, whowasalmostasresoluteapersonageasyouruncle, sir, (turningtotheoldstoryteller), , ;tookacandleandpickedupthearticlesonebyonefromthefloor;pursuedaroilingpincushionthatwasmakingthebestofitswayunderthebed;thenopenedthedoor;lookedforaninstantintothecorridor, asifindoubtwhethertogo;andthenwalkedquietlyout.
Shehasteneddownstairs, orderedtheservantstoarmthemselveswiththeweaponsfirstathand, placedherselfattheirhead, andreturnedalmostimmediately.
, thecoachmanaloadedwhip, thefootmanapairofhorsepistols, thecookahugechoppingknife, -hotpoker, , whodreadedtostayaloneintheservants'hall, broughtuptherear, smellingtoabrokenbottleofvolatilesalts, andexpressingherterrorofthe "ghostesses"."Ghosts!" saidmyauntresolutely."I'llsingetheirwhiskersforthem!"
.
"Pulldownthatpicture!" , andasoundlikethechatteringofteeth, ;themaidutteredafaintshriek, andclungtothefootmanforsupport.
"Instantly!" addedmyaunt, , andfromarecessbehindit, inwhichhadformerlystoodaclock, theyhauledfortharound-shouldered, black-beardedvarlet, withaknifeaslongasmyarm, buttremblingalloverlikeanaspenleaf.
"Well, andwhowashe?Noghost, Isuppose," saidtheinquisitivegentleman.
"Aknightofthepost," repliedthenarrator, "whohadbeensmittenwiththeworthofthewealthywidow;orrather, amaraudingTarquin, whohadstolenintoherchambertoviolateherpurse, andrifleherstrongbox, ," continuedhe, "thevagabondwasaloose, idlefellowoftheneighborhood, whohadoncebeenaservantinthehouse, , andhadborrowedaneyefromtheportraitbywayofareconnoiteringhole."
"Andwhatdidtheydowithhim?Didtheyhanghim?" resumedthequestioner.
"Hanghim?Howcouldthey?" exclaimedabeetle-browedbarristerwithahawk'snose.", ."
"Myaunt," saidthenarrator, "wasawomanofspirit, , tocleanseawayalloffenses, andthentobewellrubbeddownwithanoakentowel."
"Andwhatbecameofhimafterwards?" saidtheinquisitivegentleman.
"."
"Andyouraunt?" saidtheinquisitivegentleman."I'llwarrantshetookcaretomakehermaidsleepintheroomwithherafterthat."
"No, sir, shedidbetter;shegaveherhandshortlyaftertotheroisteringsquire;forsheusedtoobservethatitwasadismalthingforawomantosleepaloneinthecountry."
"Shewasright," observedtheinquisitivegentleman, noddingsagaciously; "butIamsorrytheydidnothangthatfellow."
Itwasagreedonallhandsthatthelastnarratorhadbroughthistaletothemostsatisfactoryconclusion, thoughacountryclergymanpresentregrettedthattheuncleandaunt, whofiguredinthedifferentstories, hadnotbeenmarriedtogether;theycertainlywouldhavebeenwellmatched.
