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Spurred by this motiveand I think it is an honourable and a right motive…
…I find I am enabled to overcome my usual repugnance to talking about
myself； and can thus tell …
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MY OWN STORY
As soon as my uncle had finished his story； I； as I have already told
you； rose up and said that _I_ would sleep in the Blue Chamber that very
night。
〃Never！〃 cried my uncle； springing up。 〃You shall not put yourself in
this deadly peril。 Besides； the bed is not made。〃
〃Never mind the bed；〃 I replied。 〃I have lived in furnished
apartments for gentlemen； and have been accustomed to sleep on beds that
have never been made from one year's end to the other。 Do not thwart
me in my resolve。 I am young； and have had a clear conscience now for
over a month。 The spirits will not harm me。 I may even do them some
little good； and induce them to be quiet and go away。 Besides； I should
like to see the show。〃
Saying which； I sat down again。 （How Mr。 Coombes came to be in
my chair； instead of at the other side of the room； where he had been all
the evening； and why he never offered to apologise when I sat right down
on top of him； and why young Biffles should have tried to palm himself
off upon me as my Uncle John； and induced me； under that erroneous
impression； to shake him by the hand for nearly three minutes； and tell
him that I had always regarded him as father；are matters that； to this day；
I have never been able to fully understand。）
They tried to dissuade me from what they termed my foolhardy
enterprise； but I remained firm； and claimed my privilege。 I was 'the
guest。' 'The guest' always sleeps in the haunted chamber on Christmas
Eve； it is his perquisite。
They said that if I put it on that footing； they had； of course； no answer；
and they lighted a candle for me； and accompanied me upstairs in a body。
Whether elevated by the feeling that I was doing a noble action； or
animated by a mere general consciousness of rectitude； is not for me to say；
but I went upstairs that night with remarkable buoyancy。 It was as much as
I could do to stop at the landing when I came to it； I felt I wanted to go on
up to the roof。 But； with the help of the banisters； I restrained my
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ambition； wished them all good… night； and went in and shut the door。
Things began to go wrong with me from the very first。 The candle
tumbled out of the candlestick before my hand was off the lock。 It kept
on tumbling out of the candlestick； and every time I picked put it up and
put it in； it tumbled out again： I never saw such a slippery candle。 I
gave up attempting to use the candlestick at last； and carried the candle
about in my hand； and； even then； it would not keep upright。 So I got
wild and threw it out of window； and undressed and went to bed in the
dark。
I did not go to sleep；I did not feel sleepy at all；I lay on my back；
looking up at the ceiling； and thinking of things。 I wish I could
remember some of the ideas that came to me as I lay there； because they
were so amusing。 I laughed at them myself till the bed shook。 I had
been lying like this for half an hour or so； and had forgotten all about the
ghost； when； on casually casting my eyes round the room； I noticed for the
first time a singularly contented…looking phantom； sitting in the easy…chair
by the fire； smoking the ghost of a long clay pipe。
I fancied for the moment； as most people would under similar
circumstances； that I must be dreaming。 I sat up； and rubbed my eyes。
No！ It was a ghost； clear enough。 I could see the back of the chair
through his body。 He looked over towards me； took the shadowy pipe
from his lips； and nodded。
The most surprising part of the whole thing to me was that I did not
feel in the least alarmed。 If anything； I was rather pleased to see him。 It
was company。
I said； 〃Good evening。 It's been a cold day！〃
He said he had not noticed it himself； but dared say I was right。
We remained silent for a few seconds； and then； wishing to put it
pleasantly； I said； 〃I believe I have the honour of addressing the ghost of
the gentleman who had the accident with the wait？〃
He smiled； and said it was very good of me to remember it。 One wait
was not much to boast of； but still； every little helped。
I was somewhat staggered at his answer。 I had expected a groan of
remorse。 The ghost appeared； on the contrary； to be rather conceited over
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the business。 I thought that； as he had taken my reference to the wait so
quietly； perhaps he would not be offended if I questioned him about the
organ…grinder。 I felt curious about that poor boy。
〃Is it true；〃 I asked； 〃that you had a hand in the death of that Italian
peasant lad who came to the town once with a barrel…organ that played
nothing but Scotch airs？〃
He quite fired up。 〃Had a hand in it！〃 he exclaimed indignantly。
〃Who has dared to pretend that he assisted me？ I murdered the youth
myself。 Nobody helped me。 Alone I did it。 Show me the man who
says I didn't。〃
I calmed him。 I assured him that I had never； in my own mind；
doubted that he was the real and only assassin； and I went on and asked
him what he had done with the body of the cornet…player he had killed。
He said； 〃To which one may you be alluding？〃
〃Oh； were there any more then？〃 I inquired。
He smiled； and gave a little cough。 He said he did not like to appear
to be boasting； but that； counting trombones； there were seven。
〃Dear me！〃 I replied； 〃you must have had quite a busy time of it； one
way and another。〃
He said that perhaps he ought not to be the one to say so； but that
really； speaking of ordinary middle…society； he thought there were few
ghosts who could look back upon a life of more sustained usefulness。
He puffed away in silence for a few seconds； while I sat watching him。
I had never seen a ghost smoking a pipe before； that I could remember；
and it interested me。
I asked him what tobacco he used； and he replied； 〃The ghost of cut
cavendish； as a rule。〃
He explained that the ghost of all the tobacco that a man smoked in
life belonged to him when he became dead。 He said he himself had
smoked a good deal of cut cavendish when he was alive； so that he was
well supplied with the ghost of it now。
I observed that it was a useful thing to know that； and I made up my
mind to smoke as much tobacco as ever I could before I died。
I thought I might as well start at once； so I said I would join him in a
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pipe； and he said； 〃Do； old man〃； and I reached over and got out the
necessary paraphernalia from my coat pocket and lit up。
We grew quite chummy after that； and he told me all his crimes。 He
said he had lived next door once to a young lady who was learning to play
the guitar； while a gentleman who practised on the bass… viol lived
opposite。 And he； with fiendish cunning； had introduced these two
unsuspecting young people to one another； and had persuaded them to
elope with each other against their parents' wishes； and take their musical
instruments with them； and they had done so； and； before the honeymoon
was over； SHE had broken his head with the bass…viol； and HE had tried to
cram the guitar down her throat； and had injured her for life。
My friend said he used to lure muffin…men into the pas