He accordingly laughed his most horrible laugh, till the old vaulted roof rang and rang again, but hardly had the fearful echo died away when a door opened, and Mrs Otis came out in a light blue dressing-gown.

'I am afraid you are far from well,' she said, 'and I have brought you a bottle of Dr Dobell's tincture. If it is indigestion, you will find it a most excellent remedy.'

The ghost glared at her in fury, and began at once to make preparations for turning himself into a large black dog, an accomplishment for which he was justly renowned, and to which the family doctor always attributed the permanent idiocy of Lord Canterville's uncle, the Hon. Thomas Horton.

The sound of approaching footsteps, however, made him hesitate in his fell purpose, so he contented himself with becoming faintly phosphorescent, and vanished with a deep churchyard groan, just as the twins had come up to him.

On reaching his room he entirely broke down, and became extremely upset. The bad manners of the twins, and the materialism of Mrs Otis were naturally extremely annoying, but what really distressed him most was that he had been unable to wear the suit of armour.