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第45章 姨妈历险记3（第1页）

chillwasbuttransient。Myaunt，whowasalmostasresoluteaersonageasyouruncle，sir，（turningtotheoldstoryteller），becameinstantlycalmandcollected。Shewentonadjustingherdress。Sheevenhummedanair，anddidnotmakeevenasinglefalsenote。Shecasuallyoverturnedadressingbox;tookacandleandickeduthearticlesonebyonefromthefloor;ursuedaroilingincushionthatwasmakingthebestofitswayunderthebed;thenoenedthedoor;lookedforaninstantintothecorridor，asifindoubtwhethertogo;andthenwalkedquietlyout。

Shehasteneddownstairs，orderedtheservantstoarmthemselveswiththeweaonsfirstathand，lacedherselfattheirhead，andreturnedalmostimmediately。

Herhastilyleviedarmyresentedaformidableforce。Thestewardhadarustyblunderbuss，thecoachmanaloadedwhi，thefootmanaairofhorseistols，thecookahugechoingknife，andthebutlerabottleineachhand。Myauntledthevanwithared-hotoker，andinmyoinionshewasthemostformidableofthearty。Thewaitingmaid，whodreadedtostayaloneintheservantshall，broughtutherear，smellingtoabrokenbottleofvolatilesalts，andexressingherterrorofthe

"ghostesses

"。

"Ghosts!

"saidmyauntresolutely。

"Illsingetheirwhiskersforthem!

"

Theyenteredthechamber。Allwasstillandundisturbedaswhenshehadleftit。Theyaroachedtheortraitofmyuncle。

"Pulldownthaticture!

"criedmyaunt。Aheavygroan，andasoundlikethechatteringofteeth，issuedfromtheortrait。Theservantsshrunkback;themaidutteredafaintshriek，andclungtothefootmanforsuort。

"Instantly!

"addedmyaunt，withastamofthefoot。Theicturewasulleddown，andfromarecessbehindit，inwhichhadformerlystoodaclock，theyhauledfortharound-shouldered，black-beardedvarlet，withaknifeaslongasmyarm，buttremblingalloverlikeanasenleaf。

"Well，andwhowashe?Noghost，Isuose，

"saidtheinquisitivegentleman。

"Aknightoftheost，

"reliedthenarrator，

"whohadbeensmittenwiththeworthofthewealthywidow;orrather，amaraudingTarquin，whohadstolenintoherchambertoviolateherurse，andrifleherstrongbox，whenallthehouseshouldbeaslee。Inlainterms，

"continuedhe，

"thevagabondwasaloose，idlefellowoftheneighborhood，whohadoncebeenaservantinthehouse，andhadbeenemloyedtoassistinarrangingitfortherecetionofitsmistress。Heconfessedthathehadcontrivedthishidinglaceforhisnefariousurose，andhadborrowedaneyefromtheortraitbywayofareconnoiteringhole。

"

"Andwhatdidtheydowithhim?Didtheyhanghim?

"resumedthequestioner。