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The Canterville Ghost (Author: Oscar Wilde)

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I

WHEN Mr. Hiram B. Otis, the American Minister, bought CantervilleChase, ever one tol! him he "as !oing a ver #oolish thing, as there"as no !oubt at all that the place "as haunte!. $n!ee!, %or!Canterville himsel#, "ho "as a man o# the most punctilious honour,ha! #elt it his !ut to mention the #act to Mr. Otis "hen the came to!iscuss terms.&We have not care! to live in the place ourselves,' sai! %or!

Canterville, &since m gran!(aunt, the )o"ager )uchess o# Bolton,"as #rightene! into a *t, #rom "hich she never reall recovere!, bt"o s+eleton han!s being place! on her shoul!ers as she "as!ressing #or !inner, an! $ #eel boun! to tell ou, Mr. Otis, that theghost has been seen b several living members o# m #amil, as "ellas b the rector o# the parish, the ev. Augustus )ampier, "ho is a-ello" o# ing's College, Cambri!ge. A#ter the un#ortunate acci!ent tothe )uchess, none o# our ounger servants "oul! sta "ith

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us, and Lady Canterville often got very little sleep at night, in consequence of the

mysterious noises that came from the corridor and the library.'

&M %or!,' ans"ere! the Minister, &$ "ill ta+e the #urniture an! theghost at a valuation. $ come #rom a mo!ern countr, "here "e haveeverthing that mone can bu/ an! "ith all our spr oung #ello"spainting the Ol! Worl! re!, an! carring o0 our best actors an!prima(!onnas, $ rec+on that i# there "ere such a thing as a ghost inEurope, "e'! have it at home in a ver short time in one o# our publicmuseums, or on the roa! as a sho".'&$ #ear that the ghost e1ists,' sai! %or! Canterville, smiling, &though itma have resiste! the overtures o# our enterprising impresarios. $t

has been "ell +no"n #or three centuries, since 2534 in #act, an!al"as ma+es its appearance be#ore the !eath o# an member o# our#amil.'&Well, so !oes the #amil !octor #or that matter, %or! Canterville. Butthere is no such thing, sir, as a ghost, an! $ guess the la"s o# Natureare not going to be suspen!e! #or the British aristocrac.'&ou are certainl ver natural in America,' ans"ere! %or! Canterville,"ho !i! not uite un!erstan! Mr. Otis's last observation, &an!

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if you don't mind a ghost in the house, it is all right. Only you must remember I warned

you.'



A #e" "ee+s a#ter this, the purchase "as conclu!e!, an! at the closeo# the season the Minister an! his #amil "ent !o"n to CantervilleChase. Mrs. Otis, "ho, as Miss %ucretia . 8appen, o# West 59r! :treet,ha! been a celebrate! Ne" or+ belle, "as no" a ver han!some,mi!!le(age! "oman, "ith *ne ees, an! a superb pro*le. Man

American la!ies on leaving their native lan! a!opt an appearance o#chronic ill(health, un!er the impression that it is a #orm o# Europeanre*nement, but Mrs. Otis ha! never #allen into this error. :he ha! amagni*cent constitution, an! a reall "on!er#ul amount o# animalspirits. $n!ee!, in man respects, she "as uite English, an! "as ane1cellent e1ample o# the #act that "e have reall everthing incommon "ith America no"a!as, e1cept, o# course, language. Herel!est son, christene! Washington b his parents in a moment o#patriotism, "hich he never cease! to regret, "as a #air(haire!, rathergoo!(loo+ing oung man, "ho ha! uali*e! himsel# #or American!iplomac b lea!ing the ;erman at the Ne"port Casino #or threesuccessive seasons, an! even in %on!on "as "ell +no"n as ane1cellent !ancer. ;ar!enias an!

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the peerage were his only weaknesses. Otherwise he was etremely sensible. !iss

"irginia #. Otis was a little girl of fifteen, lithe and lovely as a fawn, and with a fine

freedom in her large blue eyes. $he was a wonderful ama%on, and had once raced old

Lord &ilton on her pony twice round the park, winning by a length and a half, ust in

front of the (chilles statue, to the huge delight of the young )uke of Cheshire, who

proposed for her on the spot, and was sent back to #ton that very night by his guardians,

in floods of tears. (fter "irginia came the twins, who were usually called The Stars

and Stripes, as they were always getting swished.

8he "ere !elight#ul bos, an! "ith the e1ception o# the "orthMinister the onl true republicans o# the #amil.As Canterville Chase is seven miles #rom Ascot, the nearest rail"astation, Mr. Otis ha! telegraphe! #or a "aggonette to meet them, an!the starte! on their !rive in high spirits. $t "as a lovel <ul evening,an! the air "as !elicate "ith the scent o# the pine"oo!s. No" an!then the hear! a "oo! pigeon broo!ing over its o"n s"eet voice, orsa", !eep in the rustling #ern, the burnishe! breast o# the pheasant.%ittle suirrels peere! at them #rom the beech(trees as the "ent b,

an! the rabbits scu!!e! a"a through the

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brushwood and over the mossy knolls, with their white tails in the air. (s 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.

:tan!ing on the steps to receive them "as an ol! "oman, neatl!resse! in blac+ sil+, "ith a "hite cap an! apron. 8his "as Mrs.>mne, the house+eeper, "hom Mrs. Otis, at %a! Canterville's

earnest reuest, ha! consente! to +eep on in her #ormer position. :hema!e them each a lo" curtse as the alighte!, an! sai! in a uaint,



ol!(#ashione! manner, &$ bi! ou "elcome to Canterville Chase.'-ollo"ing her, the passe! through the *ne 8u!or hall into the librar,a long, lo" room, panelle! in blac+ oa+, at the en! o# "hich "as alarge staine!(glass "in!o". Here the #oun! tea lai! out #or them,an!, a#ter ta+ing o0 their "raps, the sat !o"n an! began to loo+

roun!, "hile Mrs. >mne "aite! on them.:u!!enl Mrs. Otis caught sight o# a !ull re! stain on the ?oor @ust bthe *replace an!, uite unconscious o# "hat it reall signi*e!, sai! toMrs. >mne, &$ am a#rai! something has been spilt there.'

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&es, ma!am,' replie! the ol! house+eeper in a lo" voice, &bloo! hasbeen spilt on that spot.'&Ho" horri!,' crie! Mrs. Otis/ &$ !on't at all care #or bloo!(stains in asitting(room. $t must be remove! at once.'

8he ol! "oman smile!, an! ans"ere! in the same lo", msterious

voice, &$t is the bloo! o# %a! Eleanore !e Canterville, "ho "asmur!ere! on that ver spot b her o"n husban!, :ir :imon !eCanterville, in 2575. :ir :imon survive! her nine ears, an!!isappeare! su!!enl un!er ver msterious circumstances. His bo!has never been !iscovere!, but his guilt spirit still haunts the Chase.

8he bloo!(stain has been much a!mire! b tourists an! others, an!cannot be remove!.'&8hat is all nonsense,' crie! Washington Otis/ &in+erton's Champion:tain emover an! aragon )etergent "ill clean it up in no time,' an!be#ore the terri*e! house+eeper coul! inter#ere he ha! #allen upon his

+nees, an! "as rapi!l scouring the ?oor "ith a small stic+ o# "hatloo+e! li+e a blac+ cosmetic. $n a #e" moments no trace o# the bloo!(stain coul! be seen.&$ +ne" in+erton "oul! !o it,' he e1claime! triumphantl, as heloo+e! roun! at his a!miring #amil/ but no sooner ha! he sai! these"or!s than a terrible ?ash o# lightning lit up

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the sombre room, a fearful peal of thunder made them all start to their feet, and !rs.

*mney fainted.

&What a monstrous climate' sai! the American Minister calml, as he

lit a long cheroot. &$ guess the ol! countr is so over(populate! thatthe have not enough !ecent "eather #or everbo!. $ have al"asbeen o# opinion that emigration is the onl thing #or Englan!.'&M !ear Hiram,' crie! Mrs. Otis, &"hat can "e !o "ith a "oman "ho#aintsD'&Charge it to her li+e brea+ages,' ans"ere! the Minister/ &she "on't#aint a#ter that/' an! in a #e" moments Mrs. >mne certainl came to.

8here "as no !oubt, ho"ever, that she "as e1tremel upset, an! shesternl "arne! Mr. Otis to be"are o# some trouble coming to thehouse.&$ have seen things "ith m o"n ees, sir,' she sai!, &that "oul!

ma+e an Christian's hair stan! on en!, an! man an! man a night $have not close! m ees in sleep #or the a"#ul things that are !one



here.' Mr. Otis, ho"ever, an! his "i#e "arml assure! the honest soulthat the "ere not a#rai! o# ghosts, an!, a#ter invo+ing the blessingso# rovi!ence on her ne" master an! mistress, an! ma+ingarrangements #or an increase o# salar, the ol! house+eeper tottere!o0 to her o"n room.

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II

8he storm rage! *ercel all that night, but nothing o# particular noteoccurre!. 8he ne1t morning, ho"ever, "hen the came !o"n tobrea+#ast, the #oun! the terrible stain o# bloo! once again on the?oor. &$ !on't thin+ it can be the #ault o# the aragon )etergent,' sai!Washington, &#or $ have trie! it "ith everthing. $t must be the ghost.'

He accor!ingl rubbe! out the stain a secon! time, but the secon!morning it appeare! again. 8he thir! morning also it "as there,though the librar ha! been loc+e! up at night b Mr. Otis himsel#,an! the +e carrie! upstairs. 8he "hole #amil "ere no" uiteintereste!/ Mr. Otis began to suspect that he ha! been too !ogmaticin his !enial o# the e1istence o# ghosts, Mrs. Otis e1presse! herintention o# @oining the schical :ociet, an! Washington prepare! along letter to Messrs. Mers an! o!more on the sub@ect o# theermanence o# :anguineous :tains "hen connecte! "ith Crime. 8hatnight all !oubts about the ob@ective e1istence o# phantasmata "ereremove! #or ever.

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8he !a ha! been "arm an! sunn/ an!, in the cool o# the evening,the "hole #amil "ent out to !rive. 8he !i! not return home till nineo'cloc+, "hen the ha! a light supper. 8he conversation in no "aturne! upon ghosts, so there "ere not even those primar con!itionso# receptive e1pectation "hich so o#ten prece!e the presentation o#pschical phenomena. 8he sub@ects !iscusse!, as $ have since learne!#rom Mr. Otis, "ere merel such as #orm the or!inar conversation o#culture! Americans o# the better class, such as the immensesuperiorit o# Miss -ann )avenport over :ara Bernhar!t as an

actress/ the !iFcult o# obtaining green corn, buc+"heat ca+es, an!homin, even in the best English houses/ the importance o# Boston inthe !evelopment o# the "orl!(soul/ the a!vantages o# the baggagechec+ sstem in rail"a travelling/ an! the s"eetness o# the Ne" or+accent as compare! to the %on!on !ra"l. No mention at all "as ma!eo# the supernatural, nor "as :ir :imon !e Canterville allu!e! to in an"a. At eleven o'cloc+ the #amil retire!, an! b hal#(past all the lights"ere out. :ome time a#ter, Mr. Otis "as a"a+ene! b a curious noisein the corri!or, outsi!e his room. $t soun!e! li+e the clan+ o# metal,an! seeme! to be coming nearer ever moment. He got up at once,

struc+ a match, an! loo+e! at the time. $t "as e1actl

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one o'clock. +e was quite calm, and felt his pulse, which was not at all feverish. he

strange noise still continued, and with it he heard distinctly the sound of footsteps. +e

put on his slippers, took a small oblong phial out of his dressing-case, and opened the

door. ight in front of him he saw, in the wan moonlight, an old man of terrible aspect.

+is eyes were as red burning coals/ long grey hair fell over his shoulders in matted

coils/ his garments, which were of antique cut, were soiled and ragged, and from hiswrists and ankles hung heavy manacles and rusty gyves.

&M !ear sir,' sai! Mr. Otis, &$ reall must insist on our oiling thosechains, an! have brought ou #or that purpose a small bottle o# the

8amman ising :un %ubricator. $t is sai! to be completel eFcaciousupon one application, an! there are several testimonials to that e0ecton the "rapper #rom some o# our most eminent native !ivines. $ shallleave it here #or ou b the be!room can!les, an! "ill be happ tosuppl ou "ith more shoul! ou reuire it.' With these "or!s the>nite! :tates Minister lai! the bottle !o"n on a marble table, an!,closing his !oor, retire! to rest.

-or a moment the Canterville ghost stoo! uite motionless in naturalin!ignation/ then, !ashing the bottle violentl upon the polishe!

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floor, he fled down the corridor, uttering hollow groans, and emitting a ghastly green

light. 0ust, 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 whi%%ed past his head1

here was evidently no time to be lost, so, hastily adopting the 2ourth )imension of

$pace as a means of escape, he vanished through the wainscoting, and the house became

quite quiet.

On reaching a small secret chamber in the le#t "ing, he leane! upagainst a moonbeam to recover his breath, an! began to tr an!realise his position. Never, in a brilliant an! uninterrupte! career o#three hun!re! ears, ha! he been so grossl insulte!. He thought o#the )o"ager )uchess, "hom he ha! #rightene! into a *t as she stoo!be#ore the glass in her lace an! !iamon!s/ o# the #our housemai!s,"ho ha! gone o0 into hsterics "hen he merel grinne! at themthrough the curtains o# one o# the spare be!rooms/ o# the rector o#the parish, "hose can!le he ha! blo"n out as he "as coming late onenight #rom the librar, an! "ho ha! been un!er the care o# :ir William;ull ever since, a per#ect martr to nervous !isor!ers/ an! o# ol!

Ma!ame !e 8remouillac, "ho, having "a+ene! up one morning earlan! seen a s+eleton seate! in an armchair b the *re rea!ing

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her diary, had been confined to her bed for si weeks with an attack of brain fever, and,

on her recovery, had become reconciled to the Church, and broken off her connection

with that notorious sceptic !onsieur de "oltaire. +e remembered the terrible night

when the wicked Lord Canterville was found choking in his dressing-room, with the

knave of diamonds half-way down his throat, and confessed, ust before he died, that he

had cheated Charles 0ames 2o out of 345,555 at Crockford's by means of that very

card, and swore that the ghost had made him swallow it. (ll his great achievements

came back to him again, from the butler who had shot himself in the pantry because hehad seen a green hand tapping at the window pane, to the beautiful Lady $tutfield, who



was always obliged to wear a black velvet band round her throat to hide the mark of five

fingers burnt upon her white skin, and who drowned herself at last in the carp pond at

the end of the 6ing's 7alk. 7ith the enthusiastic egotism of the true artist he went over

his most celebrated performances, and smiled bitterly to himself as he recalled to mind

his last appearance as Red Reuben, or the Strangled Babe, his début as Gaunt

Gibeon, the Blood-sucker of Bexley Moor, and the furore he had ecited one lovely0une evening by merely playing ninepins with his own bones

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upon the lawn-tennis ground. (nd after all this, some wretched modern (mericans were

to come and offer him the ising $un Lubricator, and throw pillows at his head1 It was

quite unbearable. &esides, no ghost in history had ever been treated in this manner.

(ccordingly, he determined to have vengeance, and remained till daylight in an attitude

of deep thought.

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III

8HE ne1t morning, "hen the Otis #amil met at brea+#ast, the!iscusse! the ghost at some length. 8he >nite! :tates Minister "asnaturall a little annoe! to *n! that his present ha! not beenaccepte!. &$ have no "ish,' he sai!, &to !o the ghost an personalin@ur, an! $ must sa that, consi!ering the length o# time he has beenin the house, $ !on't thin+ it is at all polite to thro" pillo"s at him'(((aver @ust remar+, at "hich, $ am sorr to sa, the t"ins burst into

shouts o# laughter. &>pon the other han!,' he continue!, &i# he reall!eclines to use the ising :un %ubricator, "e shall have to ta+e hischains #rom him. $t "oul! be uite impossible to sleep, "ith such anoise going on outsi!e the be!rooms.'-or the rest o# the "ee+, ho"ever, the "ere un!isturbe!, the onlthing that e1cite! an attention being the continual rene"al o# thebloo!(stain on the librar ?oor. 8his certainl "as ver strange, as the!oor "as al"as loc+e! at night b Mr. Otis, an! the "in!o"s +eptclosel barre!. 8he chameleon(li+e colour, also, o# the stain e1cite! agoo! !eal o# comment.

p.7=$ome mornings it was a dull 8almost Indian9 red, then it would be vermilion, then a rich

purple, and once when they came down for family prayers, according to the simple rites

of the 2ree (merican eformed #piscopalian Church, they found it a bright emerald-

green. hese kaleidoscopic changes naturally amused the party very much, and bets on

the subect were freely made every evening. he only person who did not enter into the

oke was little "irginia, who, for some uneplained reason, was always a good deal

distressed at the sight of the blood-stain, and very nearly cried the morning it was

emerald-green.

8he secon! appearance o# the ghost "as on :un!a night. :hortla#ter the ha! gone to be! the "ere su!!enl alarme! b a #ear#ul

crash in the hall. ushing !o"nstairs, the #oun! that a large suit o#ol! armour ha! become !etache! #rom its stan!, an! ha! #allen on



the stone ?oor, "hile, seate! in a high(bac+e! chair, "as theCanterville ghost, rubbing his +nees "ith an e1pression o# acuteagon on his #ace. 8he t"ins, having brought their pea(shooters "iththem, at once !ischarge! t"o pellets on him, "ith that accurac o#aim "hich can onl be attaine! b long an! care#ul practice on a

"riting(master, "hile the >nite! :tates Minister covere! him "ith hisrevolver, an!

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called upon him, in accordance with Californian etiquette, to hold up his hands1 he

ghost started up with a wild shriek of rage, and swept through them like a mist,

etinguishing 7ashington Otis's candle as he passed, and so leaving them all in total

darkness. On reaching the top of the staircase he recovered himself, and determined to

give his celebrated peal of demoniac laughter. his he had on more than one occasion

found etremely useful. It was said to have turned Lord aker's wig grey in a single

night, and had certainly made three of Lady Canterville's 2rench governesses give

warning before their month was up. +e accordingly laughed his most horrible laugh, tillthe old vaulted roof rang and rang again, but hardly had the fearful echo died away

when a door opened, and !rs. Otis came out in a light blue dressing-gown. :I am afraid

you are far from well,' she said, :and have brought you a bottle of )r. )obell's tincture.

If it is indigestion, you will find it a most ecellent remedy.' he ghost glared at her in

fury, and began at once to make preparations for turning himself into a large black dog,

an accomplishment for which he was ustly renowned, and to which the family doctor

always attributed the permanent idiocy of Lord Canterville's uncle, the +on. homas

+orton. he sound of approaching footsteps,

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however, made him hesitate in his fell purpose, so he contented himself with becomingfaintly phosphorescent, and vanished with a deep churchyard groan, ust as the twins

had come up to him.

On reaching his room he entirel bro+e !o"n, an! became a pre tothe most violent agitation. 8he vulgarit o# the t"ins, an! the grossmaterialism o# Mrs. Otis, "ere naturall e1tremel annoing, but "hatreall !istresse! him most "as, that he ha! been unable to "ear thesuit o# mail. He ha! hope! that even mo!ern Americans "oul! bethrille! b the sight o# a :pectre $n Armour, i# #or no more sensiblereason, at least out o# respect #or their national poet %ong#ello" over"hose grace#ul an! attractive poetr he himsel# ha! "hile! a"aman a "ear hour "hen the Cantervilles "ere up in to"n. Besi!es, it"as his o"n suit. He ha! "orn it "ith great success at the enil"orthtournament, an! ha! been highl complimente! on it b no less aperson than the Girgin ueen hersel#. et "hen he ha! put it on, heha! been completel overpo"ere! b the "eight o# the hugebreastplate an! steel casue, an! ha! #allen heavil on the stonepavement, bar+ing both his +nees severel, an! bruising the +nuc+leso# his right han!.-or some !as a#ter this he "as e1tremel ill, an! har!l stirre! out o# his room at all, e1cept

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to keep the blood-stain in proper repair. +owever, by taking great care of himself, he

recovered, and resolved to make a third attempt to frighten the *nited $tates !inister

and his family. +e selected 2riday, the ;<th of (ugust, for his appearance, and spent

most of that day in looking over his wardrobe, ultimately deciding in favour of a large

slouched hat with a red feather, a winding-sheet frilled at the wrists and neck, and a

rusty dagger. owards evening a violent storm of rain came on, and the wind was sohigh that all the windows and doors in the old house shook and rattled. In fact, it was

ust such weather as he loved. +is plan of action was this. +e was to make his way

quietly to 7ashington Otis's room, gibber at him from the foot of the bed, and stab

himself three times in the throat to the sound of low music. +e bore 7ashington a

special grudge, being quite aware that it was he who was in the habit of removing the

famous Canterville blood-stain, by means of =inkerton's =aragon )etergent. +aving

reduced the reckless and foolhardy youth to a condition of abect terror, he was then to

proceed to the room occupied by the *nited $tates !inister and his wife, and there to

place a clammy hand on !rs. Otis's forehead, while he hissed into her trembling

husband's ear the awful secrets of the charnel-house. 7ith regard

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to little "irginia, he had not quite made up his mind. $he had never insulted him in any

way, and was pretty and gentle. ( few hollow groans from the wardrobe, he thought,

would be more than sufficient, or, if that failed to wake her, he might grabble at the

counterpane with palsy-twitching fingers. (s for the twins, he was quite determined to

teach them a lesson. he first thing to be done was, of course, to sit upon their chests, so

as to produce the stifling sensation of nightmare. hen, as their beds were quite close to

each other, to stand between them in the form of a green, icy-cold corpse, till they

became paralysed with fear, and finally, to throw off the winding-sheet, and crawl round

the room, with white, bleached bones and one rolling eyeball, in the character of Dumb

Daniel, or the Suicides Skeleton, a rôle in which he had on more than one occasion produced a great effect, and which he considered quite equal to his famous part of

Martin the Maniac, or the Masked Mystery!

At hal#(past ten he hear! the #amil going to be!. -or some time he"as !isturbe! b "il! shrie+s o# laughter #rom the t"ins, "ho, "iththe light(hearte! gaiet o# schoolbos, "ere evi!entl amusingthemselves be#ore the retire! to rest, but at a uarter past eleven all"as still, an!, as mi!night soun!e!, he sallie!

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forth. he owl beat against the window panes, the raven croaked from the old yew-tree,

and the wind wandered moaning round the house like a lost soul/ but the Otis family

slept unconscious of their doom, and high above the rain and storm he could hear the

steady snoring of the !inister for the *nited $tates. +e stepped stealthily out of the

wainscoting, with an evil smile on his cruel, wrinkled mouth, and the moon hid her face

in a cloud as he stole past the great oriel window, where his own arms and those of his

murdered wife were bla%oned in a%ure and gold. On and on he glided, like an evil

shadow, the very darkness seeming to loathe him as he passed. Once he thought he

heard something call, and stopped/ but it was only the baying of a dog from the ed

2arm, and he went on, muttering strange siteenth-century curses, and ever and anon

brandishing the rusty dagger in the midnight air. 2inally he reached the corner of the

passage that led to luckless 7ashington's room. 2or a moment he paused there, the wind blowing his long grey locks about his head, and twisting into grotesque and fantastic



folds the nameless horror of the dead man's shroud. hen the clock struck the quarter,

and he felt the time was come. +e chuckled to himself, and turned the corner/ but no

sooner had he done so, than, with a piteous

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wail of terror, he fell back, and hid his blanched face in his long, bony hands. ight infront of him was standing a horrible spectre, motionless as a carven image, and

monstrous as a madman's dream1 Its head was bald and burnished/ its face round, and

fat, and white/ and hideous laughter seemed to have writhed its features into an eternal

grin. 2rom the eyes streamed rays of scarlet light, the mouth was a wide well of fire, and

a hideous garment, like to his own, swathed with its silent snows the itan form. On its

breast was a placard with strange writing in antique characters, some scroll of shame it

seemed, some record of wild sins, some awful calendar of crime, and, with its right

hand, it bore aloft a falchion of gleaming steel.

Never having seen a ghost be#ore, he naturall "as terribl#rightene!, an!, a#ter a secon! hast glance at the a"#ul phantom, he

?e! bac+ to his room, tripping up in his long "in!ing sheet as he spe!!o"n the corri!or, an! *nall !ropping the rust !agger into theMinister's @ac+(boots, "here it "as #oun! in the morning b the butler.Once in the privac o# his o"n apartment, he ?ung himsel# !o"n on asmall pallet(be!, an! hi! his #ace un!er the clothes. A#ter a time,ho"ever, the brave ol! Canterville spirit asserte! itsel#, an! he!etermine! to go an! spea+ to the other ghost as soon as it "as!alight. Accor!ingl, @ust as the !a"n

p.36

was touching the hills with silver, he returned towards the spot where he had first laid

eyes on the grisly phantom, feeling that, after all, two ghosts were better than one, andthat, by the aid of his new friend, he might safely grapple with the twins. On reaching

the spot, however, a terrible sight met his ga%e. $omething had evidently happened to

the spectre, for the light had entirely faded from its hollow eyes, the gleaming falchion

had fallen from its hand, and it was leaning up against the wall in a strained and

uncomfortable attitude. +e rushed forward and sei%ed it in his arms, when, to his horror,

the head slipped off and rolled on the floor, the body assumed a recumbent posture, and

he found himself clasping a white dimity bed-curtain, with a sweeping-brush, a kitchen

cleaver, and a hollow turnip lying at his feet1 *nable to understand this curious

transformation, he clutched the placard with feverish haste, and there, in the grey

morning light, he read these fearful words>---

E O8$: ;HO:8E. e Onlie 8rue an! Originale :poo+.Be"are o# e $mitationes.All others are Counter#eite.

p.36

8he "hole thing ?ashe! across him. He ha! been tric+e!, #oile!, an!out"itte! 8he ol! Canterville loo+ came into his ees/ he groun! his

toothless gums together/ an!, raising his "ithere! han!s high abovehis hea!, s"ore, accor!ing to the picturesue phraseolog o# the



antiue school, that "hen Chanticleer ha! soun!e! t"ice his merrhorn, !ee!s o# bloo! "oul! be "rought, an! Mur!er "al+ abroa! "ithsilent #eet.Har!l ha! he *nishe! this a"#ul oath "hen, #rom the re!(tile! roo# o#a !istant homestea!, a coc+ cre". He laughe! a long, lo", bitter

laugh, an! "aite!. Hour a#ter hour he "aite!, but the coc+, #or somestrange reason, !i! not cro" again. -inall, at hal#(past seven, thearrival o# the housemai!s ma!e him give up his #ear#ul vigil, an! hestal+e! bac+ to his room, thin+ing o# his vain oath an! baIe!purpose. 8here he consulte! several boo+s o# ancient chivalr, o#"hich he "as e1cee!ingl #on!, an! #oun! that, on ever occasion on"hich this oath ha! been use!, Chanticleer ha! al"as cro"e! asecon! time. &er!ition seiJe the naught #o"l,' he muttere!, &$ haveseen the !a "hen, "ith m stout spear, $ "oul! have run himthrough the gorge, an! ma!e him cro" #or me an 't"ere in !eath' Hethen retire! to a com#ortable lea! coFn, an! stae! there till evening.

p.33

IV

8HE ne1t !a the ghost "as ver "ea+ an! tire!. 8he terriblee1citement o# the last #our "ee+s "as beginning to have its e0ect. Hisnerves "ere completel shattere!, an! he starte! at the slightestnoise. -or *ve !as he +ept his room, an! at last ma!e up his min! togive up the point o# the bloo!(stain on the librar ?oor. $# the Otis

#amil !i! not "ant it, the clearl !i! not !eserve it. 8he "ereevi!entl people on a lo", material plane o# e1istence, an! uiteincapable o# appreciating the smbolic value o# sensuous phenomena.

8he uestion o# phantasmic apparitions, an! the !evelopment o#astral bo!ies, "as o# course uite a !i0erent matter, an! reall notun!er his control. $t "as his solemn !ut to appear in the corri!oronce a "ee+, an! to gibber #rom the large oriel "in!o" on the *rstan! thir! We!nes!as in ever month, an! he !i! not see ho" hecoul! honourabl escape #rom his obligations. $t is uite true that hisli#e ha! been ver evil, but, upon the other han!, he "as mostconscientious in all things connecte! "ith the supernatural.

p.3=

2or the net three $aturdays, accordingly, he traversed the corridor as usual between

midnight and three o'clock, taking every possible precaution against being either heard

or seen. +e removed his boots, trod as lightly as possible on the old worm-eaten boards,

wore a large black velvet cloak, and was careful to use the ising $un Lubricator for

oiling his chains. I am bound to acknowledge that it was with a good deal of difficulty

that he brought himself to adopt this last mode of protection. +owever, one night, while

the family were at dinner, he slipped into !r. Otis's bedroom and carried off the bottle.

+e felt a little humiliated 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 degree, it served his purpose. $till, in spite of everything, he was not left unmolested. $trings were

continually being stretched across the corridor, over which he tripped in the dark, and



on one occasion, while dressed for the part of Black "saac, or the #untsman of

#ogley $oods, he met with a severe fall, through treading on a butter-slide, which the

twins had constructed from the entrance of the apestry Chamber to the top of the oak

staircase. his last insult so enraged him, that he resolved to make one final effort to

assert his dignity and social position, and determined

p.=

to visit the insolent young #tonians the net night in his celebrated character of

Reckless Rupert, or the #eadless %arl!

He ha! not appeare! in this !isguise #or more than sevent earsK in#act, not since he ha! so #rightene! prett %a! Barbara Mo!ish bmeans o# it, that she su!!enl bro+e o0 her engagement "ith thepresent %or! Canterville's gran!#ather, an! ran a"a to ;retna ;reen"ith han!some <ac+ Castleto"n, !eclaring that nothing in the "orl!"oul! in!uce her to marr into a #amil that allo"e! such a horriblephantom to "al+ up an! !o"n the terrace at t"ilight. oor <ac+ "as

a#ter"ar!s shot in a !uel b %or! Canterville on Wan!s"orthCommon, an! %a! Barbara !ie! o# a bro+en heart at 8unbri!ge Wellsbe#ore the ear "as out, so, in ever "a, it ha! been a greatsuccess. $t "as, ho"ever, an e1tremel !iFcult make-up, i# $ ma usesuch a theatrical e1pression in connection "ith one o# the greatestmsteries o# the supernatural, or, to emplo a more scienti*c term,the higher(natural "orl!, an! it too+ him #ull three hours to ma+e hispreparations. At last everthing "as rea!, an! he "as ver please!"ith his appearance. 8he big leather ri!ing(boots that "ent "ith the!ress "ere @ust a little too large #or him, an! he coul! onl *n! one o#the t"o horse(pistols, but, on the "hole, he "as

p.=2

quite satisfied, and at a quarter past one he glided out of the wainscoting and crept down

the corridor. On reaching the room occupied by the twins, which I should mention was

called the &lue &ed Chamber, on account of the colour of its hangings, he found the

door ust aar. 7ishing to make an effective entrance, he flung it wide open, when a

heavy ug of water fell right down on him, wetting him to the skin, and ust missing his

left shoulder by a couple of inches. (t the same moment he heard stifled shrieks of

laughter proceeding from the four-post bed. he shock to his nervous system was so

great that he fled back to his room as hard as he could go, and the net day he was laid

up with a severe cold. he only thing that at all consoled him in the whole affair was thefact that he had not brought his head with him, for, had he done so, the consequences

might have been very serious.

He no" gave up all hope o# ever #rightening this ru!e American#amil, an! contente! himsel#, as a rule, "ith creeping about thepassages in list slippers, "ith a thic+ re! muIer roun! his throat #or#ear o# !raughts, an! a small aruebuse, in case he shoul! beattac+e! b the t"ins. 8he *nal blo" he receive! occurre! on the2=th o# :eptember. He ha! gone !o"nstairs to the great entrance(hall, #eeling sure

p.=



that there, at any rate, he would be quite unmolested, and was amusing himself by

making satirical remarks on the large $aroni photographs of the *nited $tates !inister

and his wife, which had now taken the place of the Canterville family pictures. +e was

simply but neatly clad in a long shroud, spotted with churchyard mould, had tied up his

aw with a strip of yellow linen, and carried a small lantern and a seton's spade. In fact,

he was dressed for the character of &onas the Gra'eless, or the (orpse-Snatcher of(hertsey Barn, one of his most remarkable impersonations, and one which the

Cantervilles had every reason to remember, as it was the real origin of their quarrel with

their neighbour, Lord ufford. It was about a quarter past two o'clock in the morning,

and, as far as he could ascertain, no one was stirring. (s he was strolling towards the

library, however, to see if there were any traces left of the blood-stain, suddenly there

leaped out on him from a dark corner two figures, who waved their arms wildly above

their heads, and shrieked out :&OO1' in his ear.

:eiJe! "ith a panic, "hich, un!er the circumstances, "as onlnatural, he rushe! #or the staircase, but #oun! Washington Otis"aiting #or him there "ith the big gar!en(sringe/ an! being thus

hemme! in b his enemies on ever si!e, an! !riven almost to ba,he vanishe!

p.=9

into the great iron stove, which, fortunately for him, was not lit, and had to make his

way home through the flues and chimneys, arriving at his own room in a terrible state of

dirt, disorder, and despair.

A#ter this he "as not seen again on an nocturnal e1pe!ition. 8het"ins la in "ait #or him on several occasions, an! stre"e! thepassages "ith nutshells ever night to the great annoance o# theirparents an! the servants, but it "as o# no avail. $t "as uite evi!entthat his #eelings "ere so "oun!e! that he "oul! not appear. Mr. Otisconseuentl resume! his great "or+ on the histor o# the)emocratic art, on "hich he ha! been engage! #or some ears/Mrs. Otis organise! a "on!er#ul clam(ba+e, "hich amaJe! the "holecount/ the bos too+ to lacrosse, euchre, po+er, an! other Americannational games/ an! Girginia ro!e about the lanes on her pon,accompanie! b the oung )u+e o# Cheshire, "ho ha! come to spen!the last "ee+ o# his holi!as at Canterville Chase. $t "as generallassume! that the ghost ha! gone a"a, an!, in #act, Mr. Otis "rote aletter to that e0ect to %or! Canterville, "ho, in repl, e1presse! his

great pleasure at the ne"s, an! sent his best congratulations to theMinister's "orth "i#e. 8he Otises, ho"ever, "ere !eceive!, #or the

p.=4

ghost was still in the house, and though now almost an invalid, was by no means ready

to let matters rest, particularly as he heard that among the guests was the young )uke of

Cheshire, whose grand-uncle, Lord 2rancis $tilton, had once bet a hundred guineas with

Colonel Carbury that he would play dice with the Canterville ghost, and was found the

net 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 but Double

Sixes. he story was well known at the time, though, of course, out of respect to thefeelings of the two noble families, every attempt was made to hush it up/ and a full



account of all the circumstances connected with it will be found in the third volume of

Lord attle's Recollections of the Prince Regent and his Friends. he ghost, then, was

naturally very anious to show that he had not lost his influence over the $tiltons, with

whom, indeed, he was distantly connected, his own first cousin having been married en

secondes noces to the $ieur de &ulkeley, from whom, as every one knows, the )ukes of

Cheshire are lineally descended. (ccordingly, he made arrangements for appearing to"irginia's little lover in his celebrated impersonation of The )ampire Monk, or, the

Bloodless Benedictine, a performance so

p.=5

horrible that when old Lady $tartup saw it, which she did on one fatal ?ew @ear's #ve,

in the year ;<AB, she went off into the most piercing shrieks, which culminated in

violent apopley, and died in three days, after disinheriting the Cantervilles, who were

her nearest relations, and leaving all her money to her London apothecary. (t the last

moment, however, his terror of the twins prevented his leaving his room, and the little

)uke slept in peace under the great feathered canopy in the oyal &edchamber, and

dreamed of "irginia.

p.=6

V

A -EW !as a#ter this, Girginia an! her curl(haire! cavalier "ent outri!ing on Broc+le mea!o"s, "here she tore her habit so ba!l ingetting through a he!ge, that, on their return home, she ma!e up hermin! to go up b the bac+ staircase so as not to be seen. As she "as

running past the 8apestr Chamber, the !oor o# "hich happene! to beopen, she #ancie! she sa" some one insi!e, an! thin+ing it "as hermother's mai!, "ho sometimes use! to bring her "or+ there, loo+e!in to as+ her to men! her habit. 8o her immense surprise, ho"ever, it"as the Canterville ;host himsel# He "as sitting b the "in!o","atching the ruine! gol! o# the ello"ing trees ? through the air,an! the re! leaves !ancing ma!l !o"n the long avenue. His hea!"as leaning on his han!, an! his "hole attitu!e "as one o# e1treme!epression. $n!ee!, so #orlorn, an! so much out o# repair !i! he loo+,that little Girginia, "hose *rst i!ea ha! been to run a"a an! loc+hersel# in her room, "as *lle! "ith pit, an! !etermine! to tr an!

com#ort him. :o light "as her #oot#all, an! so !eep his

p.=7

melancholy, that he was not aware of her presence till she spoke to him.

&$ am so sorr #or ou,' she sai!, &but m brothers are going bac+ toEton to(morro", an! then, i# ou behave oursel#, no one "ill annoou.'&$t is absur! as+ing me to behave msel#,' he ans"ere!, loo+ing roun!in astonishment at the prett little girl "ho ha! venture! to a!!resshim, &uite absur!. $ must rattle m chains, an! groan through+eholes, an! "al+ about at night, i# that is "hat ou mean. $t is m

onl reason #or e1isting.'



&$t is no reason at all #or e1isting, an! ou +no" ou have been ver"ic+e!. Mrs. >mne tol! us, the *rst !a "e arrive! here, that ouha! +ille! our "i#e.'&Well, $ uite a!mit it,' sai! the ;host petulantl, &but it "as a purel#amil matter, an! concerne! no one else.'

&$t is ver "rong to +ill an one,' sai! Girginia, "ho at times ha! as"eet uritan gravit, caught #rom some ol! Ne" Englan! ancestor.&Oh, $ hate the cheap severit o# abstract ethics M "i#e "as verplain, never ha! m ru0s properl starche!, an! +ne" nothing aboutcoo+er. Wh, there "as a buc+ $ ha! shot in Hogle Woo!s, amagni*cent pric+et, an! !o ou +no" ho" she ha! it sent up to tableDHo"ever,

p.=3

it is no matter now, for it is all over, and I don't think it was very nice of her brothers to

starve me to death, though I did kill her.'

&:tarve ou to !eathD Oh, Mr. ;host, $ mean :ir :imon, are ouhungrD $ have a san!"ich in m case. Woul! ou li+e itD'&No, than+ ou, $ never eat anthing no"/ but it is ver +in! o# ou, allthe same, an! ou are much nicer than the rest o# our horri!, ru!e,vulgar, !ishonest #amil.'&:top' crie! Girginia stamping her #oot, &it is ou "ho are ru!e, an!horri!, an! vulgar, an! as #or !ishonest, ou +no" ou stole thepaints out o# m bo1 to tr an! #urbish up that ri!iculous bloo!(stainin the librar. -irst ou too+ all m re!s, inclu!ing the vermilion, an! $coul!n't !o an more sunsets then ou too+ the emeral!(green an!the chrome(ello", an! *nall $ ha! nothing le#t but in!igo an!Chinese "hite, an! coul! onl !o moonlight scenes, "hich are al"as!epressing to loo+ at, an! not at all eas to paint. $ never tol! on ou,though $ "as ver much annoe!, an! it "as most ri!iculous, the"hole thing/ #or "ho ever hear! o# emeral!(green bloo!D'&Well, reall,' sai! the ;host, rather mee+l, &"hat "as $ to !oD $t is aver !iFcult thing to get real bloo! no"a!as, an!, as our brotherbegan it all "ith his aragon )etergent, $

p.==

certainly saw no reason why I should not have your paints. (s for colour, that is always

a matter of taste> the Cantervilles have blue blood, for instance, the very bluest in#ngland/ but I know you (mericans don't care for things of this kind.'

&ou +no" nothing about it, an! the best thing ou can !o is toemigrate an! improve our min!. M #ather "ill be onl too happ togive ou a #ree passage, an! though there is a heav !ut on spiritso# ever +in!, there "ill be no !iFcult about the Custom House, asthe oFcers are all )emocrats. Once in Ne" or+, ou are sure to be agreat success. $ +no" lots o# people there "ho "oul! give a hun!re!thousan! !ollars to have a gran!#ather, an! much more than that tohave a #amil ghost.'&$ !on't thin+ $ shoul! li+e America.'

&$ suppose because "e have no ruins an! no curiosities,' sai! Girginiasatiricall.



&No ruins no curiosities' ans"ere! the ;host/ &ou have our navan! our manners.'&;oo! evening/ $ "ill go an! as+ papa to get the t"ins an e1tra "ee+'sholi!a.'&lease !on't go, Miss Girginia,' he crie!/ &$ am so lonel an! so

unhapp, an! $ reall !on't +no" "hat to !o. $ "ant to go to sleep an!$ cannot.'

p.2

&8hat's uite absur! ou have merel to go to be! an! blo" out thecan!le. $t is ver !iFcult sometimes to +eep a"a+e, especiall atchurch, but there is no !iFcult at all about sleeping. Wh, evenbabies +no" ho" to !o that, an! the are not ver clever.'&$ have not slept #or three hun!re! ears,' he sai! sa!l, an! Girginia'sbeauti#ul blue ees opene! in "on!er/ &#or three hun!re! ears $ havenot slept, an! $ am so tire!.'

Girginia gre" uite grave, an! her little lips tremble! li+e rose(leaves.:he came to"ar!s him, an! +neeling !o"n at his si!e, loo+e! up intohis ol! "ithere! #ace.&oor, poor ;host,' she murmure!/ &have ou no place "here ou cansleepD'&-ar a"a beon! the pine"oo!s,' he ans"ere!, in a lo" !reamvoice, &there is a little gar!en. 8here the grass gro"s long an! !eep,there are the great "hite stars o# the hemloc+ ?o"er, there thenightingale sings all night long. All night long he sings, an! the col!,crstal moon loo+s !o"n, an! the e"(tree sprea!s out its giant arms

over the sleepers.'Girginia's ees gre" !im "ith tears, an! she hi! her #ace in her han!s.&ou mean the ;ar!en o# )eath,' she "hispere!.

p.22

&es, )eath. )eath must be so beauti#ul. 8o lie in the so#t bro"n earth,"ith the grasses "aving above one's hea!, an! listen to silence. 8ohave no ester!a, an! no to(morro". 8o #orget time, to #orgive li#e, tobe at peace. ou can help me. ou can open #or me the portals o#)eath's house, #or %ove is al"as "ith ou, an! %ove is stronger than)eath is.'

Girginia tremble!, a col! shu!!er ran through her, an! #or a #e"moments there "as silence. :he #elt as i# she "as in a terrible !ream. 8hen the ;host spo+e again, an! his voice soun!e! li+e the sighing o#the "in!.&Have ou ever rea! the ol! prophec on the librar "in!o"D'&Oh, o#ten,' crie! the little girl, loo+ing up/ &$ +no" it uite "ell. $t ispainte! in curious blac+ letters, an! it is !iFcult to rea!. 8here areonl si1 linesK'

;. 7hen a golden girl can win

=rayer from out the lips of sin,

7hen the barren almond bears

(nd a little child gives away its tears,



hen shall all the house be still

(nd peace come to Canterville.

&But $ !on't +no" "hat the mean.'&8he mean,' he sai! sa!l, &that ou must "eep "ith me #or m sins,

because $ have no tears, an! pra "ith me #or m soul, because

p.2

I have no faith, and then, if you have always been sweet, and good, and gentle, the

(ngel of )eath will have mercy on me. @ou will see fearful shapes in darkness, and

wicked voices will whisper in your ear, but they will not harm you, for against the

purity of a little child the powers of +ell cannot prevail.'

Girginia ma!e no ans"er, an! the ;host "rung his han!s in "il!!espair as he loo+e! !o"n at her bo"e! gol!en hea!. :u!!enl shestoo! up, ver pale, an! "ith a strange light in her ees. &$ am nota#rai!,' she sai! *rml, &an! $ "ill as+ the Angel to have merc on

ou.'He rose #rom his seat "ith a #aint cr o# @o, an! ta+ing her han! bentover it "ith ol!(#ashione! grace an! +isse! it. His *ngers "ere as col!as ice, an! his lips burne! li+e *re, but Girginia !i! not #alter, as he le!her across the !us+ room. On the #a!e! green tapestr "erebroi!ere! little huntsmen. 8he ble" their tasselle! horns an! "iththeir tin han!s "ave! to her to go bac+. &;o bac+ little Girginia,'the crie!, &go bac+' but the ;host clutche! her han! more tightl,an! she shut her ees against them. Horrible animals "ith liJar! tails,an! goggle ees, blin+e! at her #rom the carven chimne(piece, an!murmure! &Be"are little Girginia, be"are "e ma never see ou

p.29

again,' but the host glided on more swiftly, and "irginia did not listen. 7hen they

reached the end of the room he stopped, and muttered some words she could not

understand. $he opened her eyes, and saw the wall slowly fading away like a mist, and a

great black cavern in front of her. ( bitter cold wind swept round them, and she felt

something pulling at her dress. :Duick, quick,' cried the host, :or it will be too late,'

and, in a moment, the wainscoting had closed behind them, and the apestry Chamber

was empty.

p.24

VI

ABO>8 ten minutes later, the bell rang #or tea, an!, as Girginia !i! notcome !o"n, Mrs. Otis sent up one o# the #ootmen to tell her. A#ter alittle time he returne! an! sai! that he coul! not *n! Miss Girginiaan"here. As she "as in the habit o# going out to the gar!en everevening to get ?o"ers #or the !inner(table, Mrs. Otis "as not at allalarme! at *rst, but "hen si1 o'cloc+ struc+, an! Girginia !i! notappear, she became reall agitate!, an! sent the bos out to loo+ #or

her, "hile she hersel# an! Mr. Otis searche! ever room in the house.At hal#(past si1 the bos came bac+ an! sai! that the coul! *n! no



trace o# their sister an"here. 8he "ere all no" in the greatest stateo# e1citement, an! !i! not +no" "hat to !o "hen Mr. Otis su!!enlremembere! that, some #e" !as be#ore, he ha! given a ban! o#gpsies permission to camp in the par+. He accor!ingl at once set o0 #or Blac+#ell Hollo", "here he +ne" the "ere, accompanie! b his

el!est son an! t"o o# the #arm(servants.

p.25

he little )uke of Cheshire, who was perfectly frantic with aniety, begged hard to be

allowed to go too, but !r. Otis would not allow him, as he was afraid there might be a

scuffle. On arriving at the spot, however, he found that the gypsies had gone, and it was

evident that their departure had been rather sudden, as the fire was still burning, and

some plates were lying on the grass. +aving sent off 7ashington and the two men to

scour the district, he ran home, and despatched telegrams to all the police inspectors in

the country, telling them to look out for a little girl who had been kidnapped by tramps

or gypsies. +e then ordered his horse to be brought round, and, after insisting on his

wife and the three boys sitting down to dinner, rode off down the (scot road with agroom. +e had hardly, however, gone a couple of miles, when he heard somebody

galloping after him, and, looking round, saw the little )uke coming up on his pony, with

his face very flushed and no hat. :I'm awfully sorry, !r. Otis,' gasped out the boy, :but I

can't eat any dinner as long as "irginia is lost. =lease, don't be angry with me/ if you had

let us be engaged last year, there would never have been all this trouble. @ou won't send

me back, will youE I can't go1 I won't go1'

p.26

8he Minister coul! not help smiling at the han!some oungscapegrace, an! "as a goo! !eal touche! at his !evotion to Girginia,

so leaning !o"n #rom his horse, he patte! him +in!l on theshoul!ers, an! sai!, &Well, Cecil, i# ou "on't go bac+ $ suppose oumust come "ith me, but $ must get ou a hat at Ascot.'&Oh, bother m hat $ "ant Girginia' crie! the little )u+e, laughing,an! the gallope! on to the rail"a station. 8here Mr. Otis inuire! o#the station(master i# an one ans"ering to the !escription o# Girginiaha! been seen on the plat#orm, but coul! get no ne"s o# her. 8hestation(master, ho"ever, "ire! up an! !o"n the line, an! assure!him that a strict "atch "oul! be +ept #or her, an!, a#ter havingbought a hat #or the little )u+e #rom a linen(!raper, "ho "as @ust

putting up his shutters, Mr. Otis ro!e o0 to Be1le, a village about #ourmiles a"a, "hich he "as tol! "as a "ell(+no"n haunt o# the gpsies,as there "as a large common ne1t to it. Here the rouse! up the ruralpoliceman, but coul! get no in#ormation #rom him, an!, a#ter ri!ing allover the common, the turne! their horses' hea!s home"ar!s, an!reache! the Chase about eleven o'cloc+, !ea!(tire! an! almost heart(bro+en. 8he #oun! Washington an! the t"ins

p.27

waiting for them at the gatehouse with lanterns, as the avenue was very dark. ?ot the

slightest trace of "irginia had been discovered. he gypsies had been caught on

&rockley meadows, but she was not with them, and they had eplained their suddendeparture by saying that they had mistaken the date of Chorton 2air, and had gone off in



a hurry for fear they might be late. Indeed, they had been quite distressed at hearing of

"irginia's disappearance, as they were very grateful to !r. Otis for having allowed them

to camp in his park, and four of their number had stayed behind to help in the search.

he carp-pond had been dragged, and the whole Chase thoroughly gone over, but

without any result. It was evident that, for that night at any rate, "irginia was lost to

them/ and it was in a state of the deepest depression that !r. Otis and the boys walkedup 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 !rs. Otis, almost out of her mind with terror and aniety, and having her forehead

bathed with eau-de-cologne by the old housekeeper. !r. Otis at once insisted on her

having something to eat, and ordered up supper for the whole party. It was a melancholy

meal,

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as hardly any one spoke, and even the twins were awestruck and subdued, as they were

very fond of their sister. 7hen they had finished, !r. Otis, in spite of the entreaties of

the little )uke, ordered them all to bed, saying that nothing more could be done thatnight, and that he would telegraph in the morning to $cotland @ard for some detectives

to be sent down immediately. 0ust as they were passing out of the dining-room,

midnight began to boom from the clock tower, and when the last stroke sounded they

heard a crash and a sudden shrill cry/ a dreadful peal of thunder shook the house, a

strain of unearthly music floated through the air, a panel at the top of the staircase flew

back with a loud noise, and out on the landing, looking very pale and white, with a little

casket in her hand, stepped "irginia. In a moment they had all rushed up to her. !rs.

Otis clasped her passionately in her arms, the )uke smothered her with violent kisses,

and the twins eecuted a wild war-dance round the group.

&;oo! heavens chil!, "here have ou beenD' sai! Mr. Otis, rather

angril, thin+ing that she ha! been plaing some #oolish tric+ onthem. &Cecil an! $ have been ri!ing all over the countr loo+ing #orou, an! our mother has been #rightene! to !eath. ou must neverpla these practical @o+es an more.'

p.2=

&E1cept on the ;host e1cept on the ;host' shrie+e! the t"ins, asthe capere! about.&M o"n !arling, than+ ;o! ou are #oun!/ ou must never leave msi!e again,' murmure! Mrs. Otis, as she +isse! the trembling chil!,an! smoothe! the tangle! gol! o# her hair.&apa,' sai! Girginia uietl, &$ have been "ith the ;host. He is !ea!,an! ou must come an! see him. He ha! been ver "ic+e!, but he"as reall sorr #or all that he ha! !one, an! he gave me this bo1 o#beauti#ul @e"els be#ore he !ie!.'

8he "hole #amil gaJe! at her in mute amaJement, but she "as uitegrave an! serious/ an!, turning roun!, she le! them through theopening in the "ainscoting !o"n a narro" secret corri!or, Washington#ollo"ing "ith a lighte! can!le, "hich he ha! caught up #rom thetable. -inall, the came to a great oa+ !oor, stu!!e! "ith rust nails.When Girginia touche! it, it s"ung bac+ on its heav hinges, an! the

#oun! themselves in a little lo" room, "ith a vaulte! ceiling, an! onetin grate! "in!o". $mbe!!e! in the "all "as a huge iron ring, an!



chaine! to it "as a gaunt s+eleton, that "as stretche! out at #ulllength on the stone ?oor, an! seeme! to be tring to grasp "ith itslong ?eshless *ngers an ol!(#ashione! trencher an! e"er, that "ereplace! @ust out o# its reach. 8he @ug ha! evi!entl been once *lle!"ith "ater, as it "as

p.22

covered inside with green mould. here was nothing on the trencher but a pile of dust.

"irginia knelt down beside the skeleton, and, folding her little 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' su!!enl e1claime! one o# the t"ins, "ho ha! been loo+ingout o# the "in!o" to tr an! !iscover in "hat "ing o# the house theroom "as situate!. &Hallo the ol! "ithere! almon!(tree hasblossome!. $ can see the ?o"ers uite plainl in the moonlight.'&;o! has #orgiven him,' sai! Girginia gravel, as she rose to her #eet,

an! a beauti#ul light seeme! to illumine her #ace.&What an angel ou are' crie! the oung )u+e, an! he put his armroun! her nec+, an! +isse! her.

p.222

VII

-O> !as a#ter these curious inci!ents a #uneral starte! #romCanterville Chase at about eleven o'cloc+ at night. 8he hearse "as

!ra"n b eight blac+ horses, each o# "hich carrie! on its hea! a greattu#t o# no!!ing ostrich(plumes, an! the lea!en coFn "as covere! ba rich purple pall, on "hich "as embroi!ere! in gol! the Cantervillecoat(o#(arms. B the si!e o# the hearse an! the coaches "al+e! theservants "ith lighte! torches, an! the "hole procession "as"on!er#ull impressive. %or! Canterville "as the chie# mourner,having come up speciall #rom Wales to atten! the #uneral, an! sat inthe *rst carriage along "ith little Girginia. 8hen came the >nite!:tates Minister an! his "i#e, then Washington an! the three bos, an!in the last carriage "as Mrs. >mne. $t "as generall #elt that, as sheha! been #rightene! b the ghost #or more than *#t ears o# her li#e,

she ha! a right to see the last o# him. A !eep grave ha! been !ug inthe corner o# the churchar!, @ust un!er the ol! e"(tree, an! theservice "as rea! in the most impressive

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manner by the ev. (ugustus )ampier. 7hen the ceremony was over, the servants,

according to an old custom observed in the Canterville family, etinguished their

torches, and, as the coffin was being lowered into the grave, "irginia stepped forward,

and laid on it a large cross made of white and pink almond-blossoms. (s she did so, the

moon came out from behind a cloud, and flooded with its silent silver the little

churchyard, and from a distant copse a nightingale began to sing. $he thought of the

ghost's description of the arden of )eath, her eyes became dim with tears, and she

hardly spoke a word during the drive home.



8he ne1t morning, be#ore %or! Canterville "ent up to to"n, Mr. Otisha! an intervie" "ith him on the sub@ect o# the @e"els the ghost ha!given to Girginia. 8he "ere per#ectl magni*cent, especiall a certainrub nec+lace "ith ol! Genetian setting, "hich "as reall a superbspecimen o# si1teenth(centur "or+, an! their value "as so great that

Mr. Otis #elt consi!erable scruples about allo"ing his !aughter toaccept them.&M lor!,' he sai!, &$ +no" that in this countr mortmain is hel! toappl to trin+ets as "ell as to lan!, an! it is uite clear to me thatthese @e"els are, or shoul! be, heirlooms in our #amil. $ must begou. accor!ingl,

p.229

to take them to London with you, and to regard them simply as a portion of your

property which has been restored to you under certain strange conditions. (s for my

daughter, she is merely a child, and has as yet, I am glad to say, but little interest in such

appurtenances of idle luury. I am also informed by !rs. Otis, who, I may say, is nomean authority upon (rt--- having had the privilege of spending several winters in

&oston when she was a girl---that these gems are of great monetary worth, and if

offered for sale would fetch a tall price. *nder these circumstances, Lord Canterville, I

feel sure that you will recognise how impossible it would be for me to allow them to

remain in the possession of any member of my family/ and, indeed, all such vain gauds

and toys, however suitable or necessary to the dignity of the &ritish aristocracy, would

be completely out of place among those who have been brought up on the severe, and I

believe Immortal, principles of epublican simplicity. =erhaps I should mention that

"irginia is very anious that you should allow her to retain the bo, as a memento of

your unfortunate but misguided ancestor. (s it is etremely old, and consequently a

good deal out of repair, you may perhaps think fit to comply with her request. 2or my

own part, I confess I am a good deal surprised to find a child of mine

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epressing sympathy with mediFvalism in any form, and can only account for it by the

fact that "irginia was born in one of your London suburbs shortly after !rs. Otis had

returned from a trip to (thens.'

%or! Canterville listene! ver gravel to the "orth Minister's speech,pulling his gre moustache no" an! then to hi!e an involuntar smile,an! "hen Mr. Otis ha! e+e!, he shoo+ him cor!iall b the han!, an!sai!, &M !ear sir, our charming little !aughter ren!ere! m unluc+ancestor, :ir :imon, a ver important service, an! $ an! m #amil aremuch in!ebte! to her #or her marvellous courage an! pluc+. 8he

@e"els are clearl hers, an!, ega!, $ believe that i# $ "ere heartlessenough to ta+e them #rom her, the "ic+e! ol! #ello" "oul! be out o#his grave in a #ortnight, lea!ing me the !evil o# a li#e. As #or theirbeing heirlooms, nothing is an heirloom that is not so mentione! in a"ill or legal !ocument, an! the e1istence o# these @e"els has beenuite un+no"n. $ assure ou $ have no more claim on them than ourbutler, an! "hen Miss Girginia gro"s up $ !aresa she "ill be please!to have prett things to "ear. Besi!es, ou #orget, Mr. Otis, that ou

too+ the #urniture an! the ghost at a valuation, an! anthing that



belonge! to the ghost passe! at once into our possession, as,"hatever activit :ir

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$imon may have shown in the corridor at night, in point of law he was really dead, and

you acquired his property by purchase.'Mr. Otis "as a goo! !eal !istresse! at %or! Canterville's re#usal, an!begge! him to reconsi!er his !ecision, but the goo!(nature! peer "asuite *rm, an! *nall in!uce! the Minister to allo" his !aughter toretain the present the ghost ha! given her, an! "hen, in the spring o#23=, the oung )uchess o# Cheshire "as presente! at the ueen's*rst !ra"ing(room on the occasion o# her marriage, her @e"els "erethe universal theme o# a!miration. -or Girginia receive! the coronet,"hich is the re"ar! o# all goo! little American girls, an! "as marrie!to her bo(lover as soon as he came o# age. 8he "ere both socharming, an! the love! each other so much, that ever one "as

!elighte! at the match, e1cept the ol! Marchioness o# )umbleton,"ho ha! trie! to catch the )u+e #or one o# her seven unmarrie!!aughters, an! ha! given no less than three e1pensive !inner(parties#or that purpose, an!, strange to sa, Mr. Otis himsel#. Mr. Otis "ase1tremel #on! o# the oung )u+e personall, but, theoreticall, heob@ecte! to titles, an!, to use his o"n "or!s, &"as not "ithoutapprehension lest, ami! the enervating in?uences o# a pleasure(lovingaristocrac, the true principles o# epublican simplicit

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should be forgotten.' +is obections, however, were completely overruled, and I believe

that when he walked up the aisle of $t. eorge's, +anover $quare, with his daughter

leaning on his arm, there was not a prouder man in the whole length and breadth of

#ngland,

8he )u+e an! )uchess, a#ter the honemoon "as over, "ent !o"n toCanterville Chase, an! on the !a a#ter their arrival the "al+e! overin the a#ternoon to the lonel churchar! b the pine("oo!. 8here ha!been a great !eal o# !iFcult at *rst about the inscription on :ir:imon's tombstone, but *nall it ha! been !eci!e! to engrave on itsimpl the initials o# the ol! gentleman's name, an! the verse #romthe librar "in!o". 8he )uchess ha! brought "ith her some lovel

roses, "hich she stre"e! upon the grave, an! a#ter the ha! stoo! bit #or some time the strolle! into the ruine! chancel o# the ol! abbe. 8here the )uchess sat !o"n on a #allen pillar, "hile her husban! laat her #eet smo+ing a cigarette an! loo+ing up at her beauti#ul ees.:u!!enl he thre" his cigarette a"a, too+ hol! o# her han!, an! sai!to her, &Girginia, a "i#e shoul! have no secrets #rom her husban!.'&)ear Cecil $ have no secrets #rom ou.'&es, ou have,' he ans"ere!, smiling, &ou

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have never told me what happened to you when you were locked up with the ghost.'

&$ have never tol! an one, Cecil,' sai! Girginia gravel.&$ +no" that, but ou might tell me.'



&lease !on't as+ me, Cecil, $ cannot tell ou. oor :ir :imon $ o"ehim a great !eal. es, !on't laugh, Cecil, $ reall !o. He ma!e me see"hat %i#e is, an! "hat )eath signi*es, an! "h %ove is stronger thanboth.'

8he )u+e rose an! +isse! his "i#e lovingl.

&ou can have our secret as long as $ have our heart,' hemurmure!.&ou have al"as ha! that, Cecil.'&An! ou "ill tell our chil!ren some !a, "on't ouD'Girginia blushe!.

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