FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93  
94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   >>   >|  
then down it went in a heap to the floor, and out came the substantial proportions of Doctor Morani, looming formidable in the dusky light of the expiring embers. The sound of his well-known vigorous laugh resounded through the kitchen, as he flung a bunch of pine branches on the fire. The next moment a bright flame shot up, and the light as by magic brought the scared group to their senses. Each looked into the faces of the others with an expression of rising merriment struggling with ghastly fear, and first a long-drawn breath of relief, and then a burst of laughter broke from all. "What a fright you have given us, Padrone!" Beppo was the first to say. "I hope so," replied the Doctor,--"it has only paid you off for the one you gave me twenty years ago." "I!--you!--but how, caro Padrone?" "Ah! you haven't yet, I assure you, recognized your old acquaintance, the identical ghost which you favored with a bullet. Would you like to see it once more?" "_Pazienza!_" exclaimed Beppo, "for once,--twice;--but three times,--no, that is more than enough. I am satisfied with what I have seen." "Do you know what you have seen?" resumed the Doctor. "Very well, listen to me. When the Rector refused to let poor Hans lie in the same ground with many of our townspeople who (God rest their souls!) had lived scarcely so honest a life as he had done, I was far from imagining that he was to be thrust into the tower, of all places in the world, and just when it was well known I had bargained for it. 'That's the way I am to be used, is it?' thought I. I'll play you a trick, my friends, worth two of yours,--one that will make you glad to give honest Hans hospitality in your churchyard.' "I waited a few days, till the moon should rise late, so as to be shining about one or two in the morning, the time when the girls set off for the woods. I provided myself with a sheet, and took care to be in the tower before midnight. I tied two long sticks together in the shape of a cross, stuck my hat on the top, and threw the linen over the whole; and a capital ghost it was. Then I got under the drapery, pushing up the stick, so as to give the idea of a gigantic human figure with extended arms. I had no fear of being discovered, for the Syndic had the key still in his possession, and I had made good my entrance through a gap in the wall sufficiently well concealed by brambles. I suppose I need not tell you, young women, how brave your moth
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93  
94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Doctor

 

Padrone

 

honest

 
hospitality
 
morning
 

churchyard

 
waited
 

shining

 

places

 

thrust


bargained
 

imagining

 

scarcely

 

friends

 

thought

 
Syndic
 

possession

 

discovered

 

gigantic

 
figure

extended

 
entrance
 

sufficiently

 

concealed

 

brambles

 

suppose

 

midnight

 
sticks
 

provided

 

drapery


pushing

 

capital

 

listen

 

breath

 

relief

 

laughter

 

ghastly

 

struggling

 

formidable

 

expression


rising

 

merriment

 

proportions

 

substantial

 

replied

 

fright

 
looming
 

Morani

 

branches

 

kitchen