Читать «Кентервильское привидение. Человек-невидимка / The Canterville Ghost. The Invisible Man» онлайн - страница 3

“Yes, madam,” replied the old housekeeper in a low voice, “blood has been spilt on that spot.”

“How horrid!” cried Mrs. Otis; “I don’t at all care for blood-stains in a sitting-room. It must be removed at once.”

The old woman smiled, and answered in the same low, mysterious voice, “It is the blood of Lady Eleanore de Canterville, who was murdered on that very spot by her own husband, Sir Simon de Canterville, in 1575. Sir Simon survived her nine years, and disappeared suddenly under very mysterious circumstances. His body has never been discovered, but his guilty spirit still haunts the Chase. The blood-stain has been much admired by tourists and others, and cannot be removed.”

“That is all nonsense,” cried Washington Otis; “Pinkerton’s Champion Stain Remover and Paragon Detergent will clean it up in no time,” and before the terrified housekeeper could interfere, he had fallen upon his knees, and was rapidly scouring the floor with a small stick. In a few moments no trace of the blood-stain could be seen.

“I knew Pinkerton would do it,” he exclaimed, triumphantly, as he looked round at his admiring family; but no sooner had he said these words than a terrible flash of lightning lit up the room, a fearful peal of thunder made them all start to their feet, and Mrs. Umney fainted.

“What a monstrous climate!” said the American Minister, calmly. “I guess the old country is so overpopulated that they have not enough decent weather for everybody. I have always been of opinion that emigration is the only thing for England.”

“My dear Hiram,” cried Mrs. Otis, “what can we do with a woman who faints?”

“Charge it to her like breakages,” answered the Minister; “she won’t faint after that;” and in a few moments Mrs. Umney certainly came to.

There was no doubt, however, that she was extremely upset, and she sternly warned Mr. Otis to beware of some trouble coming to the house.

“I have seen things with my own eyes, sir,” she said, “that would make any Christian’s hair stand on end, and many and many a night I have not closed my eyes in sleep for the awful things that are done here.” Mr. Otis, however, and his wife warmly assured her that they were not afraid of ghosts, and, after blessing of her new master and mistress, and making arrangements for an increase of salary, the old housekeeper went away to her own room.

Exercises

1. Answer the questions:

1. What did everyone tell Mr. Otis about Canterville Chase?

2. What happened to the Duchess of Bolton?

3. Where did the Otis family come from?

4. What did Mrs. Otis look like?

5. How many children did the Otis family have?

6. Who was Mrs. Umney?

7. What did Mrs. Otis suddenly notice on the floor?

8. When was Lady Eleanore de Canterville murdered?

9. What did Washington Otis do with the blood stain?

10. Why was Mrs. Umney extremely upset?

2. True or false?

1. When Mr. Otis bought Canterville Chase everyone told him he was doing a very stupid thing.