Читать книгу The Haunting of Hill House (Horror Classic) - Shirley Jackson - Страница 10

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The sun went down smoothly behind the hills, slipping almost eagerly, at last, into the pillowy masses. There were already long shadows on the lawn as Eleanor and Theodora came up the path towards the side verandah of Hill House, blessedly hiding its mad face in the growing darkness.

‘There’s someone waiting there,’ Eleanor said, walking more quickly, and so saw Luke for the first time. Journeys end in lovers meeting, she thought, and could only say inadequately, ‘Are you looking for us?’

He had come to the verandah rail, looking down at them in the dusk, and now he bowed with a deep welcoming gesture, ‘ “These being dead,” ’ he said, ‘ “then dead must I be.” Ladies, if you are the ghostly inhabitants of Hill House, I am here for ever.’

He’s really kind of silly, Eleanor thought sternly, and Theodora said, ‘Sorry we weren’t here to meet you; we’ve been exploring.’

‘A sour old beldame with a face of curds welcomed us, thank you,’ he said. ‘ “Howdy-do,” she told me, “I hope I see you alive when I come back in the morning and your dinner’s on the sideboard.” Saying which, she departed in a late-model convertible with First and Second Murderers.’

‘Mrs Dudley,’ Theodora said. ‘First Murderer must be Dudley-at-the-gate; I suppose the other was Count Dracula. A wholesome family.’

‘Since we are listing our cast of characters,’ he said, ‘my name is Luke Sanderson.’

Eleanor was startled into speaking. ‘Then you’re one of the family? The people who own Hill House? Not one of Doctor Montague’s guests?’

‘I am one of the family; some day this stately pile will belong to me; until then, however, I am here as one of Doctor Montague’s guests.’

Theodora giggled. ‘We,’ she said, ‘are Eleanor and Theodora, two little girls who were planning a picnic down by the brook and got scared home by a rabbit.’

‘I go in mortal terror of rabbits,’ Luke agreed politely. ‘May I come if I carry the picnic basket?’

‘You may bring your ukulele and strum to us while we eat chicken sandwiches. Is Doctor Montague here?’

‘He’s inside,’ Luke said, ‘gloating over his haunted house.’

They were silent for a minute, wanting to move closer together, and then Theodora said thinly, ‘It doesn’t sound so funny, does it, now it’s getting dark?’

‘Ladies, welcome.’ And the great front door opened. ‘Come inside. I am Doctor Montague.’