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When Mr. Otis, the American ambassador bought the Canterville chase, everyone told him that he was doing a very foolish mistake, because they all think that the castle was haunted. Even Lord Canterville, who was a man with a punctilious sense of honour had warned Mr. Otis, because his family didn't want to live there since his great aunt was frightened by the ghost. But Mr. Otis smashed this comments with not much arguments, because he was of the opinion that the laws of the nature are not going to be suspended for the British aristocracy, because in America they know the facts of life.
Some weeks, after they had finished the purchase the family moved into the country seat. The butler picked up the family and when they went into the park, it was going to be a spooky silence above the palace.
In front of the house an old lady received them welcome. Mrs. Umney, the housekeeper was old-fashioned dressed and she dropped a curtsy to the family.
Then she escorted the family through a very big entrance hall into the library, a very big panelled room with coloured stained glass.
Suddenly Mrs. Otis noticed a big dark red stain on the floor in front of the fireside. Mrs. Umney explained, that this stain was the blood of Lady Eleonore de Canterville and that she was murdered in 1557 by her husband Sir Simon de Canterville. He survived her about nine years and then he disappeared traceless, but his soul didn't find peace and he spooked already in the castle. Already a ghost wouldn't detained Washington, the oldest son of the family, and he eliminated the mark with Pinkertons spot remover. After a short treatment was the stain removed. But hen he had done this it started to thunder and lighten. The thunderstorm took a long time and it rained the whole night and as the family arrived next morning in the library the spot was regenerated. Washington despatched the blot and the family decided to lock up the library over the night. But on the next morning the stain was available again.
Am nächsten Abend wurden die Zweifel für die Existenz der Geister ein für alle mal beseitigt. Mr. Otis wake up, because on the floor was a curious noise and he grasped something that was in his bedside table. He pulled something longish out. It was only a vial. Mr. Otis stepped out of the floor and there was.
THE GHOST!
It had shiny red eyes and long grey hair. His clothes were old-fashioned and on his wrist and on his ankle were squeaky chains. Mr. Otis asked Sir Simon, if he couldn't be quiet, because he would wake up the children and he also had a present for the ghost: a bottle lubricating oil. So he can oil his chains.
The ghost was very surprised and he disappeared with a loud bang.
Next morning the family discussed about the happening and they came to the decision to be friendly, when they saw the ghost next time. The rest of the week passed without an other event, except the permanent regeneration of the stain. On one day the taint was light red and then it was carroty.
On one day the stain also was green! The varying colours were really amusing, but Virginia became really unhappy when the stain was green.
The second time, when the ghost appeared was on Sunday. The family woke up, because there was a loud noise in the entrance hall. All mans and also the twins run "sofort" there. On the ground there lies many things from an armour.
And the ghost sat on a chair and hold his knee. The twins shoot projectiles and they hit the ghost.
The ghost started up and blow Washington's candle out. Upstairs it decided to laugh, because in some cases it was effective. When he started to laugh, Mrs. Otis came out of her room and she gave him a medicine, because she think that the ghost wasn't healthy. The ghost become very angry and he flee in his room, where he break up.
Then he think he was seriously ill and he didn't leave his room. Because he didn't do anything and so he get rapidly healthy.
And he wanted to appear for a third time, because he wanted to frighten the family. The ghost was really angry with Washington, because he know that Washington removed the stain in the library. He was going to be his first prey. Then he would frighten the ambassador and his wife and what the twins affected, he would took them a task, because they hunt him every time. Virginia hadn't flout him in any wise and so he wouldn't do anything.
Now it was midnight. He flow to Washington's room and when he get there he frightened horrible. There was a figure. It looked like himself, with red eyes, but on his neck, he has a tag.
On the tag stand:
The OTIS - Ghost
The only true and original spook
Beware of Imitations
All other are Counterfeit.
With it was all precise. Against such cubs he was powerless and so he went into his room.
One day, Virginia rode her pony with her little lover, the Duke of Cheshire and she had torn her dress and so she had to go backstairs. She passed a chamber and she think it was her mother. So she went in. But it was the ghost. His attitude showed deep melancholy and it noticed Virginia when she stood in front of him. She was sorry for the ghost and she wanted to help him.
The ghost told her about the garden of the death and that he hadn't slept for 300 years. So Virginia had to help him! She decided to went along with the ghost. Because the angel of death would have mercy with him. Against the purity of a little child the powers oh Hell can't prevail. The ghost leaded Virginia into a room and so they disappeared.
When it was dinner-time, Mrs. Otis send somebody to search her. At first they looked for her in the castle. Then they searched her in the park and everywhere.
But they can't find Virginia.
When the clock punched midnight, the secret-chamber opened again. Virginia stood shaky in front of her family. She said that the ghost was dead and in her hand she had a casket with beautiful jewels in it.
One week after this happening the funeral procession went to the cemetery. During the funeral Virginia didn't say a word and she thought on the description of the garden of the death.
The ghost made her see what Life is, what Death signifies and why the Love is stronger than both.
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