The Canterville Ghost

The second time that the ghost appeared was on Sunday night. The Otis family had gone to bed, but then they were suddenly woken up by a very loud crash in the hall. They hurried downstairs, where they found that a large suit of old armour had fallen from its stand, on to the stone floor, while the Canterville ghost was seated in a high-backed chair, rubbing his knees. He had an expression of acute agony on his face.

The twins had brought their pea-shooters with them. So now they fired two pellets at the ghost, using the accurate aim which you can only get from by long and careful practice on a teacher. The United States ambassador covered the ghost with his revolver, and told him, in accordance with Californian etiquette, to put up his hands. The ghost leaped up with a wild shriek of rage, and floated through them like a mist, blowing out Washington Otis's candle as he passed. This left them all in total darkness.

When he got to the top of the staircase, the ghost turned around. He had decideed to give his famous peal of demonic laughter. He had found this laugh extremely useful in the past. People said that this laugh had turned Lord Raker's wig grey in a single night. Certainly it had once made three of Lady Canterville's French governesses decide that they could not work there any longer.

Vocabulary:

Agony: Great pain.
Pea-shooters: Tubes used to blow small missiles through.
Pellet: Something small and round.
Accurate: Exactly on target.
Cover: Here it means 'to point a gun at'.
Revolver: A kind of handgun
Etiquette: The correct way to behave.
Peal: A short continuous sound.
Demonic: Like a devil.
Wig: False hair on your head.
Governess: A woman who teaches or looks after children in their homes.