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    Abrir The Canterville ghost

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    The ore (el avoy=ie THE CANTERVILLE GHOST ‘Moat grand ld owes have a family ghott of some kind. Sometimes itis a quiet and kindly ghost, and sometimes i nosy one, always hanging doors and «rashing about in chains. “The ghost at Canterille Chasis one af the noisy kind, and che family can’ gee any sleep at night. So Lord CCamterville sls the hose to Mr Hiram BOs, who is an American and not at all worried about ghosts. In fact, Me and Mes Otis and their hldren Washington, prcty Virginia, and che wins, wo noisy lite boys — are very happy 0 lve in a house with a ghost atthe ghos isnot happy. His oso frighten peopl, and the Oi family aten'e frightened by any of his best tricks, Their hair doesn't torn white, they don’ ran away in teeror, they don't faint ~ they don't even ‘ream! And the Otis wins know more trick han the poor ghos wll ever know ~ amacy & Horror ‘The Canterville Ghost S1ape2 70 fedwond) o ‘Series Editor: Jenifer Basset Aci fr Jemfr Base nd Christine Lindy OO C‘i The Canterville Ghost Retold by John Escort Masta by ~ OXEOI CONTENTS 1 The Oxi family comes to Caneel [2 Sir Simon mects the Oss fly DS A sccond ghost appears ar Canterile (4 Enemies everywhere! Poor, poor ghost A skeleton finds ese a as AciWITss Before Reading scrirris: While Reading Ascuiirits Afr Reading 2 “ 6 6 2 ot ‘THE OTIS FAMILY COMES TO CANTERVILLE, \Whor Hiram B. Otis, the American businessman, bought the house called Canterville Chase, people told him thar he was doing a very dangerous thing, Everybody knew that there was a ghost in the house. Lord Canterville himself told Me Otis all about i "We don’ like to live in the house ourselves, he said. "Too many of my family have seen the ghost. My wite’s grandmother, che Duchess of Bolton, is one of them. One night, while she was dressing for dinner, ewo skeleton “We do ke ole tbe Bouse ones.’ Lord Camere sad ‘The Canterile Ghost hands were put on her shoulders. She has been ill for years because ofthat. And my i there because ofall the noises a night. “Lord Canterville’ answered Mr Otis, I will buy both the house and the ghost. Teome from a modern county, and we can buy nearly everything in America ~ but not hosts. So, if ehere really isa ghost in the house, we send it home ro America, and people will pay t0 go and e never got any sleep Tm afraid that the house really does have a ghost,’ said Lord Canterille, smiling. ‘Perhaps there are hosts in your country, but our ghost has been in the house for thrce hundsed years, and i always appears befor "Well, so does the family doctor, Lord Cantervill. Bur there are no ghost, sir, in any country the death of one of the fai famous ld Bish families” “Very wel’ said Lond Canerville “If you're happy to have a ghost in the house, that's allright. But please remember that I did ell you about it. And so Mr Hiram B. Oss houghr the house, and fw weeks later he and his family went down to Cantrvlle i “Mrs Otis was avery heat woman, and looked just 4s English as an Englishwoman. American people are 2 ESTES SSCS eevee USCC TIES “The Otis family comes to Cantewille really no different from English people ~ but they do, of course, speak a different language. Her eldest son, Washington, was 4 good-looking young man sith 3 wonderful smile, who was famous at all the London parties for his fine dancing. Mis Virginia E. Oxi was a sweet lite gil of fifteen with big blue eyes. Se loved t0 ride horses and could ride faster than a lot of men. One day the young Duke of Cheshire saw her om horschack, and immediately asked her to marry him — bu his family sent him back to school the next day. After Virginia came the swins 180 happy, noisy litle boys, who were always laughing and playing tricks, Iwas a lovely July evening when the family got off the train, The fields and trees looked beatifel in the golden sunshine. ‘The birds were singing sweetly, and the sky was a bright blue. But when they arrived at Camtervill Chase, storm clouds suddenly appeared inthe sky. Then heads, and big drops of rain began to fall ‘An old woman in a black dress was standing in the doorway of the house, waiting 10 meet them. This was Mrs Umney, the housekeeper. “Welcome to Cantersille Chase,’ she said “They followed her ito the library ~ a long, dark room o with high window at one end, He them, so they took off cheir coats and sat down, or twelve large black birds flew down over theie ca was ready for 3 SS IESEECE SESE ese USeECC Ieee ‘The Canterile Ghost Mrs tne, the boutckeeper, a iting tome them Suddenly Mes Oris saw a dark red stain on the foot, neat the fireplace "Is that a stain on the floor there? she asked. ‘Yes, Mrs Otis said Mrs Unney quietly. “les a bloodstin, The Otis family comes to Canterille ‘Oh, that’s terrible!” cried Mrs Otis, “I can't have bloodstains on my floors. Ir must go." “The old woman smiled, and again answered in a quiet voice ‘Ici the blood of Lady Eleanore de Cantervlle,” she said. “Her husband, Sir Simon de Canterville, murdered her in 1575, while she was standing just there, in that place. He lived for another nine years after her death, bur chen he disappeared, very strangely and suddenly. Nobody ever found his body, but his ghost i still in the house, and will not rest. The bloodstain is famous ~ visitors come here specially to see it. People have tried co clea i, but ie will not go away.” “OF course it wil! cried Washington Otis, ‘Pinkerton’s Famous Stain Cleaner will clean ie up in a second.” And before the housekeeper could stop him, he was cleaning the floor with small black stick A minute later, the bloodstain was gone! “There you ate!" he said, smiling at the others, “Pinkerton can clean anything!” Bur at these words the storm outside suddenly began. Acersible flash of lightning li up the room, and a second later came a great crash of thunder. Everyone jumped up atthe sound ofthe thunder... and! Mrs Umincy fainted, "What terible weather this country has! said Mr Otis, o He sat down again and lita cigarete. ‘Mrs Umney lay on the floor, with her eyes closed. Mrs s ESTES SSCS eevee USCC TIES ‘The Canterile Ghost There you ar! sid Washington. Pinkerton ca lem ayting” Otis looked at her. “My dear Hiram, she cried. ‘What cam we do with woman whe faints? “ell her she has to pay some money,’ said Mr Otis. she breaks «cup or something, she has to pay fr it. So tell her to pay if he Atthis Mrs Unney immediacy sat up, hut she looked very unhappy. ‘Be careful! Trouble is coming to this, house!” she sti, hee voice shaking, ‘I have seen shings o hore which aze too terrible to describe. For night afer nigh, Lave nor closed my eyes in sleep.” faints, She won'e Fane after chat.” 6 SS IESEECE SESE ese USeECC Ieee “The Otis family comes to Cantewille Mr Oris gave hee warm smile. My wife and I are not afraid of ghosts, Mes Umney. The old housekeeper got shakily to her feet. “You Americans are so strong!” she said. ‘And so kind! You know, Ihave worked here for many, many years a che same pay, and “OK, Mrs Umney. Well pay you more money,’ sad Me Otis sil smiling i ‘Oh, thank you, dear Mr Otis. And dear Mrs Otis, Thank you very much. SS IESEECE SESE ese USeECC Ieee a2 SiR SIMON MEETS THE OTIS FAMILY “The storm went on all night, and the next morning, when the family came down co breakfast, the Bloodstain was on the library floor again. “That's strange,’ said Washington. “Pinkerton's Famous Stain Cleaner asslly cleans anything I mas be the ghost? He cleaned the Hoor again with the lite black stick, burthenexe morning the stain appeared once more. That nigh, Mr Oris closed the windows an locked the library door. Buti che morning the bloodstain was there again, “The family found his mon interesting Is thore a ghost, or isn't there? they said to themselves, They could not dese. Bue shat night, chey had the answer to theie question. Alter the family was in bed and asleep, a strange nose woke Mr Otis. Ie sounded like something metal moving slowly along the passage, and ic was coming nearer to his i bedroom door. He got out of bed and listened eareflly. The strange noise went on, and he also heard che sound 8 SS IESEECE SESE ese USeECC Ieee Sir Simon meets the Otis family of footsteps. Then he put on his shoes, took a small bore from his cupboard, and opened che door of his There, in the moonlight, was an old man with eyes as red as fre. His prey hair was long and dirty, his lothes were old and full of holes, and there were heavy metal chins round is arms and legs. ‘My dear man,’ said Mr Otis, ‘you really must put some oil on those noisy chains! I've brought you a bord ‘of Tammany’ Sun Oil, which is very good, Everybody in America uses i. Pl leave therefor you, and Pl be happy te give you some more when you nec it.” "Yo really mst pa sme oom those wos cai” sad Mer Os ° ‘The Canterile Ghost He put the bottle down on a small table, then went back inside his room and go ino bed For a second or two the Cantesille ghost stood stl, He was so angry! Then he knocked the bore of oil oa t0 the floor and hurried away. A strange green light came from his body, and he gave a long and terrible ery that rang through the house. But when he got tothe top ofthe stairs, a door opened, two litle poople appeared, and a large pillow wene flying past his head! This was too much for the ghost, so he quickly disappeated through the wall, and soon the house was quiet again When he got to his secret room, the Cantervlle ghost sat down in the moonlight and tried to think. He was both angry and unhappy. "For three hundred years,” he said o himself, T have been the best and the most famous ghost inthe country! Everybody ~ everybody ~ has been afraid of me. There was the Duchess of Bolton not long ago. I put my skeleton hands on her shoulders, and she neatly died of terror, She has boon ill ever since Before that there were three ~ no, four ~ housekeepers, who ran avay from the house, screaming. Then there was that wonderful night in 1752 when Lord Augustus shor himself in the library, because he saw a skeleton in the armehair by the fire. And there was the beautiful Lady Stutfield, who never spoke 0 SS IESEECE SESE ese USeECC Ieee Sir Simon meete the Ove family Lord August sot biz the brary, Beanz he ae takleton inthe mecha again after my cold fingers held her long white neck while she sa ar dinner? The ghost sat there, remembering all those happy times in the past. But he was not happy now. ‘After all this’ he said, these terrible modern Americans come to the house and give me Tammany's Sun Oil fr my chains, and throw pillows at my head! I's too bad! They'll be soeey for this ~ oh, yes, they will” All night long, the ghost sat, and though hard. Sir Simon meete the Ove family Lord August sot biz the brary, Beanz he ae takleton inthe mecha again after my cold fingers held her long white neck while she sa ar dinner? The ghost sat there, remembering all those happy times in the past. But he was not happy now. ‘After all this’ he said, these terrible modern Americans come to the house and give me Tammany's Sun Oil fr my chains, and throw pillows at my head! I's too bad! They'll be soeey for this ~ oh, yes, they will” All night long, the ghost sat, and though hard. a3 ‘A SECOND GHOST APPEARS AT CANTERVILLE. The next morning, when the Oris family met at baat, they talked abou the ghose for sometime, Me (Oris was a lite cross to find the bottle of Tammany's 19 Oil lying on the floor af the passage “I don't want” he said, toe the ghost in anyway.” Here he looked at the boys. “We must remember chat he has lived inthis house fora very long time, so don't think i's very nice to throw pillows ar him ~ no, don't laugh, boys, isnot fu cil, we will have to take his chains away from him, We can't possibly slep with that noise going on outside ove bedrooms everynight Bue forthe rest of the week all was quiet. The only interesting thing was the bloodstain. Every day Washingron cleaned che floor with Pinkerton’s Sein CCleaner, and every night Mr Otis careflly locked the windows and che library doo. But the bloodseain was o always there again the next morning Ie also changed colour a few times. On some days it Bur ifthe ghost won't use the 2 SS IESEECE SESE ese USeECC Ieee A second ghost appears at Cantril was red, on other days it was purple, and once it was bight green. Mose of the family thought these colour changes were very funny and they hurried downstairs ‘each morning c0 find out the new colour. The oaly person who did not laugh was litle Virginia, but she would not explain why. And on che morning the bloodstain was bright green, she neatly cried, (On Sunday night, soon after the family went to bed, the ghost made his next move, There was a three: hundred-year-old suit of armour downstairs. “Now, a host in armour will surely frighten even modern Americans,’ he thought. He began to put on the suit of armour, but it was too heavy for him, and he and some of the armour fell tothe Boor witha loud! CRASH. Al the men in the Otis family jumped out of bed and hurried downstairs at once. They found the unhappy host sitting there, holding his head and crying solely ‘with pain, The eins had their pea-shooters with then and immediately began to shoot litle balls of paper at him. Mr Otis brought out his handgun and, ike the good Californian he was called out to the hos: "Hold up your hands” At this, the ghost jumped up with a wild and angry scream and flew through them. Washington Otis's candle o went out, and suddenly everything was dark. Ar the top of the stairs, the ghose turned o give his terrible ghostly 8B SS IESEECE SESE ese USeECC Ieee The Cantewville Ghost laugh ~ the famous laugh which once turned Lord RRaker's hair white ina single night. It went on and on until the howse was fll of thes A bedroom door opened and Mrs Otis appeared with a bottle in her hand, ‘Pm afraid you're not feeling very Mr Otis called ou 19 the ghost"Hold up your band A second ghost appears at Cantril wel she said to the ghost. ‘ve brought you some of Dr Dobell’s special stomach medicine. If you're having trouble with your stomach, this wil son help you to fel beac” The ghost looked at her angrily, and began to tue himself into a big black dog (one of his most famous tricks). But the sound of young footsteps comsing up the stairs stopped him, and he quickly disappeared with a ghostly ‘Ooooooht” before the twins aetived at the top. For some days after tis he was very ill and only went ‘our to make the bloodstain again cach night. But when he began to feel better, he decided eo try for the third time to frighten Hiram B, Oris and his family He spent most of Friday, the 17eh of August trying to decide what ro wear. At last he decided on a dead man’s sheoudl a large black hat with a red feather in i, and a Tong knife. ‘That night the wind shook all dhe doors and windows, and the rain crashed down on to the roof of the house “The ghost made his plans carefully: “TIL go frse to Washington Otis's room,’ he said to himself, He cleans away the famous Cantervlle blood: stain each morning, so | want to be sure that hell be really frightened. Fl make ghostly noises to wake him up, chen Pl push my knife into my neck three times, to the sound of slow music, ‘The Canterile Ghost “Then Pl go to Me Hiram B. Otis's room. Pl make a terrible noise in his ear, and at the same time pu my cold hand on Mrs Otis's face. Novw, what ab She's never played any tricks on me, ands prety. Pethaps Tl ust make a soft ‘Oooo! ‘or move her bed sheets a litle with my skeleton’ fingers. ‘And then on to the twins! Those horrible boys are going co Tearn a lesson tonight! (Il stand between their bed, looking like a dead body ~ cold and green and “TI push ny kf a my mec tee ties, ‘aid the gow to himself. 6 A second ghost appears at Cantril smelling of death, They'll be t00 frightened to move. Thea Tl theow off my shroud and do my famous skeleton dance all round the room. He heard the family go to bed at hal-past ten. For some ime he listened to the In ‘wins, but by a quarter past eleven all was quiet. At the sound of midnight, the ghost left his room. He came out of the wall with the knife in his hand and a 1d shouts of the smile on his face. It was not a nice smile, and when the moon save it through a window, she hid behind a cloud. Slowly and silently the ghost moved through the house, while the Otis family went on happily sleeping. At the corner of the passage which went along co Washington's room, the ghost stopped for a minute. A lial wind came from nowhere, pulling his long white sheoud this way and tha, and showing the skeleton arms and neck of the walking dead. He heard the clock sound 4 quareer past midnight, gave litle laugh, and eurned the corner And stopped ~ in terror! There, in front af him, was standing the most horrible ghost. ead a lange head with fo baron it, and a fat round face with a deathly smile across its open mouth. A rel light burned lke fire inside its mouth and behind both of its eyes. Is reat hody was hidden under Jong, shroud, and it carried a large piece of paper with strange writing oni A second ghost appears at Cantril The Canterville ghost did not wait to read it. He was too frightened. When you see your ise ghost, you don’t stop to alle, you tusn and ran ~so the Canterille ghost tumed and ran. His long shroud gor eaught around his feet and he nearly fell over, but he ran as fast as he coud, away from the horrible ching that was watching him with fie in its eyes. He tuened the comer, dropped his kite into one of Hiram B, Otie's shoes, which were outside bis bedroom door (Me Otis found it there the next morning), snd ran om to his room. He threw himself onto his hed, and hid is head under his pillow. Te was some time before he begin 0 fel better. Then he told himself chat he was a Canterille, and that Cantervilles were fighters to the end. "When it gets light” he though, Il go and speak to this other ghost, Pethaps we can be friends. Afterall wo. hosts are better than one, and if the ewo of us work together, perhaps we can frighten chose teeible wins at last” Very early the next morning, while the family 38 sil sleeping, he went back to the passage. The other ghost was sill there, bur now there was something wrong with it, There was no fie ints eyes, and it was resting against the wall like a sick man, The Canterville ghost moved forward quickly and put his arms round the other ghost and its head fll of? Then the body fell othe floor, and 9 SS IESEECE SESE ese USeECC Ieee ‘The Canterile Ghost the Cantervlle ghost saw that he was holding a white fe wasa rush, and a tuenip with holes he understood everything, Ht was a trick ~ orrible tick! He stood there, too angry to ed to think of a plan to finish these terrible Americans once and for all, But he couldn’ think of any era while he went to find a quiet dak place 10 m4 ENEMIES EVERYWHERE! For the next five days the ghost stayed in his room. He was very tte, and he didn’t fel well. He decided 0 stop putting the bloodstain on the library floor. "The Otis family don’t want it,’ he thought, ‘so they*ce nor going to have ie” Ghostly appearances were differen, of course. Ie was his job to appear in the passage once a week, and 10 “Ooooh!” and "Aasaagh” from the gre: staits on the frst and thied Wes So for the next three Saturdays, as usual, he walked slong the passages between midnight and theee o'clock Bur he didn’t want anybody to see or hear him. He took off his shoes and walked as quietly ashe could. He wore a large black coat, and was e Sun Oil om his chains. Ar fist he didn’ want to, bur one window on the way in every month cful to use Tammany’s ‘evening, while the family was at dinner, he went into Me (iss bedeoom and rook the bottle. After atime, he saw i thatthe oil was relly very useful Bus the twins still went on with thet tricks, They put a4 SS IESEECE SESE ese USeECC Ieee Enemies everwhere! things in his way in dark corners, and he fell over them. They pur butter on the top stat, and one night his fet went from under bim and he went erashing down the stairs to the bottom. This made him very angry, and he decided to visit the boys the next night, as the famous "Duke With No Head’ and frighten them half ro death, He spent theee hours getting ready, a pleased with how he looked, At a quarter past one he walked through the wall and moved silently through the was very esto the eins” bedroom, passa The door was open a litle way. Pushing it hard the those walked into the room ~ and a heavy jo of water fell ight down on him. At the same ime, he heaed the twins laughing in heir bes The ghost — wet from top to bottom ~ turned and ran from the room, He did not top until he was back in his room. The nextday he was ill with a ad cold Alter this, the ghost stopped trying to frighten the American family, He walked silently round the passages in soft shoes, carrying an old gun, and tied to stay away from everyone. “The lase of the ericks happened on the 19th of September. That night the ghost was wearing one of his favourite shrouds, and he decided ro walk down 10 the i library. He wanted eo see what was et of the bloods He was on his way there when two shapes ummped out of 2 ESTES SSCS eevee USCC TIES ‘The Canterile Ghost 1 dark comer of the passage and shouted "BOO! in his The whose was very frightened, of course and ran to the stairs. But Washington Oris was waiting for him there, with a big earden-springe. There were enemies on all sist ‘Aaaaght” the ghost ered, then turned quickly 1! disappeared into the Breplace, which, luckily for him, was not lit, When a las he got hack to his oom, he was cersibly dist, with black all over his favourite sheoud, and very unhappy. After this, nobody saw him again ae night. The eins vested to play tricks om im thee four smes. They at nurshells all along the passages, which made walking son difcle fr everyone in the howe, bu the host did nor appese. “Oh dea, he's too unhappy to.come out, they sad. Mr Otis began work again om his hook. Mes Oxis gave a numberof hig American pastes’ fr the English people who lived near them, The boys played inthe house and arden, and Virginia went horse-riding with the young Doke of Cheshire. He was staying at Canterville Chase for the last wock of his holidays Mr Otis weote a eter to Lord Canterile and said "We thnk cha che ghost has gone away.” i And Lord Canterille weote Back: Tam happy to heae Pa ESTES SSCS ‘The Canterile Ghost Bat Mr Otis was wrong. The ghost was still in the house. I is rue chat he was ill, ut he was nor yer ready te stop his ghostly work, The young Duke of Cheshire was staying inthe house, and the ghost knew the Duke's family well, He once appeared before the brother of the Duke's grandfather as she Horseman of Death, The poor man’s haie turned white in one night, and for the est of his life he could only say the words, “Turn out the ight, turn out the light.” Now the ghost wanted to do the Horseman of Death for the young Duke to. He gor everything ready, bur in th room, He was too frightened of the wins to go out, and the young Duke slept happily in his bed, thinking of prety Virginia, rnd he never lf is as POOR, POOR GHOST! A few days after this, Virginia and the young Duke went fot horse-rdin ing through some woods when one of the trees eaughe Virginia's skirt and made a big hole i it Later, when she got home, she went up the back sears ro her oom, She wanted to change her skirt before anyone saw it. On the way to her bedroom she went past a room fh was not often used. The door was half open, and she stopped. “ls someone in there? she thought, She went to the door and looked in. To her surprise, Virginia saw the Cantervlle ghost, He was siting near the window, watching the fist leaves of szuturmn dancing in the wind. His head was on his hand, and he looked very unhappy. Ar fist litle Virginia wanted to nun away sind lock herself in her room, but thea she began to feel sorry for him. She went until she spoke. am so sorry for you,’ she said. ‘But my bothers are going hack to school tomorrow, and then ‘They were tly into the room, but he did not see her Poor, poor ghost! nobody will hurt you if you don’t try to frighten us.” 1 Bhost was also sueprised to see Virginia, “But lam ghost, he answered.‘ must wall about at night, shake iy chains, and go “Oooooh!” and “Aaaaagh!” through keeyholes. Thae’s my job. les why Pm here.” e's not why at all, said Viepinia “And you have been very had. Mes Umney told us that you killed your wife "Well, that's tue, said the phos. is very wrong o kill anyone,’ Virginia cold him. ‘Oh, that’s very easy to say!” said the ghost. “My wife was nor beautiful like you. And she was a bad housekeeper, and knew nothing about cooking. Well, it dlocsn’t matter now. e's ll finished. Bue 1 don’t think it was very nee of her brothers till me They killed you? said Virgina, "Well, they locked me in a room without food or water unl die said the ghost “No food? Oh, Mr Ghost, I mean Sie Simon, ate yo hunger? have sandwich ~ would you Hike ie "No, thank you, said the Canterille ghost. "never eat anything now. But it’s very kind of you. You are much nicer than the eest of your hore family. “Stop! ered Viewinia, angrily “Ie is you who are horrible. You took the paints out of my paine hox to i make that stupid bloodsain in the brary. You took my’ best rds, s0 I cat make any more pistes of the sn » ESTES SSCS eevee USCC TIES ‘The Canterile Ghost sping down in the evenings. Then you took the green and the yellow. What's lef? Dark blue and white! Whar Pictures can make with those? Only moonlight pictures, which are nor easy to do. never sad a word about x0 the others, ot Teas very angry. An it was all very stupid. Green blood I've never sec gre blood” ial etutleseutlt ast tae ae noe tclee Aificle to get real blood these days. And your brothce started it all with his Pinkerton's Famous Stain Cleanee, so I used your paint, What's weong with that? You Americans don’t understand anything? “You know nothing about Americans or Ameria, suid Virginia. Why don't you go there? Father will be very happy to pay for your ticket. There ate people in America who are ready to pay a hundred thousand dollars to get a family ghose” ‘No, thank yo like Ameri ‘Why? Because it doesn’ have any ol buildings that are falling down? Because everythings new and modeen? (Or because the people don’t speak nicely? Vinginia was angry. ‘Excuse me, bur I must go and ask my father t0 sve the tins another week's holiday!" “Please don’t go, Miss Virginia, eric che ghost. Tam i so lonely and so unhappy, and I don’t know what v0 do, 1 ane to goto slop, but I cannor. said the ghost. ‘I don't think I would x0 ESTES SSCS eevee USCC TIES Poor, poor ghost! “That's stupid! You just go to bed and put out your candle, I's very easy co sleep. Even babies can do it, and theyre not very clever” "L have not slept for three hundeed years he said unhappily, and Vieginia’s beautiful ble eves got bigger and bigger with surprise. “Three hundred years! he said again. “And I'm so teed ‘Se began to feel sorry for him once more. Her litle mouth trembled like the I looked at him kindly. Poor, poor ghost, she said quietly, and moved nearer eo him. ‘Isnt there anywhere tha you can seep?” "On the other side of the woods there isa garden,” he ansovored, witha faraway look in his eyes. “The grass is long and deep, there are beautifal white flowers, and a bird sings sweetly al night long. The moon looks dose, and the big old tee puts out its arms over the sleepers. the Garden of Death,’ Virginia said wes of a flower, and she "You ~ you m sof “Yes, Death, Death could be so beautiful. Tole quietly under the ground, with che grass above moving slowly in the wind, and everyting silent... To have no yesterday, and no tomorrow. To forac time, to have peaee, and t0 be sil for ever’ He looked at her. "You can open the i ‘door to Death for me, for Love is always with you, and Loe is seonger than Death u ESTES SSCS eevee USCC TIES ‘The Canterile Ghost “On the otbr side ofthe woods there ia garden Virginia suddenly fle cold, and she hepa ro embl “Then the ghost spoke again, and his voice was lke a soft wind theough the tees. “Have you ever tead che old i words on the library window? he asked. ‘Oh, ys oft” cried the ite gi. 1 know them wel 2 SC Poor, poor ghost! They are painted in strange black letters, and are difficult to read, There are only four lines: Wohen a golden gel bas prayed for you, And ite child has cred for you, The bouse will then be quiet and stil, And peace will ome to Canterile. Buc I don’t know what they mean “They mean this’ said the host. “You ean pray for me, because Iam bad and cannot pray. You ean cry for me, and for all the bad chings I have done, because I cannot cry. And if you have been sweet and good and kind, Death will he kind to me, Horsible shapes will come to frighten you in the darkness, and you'll hear terrible voicesin your ear, b win the fight against the goodness of alte chil Virginia did not answer, unhappily. Suddenly she stood up. Her face was very white, and there was a strange light in her eyes. Tm not afraid, she said. Tl pray for you to de, and for you to have pe: ‘With a small but happy ery, the ghost stood up, took her hand, and kissd i. His fingers were as cold as snow, rey eannot hurt you. They cannot wl the ghost watched hee ul his lips burned like fre. Virginia went with hin across the dark room. Suddenly the wall opened and 2 ESTES SSCS eevee USCC TIES The Ganterville Ghost there was a great black hol infront of her. A cold wind came out ofthe darkness, and she could fel something pulling at her dress "Come quickly, quickly! cried the ghost. "Or it will be to late” And in a second the wall closed behind them, and the ‘Come quickly quickly cried the phos, 4 a6 ‘A SKELETON FINDS REST AT LAST Ten minutes later, it was time for tea, but Virginia did rot come down for it, Ar fist, Mrs Otis did not worry. she knew that Vieginia liked to go out into the garden ‘every evening t0 get lowers for the dinner-table. But at six o'clock she sent the boys out to look for thie sister, while she and Mr Ots looked in every room of the howe. At hal-past si the boys came back. They could not find Virginia. Then Mr Otis, Washington, and the Duke lof Cheshire gor their horses and rode out into the woods and fields around Cancerville Chase. They looked ‘everywhere, and asked everybody, ‘Have you seen Virginia? But nobody could help them. Just before midnight, they went back to the house They were very worried, bat Me Otis told everybody to et some sleep. ‘Well begin again in the morning, he si, ‘and I'l send for some detectives from London,” They wer all standing at the bottom ofthe stairs when the clock sounded midnight. Suddenly there was a crash, i followed by a loud and terrible xy. Thunder shook che house, andthe sound of ghostly music came tothe 6 ESTES SSCS eevee USCC TIES The Canterile Gh A secret door opened ~ ad Then a secret door opened in the wall at the top of the stairs and out walked Virginia! She was very white and she had alittle box in her hands, Everyone ran up the stats, Mrs Otis threw her arms round her, the Duke of Cheshire kissed her again and again, and the twins laughed and danced around her "Where have you been? said Mr Otis, “We've looked frightened for you. You must never play these tricks oo A skeleton finds rest at last, “Only on the ghost” shouted the twins, laughing. "You must never leave my side again, my dearest Virginia said Mrs Otis, and she kissed the trembling child. "Father said Virginia, ‘T have boen withthe ghost, He is dead, and you must come and see him. He was a bad rman, but he was really sozey for everything that he did And look, he gave me this box of beautiful jewels before he died” Allehe family looked at her and the box, and they were prised to say a word. Vieginia chen took them through the seeet door in the wall, and down a narcovs passage, lt by candle that Washington was carrying. At last they came to a heavy wooden door. When Virginia touched it, it opened slowly “They found themselves in litle room with one small window init. A skeleton lay on the floor, chained to the wall. A plate and a water jug were also on the floor, but they were too far away for the skeleton’s fingers to get hold of them Virginia pur her hands together and began to pray silently. The others looked down at the skeleton of Sie Simon de Cantervlle, Now they know the terible secret, of is death, i “He's peaceful now,’ sid Virginia“ prayed to God to jee him peace” y SS IESEECE SESE ese USeECC Ieee The Ganterville Ghost They took Si Simon to the “Garden of Death And suddenly the others were sure that they could see « beautiful light around Virginia's Face “You are wonderful’ cried the young Duke, and he put his arm round her neck, and kissed her Four days later, at about eleven o'clock at night, they took Sir Simon de Canterille to the ‘Garden of Death’, where he wanted to be. Lord Canterille came specially from Wales toe there with the Otis family They put Sie Simon into the ground, and Vieginia put 8 A skeleton finds rest at last, a cross made of beautiful white lowers on the ground next to him, When she did this, the moon came out from behind a cloud, and the litle night bed began ro sing is sweet high song Virginia was very quiet during the drive home. The next morning, before Lord Canterville let, Me Otis spoke to him about the box of jewels. "My lord, he said, “these jewels belong to you oF to your family. Virginia asks for only one thing ~ the box Can she keep it? ‘The Canterile Ghost “My dear sin’ replied Lord Cantervlle “your daughter has been a wonderful friend to one of my family. We shall always thank her for that. And remember, you bought the house and everything in it~ the ghost, too! Anything that belonged to him is now yours. Noy Me tis, your daughter must keep the jewels. When she isa woman, she will be happy to have prety things to wear.” So Virginia kept the jewels. And she wore them inthe spring of 1890, when she married the young Duke of Cheshire; and everyone sad, ‘How beautiful” Some time late, she and her husband went down to Canterville Chase, One afternoon, they walked through the woods to the Garden of Death, and to the old tee "Virginia, said the Duke, “Tell me something, What happened when you were locked up with the ghost?" “Please don’t ask me, Cecil, Leaner tll you,’ she suid, “Poor Sir Simon! Ihave much to thank him for. Yes, don’t laugh, Cecil, Ido. He helped meta understand about Lite snd Death, and that Love is stronger than bos. “The Duke kissed his wife lovingly. “My dear, you ean keep your secret. The only thing I want is your love,’ he said "You have always had that, Cecil’ she said. “And you will tll our chil en some day?” Virginia did nor answer, bat her face went prettily red, GLOSSARY 1 appear socome where somshady can seo brash ashingshat yous force the oot 11 borer felon foot mn om mil olen pon bed) candle ick of wa thar gies igh wen burns heh for of tal ing inl tpt aie i ccan&) tomatesomething dean nti) 1D disappear to 2 wher bad cane eB you 1G Dale/Duchos theileufan important manvoman fae) soll down nny na kin of ey 1 fae oc eal ore 1 feather. brs hve esters on hei oes to keep hem war del shy 1 feplce the plas in om where you sin ke fee facet hg» en pi nthe sy ring storm 1 focnnp the sound os porom wsing 1 feghen tovske someone sad ED garden syone s machine or ping igloo plans {hos dead person hat ving peopl sik thy ean se EB gre alamo rv anesthe eds ad ‘aeicne hori vey ha erie; making yo vey afi or wap 1 howseleeper a peson hoe obistorake cae of another ress owe jel ben and expensive tone damon jor a comaincr ith hadefor olin water mi: Kiss) tovouch someone ih jou isin a loving way o 1 ary wom ina se wher ok hep Lond ete of man roman importa fai 4 SS IESEECE SESE ese USeECC Ieee Glossary [2 2 ESTES SSCS eevee USCC TIES The Canterville Ghost ACTIVITIES Acriviries, Before Reading 1 Read the back cover ofthe book and the story introduction ‘onthe ist page. How mach do you know now about the ory? Tick one hos foreach sentence. 1 Cantril Chasis mor than 30 yeas ld, (=) 2 Lond Camere family baleesin hos.) 3 The Otis family beloves in hos oo 4 Theghow plans oe nie othe Ors family.) S The Oisewins know alot of ks. oo 6 Lord Canevill pays Mr Otisoake the host away fom Camevile Chase oo \Whatis gong happen in the story? Can you guess? Tick one box foreach sentence ate “The Oxs family y 10 help che ghost. c ‘The Otis family ake the ghost ro America C “The ghost leaves Canterville Chase because he can't frighten anyone C 44 Onc ofthe Oxs children helps the ghost to rest a at C The ghost rakes one of the children away from Canterville Chase C Acriviries, While Reading Read Chapter 1. Then answer these questions. What 1 did the Duchess of Bolton fel on her shoulders? 2. couldn't Me Oris buy in America? 3 did the Duke of Cheshire ask Virginia? 4 said Sir Simon de Caneevile doin 15752 5 «did Washington clean off he library Noor? 6 said Mrs Urnney want Mend Mes Oxsto do? Before you read! Chapter 2, can you guess what happens? (Choose answers to these questions. What will the Otis family find next morning? a) The ghos hs killed Mrs Uney by The bloodstain is hack on the library oor again,

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