Кентервильское привидение

           Stringswerecontinuallybeingstretchedacrossthecorridor,overwhichhetrippedinthedark,andononeoccasion,whiledressedforthepartof"BlackIsaac,ortheHuntsmanofHogleyWoods,"hemetwithaseverefall,throughtreadingonabutterslide,whichthetwinshadconstructedfromtheentranceoftheTapestryChambertothetopoftheoakstaircase. Thislastinsultsoenragedhim,thatheresolvedtomakeonefinalefforttoasserthisdignityandsocialposition,anddeterminedtovisittheinsolentyoungEtoniansthenextnightinhiscelebratedcharacterof"RecklessRupert,ortheHeadlessEarl. "Hehadnotappearedinthisdisguiseformorethanseventyyears; infact,notsincehehadsofrightenedprettyLadyBarbaraModishbymeansofit,thatshesuddenlybrokeoffherengagementwiththepresentLordCanterville’sgrandfather,andranawaytoGretnaGreenwithhandsomeJackCastletown, declaringthatnothingintheworldwouldinducehertomarryintoafamilythatallowedsuchahorriblephantomtowalkupanddowntheterraceattwilight. PoorJackwasafterwardsshotinaduelbyLordCantervilleonWandsworthCommon,andLadyBarbaradiedofabrokenheartatTunbridgeWellsbeforetheyearwasout,so,ineveryway,ithadbeenagreatsuccess. Itwas,howeveranextremelydifficult"make-up,"ifImayusesuchatheatricalexpressioninconnectionwithoneofthegreatestmysteriesofthesupernatural,or,toemployamorescientificterm,thehigher-naturalworld,andittookhimfullythreehourstomakehispreparations. Atlasteverythingwasready,andhewasverypleasedwithhisappearance. Thebigleatherriding-bootsthatwentwiththedresswerejustalittletoolargeforhim,andhecouldonlyfindoneofthetwohorse-pistols,but,onthewhole,hewasquitesatisfied, andataquarter-pastoneheglidedoutofthewainscotingandcreptdownthecorridor.