lazy tour of two idle apprentices-第17章

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perceived　that　they　came　down　from　the　tree；　forming　tell…tale

letters　on　the　path；　or　that　they　had　a　tendency　to　heap　themselves

into　a　churchyard　mound　above　the　grave。　　In　the　winter；　when　the

tree　was　bare；　he　perceived　that　the　boughs　swung　at　him　the　ghost

of　the　blow　the　young　man　had　given；　and　that　they　threatened　him

openly。　　In　the　spring；　when　the　sap　was　mounting　in　the　trunk；　he

asked　himself；　were　the　dried…up　particles　of　blood　mounting　with

it：　　to　make　out　more　obviously　this　year　than　last；　the　leaf…

screened　figure　of　the　young　man；　swinging　in　the　wind？



'However；　he　turned　his　Money　over　and　over；　and　still　over。　　He

was　in　the　dark　trade；　the　gold…dust　trade；　and　most　secret　trades

that　yielded　great　returns。　　In　ten　years；　he　had　turned　his　Money

over；　so　many　times；　that　the　traders　and　shippers　who　had　dealings

with　him；　absolutely　did　not　lie　…　for　once　…　when　they　declared

that　he　had　increased　his　fortune；　Twelve　Hundred　Per　Cent。



'He　possessed　his　riches　one　hundred　years　ago；　when　people　could

be　lost　easily。　　He　had　heard　who　the　youth　was；　from　hearing　of

the　search　that　was　made　after　him；　but；　it　died　away；　and　the

youth　was　forgotten。



'The　annual　round　of　changes　in　the　tree　had　been　repeated　ten

times　since　the　night　of　the　burial　at　its　foot；　when　there　was　a

great　thunder…storm　over　this　place。　　It　broke　at　midnight；　and

roared　until　morning。　　The　first　intelligence　he　heard　from　his　old

serving…man　that　morning；　was；　that　the　tree　had　been　struck　by

Lightning。



'It　had　been　riven　down　the　stem；　in　a　very　surprising　manner；　and

the　stem　lay　in　two　blighted　shafts：　　one　resting　against　the

house；　and　one　against　a　portion　of　the　old　red　garden…wall　in

which　its　fall　had　made　a　gap。　　The　fissure　went　down　the　tree　to　a

little　above　the　earth；　and　there　stopped。　　There　was　great

curiosity　to　see　the　tree；　and；　with　most　of　his　former　fears

revived；　he　sat　in　his　arbour　…　grown　quite　an　old　man　…　watching

the　people　who　came　to　see　it。



'They　quickly　began　to　come；　in　such　dangerous　numbers；　that　he

closed　his　garden…gate　and　refused　to　admit　any　more。　　But；　there

were　certain　men　of　science　who　travelled　from　a　distance　to

examine　the　tree；　and；　in　an　evil　hour；　he　let　them　in！　…　Blight

and　Murrain　on　them；　let　them　in！



'They　wanted　to　dig　up　the　ruin　by　the　roots；　and　closely　examine

it；　and　the　earth　about　it。　　Never；　while　he　lived！　　They　offered

money　for　it。　　They！　　Men　of　science；　whom　he　could　have　bought　by

the　gross；　with　a　scratch　of　his　pen！　　He　showed　them　the　garden…

gate　again；　and　locked　and　barred　it。



'But　they　were　bent　on　doing　what　they　wanted　to　do；　and　they

bribed　the　old　serving…man　…　a　thankless　wretch　who　regularly

complained　when　he　received　his　wages；　of　being　underpaid　…　and

they　stole　into　the　garden　by　night　with　their　lanterns；　picks；　and

shovels；　and　fell　to　at　the　tree。　　He　was　lying　in　a　turret…room　on

the　other　side　of　the　house　（the　Bride's　Chamber　had　been

unoccupied　ever　since）；　but　he　soon　dreamed　of　picks　and　shovels；

and　got　up。



'He　came　to　an　upper　window　on　that　side；　whence　he　could　see　their

lanterns；　and　them；　and　the　loose　earth　in　a　heap　which　he　had

himself　disturbed　and　put　back；　when　it　was　last　turned　to　the　air。

It　was　found！　　They　had　that　minute　lighted　on　it。　　They　were　all

bending　over　it。　　One　of　them　said；　〃The　skull　is　fractured；〃　and

another；　〃See　here　the　bones；〃　and　another；　〃See　here　the　clothes；〃

and　then　the　first　struck　in　again；　and　said；　〃A　rusty　bill…hook！〃



'He　became　sensible；　next　day；　that　he　was　already　put　under　a

strict　watch；　and　that　he　could　go　nowhere　without　being　followed。

Before　a　week　was　out；　he　was　taken　and　laid　in　hold。　　The

circumstances　were　gradually　pieced　together　against　him；　with　a

desperate　malignity；　and　an　appalling　ingenuity。　　But；　see　the

justice　of　men；　and　how　it　was　extended　to　him！　　He　was　further

accused　of　having　poisoned　that　girl　in　the　Bride's　Chamber。　　He；

who　had　carefully　and　expressly　avoided　imperilling　a　hair　of　his

head　for　her；　and　who　had　seen　her　die　of　her　own　incapacity！



'There　was　doubt　for　which　of　the　two　murders　he　should　be　first

tried；　but；　the　real　one　was　chosen；　and　he　was　found　Guilty；　and

cast　for　death。　　Bloodthirsty　wretches！　　They　would　have　made　him

Guilty　of　anything；　so　set　they　were　upon　having　his　life。



'His　money　could　do　nothing　to　save　him；　and　he　was　hanged。　　I　am

He；　and　I　was　hanged　at　Lancaster　Castle　with　my　face　to　the　wall；

a　hundred　years　ago！'





At　this　terrific　announcement；　Mr。　Goodchild　tried　to　rise　and　cry

out。　　But；　the　two　fiery　lines　extending　from　the　old　man's　eyes　to

his　own；　kept　him　down；　and　he　could　not　utter　a　sound。　　His　sense

of　hearing；　however；　was　acute；　and　he　could　hear　the　clock　strike

Two。　　No　sooner　had　he　heard　the　clock　strike　Two；　than　he　saw

before　him　Two　old　men！



TWO。



The　eyes　of　each；　connected　with　his　eyes　by　two　films　of　fire：

each；　exactly　like　the　other：　　each；　addressing　him　at　precisely

one　and　the　same　instant：　　each；　gnashing　the　same　teeth　in　the

same　head；　with　the　same　twitched　nostril　above　them；　and　the　same

suffused　expression　around　it。　　Two　old　men。　　Differing　in　nothing；

equally　distinct　to　the　sight；　the　copy　no　fainter　than　the

original；　the　second　as　real　as　the　first。



'At　what　time；'　said　the　Two　old　men；　'did　you　arrive　at　the　door

below？'



'At　Six。'



'And　there　were　Six　old　men　upon　the　stairs！'



Mr。　Goodchild　having　wiped　the　perspiration　from　his　brow；　or　tried

to　do　it；　the　Two　old　men　proceeded　in　one　voice；　and　in　the

singular　number：



'I　had　been　anatomised；　but　had　not　yet　had　my　skeleton　put

together　and　re…hung　on　an　iron　hook；　when　it　began　to　be　whispered

that　the　Bride's　Chamber　was　haunted。　　It　WAS　haunted；　and　I　was

there。



'WE　were　there。　　She　and　I　were　there。　　I；　in　the　chair　upon　the

hearth；　she；　a　white　wreck　again；　trailing　itself　towards　me　on　the

floor。　　But；　I　was　the　speaker　no　more；　and　the　one　word　that　she

said　to　me　from　midnight　until　dawn　was；　'Live！'



'The　youth　was　there；　likewise。　　In　the　tree　outside　the　window。

Coming　and　going　in　the　moonlight；　as　the　tree　bent　and　gave。　　He

has；　ever　since；　been　there；　peeping　in　at　me　in　my　torment；

revealing　to　me　by　snatches；　in　the　pale　lights　and　slatey　shadows

where　he　comes　and　goes；　bare…headed　…　a　bill…hook；　standing

edgewise　in　his　hair。



'In　the　Bride's　Chamber；　every　night　from　midnight　until　dawn　…　one

month　in　the　year　excepted；　as　I　am　going　to　tell　you　…　he　hides　in

the　tree；　and　she　comes　towards　me　on　the　floor；　always

approaching；　never　coming　nearer；　always　visible　as　if　by　moon…

light；　whether　the　moon　shines　or　no；　always　saying；　from　mid…night

until　dawn；　her　one　word；　〃Live！〃



'But；　in　the　month　wherein　I　was　forced　out　of　this　life　…　this

present　month　of　thirty　days　…　the　Bride's　Chamber　is　empty　and

quiet。　　Not　so　my　old　dungeon。　　Not　so　the　rooms　where　I　was

restless　and　afraid；　ten　years。　　Both　are　fitfully　haunted　then。

At　One　in　the　morning。　　I　am　what　you　saw　me　when　the　clock　struck

that　hour　…　One　old　man。　　At　Two　in　the　morning；　I　am　Two　old　men。

At　Three；　I　am　Three。　　By　Twelve　at　noon；　I　am　Twelve　old　men；　One

for　every　hundred　per　cent。　of　old　gain。　　Every　one　of　the　Twelve；

with　Twelve　times　my　old　power　of　suffering　and　agony。　　From　that

hour　until　Twelve　at　night；　I；　Twelve　old　men　in　anguish　and

fearful　foreboding；　wait　for　the　coming　of　the　executioner。　　At

Twelve　at　night；　I；　Twelve　old　men　turned　off；　swing　invisible

outside　Lancaster　Castle；　with　Twelve　faces　to　the　wall！



'When　the　Bride's　Chamber　was　first　haunted；　it　was　known　to　me

that　this　punishment　would　never　cease；　until　I　could　make　its

nature；　and　my　story；　known　to　two　living　men　together。　　I　waited

for　the　coming　of　two　living　men　together　into　the　Bride's　Chamber；

years　upon　years。　　It　was　infused　into　my　knowledge　（of　the　means　I

am　ignorant）　that　if　two　living　men；　with　their　eyes　open；　could　be

in　the　Bride's　Chamber　at　One　in　the　morning；　they　would　see　me

sitting　in　my　chair。



'At　length；　the　whispers　that　the　room　was　spiritually　troubled；

brought　two　men　to　try　the　adventure。　　I　was　scarcely　struck　upon

the　hearth　at　midnight　（I　come　there　as　if　the　Lightning　blasted　me

into　being）；　when　I　heard　them　ascending　the　stairs。　　Next；　I　saw

them　enter。　　One　of　them　was　a　bold；　gay；　active　man；　in　the　prime

of　life；　some　five　and　forty　years　of　age；　the　other；　a　dozen　years

younger。　　They　brought　provisions　with　them　in　a　basket；　and

bottles。　　A　young　woman　accompanied　them；　with　wood　and　coals　for

the　lighting　of　the　fire。　　When　she　had　lighted　it；　the　bold；　gay；

active　man　accompanied　her　along　the　gallery　outside　the　room；　to

see　her　safely　down　the　staircase；　and　came　back　laughing。



'He　locked　the　door；　examined　the　chamber；　put　out　the　contents　of

the　basket　on　the　table　before　the　fire　…　little　recking　of　me；　in

my　appointed　station　on　the　hearth；　close　to　him　…　and　filled　the

glasses；　and　ate　and　drank。　　His　companion　did　the　same；　and　was　as

cheerful　and　confident　as　he：　　though　he　was　the　leader。　　When　they

had　supped；　they　laid　pistols　on　the　table；　turned　to　the　fire；　and

began　to　smoke　their　pipes　of　foreign　make。



'They　had　travelled　together；　and　had　been　much　together；　and　had

an　abundance　of　subjects　in　common。　　In　the　midst　of　their　talking

and　laughing；　the　younger　man　made　a　reference　to　the　leader's

being　always　ready　for　any　adventure；　that　one；　or　any　other。　　He

replied　in　these　words：



'〃Not　quite　so；　Dick；　if　I　am　afraid　of　nothing　else；　I　am　afraid

of　myself。〃



'His　companion　seeming　to　grow　a　little　dull；　asked　him；　in　what

sense？　　How？



'〃Why；　thus；〃　he　returned。　　〃Here　is　a　Ghost　to　be　disproved。

Well！　　I　cannot　answer　for　what　my　fancy　might　do　if　I　were　alone

here；　or　what　tricks　my　senses　might　play　with　me　if　they　had　me　to

themselves。　　But；　in　company　with　another　man；　and　especially　with

Dick；　I　would　consent　to　outface　all　the　Ghosts　that　were　ever　of

in　the　universe。〃



'〃I　had　not　the　vanity　to　suppose　that　I　was　of　so　much　importance

to…night；〃　said　the　other。



'〃Of　so　much；〃　rejoined　the　leader；　more　seriously　than　he　had

spoken　yet；　〃that　I　would；　for　the　reason　I　have　given；　on　no

account　have　undertaken　to　pass　the　night　here　alone。〃



'It　was　within　a　few　minutes　of　One。　　The　head　of　the　younger　man

had　drooped　when　he　made　his　last　remark；　and　it　drooped　lower　now。



'〃Keep　awake；　Dick！〃　said　the　leader；　gaily。　　〃The　small　hours　are

the　worst。〃



'He　tried；　but　his　head　drooped　again。



'〃Dick！〃　urged　the　leader。　　〃Keep　awake！〃



'〃I　can't；〃　he　indistinctly　muttered。　　〃I　don't　know　what　strange

influence　is　stealing　over　me。　　I　can