the notch on the ax and on being found out-第2章

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'em；　and　all　sorts　of　feet　treading　about；　with　no　feet　there；　why；
then；〃　said　the　landlord；　〃I'd　sleep　in　that　house。〃

〃Is　anything　seen　there？〃

The　landlord　looked　at　me　again；　and　then；　with　his　former
appearance　of　desperation；　called　down　his　stable…yard　for　〃Ikey！〃

The　call　produced　a　high…shouldered　young　fellow；　with　a　round　red
face；　a　short　crop　of　sandy　hair；　a　very　broad　humorous　mouth；　a
turned…up　nose；　and　a　great　sleeved　waistcoat　of　purple　bars；　with
mother…of…pearl　buttons；　that　seemed　to　be　growing　upon　him；　and　to
be　in　a　fair　wayif　it　were　not　prunedof　covering　his　head　and
overrunning　his　boots。

〃This　gentleman　wants　to　know；〃　said　the　landlord；　〃if　anything's
seen　at　the　Poplars。〃

〃'Ooded　woman　with　a　howl；〃　said　Ikey；　in　a　state　of　great
freshness。

〃Do　you　mean　a　cry？〃

〃I　mean　a　bird；　sir。〃

〃A　hooded　woman　with　an　owl。　　Dear　me！　　Did　you　ever　see　her？〃

〃I　seen　the　howl。〃

〃Never　the　woman？〃

〃Not　so　plain　as　the　howl；　but　they　always　keeps　together。〃

〃Has　anybody　ever　seen　the　woman　as　plainly　as　the　owl？〃

〃Lord　bless　you；　sir！　　Lots。〃

〃Who？〃

〃Lord　bless　you；　sir！　　Lots。〃

〃The　general…dealer　opposite；　for　instance；　who　is　opening　his
shop？〃

〃Perkins？　　Bless　you；　Perkins　wouldn't　go　a…nigh　the　place。　　No！〃
observed　the　young　man；　with　considerable　feeling；　〃he　an't
overwise；　an't　Perkins；　but　he　an't　such　a　fool　as　THAT。〃

（Here；　the　landlord　murmured　his　confidence　in　Perkins's　knowing
better。）

〃Who　isor　who　wasthe　hooded　woman　with　the　owl？　　Do　you　know？〃

〃Well！〃　said　Ikey；　holding　up　his　cap　with　one　hand　while　he
scratched　his　head　with　the　other；　〃they　say；　in　general；　that　she
was　murdered；　and　the　howl　he　'ooted　the　while。〃

This　very　concise　summary　of　the　facts　was　all　I　could　learn；
except　that　a　young　man；　as　hearty　and　likely　a　young　man　as　ever　I
see；　had　been　took　with　fits　and　held　down　in　'em；　after　seeing　the
hooded　woman。　　Also；　that　a　personage；　dimly　described　as　〃a　hold
chap；　a　sort　of　one…eyed　tramp；　answering　to　the　name　of　Joby；
unless　you　challenged　him　as　Greenwood；　and　then　he　said；　'Why　not？
and　even　if　so；　mind　your　own　business；'〃　had　encountered　the
hooded　woman；　a　matter　of　five　or　six　times。　　But；　I　was　not
materially　assisted　by　these　witnesses：　inasmuch　as　the　first　was
in　California；　and　the　last　was；　as　Ikey　said　（and　he　was　confirmed
by　the　landlord）；　Anywheres。

Now；　although　I　regard　with　a　hushed　and　solemn　fear；　the
mysteries；　between　which　and　this　state　of　existence　is　interposed
the　barrier　of　the　great　trial　and　change　that　fall　on　all　the
things　that　live；　and　although　I　have　not　the　audacity　to　pretend
that　I　know　anything　of　them；　I　can　no　more　reconcile　the　mere
banging　of　doors；　ringing　of　bells；　creaking　of　boards；　and　such…
like　insignificances；　with　the　majestic　beauty　and　pervading
analogy　of　all　the　Divine　rules　that　I　am　permitted　to　understand；
than　I　had　been　able；　a　little　while　before；　to　yoke　the　spiritual
intercourse　of　my　fellow…　traveller　to　the　chariot　of　the　rising
sun。　　Moreover；　I　had　lived　in　two　haunted　housesboth　abroad。　　In
one　of　these；　an　old　Italian　palace；　which　bore　the　reputation　of
being　very　badly　haunted　indeed；　and　which　had　recently　been　twice
abandoned　on　that　account；　I　lived　eight　months；　most　tranquilly
and　pleasantly：　notwithstanding　that　the　house　had　a　score　of
mysterious　bedrooms；　which　were　never　used；　and　possessed；　in　one
large　room　in　which　I　sat　reading；　times　out　of　number　at　all
hours；　and　next　to　which　I　slept；　a　haunted　chamber　of　the　first
pretensions。　　I　gently　hinted　these　considerations　to　the　landlord。
And　as　to　this　particular　house　having　a　bad　name；　I　reasoned　with
him；　Why；　how　many　things　had　bad　names　undeservedly；　and　how　easy
it　was　to　give　bad　names；　and　did　he　not　think　that　if　he　and　I
were　persistently　to　whisper　in　the　village　that　any　weird…looking
old　drunken　tinker　of　the　neighborhood　had　sold　himself　to　the
Devil；　he　would　come　in　time　to　be　suspected　of　that　commercial
venture！　　All　this　wise　talk　was　perfectly　ineffective　with　the
landlord；　I　am　bound　to　confess；　and　was　as　dead　a　failure　as　ever
I　made　in　my　life。

To　cut　this　part　of　the　story　short；　I　was　piqued　about　the　haunted
house；　and　was　already　half　resolved　to　take　it。　　So；　after
breakfast；　I　got　the　keys　from　Perkins's　brother…in…law　（a　whip　and
harness　maker；　who　keeps　the　Post　Office；　and　is　under　submission
to　a　most　rigorous　wife　of　the　Doubly　Seceding　Little　Emmanuel
persuasion）；　and　went　up　to　the　house；　attended　by　my　landlord　and
by　Ikey。

Within；　I　found　it；　as　I　had　expected；　transcendently　dismal。　　The
slowly　changing　shadows　waved　on　it　from　the　heavy　trees；　were
doleful　in　the　last　degree；　the　house　was　ill…placed；　ill…built；
ill…planned；　and　ill…fitted。　　It　was　damp；　it　was　not　free　from　dry
rot；　there　was　a　flavor　of　rats　in　it；　and　it　was　the　gloomy　victim
of　that　indescribable　decay　which　settles　on　all　the　work　of　man's
hands　whenever　it's　not　turned　to　man's　account。　　The　kitchens　and
offices　were　too　large；　and　too　remote　from　each　other。　　Above
stairs　and　below；　waste　tracts　of　passage　intervened　between
patches　of　fertility　represented　by　rooms；　and　there　was　a　mouldy
old　well　with　a　green　growth　upon　it；　hiding　like　a　murderous　trap；
near　the　bottom　of　the　back…stairs；　under　the　double　row　of　bells。
One　of　these　bells　was　labelled；　on　a　black　ground　in　faded　white
letters；　MASTER　B。　　This；　they　told　me；　was　the　bell　that　rang　the
most。

〃Who　was　Master　B。？〃　I　asked。　　〃Is　it　known　what　he　did　while　the
owl　hooted？〃

〃Rang　the　bell；〃　said　Ikey。

I　was　rather　struck　by　the　prompt　dexterity　with　which　this　young
man　pitched　his　fur　cap　at　the　bell；　and　rang　it　himself。　　It　was　a
loud；　unpleasant　bell；　and　made　a　very　disagreeable　sound。　　The
other　bells　were　inscribed　according　to　the　names　of　the　rooms　to
which　their　wires　were　conducted：　as　〃Picture　Room；〃　〃Double　Room；〃
〃Clock　Room；〃　and　the　like。　　Following　Master　B。's　bell　to　its
source　I　found　that　young　gentleman　to　have　had　but　indifferent
third…class　accommodation　in　a　triangular　cabin　under　the　cock…
loft；　with　a　corner　fireplace　which　Master　B。　must　have　been
exceedingly　small　if　he　were　ever　able　to　warm　himself　at；　and　a
corner　chimney…piece　like　a　pyramidal　staircase　to　the　ceiling　for
Tom　Thumb。　　The　papering　of　one　side　of　the　room　had　dropped　down
bodily；　with　fragments　of　plaster　adhering　to　it；　and　almost
blocked　up　the　door。　It　appeared　that　Master　B。；　in　his　spiritual
condition；　always　made　a　point　of　pulling　the　paper　down。　　Neither
the　landlord　nor　Ikey　could　suggest　why　he　made　such　a　fool　of
himself。

Except　that　the　house　had　an　immensely　large　rambling　loft　at　top；
I　made　no　other　discoveries。　　It　was　moderately　well　furnished；　but
sparely。　　Some　of　the　furnituresay；　a　thirdwas　as　old　as　the
house；　the　rest　was　of　various　periods　within　the　last　half…
century。　I　was　referred　to　a　corn…chandler　in　the　market…place　of
the　county　town　to　treat　for　the　house。　　I　went　that　day；　and　I
took　it　for　six　months。

It　was　just　the　middle　of　October　when　I　moved　in　with　my　maiden
sister　（I　venture　to　call　her　eight…and…thirty；　she　is　so　very
handsome；　sensible；　and　engaging）。　　We　took　with　us；　a　deaf　stable…
man；　my　bloodhound　Turk；　two　women　servants；　and　a　young　person
called　an　Odd　Girl。　　I　have　reason　to　record　of　the　attendant　last
enumerated；　who　was　one　of　the　Saint　Lawrence's　Union　Female
Orphans；　that　she　was　a　fatal　mistake　and　a　disastrous　engagement。

The　year　was　dying　early；　the　leaves　were　falling　fast；　it　was　a
raw　cold　day　when　we　took　possession；　and　the　gloom　of　the　house
was　most　depressing。　　The　cook　（an　amiable　woman；　but　of　a　weak
turn　of　intellect）　burst　into　tears　on　beholding　the　kitchen；　and
requested　that　her　silver　watch　might　be　delivered　over　to　her
sister　（2　Tuppintock's　Gardens；　Liggs's　Walk；　Clapham　Rise）；　in　the
event　of　anything　happening　to　her　from　the　damp。　　Streaker；　the
housemaid；　feigned　cheerfulness；　but　was　the　greater　martyr。　　The
Odd　Girl；　who　had　never　been　in　the　country；　alone　was　pleased；　and
made　arrangements　for　sowing　an　acorn　in　the　garden　outside　the
scullery　window；　and　rearing　an　oak。

We　went；　before　dark；　through　all　the　naturalas　opposed　to
supernaturalmiseries　incidental　to　our　state。　　Dispiriting
reports　ascended　（like　the　smoke）　from　the　basement　in　volumes；　and
descended　from　the　upper　rooms。　　There　was　no　rolling…pin；　there
was　no　salamander　（which　failed　to　surprise　me；　for　I　don't　know
what　it　is）；　there　was　nothing　in　the　house；　what　there　was；　was
broken；　the　last　people　must　have　lived　like　pigs；　what　could　the
meaning　of　the　landlord　be？　　Through　these　distresses；　the　Odd　Girl
was　cheerful　and　exemplary。　　But　within　four　hours　after　dark　we
had　got　into　a　supernatural　groove；　and　the　Odd　Girl　had　seen
〃Eyes；〃　and　was　in　hysterics。

My　sister　and　I　had　agreed　to　keep　the　haunting　strictly　to
ourselves；　and　my　impression　was；　and　still　is；　that　I　had　not　left
Ikey；　when　he　helped　to　unload　the　cart；　alone　with　the　women；　or
any　one　of　them；　for　one　minute。　　Nevertheless；　as　I　say；　the　Odd
Girl　had　〃seen　Eyes〃　（no　other　explanation　could　ever　be　drawn　from
her）；　before　nine；　and　by　ten　o'clock　had　had　as　much　vinegar
applied　to　her　as　would　pickle　a　handsome　salmon。

I　leave　a　discerning　public　to　judge　of　my　feelings；　when；　under
these　untoward　circumstances；　at　about　half…past　ten　o'clock　Master
B。's　bell　began　to　ring　in　a　most　infuriated　manner；　and　Turk
howled　until　the　house　resounded　with　his　lamentations！

I　hope　I　may　never　again　be　in　a　state　of　mind　so　unchristian　as
the　mental　frame　in　which　I　lived　for　some　weeks；　respecting　the
memory　of　Master　B。　　Whether　his　bell　was　rung　by　rats；　or　mice；　or
bats；　or　wind；　or　what　other　accidental　vibration；　or　sometimes　by
one　cause；　sometimes　another；　and　sometimes　by　collusion；　I　don't
know；　but；　certain　it　is；　that　it　did　ring　two　nights　out　of　three；
until　I　conceived　the　happy　idea　of　twisting　Master　B。's　neckin
other　words；　breaking　his　bell　short　offand　silencing　that　young
gentleman；　as　to　my　experience　and　belief；　for　ever。

But；　by　that　time；　the　Odd　Girl　had　developed　such　improving　powers
of　catalepsy；　that　she　had　become　a　shining　example　of　that　very
inconvenient　disorder。　　She　would　stiffen；　like　a　Guy　Fawkes
endowed　with　unreason；　on　the　most　irrelevant　occasions。　　I　would
address　the　servants　in　a　lucid　manner；　pointing　out　to　them　that　I
had　painted　Master　B。's　room　and　balked　the　paper；　and　taken　Master
B。's　bell　away　and　balked　the　ringing；　and　if　they　could　suppose
that　that　confounded　boy　had　lived　and　died；　to　clothe　himself　with
no　better　behavior　than　would　most　unquestionably　have　brought　him
and　the　sharpest　particles　of　a　birch…broom　into　close　acquaintance
in　the　present　imperfect　state　of　existence；　could　they　also
suppose　a　mere　poor　human　being；　such　as　I　was；　capable　by　those
contemptible　means　of　counteracting　and　limiting　the　powers　of　the
disembodied　spirits　of　the　dead；　or　of　any　spirits？I　say　I　would
become　emphatic　and　cogent；　not　to　say　rather　complacent；　in　such