The Canterville Ghost

Towards evening, there was a storm and it started to rain heavily. The wind was so strong that all the windows and doors in the old house shook and rattled. In fact, it was exactly the sort of weather that the ghost loved. This is what he planned to do. He would first go quietly to Washington Otis's room, gibber at him from the foot of the bed. Then the ghost would stab himself three times in the throat to the sound of soft music. He was particularly angry with Washington, because he knew that it was Washington who kept on removing the famous Canterville blood-stain by using his Pinkerton's Paragon Detergent.

Having thoroughly terrified the reckless and foolhardy young man, the ghost planned to proceed to the room of Mr Otis and his wife. While he was there the ghost was going to put a clammy hand on Mrs. Otis's forehead. At the same time he was going to hiss into her trembling husband's ear the awful secrets of the grave. He was not sure what he was going to do about little Virginia. She had never insulted him in any way, and was pretty and gentle. A few groans from the wardrobe, he thought, would be quite enough for her, or, if that didn't wake her up, he might pull at the counterpane with palsy-twitching fingers. But the ghost was very determined to teach the twins a lesson they would never forget.

Vocabulary:

Rattled: Banged together quickly.
Gibber: To make meaningless rapid soiunds in a high voice.
Foot: The end where your feet are.
Reckless: Not thinking what might happen later.
Foolhardy: Someone who makes silly mistakes without thinking.
Hiss: To make a noise like a snake.
Groan: A sound of pain or sorrow.
Counterpane: The cloth covering the blankets in a bed
Palsy: A disease which causes weakness and shaking.