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deserted seat； the closed book； the unfinished but abandoned
occupation； all are images of Death。 The tranquillity of the hour
is the tranquillity of Death。 The color and the chill have the
same association。 Even a certain air that familiar household
objects take upon them when they first emerge from the shadows of
the night into the morning； of being newer； and as they used to be
long ago； has its counterpart in the subsidence of the worn face of
maturity or age； in death； into the old youthful look。 Moreover； I
once saw the apparition of my father； at this hour。 He was alive
and well； and nothing ever came of it； but I saw him in the
daylight； sitting with his back towards me； on a seat that stood
beside my bed。 His head was resting on his hand； and whether he
was slumbering or grieving； I could not discern。 Amazed to see him
there； I sat up； moved my position； leaned out of bed； and watched
him。 As he did not move； I spoke to him more than once。 As he did
not move then； I became alarmed and laid my hand upon his shoulder；
as I thoughtand there was no such thing。
For all these reasons； and for others less easily and briefly
statable； I find the early morning to be my most ghostly time。 Any
house would be more or less haunted； to me； in the early morning；
and a haunted house could scarcely address me to greater advantage
than then。
I walked on into the village； with the desertion of this house upon
my mind； and I found the landlord of the little inn； sanding his
door…step。 I bespoke breakfast； and broached the subject of the
house。
〃Is it haunted？〃 I asked。
The landlord looked at me； shook his head； and answered； 〃I say
nothing。〃
〃Then it IS haunted？〃
〃Well！〃 cried the landlord； in an outburst of frankness that had
the appearance of desperation〃I wouldn't sleep in it。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃If I wanted to have all the bells in a house ring； with nobody to
ring 'em； and all the doors in a house bang； with nobody to bang
'em； and all sorts of feet treading about； with no feet there； why；
then；〃 said the landlord； 〃I'd sleep in that house。〃
〃Is anything seen there？〃
The landlord looked at me again； and then； with his former
appearance of desperation； called down his stable…yard for 〃Ikey！〃
The call produced a high…shouldered young fellow； with a round red
face； a short crop of sandy hair； a very broad humorous mouth； a
turned…up nose； and a great sleeved waistcoat of purple bars； with
mother…of…pearl buttons； that seemed to be growing upon him； and to
be in a fair wayif it were not prunedof covering his head and
overrunning his boots。
〃This gentleman wants to know；〃 said the landlord； 〃if anything's
seen at the Poplars。〃
〃'Ooded woman with a howl；〃 said Ikey； in a state of great
freshness。
〃Do you mean a cry？〃
〃I mean a bird； sir。〃
〃A hooded woman with an owl。 Dear me！ Did you ever see her？〃
〃I seen the howl。〃
〃Never the woman？〃
〃Not so plain as the howl； but they always keeps together。〃
〃Has anybody ever seen the woman as plainly as the owl？〃
〃Lord bless you； sir！ Lots。〃
〃Who？〃
〃Lord bless you； sir！ Lots。〃
〃The general…dealer opposite； for instance； who is opening his
shop？〃
〃Perkins？ Bless you； Perkins wouldn't go a…nigh the place。 No！〃
observed the young man； with considerable feeling； 〃he an't
overwise； an't Perkins； but he an't such a fool as THAT。〃
（Here； the landlord murmured his confidence in Perkins's knowing
better。）
〃Who isor who wasthe hooded woman with the owl？ Do you know？〃
〃Well！〃 said Ikey； holding up his cap with one hand while he
scratched his head with the other； 〃they say； in general； that she
was murdered； and the howl he 'ooted the while。〃
This very concise summary of the facts was all I could learn；
except that a young man； as hearty and likely a young man as ever I
see； had been took with fits and held down in 'em； after seeing the
hooded woman。 Also； that a personage； dimly described as 〃a hold
chap； a sort of one…eyed tramp； answering to the name of Joby；
unless you challenged him as Greenwood； and then he said； 'Why not？
and even if so； mind your own business；'〃 had encountered the
hooded woman； a matter of five or six times。 But； I was not
materially assisted by these witnesses： inasmuch as the first was
in California； and the last was； as Ikey said （and he was confirmed
by the landlord）； Anywheres。
Now； although I regard with a hushed and solemn fear； the
mysteries； between which and this state of existence is interposed
the barrier of the great trial and change that fall on all the
things that live； and although I have not the audacity to pretend
that I know anything of them； I can no more reconcile the mere
banging of doors； ringing of bells； creaking of boards； and such…
like insignificances； with the majestic beauty and pervading
analogy of all the Divine rules that I am permitted to understand；
than I had been able； a little while before； to yoke the spiritual
intercourse of my fellow… traveller to the chariot of the rising
sun。 Moreover； I had lived in two haunted housesboth abroad。 In
one of these； an old Italian palace； which bore the reputation of
being very badly haunted indeed； and which had recently been twice
abandoned on that account； I lived eight months； most tranquilly
and pleasantly： notwithstanding that the house had a score of
mysterious bedrooms； which were never used； and possessed； in one
large room in which I sat reading； times out of number at all
hours； and next to which I slept； a haunted chamber of the first
pretensions。 I gently hinted these considerations to the landlord。
And as to this particular house having a bad name； I reasoned with
him； Why； how many things had bad names undeservedly； and how easy
it was to give bad names； and did he not think that if he and I
were persistently to whisper in the village that any weird…looking
old drunken tinker of the neighborhood had sold himself to the
Devil； he would come in time to be suspected of that commercial
venture！ All this wise talk was perfectly ineffective with the
landlord； I am bound to confess； and was as dead a failure as ever
I made in my life。
To cut this part of the story short； I was piqued about the haunted
house； and was already half resolved to take it。 So； after
breakfast； I got the keys from Perkins's brother…in…law （a whip and
harness maker； who keeps the Post Office； and is under submission
to a most rigorous wife of the Doubly Seceding Little Emmanuel
persuasion）； and went up to the house； attended by my landlord and
by Ikey。
Within； I found it； as I had expected； transcendently dismal。 The
slowly changing shadows waved on it from the heavy trees； were
doleful in the last degree； the house was ill…placed； ill…built；
ill…planned； and ill…fitted。 It was damp； it was not free from dry
rot； there was a flavor of rats in it； and it was the gloomy victim
of that indescribable decay which settles on all the work of man's
hands whenever it's not turned to man's account。 The kitchens and
offices were too large； and too remote from each other。 Above
stairs and below； waste tracts of passage intervened between
patches of fertility represented by rooms； and there was a mouldy
old well with a green growth upon it； hiding like a murderous trap；
near the bottom of the back…stairs； under the double row of bells。
One of these bells was labelled； on a black ground in faded white
letters； MASTER B。 This； they told me； was the bell that rang the
most。
〃Who was Master B。？〃 I asked。 〃Is it known what he did while the
owl hooted？〃
〃Rang the bell；〃 said Ikey。
I was rather struck by the prompt dexterity with which this young
man pitched his fur cap at the bell； and rang it himself。 It was a
loud； unpleasant bell； and made a very disagreeable sound。 The
other bells were inscribed according to the names of the rooms to
which their wires were conducted： as 〃Picture Room；〃 〃Double Room；〃
〃Clock Room；〃 and the like。 Following Master B。's bell to its
source I found that young gentleman to have had but indifferent
third…class accommodation in a triangular cabin under the cock…
loft； with a corner fireplace which Master B。 must have been
exceedingly small if he were ever able to warm himself at； and a
corner chimney…piece like a pyramidal staircase to the ceiling for
Tom Thumb。 The papering of one side of the room had dropped down
bodily； with fragments of plaster adhering to it； and almost
blocked up the door。 It appeared that Master B。； in his spiritual
condition； always made a point of pulling the paper down。 Neither
the landlord nor Ikey could suggest why he made such a fool of
himself。
Except that the house had an immensely large rambling loft at top；
I made no other discoveries。 It was moderately well furnished； but
sparely。 Some of the furnituresay； a thirdwas as old as the
house； the rest was of various periods within the last half…
century。 I was referred to a corn…chandler in the market…place of
the county town to treat for the house。 I went that day； and I
took it for six months。
It was just the middle of October when I moved in with my maiden
sister （I venture to call her eigh