
with a
little
casket in
her hand, stepped Virginia.
ment they had
all
In a mo-
rushed up to her.
Mrs. Otis clasped her passionately in
101
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
her
arms,
with violent
a
cuted
Duke smothered
the
kisses,
wild
her
and the twins exe-
war-dance
round
the
group.
"
Good
heavens!
you been? "
said
thinking
grily,
child,
Mr.
that
where have
Otis, rather an-
she
had
been
playing some foolish trick on them.
" Cecil
and I have been riding
all
over the coimtry looking for you, and
mother has been frightened to
yoiu"
death.
You must
practical jokes
never play these
any more."
" Except on the Ghost!
the
except on
Ghost!" shrieked the twins, as
they capered about.
"My
own
are found;
darling, thank
God you
you must never leave
102
my
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
side again,"
she kissed
smoothed
murmured Mrs.
trembling
the
tangled
the
Otis, as
and
child,
gold
her
of
hair,
" Papa," said Virginia, quietly, " I
He
have been with the Ghost.
dead,
and you must come and
him.
He
is
see
had been very wicked, but
he was really sorry for
all
had done, and he gave me
that he
this
box
of beautiful jewels before he died."
The whole family gazed
at her in
mute amazement, but she was
grave
and
roimd,
she
serious;
led
them
and,
quite
turning
through
the
opening in the wainscoting down a
narrow
secret
corridor,
Washington
following with a lighted candle, which
103
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
he had
caught up
Finally,
they
from the
came
to
a great oak
door, studded with rusty nails.
Virginia touched
its
it,
it
table.
When
swung back on
heavy hinges, and they found them-
selves
in
a
little
low room, with a
vaulted ceiling, and one tiny grated
window.
Imbedded
in the
wall was
a huge iron ring, and chained to
it
was
a gaimt skeleton, that was stretched
out at full length on the stone floor,
and seemed
its
long
ioned
to be trying to grasp with
fleshless
trencher
fingers
an old-fash-
and ewer, that were
placed just out of
its
reach.
tThe jug
had evidently been once
filled
with
was covered
inside
with
water, as
it
green mould.
There was nothing on
104
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
the trencher but a pile of dust.
down
ginia knelt
Vir-
beside the skeleton,
and, folding her httle hands together,
began to pray
silently,
while the rest
of the party looked on in wonder at
the terrible tragedy whose secret was
now
disclosed to them.
" Hallo! "
suddenly exclaimed one
who had been looking
window to try and discover
of the twins,
out of the
what wing of the house the room
was situated. "Hallo! the old within
105
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
ered almond-tree has blossomed.
see
the
flowers
quite
I can
plainly in
the
moonlight."
" God has forgiven him," said Virginia, gravely, as she rose to her feet,
and a beautiful
mine her
"
light
seemed to
illu-
What
face.
an angel you are! " cried the
young Duke, and he put his arm round
her neck, and kissed her.
loe
X
< h
"J
I
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
VII
^^^.^^OUR days after
^ C^\ curious incidents,
J
^P>*
^^^K^^
neral
these
a
fu-
from Can-
started
Chase
at
about
eleven o'clock at night.
The
hearse
was drawn by eight black
horses, each
terville
of which carried on
tuft
of
its
head a great
nodding ostrich-plumes, and
the leaden coffin
was covered by a
rich
purple paU, on which was embroidered
in gold the
By
the
coaches
lighted
side
CanterviUe coat-of-arms.
of the hearse
walked
torches,
the
and the
servants
with
and the whole pro109
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
cession
Lord
was
wonderfully
was
CanterviUe
mourner,
having
impressive.
the
come up
chief
specially
from Wales to attend the funeral,
and
sat in the first carriage
along with
Then came
the United
httle Virginia.
States
Minister
and
Washington and the
in the last carriage
It
was generally
his
then
wife,
three boys,
and
was Mrs. Umney.
felt that, as she
had
been frightened by the ghost for more
life,
she had
a right to see the last of him.
A deep
than
fifty
years of her
grave had been dug in the comer of
the chvu-chyard, just under the old yewtree,
and the
service
was read
in the
most impressive manner by the Rev.
Augustus Dampier.
110
When
the cere-
" THE MOON CAME OUT FROM
BEHIND A CLOUD
"
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
mony was
over, the servants, accord-
ing to an old custom observed in the
CantervHle family, extinguished their
torches, and,
lowered
stepped
as the coffin
forward,
large cross
grave,
the
into
made
and
laid
of white
As
almond-blossoms.
was being
Virginia
on
and pink
she did so, the
moon came out from behind a
and flooded with
little
its
a
it
silent
cloud,
silver the
churchyard, and from a distant
copse
a
began to
nightingale
sing.
She thought of the ghost's description
of the
Garden of Death, her eyes
came dim with
tears,
be-
and she hardly
spoke a word during the drive home.
The
next
Canterville
morning,
went up
113
before
to town,
Lord
Mr. Otis
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
had an interview with him on the suhject of the jewels the ghost
had given
They were
perfectly
to
Virginia.
magnificent, especially a certain ruby
with
necklace
Venetian
old
setting,
which was really a superb specimen of
sixteenth-century work, and their value
was so great that Mr. Otis felt considerable
scruples
about allowing his
daughter to accept them.
"
in
My
this
lord," he said, " I
know
coimtry mortmain
is
that
held to
apply to trinkets as well as to land,
and
it
is
quite clear to
me
that these
jewels are, or should be, heirlooms in
your family.
cordingly,
to
I must beg you,
take .them
to
ac-
London
with you, and to regard them simply
114
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
as a portion of your property which
has been restored to you under certain
As
strange conditions.
ter,
she
is
am
yet, I
merely a
for
child,
glad to say, but
my
daugh-
and has
as
little interest
in such appurtenances of idle luxury.
I
I
am also informed by Mrs. Otis, who,
may say, is no mean authority upon
Art,
— having
spending
had the
winters
several
when she was a
of
privilege
Boston
in
— that these gems
girl,
are of great monetary worth, and
offered
for
price.
Under
Lord
sale
would fetch a
these
be for
me
how
impossible
to allow
the possession of
them
it
you
would
to remain in
any member of
116
tall
circimistances,
Canterville, I feel sure that
will recognize
if
my
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
family;
and,
gauds and
indeed,
toys,
all
vain
such
however suitable or
necessary to the dignity of the British
aristocracy,
would be completely out
among those who have been
brought up on the severe, and I beof place
lieve immortal, principles of
can simplicity.
Republi-
Perhaps I shotJd menis
very anxious that
you should allow her
to retain the box,
tion that Virginia
as a
memento of your imfortvmate
misguided
ancestor.
As
is
it
but
ex-
tremely old, and consequently a good
deal out of repair,
think
For
fit
to
you may perhaps
comply with her
my own
request.
part, I confess I
good deal surprised
to find
am
a
a chUd of
mine expressing sympathy with medi116
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
in
asvalisna
account for
was
bom
any form, and can only
it
by the
fact that Virginia
in one of yovir
London
sub-
urbs shortly after Mrs. Otis had re-
turned from a trip to Athens."
Lord
CanterviUe
gravely
the
to
pvdling
speech,
now and then
smile,
very
listened
worthy
Minister's
grey
moustache
his
to hide
an involuntary
and when Mr. Otis had ended,
he shook him cordially by the hand,
and
said
ing
little
:
"
My
dear
sir,
your charm-
daughter rendered
my
un-
lucky ancestor. Sir Simon, a very important service, and I and
are
much
family
indebted to her for her mar-
vellous courage
els
my
and pluck.
The jew-
are clearly hers, and, egad, I be117
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
lieve that if I
were heartless enough
them from her, the wicked old
fellow would be out of his grave in a
to take
fortnight, leading
As
life.
nothing
is
for
me
their
the devil of a
being heirlooms,
an heirloom that
is
not so
mentioned in a will or legal document,
and the existence of these jewels has
been quite unknown.
I assure you I
have no more claim on them than your
butler,
and when Miss Virginia grows
up, I dare say she will be pleased to
have pretty things to wear.
you forget, Mr.
Otis, that
Besides,
you took
the furniture and the ghost at a valuation,
the
and anything that belonged to
ghost passed at once into your
possession,
as,
whatever activity
118
Sir
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
Simon may have shown
in the corri-
dor at night, in point of law he was
really dead,
and you acquired
by purchase."
Mr. Otis was a good deal
his
prop-
erty
distressed
Lord Canterville's refusal, and
begged him to reconsider his decision,
at
but the good-natured peer was quite
firm,
to
and
finally
induced the Minister
allow his daughter to retain the
present the ghost had given her, and
when, in the spring of 1890, the young
Duchess of Cheshire was presented at
the Queen's
first
drawing-room on the
occasion of her marriage, her jewels
were the universal theme of admiration.
onet,
For Virginia
which
is
received the cor-
the reward of all good
119
THE CAXTERVILLE GHOST
little
American
and was married
girls,
came
to her boy-lover as soon as he
of age.
They were both
so charming,
and they loved each other so much,
that every one was delighted at the
match, except the old Marchioness of
Dumbleton, who had
the
Duke
tried
to
for one of her seven
ried daughters,
catch
immar-
and had given no
less
than three expensive dinner-parties for
that purpose, and, strange to say,
Otis himself.
Mr.
Mr. Otis was extremely
fond of the yoimg
Duke
personally,
but, theoretically, he objected to titles,
and, to use his
without
own
words, " was not
apprehension
enervating
influences
lest,
of
amid the
a pleasure-
loving aristocracy, the true principles
120
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
of Republican simplicity should be for-
His
gotten."
objections,
however,
were completely overruled, and I be-
when he walked up the aisle
George's, Hanover Square, with
lieve that
of St.
his
daughter leaning on
his
was not a prouder man
arm, there
in the whole
length and breadth of England.
The Duke and Duchess, after the
honeymoon was over, went down to
Canterville
Chase,
and on the day
after
arrival
they walked over
their
in the afternoon to the lonely church-
yard by the pine-woods.
been a great deal of
There had
difficulty at first
about the inscription on Sir Simon's
tombstone, but finally
cided
to
engrave
on
121
it
it
had been desimply the
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
initials
of the old gentleman's name,
and the verse from the library window.
The Duchess had brought with
some
her
lovely
roses,
which
she
strewed upon the grave, and after they
had stood by
it
for
some time they
strolled into the ruined chancel of the
abbey.
old
down on a
band lay
rette
eyes.
There the Duchess
sat
fallen piUar, while her hus-
at her feet
and looking up
smoking a
ciga-
at her beautiful
Suddenly he threw
his cigarette
away, took hold of her hand, and said
to her, " Virginia, a wife should have
no
secrets
"Dear
from her husband."
Cecil!
I
have no
secrets
from you."
" Yes, you have," he answered, smil122
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
" you have never told
ing,
me what
happened to you when you were locked
up with
the ghost."
" I have never told
any
one, Cecil,"
said Virginia, gravely.
" I
know
but you might
that,
tell
me."
" Please don't ask me, Cecil, I can-
not
tell
you.
him a great
Poor
Sir Simon!
Yes, don't laugh,
deal.
He made me
Cecil, I really do.
what Life
fies,
is,
I owe
and what Death
and why Love
is
see
signi-
stronger than
both."
The Duke
rose
and kissed
his wife
lovingly.
"
You
can have your secret as long
as I have your heart," he
123
mimnured.
THE CANTERVILLE GHOST
"
"
You have
And you
always had that, Cecil."
will
tell
some day, won't you?
"
Virginia blushed.
THE END.
our
children
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ltem;Canterville ghost.
pm
An amusing
chronicle of the tribuiations of the ghost of
Canterville
became
to the
Chase when
the
home
Court of
St.
of the
his ancestral halls
American Minister
James.
Illustrated
Wallace Goldsmith.
Due
Date: 2005-01-24 23:59:00
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