Кентервільський привид
Chapter 1
"Well,sodoesthefamilydoctorforthatmatter,LordCanterville. Butthereisnosuchthing,sir,asaghost, andIguessthelawsofNaturearenotgoingtobesuspendedfortheBritisharistocracy."
"YouarecertainlyverynaturalinAmerica,"answeredLordCanterville, whodidnotquiteunderstandMr.Otis’slastobservation,"andifyoudon’tmindaghostinthehouse,itisallright. OnlyyoumustrememberIwarnedyou."
Afewweeksafterthis,thepurchasewasconcluded,andatthecloseoftheseasontheMinisterandhisfamilywentdowntoCantervilleChase. Mrs.Otis,who,asMissLucretiaR.Tappan,ofWest53dStreet,hadbeenacelebratedNewYorkbelle, wasnowaveryhandsome,middle-agedwoman, withfineeyes,andasuperbprofile. ManyAmericanladiesonleavingtheirnativelandadoptanappearanceofchronicill-health, undertheimpressionthatitisaformofEuropeanrefinement,butMrs.Otishadneverfallenintothiserror. Shehadamagnificentconstitution,andareallywonderfulamountofanimalspirits. Indeed,inmanyrespects,shewasquiteEnglish,andwasanexcellentexampleofthefact thatwehavereallyeverythingincommonwithAmericanowadays,except,ofcourse,language.
Hereldestson,christenedWashingtonbyhisparentsinamomentofpatriotism,whichheneverceasedtoregret, wasafair-haired,rathergood-lookingyoungman,whohadqualifiedhimselfforAmericandiplomacy byleadingtheGermanattheNewportCasinoforthreesuccessiveseasons,andeveninLondonwaswellknownasanexcellentdancer. Gardeniasandthepeeragewerehisonlyweaknesses.Otherwisehewasextremelysensible. MissVirginiaE.Otiswasalittlegirloffifteen,litheandlovelyasafawn,andwithafinefreedominherlargeblueeyes.
