Кентервільський привид

           "I’mawfullysorry,Mr.Otis,"gaspedouttheboy,"butIcan’teatanydinneraslongasVirginiaislost. Pleasedon’tbeangrywithme;ifyouhadletusbeengagedlastyear,therewouldneverhavebeenallthistrouble. Youwon’tsendmeback,willyou? Ican’tgo!Iwon’tgo!" 

           TheMinistercouldnothelpsmilingatthehandsomeyoungscapegrace, andwasagooddealtouchedathisdevotiontoVirginia,soleaningdownfromhishorse,hepattedhimkindlyontheshoulders,andsaid, "Well,Cecil,ifyouwon’tgoback,Isupposeyoumustcomewithme,butImustgetyouahatatAscot." 

           "Oh,bothermyhat! IwantVirginia! "criedthelittleDuke,laughing,andtheygallopedontotherailwaystation. ThereMr.Otisinquiredofthestation-masterifanyoneansweringtothedescriptionofVirginiahadbeenseenontheplatform,butcouldgetnonewsofher. Thestation-master,however,wiredupanddowntheline,andassuredhimthatastrictwatchwouldbekeptforher, and,afterhavingboughtahatforthelittleDukefromalinen-draper,whowasjustputtinguphisshutters,Mr.OtisrodeofftoBexley,avillageaboutfourmilesaway,whichhewastoldwasawell-knownhauntofthegipsies,astherewasalargecommonnexttoit. Heretheyrouseduptheruralpoliceman,butcouldgetnoinformationfromhim,and,afterridingalloverthecommon,theyturnedtheirhorses’headshomewards, andreachedtheChaseabouteleveno’clock,dead-tiredandalmostheart-broken. TheyfoundWashingtonandthetwinswaitingforthematthegatehousewithlanterns,astheavenuewasverydark. NottheslightesttraceofVirginiahadbeendiscovered. ThegipsieshadbeencaughtonBrockleymeadows,butshewasnotwiththem, andtheyhadexplainedtheirsuddendeparturebysayingthattheyhadmistakenthedateofChortonFair,andhadgoneoffinahurryforfeartheyshouldbelate.