"Why, sir," he answered at last, speaking in a lowered voice as if
fearful of being overheard, "there's some as do say 't is haunted
sure-ly."
"How?" I demanded.
"Well--things 'as been seed, ah, an' heerd in that theer ghastly
wood."
"What things?"
"Well--things as flits an' things as wails--ah, fit to break your
'eart an' chill a man's good flesh. Ghost-lights has been seed at dead
o' night, an' folks has 'eer'd music at dead o' night an' screams o'
devil-laughter, ah, an' screams as wasn't laughter. Old Gaffer Dick 'e
du ha' seed things an' there's me, I've 'eer'd an' seed things--an'
lots o' folk beside."
"What did you see, George?"
"I dunno rightly, sir, an' never shall this side o' glory, but 'twere
a shape, a thing--I might call it a ghost an' I might call it a
phanitum; hows'ever 't were a shape, sir, as I seed a-floatin' an'
a-wailin'--Lord, I'll never forget 'ow it wailed!"
Here he mopped his brow at the mere recollection.
"But do you never see any one about by day?"
"Aye, sir, there be a great, sooty black man for one, a hugeous
niggermoor with devil's eyes as roll an' teeth like a dog--there's
'im! An' there's three or four desp'rit-seemin' coves as looks like
prize fighters--though they ain't often seed abroad an' then mostly
drivin' be'ind fast 'orses, sir--coach, sir."
"And what of the owner of the place, Mr. Trenchard, I think his name
is?"
"Very seldom stirs abroad, sir, an' then allus in a fast-travellin'
closed carriage; though there's a-plenty o' company now an' then,
'ard-ridin' gentlemen--specially one as usually travels down from
Lunnon in a chaise wi' red wheels--"
"What--a black-bodied chaise picked out in yellow?" I enquired
sharply.
Pages:
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360