the notch on the ax and on being found out-第3章

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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
an　address；　when　it　would　all　go　for　nothing　by　reason　of　the　Odd
Girl's　suddenly　stiffening　from　the　toes　upward；　and　glaring　among
us　like　a　parochial　petrifaction。

Streaker；　the　housemaid；　too；　had　an　attribute　of　a　most
discomfiting　nature。　　I　am　unable　to　say　whether　she　was　of　an
usually　lymphatic　temperament；　or　what　else　was　the　matter　with
her；　but　this　young　woman　became　a　mere　Distillery　for　the
production　of　the　largest　and　most　transparent　tears　I　ever　met
with。　　Combined　with　these　characteristics；　was　a　peculiar　tenacity
of　hold　in　those　specimens；　so　that　they　didn't　fall；　but　hung　upon
her　face　and　nose。　　In　this　condition；　and　mildly　and　deplorably
shaking　her　head；　her　silence　would　throw　me　more　heavily　than　the
Admirable　Crichton　could　have　done　in　a　verbal　disputation　for　a
purse　of　money。　　Cook；　likewise；　always　covered　me　with　confusion
as　with　a　garment；　by　neatly　winding　up　the　session　with　the
protest　that　the　Ouse　was　wearing　her　out；　and　by　meekly　repeating
her　last　wishes　regarding　her　silver　watch。

As　to　our　nightly　life；　the　contagion　of　suspicion　and　fear　was
among　us；　and　there　is　no　such　contagion　under　the　sky。　　Hooded
woman？　　According　to　the　accounts；　we　were　in　a　perfect　Convent　of
hooded　women。　　Noises？　　With　that　contagion　downstairs；　I　myself
have　sat　in　the　dismal　parlor；　listening；　until　I　have　heard　so
many　and　such　strange　noises；　that　they　would　have　chilled　my　blood
if　I　had　not　warmed　it　by　dashing　out　to　make　discoveries。　　Try
this　in　bed；　in　the　dead　of　the　night：　try　this　at　your　own
comfortable　fire…side；　in　the　life　of　the　night。　　You　can　fill　any
house　with　noises；　if　you　will；　until　you　have　a　noise　for　every
nerve　in　your　nervous　system。

I　repeat；　the　contagion　of　suspicion　and　fear　was　among　us；　and
there　is　no　such　contagion　under　the　sky。　　The　women　（their　noses
in　a　chronic　state　of　excoriation　from　smelling…salts）　were　always
primed　and　loaded　for　a　swoon；　and　ready　to　go　off　with　hair…
triggers。　　The　two　elder　detached　the　Odd　G