selected prose of oscar wilde-第14章

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very　flattered　at　being　sent　such　a　pretty　and　ingenious　toy。　　It

shows　that　people　read　his　sermons；　and　profit　by　them。



Papa　sends　his　love；　in　which　James；　and　Reggie；　and　Maria　all

unite；　and；　hoping　that　Uncle　Cecil's　gout　is　better；　believe　me；

dear　aunt；　ever　your　affectionate　niece；



JANE　PERCY。



PS。Do　tell　me　about　the　bows。　　Jennings　insists　they　are　the

fashion。Lord　Arthur　Savile's　Crime







THE　TRIUMPH　OF　AMERICAN　'HUMOR'







At　half…past　ten　he　heard　the　family　going　to　bed。　　For　some　time　he

was　disturbed　by　wild　shrieks　of　laughter　from　the　twins；　who；　with

the　light…hearted　gaiety　of　schoolboys；　were　evidently　amusing

themselves　before　they　retired　to　rest；　but　at　a　quarter　past　eleven

all　was　still；　and；　as　midnight　sounded；　he　sallied　forth。　　The　owl

beat　against　the　window　panes；　the　raven　croaked　from　the　old　yew…

tree；　and　the　wind　wandered　moaning　round　the　house　like　a　lost

soul；　but　the　Otis　family　slept　unconscious　of　their　doom；　and　high

above　the　rain　and　storm　he　could　hear　the　steady　snoring　of　the

Minister　for　the　United　States。　　He　stepped　stealthily　out　of　the

wainscoting；　with　an　evil　smile　on　his　cruel；　wrinkled　mouth；　and

the　moon　hid　her　face　in　a　cloud　as　he　stole　past　the　great　oriel

window；　where　his　own　arms　and　those　of　his　murdered　wife　were

blazoned　in　azure　and　gold。　　On　and　on　he　glided；　like　an　evil

shadow；　the　very　darkness　seeming　to　loathe　him　as　he　passed。　　Once

he　thought　he　heard　something　call；　and　stopped；　but　it　was　only　the

baying　of　a　dog　from　the　Red　Farm；　and　he　went　on；　muttering　strange

sixteenth…century　curses；　and　ever　and　anon　brandishing　the　rusty

dagger　in　the　midnight　air。　　Finally　he　reached　the　corner　of　the

passage　that　led　to　luckless　Washington's　room。　　For　a　moment　he

paused　there；　the　wind　blowing　his　long　grey　locks　about　his　head；

and　twisting　into　grotesque　and　fantastic　folds　the　nameless　horror

of　the　dead　man's　shroud。　　Then　the　clock　struck　the　quarter；　and　he

felt　the　time　was　come。　　He　chuckled　to　himself；　and　turned　the

corner；　but　no　sooner　had　he　done　so；　than；　with　a　piteous　wail　of

terror；　he　fell　back；　and　hid　his　blanched　face　in　his　long；　bony

hands。　　Right　in　front　of　him　was　standing　a　horrible　spectre；

motionless　as　a　carven　image；　and　monstrous　as　a　madman's　dream！

Its　head　was　bald　and　burnished；　its　face　round；　and　fat；　and　white；

and　hideous　laughter　seemed　to　have　writhed　its　features　into　an

eternal　grin。　　From　the　eyes　streamed　rays　of　scarlet　light；　the

mouth　was　a　wide　well　of　fire；　and　a　hideous　garment；　like　to　his

own；　swathed　with　its　silent　snows　the　Titan　form。　　On　its　breast

was　a　placard　with　strange　writing　in　antique　characters；　some

scroll　of　shame　it　seemed；　some　record　of　wild　sins；　some　awful

calendar　of　crime；　and；　with　its　right　hand；　it　bore　aloft　a

falchion　of　gleaming　steel。



Never　having　seen　a　ghost　before；　he　naturally　was　terribly

frightened；　and；　after　a　second　hasty　glance　at　the　awful　phantom；

he　fled　back　to　his　room；　tripping　up　in　his　long　winding…sheet　as

he　sped　down　the　corridor；　and　finally　dropping　the　rusty　dagger

into　the　Minister's　jack…boots；　where　it　was　found　in　the　morning　by

the　butler。　　Once　in　the　privacy　of　his　own　apartment；　he　flung

himself　down　on　a　small　pallet…bed；　and　hid　his　face　under　the

clothes。　　After　a　time；　however；　the　brave　old　Canterville　spirit

asserted　itself；　and　he　determined　to　go　and　speak　to　the　other

ghost　as　soon　as　it　was　daylight。　　Accordingly；　just　as　the　dawn　was

touching　the　hills　with　silver；　he　returned　towards　the　spot　where

he　had　first　laid　eyes　on　the　grisly　phantom；　feeling　that；　after

all；　two　ghosts　were　better　than　one；　and　that；　by　the　aid　of　his

new　friend；　he　might　safely　grapple　with　the　twins。　　On　reaching　the

spot；　however；　a　terrible　sight　met　his　gaze。　　Something　had

evidently　happened　to　the　spectre；　for　the　light　had　entirely　faded

from　its　hollow　eyes；　the　gleaming　falchion　had　fallen　from　its

hand；　and　it　was　leaning　up　against　the　wall　in　a　strained　and

uncomfortable　attitude。　　He　rushed　forward　and　seized　it　in　his

arms；　when；　to　his　horror；　the　head　slipped　off　and　rolled　on　the

floor；　the　body　assumed　a　recumbent　posture；　and　he　found　himself

clasping　a　white　dimity　bed…curtain；　with　a　sweeping…brush；　a

kitchen　cleaver；　and　a　hollow　turnip　lying　at　his　feet！The

Canterville　Ghost







THE　GARDEN　OF　DEATH







'Far　away　beyond　the　pine…woods；'　he　answered；　in　a　low　dreamy

voice；　'there　is　a　little　garden。　　There　the　grass　grows　long　and

deep；　there　are　the　great　white　stars　of　the　hemlock　flower；　there

the　nightingale　sings　all　night　long。　　All　night　long　he　sings；　and

the　cold；　crystal　moon　looks　down；　and　the　yew…tree　spreads　out　its

giant　arms　over　the　sleepers。'



Virginia's　eyes　grew　dim　with　tears；　and　she　hid　her　face　in　her

hands。



'You　mean　the　Garden　of　Death；'　she　whispered。



'Yes；　Death。　　Death　must　be　so　beautiful。　　To　lie　in　the　soft　brown

earth；　with　the　grasses　waving　above　one's　head；　and　listen　to

silence。　　To　have　no　yesterday；　and　no　to…morrow。　　To　forget　time；

to　forgive　life；　to　be　at　peace。　　You　can　help　me。　　You　can　open　for

me　the　portals　of　Death's　house；　for　Love　is　always　with　you；　and

Love　is　stronger　than　Death　is。'



Virginia　trembled；　a　cold　shudder　ran　through　her；　and　for　a　few

moments　there　was　silence。　　She　felt　as　if　she　was　in　a　terrible

dream。



Then　the　Ghost　spoke　again；　and　his　voice　sounded　like　the　sighing

of　the　wind。



'Have　you　ever　read　the　old　prophecy　on　the　library　window？'



'Oh；　often；'　cried　the　little　girl；　looking　up；　'I　know　it　quite

well。　　It　is　painted　in　curious　black　letters；　and　it　is　difficult

to　read。　　There　are　only　six　lines：





When　a　golden　girl　can　win

Prayer　from　out　the　lips　of　sin；

When　the　barren　almond　bears；

And　a　little　child　gives　away　its　tears；

Then　shall　all　the　house　be　still

And　peace　come　to　Canterville。





But　I　don't　know　what　they　mean。'



'They　mean；'　he　said　sadly；　'that　you　must　weep　for　me　for　my　sins；

because　I　have　no　tears；　and　pray　with　me　for　my　soul；　because　I

have　no　faith；　and　then；　if　you　have　always　been　sweet；　and　good；

and　gentle；　the　Angel　of　Death　will　have　mercy　on　me。　　You　will　see

fearful　shapes　in　darkness；　and　wicked　voices　will　whisper　in　your

ear；　but　they　will　not　harm　you；　for　against　the　purity　of　a　little

child　the　powers　of　Hell　cannot　prevail。'



Virginia　made　no　answer；　and　the　Ghost　wrung　his　hands　in　wild

despair　as　he　looked　down　at　her　bowed　golden　head。　　Suddenly　she

stood　up；　very　pale；　and　with　a　strange　light　in　her　eyes。　　'I　am

not　afraid；'　she　said　firmly；　'and　I　will　ask　the　Angel　to　have

mercy　on　you。'



He　rose　from　his　seat　with　a　faint　cry　of　joy；　and　taking　her　hand

bent　over　it　with　old…fashioned　grace　and　kissed　it。　　His　fingers

were　as　cold　as　ice；　and　his　lips　burned　like　fire；　but　Virginia　did

not　falter；　as　he　led　her　across　the　dusky　room。　　On　the　faded　green

tapestry　were　broidered　little　huntsmen。　　They　blew　their　tasselled

horns　and　with　their　tiny　hands　waved　to　her　to　go　back。　　'Go　back！

little　Virginia；'　they　cried；　'go　back！'　but　the　Ghost　clutched　her

hand　more　tightly；　and　she　shut　her　eyes　against　them。　　Horrible

animals　with　lizard　tails；　and　goggle　eyes；　blinked　at　her　from　the

carven　chimney…piece；　and　murmured　'Beware！　little　Virginia；　beware！

we　may　never　see　you　again；'　but　the　Ghost　glided　on　more　swiftly；

and　Virginia　did　not　listen。　　When　they　reached　the　end　of　the　room

he　stopped；　and　muttered　some　words　she　could　not　understand。　　She

opened　her　eyes；　and　saw　the　wall　slowly　fading　away　like　a　mist；

and　a　great　black　cavern　in　front　of　her。　　A　bitter　cold　wind　swept

round　them；　and　she　felt　something　pulling　at　her　dress。　　'Quick；

quick；'　cried　the　Ghost；　'or　it　will　be　too　late；'　and；　in　a　moment；

the　wainscoting　ha