Кентервільський привид
Chapter 5
"Well,Iquiteadmitit,"saidtheGhost,petulantly,"butitwasapurelyfamilymatter,andconcernednooneelse."
"Itisverywrongtokillanyone,"saidVirginia,whoattimeshadasweetpuritangravity,caughtfromsomeoldNewEnglandancestor.
"Oh,Ihatethecheapseverityofabstractethics! Mywifewasveryplain,neverhadmyruffsproperlystarched,andknewnothingaboutcookery. Why,therewasabuckIhadshotinHogleyWoods,amagnificentpricket,anddoyouknowhowshehaditsenttotable? However,itisnomatternow,foritisallover,andIdon’tthinkitwasveryniceofherbrotherstostarvemetodeath,thoughIdidkillher."
"Starveyoutodeath? Oh,Mr.Ghost—ImeanSirSimon,areyouhungry? Ihaveasandwichinmycase. Wouldyoulikeit?"
"No,thankyou,Inevereatanythingnow; butitisverykindofyou,allthesame,andyouaremuchnicerthantherestofyourhorrid,rude,vulgar,dishonestfamily."
"Stop!"criedVirginia,stampingherfoot, "itisyouwhoarerude,andhorrid,andvulgar,andasfordishonesty,youknowyoustolethepaintsoutofmyboxtotryandfurbishupthatridiculousblood-staininthelibrary. Firstyoutookallmyreds,includingthevermilion,andIcouldn’tdoanymoresunsets,thenyoutooktheemerald-greenandthechrome-yellow, andfinallyIhadnothingleftbutindigoandChinesewhite,andcouldonlydomoonlightscenes,whicharealwaysdepressingtolookat,andnotatalleasytopaint. Inevertoldonyou,thoughIwasverymuchannoyed,anditwasmostridiculous,thewholething; forwhoeverheardofemerald-greenblood?"
