The Canterville Ghost(坎特维家的鬼魂)
Oscar Wilde
Chapter 1
When Mr. Hiram B. Otis, the American Minister, bought
Canterville Chase, every one told him he was doing a very foolish
thing, as there was no doubt at all that the place was haunted.
Indeed, Lord Canterville himself, who was a man of the most
punctilious honour, had felt it his duty to mention the fact to Mr.
Otis when they came to discuss terms.
“We have not cared to live in the place ourselves,” said Lord
Canterville, “since my grand-aunt, the Dowager Duchess of Bolton,
was frightened into a fit, from which she never really recovered,
by two skeleton hands being placed on her shoulders as she was
dressing for dinner, and I feel bound to tell you, Mr. Otis, that
the ghost has been seen by several living members of my family, as
well as by the rector of the parish, the Rev. Aug…