As I reached the parlor1 floor Nixon came out of the reception-room.
“Oh, Miss!” he exclaimed, “going out?” surprised, doubtless, to see me in my hat and jacket.
“A few steps,” I answered, and then stopped, not a little disturbed; for in moving to open the door he had discovered that the key was not in it and was showing his amazement2 somewhat conspicuously3.
“Mrs. Packard took the key up to her room,” I explained, thinking that some sort of explanation was in order. “She is nervous, you know, and probably felt safer with it there.”
The slow shake of his head had a tinge4 of self-reproach in it.
“I was sorry to go out,” he muttered. “I was very sorry to go out,”— but the look which he turned upon me the next minute was of a very different sort. “I don’t see how you can go out yet,” said he, “unless you go by the back way. That leads into Stanton Street; but perhaps you had just as lief go into Stanton Street.”
There was impertinence in his voice as well as aggressiveness in his eye, but I smiled easily enough and was turning toward the back with every expectation of going by way of Stanton Street, when Letty came running down the stairs with the key in her hand. I don’t think he was pleased, but he opened the door civilly enough and I gladly went out, taking with me, however, a remembrance of the furtive5 look with which he had noted6 the small package in my hand. I pass over the joy with which Bess received the box and its desired contents. I had lost all interest in the matter, which was so entirely7 personal to herself, and, declining the ten dollars which I knew she could ill afford, made my visit so short that I was able to take a brisk walk down the street and yet be back in time for breakfast.
This, like that of the preceding day, I took alone. Mrs. Packard was well but preferred to eat up-stairs. I did not fret8 at this; I was really glad, for now I could think and plan my action quite unembarrassed by her presence. The opening under the vestibule floor was to be sounded, and sounded this very morning, but on what pretext9? I could not take Mrs. Packard into my counsel, for that would be to lessen10 the force of the discovery with which I yet hoped to dissipate at one blow the superstitious11 fears I saw it was otherwise impossible to combat. I might interest Ellen, and I was quite certain that I could interest the cook; but this meant Nixon, also, who was always around and whose animosity to myself was too mysteriously founded for me to trust him with any of my secrets or to afford him any inkling of my real reason for being in the house.
Yet help I must have and very efficient help, too. Should I telegraph to Mayor Packard for some sort of order which would lead to the tearing up of this end of the house? I could not do this without fuller explanations than I could give in a telegram. Besides, he was under sufficient pressure just now for me to spare him the consideration of so disturbing a matter, especially as he had left a substitute behind whose business it was, not only to relieve Mrs. Packard in regard to the libelous12 paragraph, but in all other directions to which his attention might be called. I would see Mr. Steele; he would surely be able to think up some scheme by which that aperture13 might be investigated without creating too much disturbance14 in the house.
An opportunity for doing this was not long in presenting itself. Mr. Steele came in about nine o’clock and passed at once into the study. The next moment I was knocking at his door, my heart in any mouth, but my determination strung up to the point of daring anything and everything for the end I had in view.
Fortunately he came to the door; I could never have entered without his encouragement. As I met his eye I was ashamed of the color my cheeks undoubtedly15 showed, but felt reconciled the next minute, for he was not quite disembarrassed himself, though he betrayed it by a little extra paleness rather than by a flush, such as had so disturbed myself. Both of us were quite natural in a moment, however, and answering his courteous16 gesture I stepped in and at once opened up my business.
“You must pardon me,” said I, “for this infringement17 upon the usual rules of this office. I have something very serious to say about Mrs. Packard — oh, she’s quite well; it has to do with a matter I shall presently explain — and I wish to make a request.”
“Thank you for the honor,” he said, drawing up a chair for me.
But I did not sit, neither did I speak for a moment. I was contemplating18 his features and thinking how faultless they were.
“I hardly know where to begin,” I ventured at last. “I am burdened with a secret, and it may all appear puerile19 to you. I don’t know whether to remind you first of Mayor Packard’s intense desire to see his wife’s former cheerfulness restored — a task in which I have been engaged to assist — or to plunge20 at once into my discoveries, which are a little peculiar21 and possibly important, in spite of my short acquaintance with the people under this roof and the nature of my position here.”
“You excite me,” were his few quick but sharply accentuated22 words. “What secret? What discoveries? I didn’t know that the house held any that were worth the attention of sensible persons like ourselves.”
I had not been looking at him directly, but I looked up at this and was astonished to find that his interest in what I had said was greater than appeared from his tone or even from his manner.
“You know the cause of Mrs. Packard’s present uneasiness?” I asked.
“Mayor Packard told me — the paragraph which appeared in yesterday morning’s paper. I have tried to find out its author, but I have failed so far.”
“That is a trifle,” I said. “The real cause — no, I prefer to stand,” I put in, for he was again urging me by a gesture to seat myself.
“The real cause —” he repeated.
“— is one you will smile at, but which you must nevertheless respect. She thinks — she has confided23 to us, in fact — that she has seen, within these walls, what many others profess24 to have seen. You understand me, Mr. Steele?”
“I don’t know that I do, Miss Saunders.”
“I find it hard to speak it; you have heard, of course, the common gossip about this house.”
“That it is haunted?” he smiled, somewhat disdainfully.
“Yes. Well, Mrs. Packard believes that she has seen what — what gives this name to the house.”
“A ghost?”
“Yes, a ghost — in the library one night.”
“Ah!”
The ejaculation was eloquent25. I did not altogether understand it, but its chief expression seemed to be contempt. I began to fear he would not have sufficient sympathy with such an unreasoning state of mind to give me the attention and assistance I desired. He saw the effect it had upon me and hastened to say:
“The impression Mrs. Packard has made upon me was of a common-sense woman. I’m sorry to hear that she is the victim of an hallucination. What do you propose to do about it? — for I see that you have some project in mind.”
Then I told him as much of my story as seemed necessary to obtain his advice and to secure his cooperation. I confided to him my theory of the unexplainable sights and sounds which had so unfortunately aroused Mrs. Packard’s imagination, and what I had done so far to substantiate26 it. I did not mention the bonds, nor tell him of Bess and her box, but led him to think that my experiments in the cellar had been the result of my discoveries in the side entrance.
He listened gravely — I hardly feel justified27 in saying with a surprise that was complimentary28. I am not sure that it was. Such men are difficult to understand. When I had finished, he remarked with a smile:
“So you conclude that the floor of this place is movable and that the antiquated29 ladies you mention have stretched their old limbs in a difficult climb, just for the game of frightening out tenants30 they did not desire for neighbors?”
“I know that it sounds ridiculous,” I admitted, refraining still, in spite of the great temptation, from mentioning the treasure which it was the one wish of their lives to protect from the discovery of others. “If they were quite sane31 I should perhaps not have the courage to suggest this explanation of what has been heard and seen here. But they are not quite sane; a glance at their faces is enough to convince one of this, and from minds touched with insanity32 anything can be expected. Will you go with me to this side entrance and examine the floor for yourself? The condition of things under it I will ask you to take my word for; you will hardly wish to visit the cellar on an exploring expedition till you are reasonably assured of its necessity.”
His eye, which had grown curiously33 cold and unresponsive through this, turned from me toward the desk before which he had been sitting. It was heaped high with a batch34 of unopened letters, and I could readily understand what was in his mind.
“You will be helping35 the mayor more by listening to me,” I continued earnestly, “than by anything you can do here. Believe me, Mr. Steele, I am no foolish, unadvised girl. I know what I am talking about.”
He suppressed an impatient sigh and endeavored to show a proper appreciation36 of my own estimate of myself and the value of my communication.
“I am at your service,” said he.
I wished he had been a little more enthusiastic, but, careful not to show my disappointment, I added, as I led the way to the door:
“I wish we could think of some way of securing ourselves from interruption. Nixon does not like me, and will be sure to interest himself in our movements if he sees us go down that hall together.”
“Is there any harm in that?”
“There might be. He is suspicious of me, which makes it impossible for one to count upon his conduct. If he saw us meddling37 with the cabinet, he would be very apt to rush with his complaints to Mrs. Packard, and I am not ready yet to take her into our confidence. I want first to be sure that my surmises38 are correct.”
“You are quite right.” If any sarcasm39 tinged40 this admission, he successfully hid it. “I think I can dispose of Nixon for a short time,” he went on. “You are bent41 upon meddling with that vestibule floor?”
“Yes.”
“Even if I should advise not?”
“Yes, Mr. Steele; even if you roused the household and called Mrs. Packard down to witness my folly42. But I should prefer to make my experiments quickly and without any other witness than yourself. I am not without some pride to counterbalance my presumption43.”
We had come to a stand before the door as I said this. As I finished, he laid his hand on the knob, saying kindly44:
“Your wishes shall be considered. Take a seat in the library, Miss Saunders, and in a few moments I will join you. I have a task for Nixon which will keep him employed for some time.”
At this he opened the door and I glided45 out. Making my way to the library I hastened in and threw myself into one of its great chairs. In another minute I heard Mr. Steele summon Nixon, and in the short interview which followed between them heard enough to comprehend that he was loading the old butler’s arms with a large mass of documents and papers for immediate46 consumption in the furnace. Nixon was not to leave till they were all safely consumed. The grumble47 which followed from the old fellow’s lips was not the most cheerful sound in the world, but he went back with his pile. Presently I heard the furnace door rattle48 and caught the smell, which I was careful to explain to Ellen as she went by the library door on her way up-stairs, lest Mrs. Packard should be alarmed and come running down to see what was the matter.
The next moment Mr. Steele appeared in the doorway49.
“Now what are we to do?” said he.
I led the way to what I have sometimes called “the recess” for lack of a better name.
“This is the place,” I cried, adding a few explanations as I saw the curiosity with which he now surveyed its various features. “Don’t you see now that cabinet leans to the left? I declare it leans more than it did yesterday; the floor certainly dips at that point.”
He cast a glance where I pointed50 and instinctively51 put out his hand, but let it fall as I remarked:
“The cabinet is not so very heavy. If I take out a few of those big pieces of pottery52, don’t you think we could lift it away from this corner?”
“And what would you do then?”
“Tear up the carpet and see what is the matter with this part of the floor. Perhaps we shall find not only that, but something else of a still more interesting nature.”
He was standing53 on the sill of what had been the inner doorway. As I said these words he fell back in careless grace against the panel and remained leaning there in an easy attitude, assumed possibly just to show me with what incredulity, and yet with what kindly forbearance he regarded my childish enthusiasm.
“I don’t understand,” said he. “What do you expect to find?”
“Some spring or button by which this floor is made to serve the purpose of a trap. I’m sure that there is an opening underneath54 — a large opening. Won’t you help me —”
I forgot to finish. In my eagerness to impress him I had turned in his direction, and was staring straight at his easy figure and faintly smiling features, when the molding against which he leaned caught my eye. With a total absence of every other thought than the idea which had suddenly come to me, I sprang forward and pressed with my whole weight against one of the edges of the molding which had a darker hue55 about it than the rest. I felt it give, felt the floor start from under me at the same moment, and in another heard the clatter56 and felt the force of the toppling cabinet on my shoulder as it and I went shooting down into the hole I had been so anxious to penetrate57, though not in just this startling fashion.
The cry, uttered by Mr. Steele as I disappeared from before his eyes, was my first conscious realization58 of what had happened after I had struck the ground below.
“Are you hurt?” he cried, with real commiseration59, as he leaned over to look for me in the hollow at his feet. “Wait and I will drop down to you,” he went on, swinging himself into a position to leap.
I was trembling with the shock and probably somewhat bruised60, but not hurt enough to prevent myself from scrambling61 to my feet, as he slid down to my side and offered me his arm for support.
“What did you do?” he asked. “Was it you who made this trap give way? I see that it is a trap now,”— and he pointed to the square boarding hampered62 by its carpet which hung at one side.
“I pressed one of those round knobs in the molding,” I explained, laughing to hide the tears of excitement in my eyes. “It had a loose look. I did it without thinking — that is, without thinking enough of what I was doing to be sure that I was in a safe enough position for such an experiment. But I’m all right, and so is the cabinet. See!” I pointed to where it stood, still upright, its contents well shaken up but itself in tolerably good condition.
“You are fortunate,” said he. “Shall I help you up out of this? Your curiosity must be amply satisfied.”
“Not yet, not yet,” I cried. “Oh! it is as I thought,” I now exclaimed, peering around the corner of the cabinet into a place of total darkness. “The passage is here, running directly under the alley-way. Help me, help me, I must follow it to the end. I’m sure it communicates with the house next door.”
He had to humor me. I already had one hand on the cabinet’s edge, and should have pushed it aside by my own strength if he had not interfered63. The space we were in was so small, some four feet square, I should judge, that the utmost we could do was to shove one corner of it slightly aside, so as to make a narrow passage into the space beyond. Through this I slipped and should have stepped recklessly on if he had not caught me back and suggested that he go first into what might have its own pitfalls64 and dangers.
I did not fear these, but was glad, nevertheless, to yield to his suggestion and allow him to pass me. As he did so, he took out a match from his pocket and in another moment had lit and held it out. A long, narrow vaulting65 met our eyes, very rude and propped66 up with beams in an irregular way. It was empty save for a wooden stool or some such object which stood near our feet. Though the small flame was insufficient67 to allow us to see very far, I was sure that I caught the outlines of a roughly made door at the extreme end and was making for this door, careless of his judgment68 and detaining hand, when a quick, strong light suddenly struck me in the face. In the square hollow made by the opening of this door, I saw the figure of Miss Charity with a lighted lantern in her hand. She was coming my way, the secret of the ghostly visitations which had deceived so many people was revealed.
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1
parlor
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| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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conspicuously
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| ad.明显地，惹人注目地 | |
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tinge
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| vt.(较淡)着色于，染色；使带有…气息；n.淡淡色彩，些微的气息 | |
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furtive
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| adj.鬼鬼崇崇的，偷偷摸摸的 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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fret
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| v.(使)烦恼；(使)焦急；(使)腐蚀，(使)磨损 | |
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pretext
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| n.借口，托词 | |
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lessen
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| vt.减少，减轻；缩小 | |
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superstitious
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| adj.迷信的 | |
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libelous
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| adj.败坏名誉的，诽谤性的 | |
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aperture
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| n.孔，隙，窄的缺口 | |
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disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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17
infringement
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| n.违反；侵权 | |
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18
contemplating
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| 深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想 | |
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puerile
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| adj.幼稚的，儿童的 | |
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plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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22
accentuated
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| v.重读( accentuate的过去式和过去分词 )；使突出；使恶化；加重音符号于 | |
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23
confided
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| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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24
profess
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| v.声称，冒称，以...为业，正式接受入教，表明信仰 | |
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eloquent
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| adj.雄辩的，口才流利的；明白显示出的 | |
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substantiate
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| v.证实；证明...有根据 | |
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justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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complimentary
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| adj.赠送的，免费的，赞美的，恭维的 | |
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antiquated
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| adj.陈旧的，过时的 | |
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tenants
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| n.房客( tenant的名词复数 )；佃户；占用者；占有者 | |
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sane
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| adj.心智健全的，神志清醒的，明智的，稳健的 | |
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insanity
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| n.疯狂，精神错乱；极端的愚蠢，荒唐 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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batch
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| n.一批(组，群)；一批生产量 | |
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helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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appreciation
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| n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨 | |
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37
meddling
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| v.干涉，干预（他人事务）( meddle的现在分词 ) | |
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surmises
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| v.臆测，推断( surmise的第三人称单数 )；揣测；猜想 | |
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39
sarcasm
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| n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic） | |
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40
tinged
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| v.（使）发丁丁声( ting的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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41
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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42
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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43
presumption
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| n.推测，可能性，冒昧，放肆，[法律]推定 | |
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44
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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45
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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46
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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47
grumble
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| vi.抱怨；咕哝；n.抱怨，牢骚；咕哝，隆隆声 | |
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48
rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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49
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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50
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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51
instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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52
pottery
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| n.陶器，陶器场 | |
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53
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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54
underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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55
hue
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| n.色度；色调；样子 | |
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56
clatter
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| v./n.(使)发出连续而清脆的撞击声 | |
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57
penetrate
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| v.透(渗)入；刺入，刺穿；洞察，了解 | |
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58
realization
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| n.实现；认识到，深刻了解 | |
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commiseration
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| n.怜悯，同情 | |
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60
bruised
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| [医]青肿的，瘀紫的 | |
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61
scrambling
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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62
hampered
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| 妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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63
interfered
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| v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉 | |
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64
pitfalls
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| （捕猎野兽用的）陷阱( pitfall的名词复数 )； 意想不到的困难，易犯的错误 | |
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65
vaulting
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| n.（天花板或屋顶的）拱形结构 | |
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propped
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| 支撑，支持，维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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insufficient
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| adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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