朗文经典文学名著英汉双语读物-第八级(共5册)-适合高一.高二

good condition. However, by taking great care of himself, he recovered, and made up his mind to try once more to frighten the United States Ambassador and his family. He chose Friday, 17th August, for his appearance, and spent most of that day planning and preparing. He was going to wear a large hat with a feather, a burial sheet, and to carry a rusty sword.

　　In the evening there was a violent storm. All the windows and doors in the house shook noisily. It was just the right weather for him. His plan was to start with Washington Otis. He was particularly angry with that young man because he knew that it was Washington who regularly used Pinkerton’s Wonder Stain Cleaner on the bloodstain. He intended to go quietly to Washington’s room, make ghost noises at him, then cut his own throat to the sound of low music. This would fill the foolish youth with terror, and the ghost would then go to the room of the Ambassador and his wife. There he would place a death-cold hand on Mrs Otis’s face while he hissed into her trembling husband’s ear the fearful secrets of the grave.

　　He had not quite made up his mind about little Virginia. She had never insulted him in any way, and she was pretty and gentle. Perhaps a few groans from behind the curtains, he thought. Or if that failed to wake her, a feverish movement of the blanket with a skeleton’s fingers.

　　此后的几天里，他生了一场大病，除了保证血迹在原地出现，他几乎足不出户。不过，经过对自己的悉心照料，他康复了，而且下定决心要再吓吓美国大使和他的家人。他选择在8 月17 日星期五这一天现身。这一天，他花了大半天进行策划准备。他打算戴顶插了羽毛的大帽子，套着裹尸布，再佩一把锈剑。

　　傍晚时分，一阵猛烈的暴风雨来临。房子里所有的门窗都哐当哐当地摇晃得很厉害。这样的天气对他正合适。按计划，他打算先从华盛顿?奥蒂斯下手。他对这位年轻人异常恼火，因为他知道就是这小子一直在用平克顿神奇去污剂擦那块血迹。他准备悄悄走进华盛顿的房间，冲着他鬼叫一通，再去割自己的喉咙，再伴上低沉的音乐。这会把那个愚蠢的年轻人吓得够呛。之后他再去大使夫妇的房间。他要将死人冰凉的手放在奥蒂斯夫人脸上，同时对着她丈夫抖抖嗦嗦的耳朵嘟囔着告诉他坟墓里的瘆人秘密。

　　对于小弗吉妮亚，他还没想好要怎么处置。她又漂亮又温柔，从未以任何形式羞辱过他。要不就躲在帘子后面呻吟几声吧，他想。要是那样还不能闹醒她的话，那就用骷髅手指猛扯她的毯子。

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