按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
noise overhead； like the dragging of a heavy body across the floor； then
the throwing down of the body； and the shaking of my windows in response
to the concussion。 In distant parts of the building I heard the muffled
slamming of doors。 I heard； at intervals； stealthy footsteps creeping in
and out among the corridors； and up and down the stairs。 Sometimes these
noises approached my door； hesitated； and went away again。 I heard the
clanking of chains faintly； in remote passages； and listened while the
clanking grew nearerwhile it wearily climbed the stairways； marking
each move by the loose surplus of chain that fell with an accented rattle
upon each succeeding step as the goblin that bore it advanced。 I heard
muttered sentences； half…uttered screams that seemed smothered violently；
and the swish of invisible garments； the rush of invisible wings。 Then I
became conscious that my chamber was invadedthat I was not alone。
I heard sighs and breathings about my bed； and mysterious whisperings。
Three little spheres of soft phosphorescent light appeared on the ceiling
directly over my head； clung and glowed there a moment； and then dropped
two of them upon my face and one upon the pillow。 They； spattered；
liquidly； and felt warm。 Intuition told me they hadturned to gouts of
blood as they fellI needed no light to satisfy myself of that。 Then I
saw pallid faces； dimly luminous； and white uplifted hands； floating
bodiless in the airfloating a moment and then disappearing。
The whispering ceased； and the voices and the sounds； anal a solemn
stillness followed。 I waited and listened。 I felt that I must have
light or die。 I was weak with fear。 I slowly raised myself toward a
sitting posture； and my face came in contact with a clammy hand！
All strength went from me apparently； and I fell back like a stricken
invalid。 Then I heard the rustle of a garment it seemed to pass to the
door and go out。
When everything was still once more； I crept out of bed； sick and feeble；
and lit the gas with a hand that trembled as if it were aged with a
hundred years。 The light brought some little cheer to my spirits。 I sat
down and fell into a dreamy contemplation of that great footprint in the
ashes。 By and by its outlines began to waver and grow dim。 I glanced up
and the broad gas…flame was slowly wilting away。 In the same moment I
heard that elephantine tread again。 I noted its approach； nearer and
nearer； along the musty halls； and dimmer and dimmer the light waned。
The tread reached my very door and pausedthe light had dwindled to a
sickly blue； and all things about me lay in a spectral twilight。 The
door did not open； and yet I felt a faint gust of air fan my cheek； and
presently was conscious of a huge； cloudy presence before me。 I watched
it with fascinated eyes。 A pale glow stole over the Thing； gradually its
cloudy folds took shapean arm appeared； then legs； then a body； and
last a great sad face looked out of the vapor。 Stripped of its filmy
housings； naked； muscular and comely； the majestic Cardiff Giant loomed
above me！
All my misery vanishedfor a child might know that no harm could come
with that benignant countenance。 My cheerful spirits returned at once；
and in sympathy with them the gas flamed up brightly again。 Never a
lonely outcast was so glad to welcome company as I was to greet the
friendly giant。 I said：
〃Why； is it nobody but you？ Do you know； I have been scared to death for
the last two or three hours？ I am most honestly glad to see you。 I wish
I had a chair Here； here； don't try to sit down in that thing
But it was too late。 He was in it before I could stop him and down he
wentI never saw a chair shivered so in my life。
〃Stop； stop； you'll ruin ev〃
Too late again。 There was another crash； and another chair was resolved
into its original elements。
〃Confound it； haven't you got any judgment at' all？ Do you want to ruin
all the furniture on the place？ Here； here； you petrified fool〃
But it was no use。 Before I could arrest him he had sat down on the bed；
and it was a melancholy ruin。
〃Now what sort of a way is that to do？ First you come lumbering about
the place bringing a legion of vagabond goblins along with you to worry
me to death； and then when I overlook an indelicacy of costume which
would not be tolerated anywhere by cultivated people except in a
respectable theater； and not even there if the nudity were of your sex；
you repay me by wrecking all the furniture you can find to sit down on。
And why will you？ You damage yourself as much as you do me。 You have
broken off the end of your spinal column； and littered up the floor with
chips of your hams till the place looks like a marble yard。 You ought to
be ashamed of yourselfyou are big enough to know better。〃
〃Well； I will not break any more furniture。 But what am I to do？ I have
not had a chance to sit down for a century。〃 And the tears came into his
eyes。
〃Poor devil；〃 I said； 〃I should not have been so harsh with you。 And you
are an orphan； too； no doubt。 But sit down on the floor herenothing
else can stand your weightand besides； we cannot be sociable with you
away up there above me； I want you down where I can perch on this high
counting…house stool and gossip with you face to face。〃 So he sat down
on the floor； and lit a pipe which I gave him； threw one of my red
blankets over his shoulders； inverted my sitz…bath on his head； helmet
fashion； and made himself picturesque and comfortable。 Then he crossed
his ankles； while I renewed the fire； and exposed the flat； honeycombed
bottoms of his prodigious feet to the grateful warmth。
〃What is the matter with the bottom of your feet and the back of your
legs； that they are gouged up so？〃
〃Infernal chilblainsI caught them clear up to the back of my head；
roosting out there under Newell's farm。 But I love the place； I love it
as one loves his old home。 There is no peace for me like the peace I
feel when I am there。〃
We talked along for half an hour； and then I noticed that he looked
tired； and spoke of it。
〃Tired？〃 he said。 〃Well； I should think so。 And now I will tell you all
about it； since you have treated me so well。 I am the spirit of the
Petrified Man that lies across the street there in the museum。 I am the
ghost of the Cardiff Giant。 I can have no rest； no peace； till they have
given that poor body burial again。 Now what was the most natural thing
for me to do； to make men satisfy this wish？ Terrify them into it！
haunt the place where the body lay！ So I haunted the museum night after
night。 I even got other spirits to help me。 But it did no good； for
nobody ever came to the museum at midnight。 Then it occurred to me to
come over the way and haunt this place a little。 I felt that if I ever
got a hearing I must succeed； for I had the most efficient company that
perdition could furnish。 Night after night we have shivered around
through these mildewed halls； dragging chains； groaning； whispering；
tramping up and down stairs； till； to tell you the truth； I am almost
worn out。 But when I saw a light in your room to…night I roused my
energies aga