the notch on the ax and on being found out- 第1部分

Table　of　Contents


CHARLES　DICKENS　（1812…70）

The　Haunted　House
No。　I　Branch　Line：　The　Signal　Man


BULWER…LYTTON　（1803…73）

The　Haunted　and　the　Haunters；　or；　The　House　and　the　Brain
The　Incantation


THOMAS　DE　QUINCEY　（1785…1859）

The　Avenger


CHARLES　ROBERT　MATURIN　（1782…1824）

Melmoth　the　Wanderer


LAURENCE　STERNE　（1713…68）

A　Mystery　with　a　Moral


WILLIAM　MAKEPEACE　THACKERAY　（1811…63）

On　Being　Found　Out
The　Notch　on　the　Ax


ANONYMOUS

Bourgonef
The　Closed　Cabinet




THE　HAUNTED　HOUSE

IN　TWO　CHAPTERS


THE　MORTALS　IN　THE　HOUSE


Under　none　of　the　accredited　ghostly　circumstances；　and　environed
by　none　of　the　conventional　ghostly　surroundings；　did　I　first　make
acquaintance　with　the　house　which　is　the　subject　of　this　Christmas
piece。　　I　saw　it　in　the　daylight；　with　the　sun　upon　it。　　There　was
no　wind；　no　rain；　no　lightning；　no　thunder；　no　awful　or　unwonted
circumstance；　of　any　kind；　to　heighten　its　effect。　　More　than　that：
I　had　come　to　it　direct　from　a　railway　station：　　it　was　not　more
than　a　mile　distant　from　the　railway　station；　and；　as　I　stood
outside　the　house；　looking　back　upon　the　way　I　had　come；　I　could
see　the　goods　train　running　smoothly　along　the　embankment　in　the
valley。　I　will　not　say　that　everything　was　utterly　commonplace；
because　I　doubt　if　anything　can　be　that；　except　to　utterly
commonplace　peopleand　there　my　vanity　steps　in；　but；　I　will　take
it　on　myself　to　say　that　anybody　might　see　the　house　as　I　saw　it；
any　fine　autumn　morning。

The　manner　of　my　lighting　on　it　was　this。

I　was　travelling　towards　London　out　of　the　North；　intending　to　stop
by　the　way；　to　look　at　the　house。　　My　health　required　a　temporary
residence　in　the　country；　and　a　friend　of　mine　who　knew　that；　and
who　had　happened　to　drive　past　the　house；　had　written　to　me　to
suggest　it　as　a　likely　place。　　I　had　got　into　the　train　at
midnight；　and　had　fallen　asleep；　and　had　woke　up　and　had　sat
looking　out　of　window　at　the　brilliant　Northern　Lights　in　the　sky；
and　had　fallen　asleep　again；　and　had　woke　up　again　to　find　the
night　gone；　with　the　usual　discontented　conviction　on　me　that　I
hadn't　been　to　sleep　at　all；upon　which　question；　in　the　first
imbecility　of　that　condition；　I　am　ashamed　to　believe　that　I　would
have　done　wager　by　battle　with　the　man　who　sat　opposite　me。　　That
opposite　man　had　had；　through　the　nightas　that　opposite　man
always　hasseveral　legs　too　many；　and　all　of　them　too　long。　　In
addition　to　this　unreasonable　conduct　（which　was　only　to　be
expected　of　him）；　he　had　had　a　pencil　and　a　pocket…book；　and　had
been　perpetually　listening　and　taking　notes。　　It　had　appeared　to　me
that　these　aggravating　notes　related　to　the　jolts　and　bumps　of　the
carriage；　and　I　should　have　resigned　myself　to　his　taking　them；
under　a　general　supposition　that　he　was　in　the　civil…engineering
way　of　life；　if　he　had　not　sat　staring　straight　over　my　head
whenever　he　listened。　　He　was　a　goggle…eyed　gentleman　of　a
perplexed　aspect；　and　his　demeanor　became　unbearable。

It　was　a　cold；　dead　morning　（the　sun　not　being　up　yet）；　and　when　I
had　out…watched　the　paling　light　of　the　fires　of　the　iron　country；
and　the　curtain　of　heavy　smoke　that　hung　at　once　between　me　and　the
stars　and　between　me　and　the　day；　I　turned　to　my　fellow…traveller
and　said：

〃I　BEG　your　pardon；　sir；　but　do　you　observe　anything　particular　in
me？〃　　For；　really；　he　appeared　to　be　taking　down；　either　my
travelling…cap　or　my　hair；　with　a　minuteness　that　was　a　liberty。

The　goggle…eyed　gentleman　withdrew　his　eyes　from　behind　me；　as　if
the　back　of　the　carriage　were　a　hundred　miles　off；　and　said；　with　a
lofty　look　of　compassion　for　my　insignificance：

〃In　you；　sir？B。〃

〃B；　sir？〃　said　I；　growing　warm。

〃I　have　nothing　to　do　with　you；　sir；〃　returned　the　gentleman；　〃pray
let　me　listenO。〃

He　enunciated　this　vowel　after　a　pause；　and　noted　it　down。

At　first　I　was　alarmed；　for　an　Express　lunatic　and　no　communication
with　the　guard；　is　a　serious　position。　　The　thought　came　to　my
relief　that　the　gentleman　might　be　what　is　popularly　called　a
Rapper：　one　of　a　sect　for　（some　of）　whom　I　have　the　highest
respect；　but　whom　I　don't　believe　in。　　I　was　going　to　ask　him　the
question；　when　he　took　the　bread　out　of　my　mouth。

〃You　will　excuse　me；〃　said　the　gentleman　contemptuously；　〃if　I　am
too　much　in　advance　of　common　humanity　to　trouble　myself　at　all
about　it。　　I　have　passed　the　nightas　indeed　I　pass　the　whole　of
my　time　nowin　spiritual　intercourse。〃

〃O！〃　said　I；　somewhat　snappishly。

〃The　conferences　of　the　night　began；〃　continued　the　gentleman；
turning　several　leaves　of　his　note…book；　〃with　this　message：　　'Evil
communications　corrupt　good　manners。'〃

〃Sound；〃　said　I；　〃but；　absolutely　new？〃

〃New　from　spirits；〃　returned　the　gentleman。

I　could　only　repeat　my　rather　snappish　〃O！〃　and　ask　if　I　might　be
favored　with　the　last　communication。

〃'A　bird　in　the　hand；'〃　said　the　gentleman；　reading　his　last　entry
with　great　solemnity；　〃'is　worth　two　in　the　Bosh。'〃

〃Truly　I　am　of　the　same　opinion；〃　said　I；　〃but　shouldn't　it　be
Bush？〃

〃It　came　to　me；　Bosh；〃　returned　the　gentleman。

The　gentleman　then　informed　me　that　the　spirit　of　Socrates　had
delivered　this　special　revelation　in　the　course　of　the　night。　　〃My
friend；　I　hope　you　are　pretty　well。　　There　are　two　in　this　railway
carriage。　　How　do　you　do？　　There　are　seventeen　thousand　four
hundred　and　seventy…nine　spirits　here；　but　you　cannot　see　them。
Pythagoras　is　here。　　He　is　not　at　liberty　to　mention　it；　but　hopes
you　like　travelling。〃　　Galileo　likewise　had　dropped　in；　with　this
scientific　intelligence。　　〃I　am　glad　to　see　you；　amico。　　Come　sta？
Water　will　freeze　when　it　is　cold　enough。　　Addio！〃　　In　the　course
of　the　night；　also；　the　following　phenomena　had　occurred。　　Bishop
Butler　had　insisted　on　spelling　his　name；　〃Bubler；〃　for　which
offence　against　orthography　and　good　manners　he　had　been　dismissed
as　out　of　temper。　　John　Milton　（suspected　of　wilful　mystification）
had　repudiated　the　authorship　of　Paradise　Lost；　and　had　introduced；
as　joint　authors　of　that　poem；　two　Unknown　gentlemen；　respectively
named　Grungers　and　Scadgingtone。　　And　Prince　Arthur；　nephew　of　King
John　of　England；　had　described　himself　as　tolerably　comfortable　in
the　seventh　circle；　where　he　was　learning　to　paint　on　velvet；　under
the　direction　of　Mrs。　Trimmer　and　Mary　Queen　of　Scots。

If　this　should　meet　the　eye　of　the　gentleman　who　favored　me　with
these　disclosures；　I　trust　he　will　excuse　my　confessing　that　the
sight　of　the　rising　sun；　and　the　contemplation　of　the　magnificent
Order　of　the　vast　Universe；　made　me　impatient　of　them。　　In　a　word；
I　was　so　impatient　of　them；　that　I　was　mightily　glad　to　get　out　at
the　next　station；　and　to　exchange　these　clouds　and　vapors　for　the
free　air　of　Heaven。

By　that　time　it　was　a　beautiful　morning。　　As　I　walked　away　among
such　leaves　as　had　already　fallen　from　the　golden；　brown；　and
russet　trees；　and　as　I　looked　around　me　on　the　wonders　of　Creation；
and　thought　of　the　steady；　unchanging；　and　harmonious　laws　by　which
they　are　sustained；　the　gentleman's　spiritual　intercourse　seemed　to
me　as　poor　a　piece　of　journey…work　as　ever　this　world　saw。　　In
which　heathen　state　of　mind；　I　came　within　view　of　the　house；　and
stopped　to　examine　it　attentively。

It　was　a　solitary　house；　standing　in　a　sadly　neglected　garden：　a
pretty　even　square　of　some　two　acres。　　It　was　a　house　of　about　the
time　of　George　the　Second；　as　stiff；　as　cold；　as　formal；　and　in　as
bad　taste；　as　could　possibly　be　desired　by　the　most　loyal　admirer
of　the　whole　quartet　of　Georges。　　It　was　uninhabited；　but　had；
within　a　year　or　two；　been　cheaply　repaired　to　render　it　habitable；
I　say　cheaply；　because　the　work　had　been　done　in　a　surface　manner；
and　was　already　decaying　as　to　the　paint　and　plaster；　though　the
colors　were　fresh。　　A　lop…sided　board　drooped　over　the　garden　wall；
announcing　that　it　was　〃to　let　on　very　reasonable　terms；　well
furnished。〃　　It　was　much　too　closely　and　heavily　shadowed　by　trees；
and；　in　particular；　there　were　six　tall　poplars　before　the　front
windows；　which　were　excessively　melancholy；　and　the　site　of　which
had　been　extremely　ill　chosen。

It　was　easy　to　see　that　it　was　an　avoided　housea　house　that　was
shunned　by　the　village；　to　which　my　eye　was　guided　by　a　church
spire　some　half　a　mile　offa　house　that　nobody　would　take。　　And
the　natural　inference　was；　that　it　had　the　reputation　of　being　a
haunted　house。

No　period　within　the　four…and…twenty　hours　of　day　and　night　is　so
solemn　to　me；　as　the　early　morning。　　In　the　summer…time；　I　often
rise　very　early；　and　repair　to　my　room　to　do　a　day's　work　before
breakfast；　and　I　am　always　on　those　occasions　deeply　impressed　by
the　stillness　and　solitude　around　me。　　Besides　that　there　is
something　awful　in　the　being　surrounded　by　familiar　faces　asleep
in　the　knowledge　that　those　who　are　dearest　to　us　and　to　whom　we
are　dearest；　are　profoundly　unconscious　of　us；　in　an　impassive
state；　anticipative　of　that　mysterious　condition　to　which　we　are
all　tendingthe　stopped　life；　the　broken　threads　of　yesterday；　the
deserted　seat；　the　closed　book；　the　unfinished　but　abandoned
occupation；　all　are　images　of　Death。　　The　tranquillity　of　the　hour
is　the　tranquillity　of　Death。　　The　color　and　the　chill　have　the
same　association。　　Even　a　certain　air　that　familiar　household
objects　take　upon　them　when　they　first　emerge　from　the　shadows　of
the　night　into　the　morning；　of　being　newer；　and　as　they　used　to　be
long　ago；　has　its　counterpart　in　the　subsidence　of　the　worn　face　of
maturity　or　age；　in　death；　into　the　old　youthful　look。　　Moreover；　I
once　saw　the　apparition　of　my　father；　at　this　hour。　　He　was　alive
and　well；　and　nothing　ever　came　of　it；　but　I　saw　him　in　the
daylight；　sitting　with　his　back　towards　me；　on　a　seat　that　stood
beside　my　bed。　　His　head　was　resting　on　his　hand；　and　whether　he
was　slumbering　or　grieving；　I　could　not　discern。　　Amazed　to　see　him
there；　I　sat　up；　moved　my　position；　leaned　out　of　bed；　and　watched
him。　　As　he　did　not　move；　I　spoke　to　him　more　than　once。　　As　he　did
not　move　then；　I　became　alarmed　and　laid　my　hand　upon　his　shoulder；
as　I　though