--As to a room's being
haunted, I repeat, gentlemen--(growing a little warm at seeing a cursed
grin breaking out round me)--as to a room's being haunted, I have as
little faith in such silly stories as any one. But, since you put the
matter home to me, I will say that I have met with something in my room
strange and inexplicable to me--(a shout of laughter). Gentlemen, I am
serious--I know well what I am saying--I am calm, gentlemen, (striking
my flat upon the table)--by heaven I am calm. I am neither trifling,
nor do I wish to be trifled with--(the laughter of the company
suppressed with ludicrous attempts at gravity). There is a picture in
the room in which I was put last night, that has had an effect upon me
the most singular and incomprehensible.
"A picture!" said the old gentleman with the haunted head. "A picture!"
cried the narrator with the waggish nose. "A picture! a picture!"
echoed several voices. Here there was an ungovernable peal of laughter.
I could not contain myself. I started up from my seat--looked round on
the company with fiery indignation--thrust both my hands into my
pockets, and strode up to one of the windows, as though I would have
walked through it. I stopped short; looked out upon the landscape
without distinguishing a feature of it; and felt my gorge rising almost
to suffocation.
Mine host saw it was time to interfere. He had maintained an air of
Gravity through the whole of the scene, and now stepped forth as if to
shelter me from the overwhelming merriment of my companions.
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