told after supper(晚饭后的一席话)-第4章
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one who had since come to live at the mill had tried to find the treasure；
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but none had ever succeeded； and the local wiseacres said that nobody
ever would； unless the ghost of the miserly miller should； one day； take a
fancy to one of the tenants； and disclose to him the secret of the hiding…
place。
My brother…in…law did not attach much importance to the story；
regarding it as an old woman's tale； and； unlike his predecessors； made no
attempt whatever to discover the hidden gold。
〃Unless business was very different then from what it is now；〃 said my
brother…in…law； 〃I don't see how a miller could very well have saved
anything； however much of a miser he might have been： at all events；
not enough to make it worth the trouble of looking for it。〃
Still； he could not altogether get rid of the idea of that treasure。
One night he went to bed。 There was nothing very extraordinary
about that； I admit。 He often did go to bed of a night。 What WAS
remarkable； however； was that exactly as the clock of the village church
chimed the last stroke of twelve； my brother…in…law woke up with a start；
and felt himself quite unable to go to sleep again。
Joe （his Christian name was Joe） sat up in bed； and looked around。
At the foot of the bed something stood very still； wrapped in shadow。
It moved into the moonlight； and then my brother…in…law saw that it was
the figure of a wizened little old man； in knee…breeches and a pig…tail。
In an instant the story of the hidden treasure and the old miser flashed
across his mind。
〃He's come to show me where it's hid；〃 thought my brother…in…law；
and he resolved that he would not spend all this money on himself； but
would devote a small percentage of it towards doing good to others。
The apparition moved towards the door： my brother…in…law put on
his trousers and followed it。 The ghost went downstairs into the kitchen；
glided over and stood in front of the hearth； sighed and disappeared。
Next morning； Joe had a couple of bricklayers in； and made them haul
out the stove and pull down the chimney； while he stood behind with a
potato…sack in which to put the gold。
They knocked down half the wall； and never found so much as a four…
penny bit。 My brother…in…law did not know what to think。
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The next night the old man appeared again； and again led the way into
the kitchen。 This time； however； instead of going to the fireplace； it
stood more in the middle of the room； and sighed there。
〃Oh； I see what he means now；〃 said my brother…in…law to himself； 〃it's
under the floor。 Why did the old idiot go and stand up against the stove；
so as to make me think it was up the chimney？〃
They spent the next day in taking up the kitchen floor； but the only
thing they found was a three…pronged fork； and the handle of that was
broken。
On the third night； the ghost reappeared； quite unabashed； and for a
third time made for the kitchen。 Arrived there； it looked up at the ceiling
and vanished。
〃Umph！ he don't seem to have learned much sense where he's been to；〃
muttered Joe； as he trotted back to bed； 〃I should have thought he might
have done that at first。〃
Still； there seemed no doubt now where the treasure lay； and the first
thing after breakfast they started pulling down the ceiling。 They got every
inch of the ceiling down； and they took up the boards of the room above。
They discovered about as much treasure as you would expect to find in
an empty quart…pot。
On the fourth night； when the ghost appeared； as usual； my brother… in…
law was so wild that he threw his boots at it； and the boots passed through
the body； and broke a looking…glass。
On the fifth night； when Joe awoke； as he always did now at twelve；
the ghost was standing in a dejected attitude； looking very miserable。
There was an appealing look in its large sad eyes that quite touched my
brother…in…law。
〃After all；〃 he thought； 〃perhaps the silly chap's doing his best。 Maybe
he has forgotten where he really did put it； and is trying to remember。 I'll
give him another chance。〃
The ghost appeared grateful and delighted at seeing Joe prepare to
follow him； and led the way into the attic； pointed to the ceiling； and
vanished。
〃Well； he's hit it this time； I do hope；〃 said my brother…in…law； and next
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day they set to work to take the roof off the place。
It took them three days to get the roof thoroughly off； and all they
found was a bird's nest； after securing which they covered up the house
with tarpaulins； to keep it dry。
You might have thought that would have cured the poor fellow of
looking for treasure。 But it didn't。
He said there must be something in it all； or the ghost would never
keep on coming as it did； and that； having gone so far； he would go on to
the end； and solve the mystery； cost what it might。
Night after night； he would get out of his bed and follow that spectral
old fraud about the house。 Each night； the old man would indicate a
different place； and； on each following day； my brother… in…law would
proceed to break up the mill at the point indicated； and look for the
treasure。 At the end of three weeks； there was not a room in the mill fit
to live in。 Every wall had been pulled down； every floor had been taken
up； every ceiling had had a hole knocked in it。 And then； as suddenly as
they had begun； the ghost's visits ceased； and my brother…in…law was left
in peace； to rebuild the place at his leisure。
〃What induced the old image to play such a silly trick upon a family
man and a ratepayer？〃 Ah！ that's just what I cannot tell you。
Some said that the ghost of the wicked old man had done it to punish
my brother…in…law for not believing in him at first； while others held that
the apparition was probably that of some deceased local plumber and
glazier； who would naturally take an interest in seeing a house knocked
about and spoilt。 But nobody knew anything for certain。
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INTERLUDE
We had some more punch； and then the curate told us a story。
I could not make head or tail of the curate's story； so I cannot retail it
to you。 We none of us could make head or tail of that story。 It was a
good story enough； so far as material went。 There seemed to be an
enormous amount of plot； and enough incident to have made a dozen
novels。 I never before heard a story containing so much incident； nor one
dealing with so many varied characters。
I should say that every human being our curate had ever known or met；
or heard of； was brought into that story。 There were simply hundreds of
them。 Every five seconds he would introduce into the tale a completely
fresh collection of characters accompanied by a brand new set of
incidents。
This was the sort of story it was：…
〃Well； then； my uncle went into the garden； and got his gun； but； of
course； it wasn't there； and Scroggins said he didn't believe it。〃
〃Didn't believe what？ Who's Scroggins？〃
〃Scroggins！ Oh； why he was the other man； you knowit was wife。〃
〃WHAT was his wifewhat's SHE got to do with it？〃
〃Why； that's what I'm telling you。 It was she that found the hat。 She'd
come up with her cousin to Londonher cousin was my sister… in…law； and
the other niece had married a man named Evans； and Evans； after it was
all over； had taken the box round to Mr。 Jacobs'； because Jacobs' father had
seen the man； when he was alive； and when he was dead； Joseph〃
〃Now look here； never you mind Evans and the box； what's become of
your uncle and the gun？〃
〃The gun！ What gun？〃
〃Why； the gun that your uncle used to keep in the garden； and that
wasn't there。 What did he do with it？ Did he kill any of these people
with itthese Jacobses and Evanses and Scrogginses and Josephses？
Because； if so； it was a good and useful work； and we should enjoy
hearing about it。〃
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〃Nooh nohow could he？he had been built up alive in the wall；
you know； and when Edward IV spoke to the abbot about it； my sister said
that in her then state of health she could not and would not； as it was
endangering the child's life。 So they christened it Horatio； after her own
son； who had been killed at Waterloo before he was born； and Lord Napier
himself said〃
〃Look here； do you know what you are talking about？〃 we asked him
at this point。
He said 〃No；〃 but he knew it was every word of it true； because his
aunt had seen it herself。 Whereupon we covered him over with the
tablecloth； and he went to sleep。
And then Uncle told us a story。
Uncle said his was a real story。
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THE GHOST OF THE BLUE
CHAMBER （My Uncle's Story）
〃I don't want to make you fellows nervous；〃 began my uncle in a
peculiarly impressive； not to say blood…curdling； tone of voice； 〃and if you
would rather that I did not mention it； I won't； but； as a matter of fact； this
very house； in which we are now sitting； is haunted。〃
〃You don't s
