Кентервільський привид

           Onreachingtheroomoccupiedbythetwins,whichIshouldmentionwascalledtheBlueBedChamber,onaccountofthecolourofitshangings,hefoundthedoorjustajar. Wishingtomakeaneffectiveentrance,heflungitwideopen, whenaheavyjugofwaterfellrightdownonhim,wettinghimtotheskin,andjustmissinghisleftshoulderbyacoupleofinches. Atthesamemomentheheardstifledshrieksoflaughterproceedingfromthefourpostbed. Theshocktohisnervoussystemwassogreat thathefledbacktohisroomashardashecouldgo,andthenextdayhewaslaidupwithaseverecold. Theonlythingthatatallconsoledhiminthewholeaffairwasthefactthathehadnotbroughthisheadwithhim,for,hadhedoneso,theconsequencesmighthavebeenveryserious. 

           HenowgaveupallhopeofeverfrighteningthisrudeAmericanfamily,andcontentedhimself,asarule,withcreepingaboutthepassagesinlistslippers,withathickredmufflerroundhisthroatforfearofdraughts,andasmallarquebuse,incaseheshouldbeattackedbythetwins. Thefinalblowhereceivedoccurredonthe19thofSeptember. Hehadgonedown-stairstothegreatentrance-hall,feelingsurethatthere,atanyrate,hewouldbequiteunmolested,andwasamusinghimselfbymakingsatiricalremarksonthelargeSaroniphotographsoftheUnitedStatesMinisterandhiswifewhichhadnowtakentheplaceoftheCantervillefamilypictures. Hewassimplybutneatlycladinalongshroud,spottedwithchurchyardmould, hadtieduphisjawwithastripofyellowlinen,andcarriedasmalllanternandasexton’sspade. Infact,hewasdressedforthecharacterof"JonastheGraveless,ortheCorpse-SnatcherofChertseyBarn,"oneofhismostremarkableimpersonations, andonewhichtheCantervilleshadeveryreasontoremember,asitwastherealoriginoftheirquarrelwiththeirneighbour,LordRufford.