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pervading analogy of all the Divine rules that I am permitted to understand；
than I had been able； a little while before； to yoke the spiritual intercourse
of my fellow… traveller to the chariot of the rising sun。 Moreover； I had
lived in two haunted housesboth abroad。 In one of these； an old Italian
palace； which bore the reputation of being very badly haunted indeed； and
which had recently been twice abandoned on that account； I lived eight
months； most tranquilly and pleasantly： notwithstanding that the house had
a score of mysterious bedrooms； which were never used； and possessed； in
one large room in which I sat reading； times out of number at all hours；
and next to which I slept； a haunted chamber of the first pretensions。 I
gently hinted these considerations to the landlord。 And as to this particular
house having a bad name； I reasoned with him； Why； how many things
had bad names undeservedly； and how easy it was to give bad names； and
did he not think that if he and I were persistently to whisper in the village
that any weird…looking old drunken tinker of the neighbourhood had sold
himself to the Devil； he would come in time to be suspected of that
commercial venture！ All this wise talk was perfectly ineffective with the
landlord； I am bound to confess； and was as dead a failure as ever I made
in my life。
To cut this part of the story short； I was piqued about the haunted
house； and was already half resolved to take it。 So； after breakfast； I got
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the keys from Perkins's brother…in…law （a whip and harness maker； who
keeps the Post Office； and is under submission to a most rigorous wife of
the Doubly Seceding Little Emmanuel persuasion）； and went up to the
house； attended by my landlord and by Ikey。
Within； I found it； as I had expected； transcendently dismal。 The
slowly changing shadows waved on it from the heavy trees； were doleful
in the last degree； the house was ill…placed； ill…built； ill…planned； and ill…
fitted。 It was damp； it was not free from dry rot； there was a flavour of rats
in it； and it was the gloomy victim of that indescribable decay which
settles on all the work of man's hands whenever it's not turned to man's
account。 The kitchens and offices were too large； and too remote from
each other。 Above stairs and below； waste tracts of passage intervened
between patches of fertility represented by rooms； and there was a mouldy
old well with a green growth upon it； hiding like a murderous trap； near
the bottom of the back…stairs； under the double row of bells。 One of these
bells was labelled； on a black ground in faded white letters； MASTER B。
This； they told me； was the bell that rang the most。
〃Who was Master B。？〃 I asked。 〃Is it known what he did while the owl
hooted？〃
〃Rang the bell；〃 said Ikey。
I was rather struck by the prompt dexterity with which this young man
pitched his fur cap at the bell； and rang it himself。 It was a loud；
unpleasant bell； and made a very disagreeable sound。 The other bells were
inscribed according to the names of the rooms to which their wires were
conducted： as 〃Picture Room；〃 〃Double Room；〃 〃Clock Room；〃 and the
like。 Following Master B。's bell to its source I found that young gentleman
to have had but indifferent third…class accommodation in a triangular cabin
under the cock…loft； with a corner fireplace which Master B。 must have
been exceedingly small if he were ever able to warm himself at； and a
corner chimney… piece like a pyramidal staircase to the ceiling for Tom
Thumb。 The papering of one side of the room had dropped down bodily；
with fragments of plaster adhering to it； and almost blocked up the door。 It
appeared that Master B。； in his spiritual condition； always made a point of
pulling the paper down。 Neither the landlord nor Ikey could suggest why
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Three Ghost Stories
he made such a fool of himself。
Except that the house had an immensely large rambling loft at top； I
made no other discoveries。 It was moderately well furnished； but sparely。
Some of the furnituresay； a thirdwas as old as the house； the rest was of
various periods within the last half…century。 I was referred to a corn…
chandler in the market…place of the county town to treat for the house。 I
went that day； and I took it for six months。
It was just the middle of October when I moved in with my maiden
sister （I venture to call her eight…and…thirty； she is so very handsome；
sensible； and engaging）。 We took with us； a deaf stable… man； my
bloodhound Turk； two women servants； and a young person called an Odd
Girl。 I have reason to record of the attendant last enumerated； who was
one of the Saint Lawrence's Union Female Orphans； that she was a fatal
mistake and a disastrous engagement。
The year was dying early； the leaves were falling fast； it was a raw
cold day when we took possession； and the gloom of the house was most
depressing。 The cook （an amiable woman； but of a weak turn of intellect）
burst into tears on beholding the kitchen； and requested that her silver
watch might be delivered over to her sister （2 Tuppintock's Gardens；
Liggs's Walk； Clapham Rise）； in the event of anything happening to her
from the damp。 Streaker； the housemaid； feigned cheerfulness； but was the
greater martyr。 The Odd Girl； who had never been in the country； alone
was pleased； and made arrangements for sowing an acorn in the garden
outside the scullery window； and rearing an oak。
We went； before dark； through all the naturalas opposed to
supernaturalmiseries incidental to our state。 Dispiriting reports ascended
（like the smoke） from the basement in volumes； and descended from the
upper rooms。 There was no rolling…pin； there was no salamander （which
failed to surprise me； for I don't know what it is）； there was nothing in the
house； what there was； was broken； the last people must have lived like
pigs； what could the meaning of the landlord be？ Through these distresses；
the Odd Girl was cheerful and exemplary。 But within four hours after dark
we had got int