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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,whodreadedtostayaloneintheservants'hall,broughtutherear,smellingtoabrokenbottleofvolatilesalts,andexressingherterrorofthe
"ghostesses
".
"Ghosts!
"saidmyauntresolutely.
"I'llsingetheirwhiskersforthem!
"
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.
"Hanghim?Howcouldthey?
"exclaimedabeetle-browedbarristerwithahawk'snose.
"Theoffensewasnotcaital.Norobbery,noassaulthadbeencommitted.Noforcibleentryorbreakingintotheremises.
"
"Myaunt,
"saidthenarrator,
"wasawomanofsirit,andattotakethelawinherownhands.Shehadherownnotionsofcleanlinessalso.Sheorderedthefellowtobedrawnthroughthehorseond,tocleanseawayalloffenses,andthentobewellrubbeddownwithanoakentowel.
"
"Andwhatbecameofhimafterwards?
"saidtheinquisitivegentleman.
"Idonotexactlyknow.IbelievehewassentonavoyageofimrovementtoBotanyBay.
"
"Andyouraunt?
"saidtheinquisitivegentleman.
"I'llwarrantshetookcaretomakehermaidsleeintheroomwithherafterthat.
"
"No,sir,shedidbetter;shegaveherhandshortlyaftertotheroisteringsquire;forsheusedtoobservethatitwasadismalthingforawomantosleealoneinthecountry.
"
"Shewasright,
"observedtheinquisitivegentleman,noddingsagaciously;
"butIamsorrytheydidnothangthatfellow.
"
Itwasagreedonallhandsthatthelastnarratorhadbroughthistaletothemostsatisfactoryconclusion,thoughacountryclergymanresentregrettedthattheuncleandaunt,whofiguredinthedifferentstories,hadnotbeenmarriedtogether;theycertainlywouldhavebeenwellmatched.
