The Canterville Ghost

It was, however, an extremely difficult make-up, if I may use such a theatrical expression in connection with one of the greatest mysteries of the supernatural, or, to employ a more scientific term, the higher-natural world, and it took the ghost fully three hours to make his preparations. At last everything was ready, and he was very pleased with his appearance. The big leather riding-boots that went with the dress were just a little too large for him, and he could only find one of the two pistols, but, on the whole, he was quite satisfied, and at a quarter past one he glided out of the wainscoting and crept down the corridor.

On reaching the room occupied by the twins, which I should mention was called the Blue Bed Chamber, on account of the colour of its decorations, he found the door just ajar. Wishing to make an effective entrance, he flung it wide open, when a heavy jug of water fell right down on him, wetting him to the skin, and just missing his left shoulder by a couple of inches. At the same moment he heard shrieks of laughter proceeding from the four-post bed. The shock to his nervous system was so great that he fled back to his room as hard as he could go, and the next day he was laid up with a severe cold. The only thing that at all consoled him in the whole affair was the fact that he had not brought his head with him, for, had he done so, the consequences might have been very serious.

Vocabulary:

Make-up: Changing one's appearance, especially the face.
Employ: Use.
Term: A way of saying something.
Dress: Clothing.
Crept: Past tense of 'creep': to move secretly and silently.
On account: Here it means 'because'.
Ajar: Slightly open.
Shriek: A mix of a shout and a scream.
Four-post bed: A bed with curtains which can be closed from the room.
Fled: Past tense of 'flee': to run away
Laid up: Unable to get out of bed.
Console: Have a reason to feel happier about something bad.