Four Chaps in the Library 02
图书馆的四个家伙 02

　　"Well, Grim Shaw," snarled the second chap, whose name was Blake, and who was exactly as tiresome as Rhodes-Fotheringham, "my chums and I were in the process of recounting horrific tales of ghosts and apparitions. If you wish to remain in our company, you must endure this."

　　"And not go fleeing from the room in fright!" added the third monster, a scoundrel by the name of Atkinson.

　　I endeavored not to be afraid, which was not a simple task, as the trio themselves were sufficient to cause a shivering sensation inside me. We were all seated, with discreet distances between each, in huge Victorian armchairs facing the blazing flames of the log fire. The library itself was enormous, and must have contained thousands of books on all subjects. Including the topic of ghosts.

　　"I remember one chap," said Rhodes-Fotheringham, a cigar of eager proportions in his ample hand, "whose name I cannot recall. He regularly encountered the ghostly figure of an old man in a pale-colored nightgown, who was prone to walking up and down the stairs of the chap's home, and with his head held under his arm!"

　　“好吧，格里姆.肖，”另一个和拉霍斯.佛斯林汉姆一样讨厌的叫布莱克的家伙说，“我和哥们儿们正在讲恐怖的鬼故事。如果你想和我们一起呆在这的话，那你就必须忍耐。”

　　“而且即使害怕也不许从这个房间跑出去。”第三个叫阿特肯森的无赖补充说。

　　我努力抑制自己的恐慌，但这还不是我要面对的惟一的任务，因为这三个人也足以让我内心打颤了。我们都坐在面向炽热的炉火的维多利亚式靠背椅上，彼此间保持一定距离。图书馆很大，有关于各种主题的几千本图书，当然，也有关于鬼魂的书。

　　拉霍斯.佛斯林汉姆的大手里拿着根雪茄，说：“我记得有个人，他的名字我不记得了。他经常能看到一个穿着浅色睡衣的鬼影，那鬼影总在他家楼梯上上上下下来回走，胳膊下夹着自己的头！”