LITMIR.BIZ

      “Well, really,” said the Ghost, rather meekly, “what was I to do?[92] It is a very difficult thing to get real blood nowadays, and, as your brother began it all with his Paragon Detergent, I certainly saw no reason why I should not have your paints. As for colour, that is always a matter of taste: the Cantervilles have blue blood, for instance, the very bluest in England; but I know you Americans don’t care for things of this kind.”

      “You know nothing about it, and the best thing you can do is to emigrate and improve your mind.[93] My father will be only too happy to give you a free passage.[94] Once in New York, you are sure to be a great success. I know lots of people there who would give a hundred thousand dollars to have a grandfather, and much more than that to have a family ghost.”

      “I don’t think I should like America.”

      “I suppose because we have no ruins and no curiosities,[95]” said Virginia, satirically.

      “No ruins! no curiosities!” answered the Ghost; “you have your navy and your manners.”

      “Good evening; I will go and ask papa to get the twins an extra week’s holiday.”

      “Please don’t go, Miss Virginia,” he cried; “I am so lonely and so unhappy, and I really don’t know what to do. I want to go to sleep and I cannot.”

      “That’s quite absurd! You have merely to go to bed and blow out the candle. It is very difficult sometimes to keep awake, especially at church, but there is no difficulty at all about sleeping. Why, even babies know how to do that, and they are not very clever.”

      “I have not slept for three hundred years,” he said sadly, and Virginia’s beautiful blue eyes opened in wonder; “for three hundred years I have not slept, and I am so tired.”

      Virginia grew quite grave, and her little lips trembled like rose-leaves. She came towards him, and kneeling down at his side,[96] looked up into his old withered face.

      “Poor, poor Ghost,” she murmured; “have you no place where you can sleep?”

      “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[97] over the sleepers.”

      Virginia’s eyes grew dim with tears,[98] 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 forget 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 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 with me for my sins,[99] 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.[100] 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[101] 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[102] 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 horns[103] 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 chimneypiece, and murmured, “Beware![104] 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,[105] 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 had closed behind them, and the Tapestry Chamber was empty.

      Exercises

      1. Answer the questions:

      1. What happened to Virginia when she was riding on Brockley meadows?

      2. Who was sitting by the window in the Tapestry Chamber?

      3. What was the ghost doing?

      4. Why was Virginia filled with pity?

      5. How did Sir Simon die?

      6. Why did the ghost steal Virginia’s paints?

      7. What did the ghost tell Virginia about the garden of death?

      8. How did the ghost explain the prophecy on the library window?

      9. Did Virginia agree to help the ghost?

      10. What did little huntsmen on the tapestry say to Virginia?

      2. True or false?

      1. As Virginia was running past the Tapestry Chamber, the door of which happened to be open, she saw her father sitting by the window.

      2. Little Virginia determined to comfort the ghost because he looked lonely and depressed.

      3. The ghost told Virginia that he was very lonely and

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