Madam Crowls Ghost and the Dead Sexton | Page 5

down to take my cup o' tea, and
I'll be back i' noo--me and Mrs. Wyvern, and she'll be sleepin' in the
room, and you can run down when we come up, and Judith will gie ye
yaur supper in my room.'

"And with that she goes.
"I kep' looking at the picture-book, as before, listenin' every noo and
then, but there was no sound, not a breath, that I could hear; an' I began
whisperin' to the pictures and talkin' to myself to keep my heart up, for
I was growin' feared in that big room.
"And at last up I got, and began walkin' about the room, lookin' at this
and peepin' at that, to amuse my mind, ye'll understand. And at last
what sud I do but peeps into Madam Crowl's bedchamber.
"A grand chamber it was, wi' a great four-poster, wi' flowered silk
curtains as tall as the ceilin', and foldin' down on the floor, and drawn
close all round. There was a lookin'-glass, the biggest I ever sid before,
and the room was a blaze o' light. I counted twenty-two wax candles,
all alight. Such was her fancy, and no one dared say her nay.
"I listened at the door, and gaped and wondered all round. When I
heard there was not a breath, and did not see so much as a stir in the
curtains, I took heart, and walked into the room on tiptoe, and looked
round again. Then I takes a keek at myself in the big glass; and at last it
came in my head, 'Why couldn't I ha' a keek at the ald lady herself in
the bed?
"Ye'd think me a fule if ye knew half how I longed to see Dame Crowl,
and I thought to myself if I didn't peep now I might wait many a day
before I got so gude a chance again.
"Well, my dear, I came to the side o' the bed, the curtains bein' close,
and my heart a'most failed me. But I took courage, and I slips my finger
in between the thick curtains, and then my hand. So I waits a bit, but all
was still as death. So, softly, softly I draws the curtain, and there, sure
enough, I sid before me, stretched out like the painted lady on the
tomb-stean in Lexhoe Church, the famous Dame Crowl, of Applewale
House. There she was, dressed out. You never sid the like in they days.
Satin and silk, and scarlet and green, and gold and pint lace; by Jen!
'twas a sight! A big powdered wig, half as high as herself, was a-top o'
her head, and, wow!--was ever such wrinkles?--and her old baggy

throat all powdered white, and her cheeks rouged, and mouse-skin
eyebrows, that Mrs. Wyvern used to stick on, and there she lay proud
and stark, wi' a pair o' clocked silk hose on, and heels to her shoon as
tall as nine-pins. Lawk! But her nose was crooked and thin, and half the
whites o' her eyes was open. She used to stand, dressed as she was,
gigglin' and dribblin' before the lookin'-glass, wi' a fan in her hand and
a big nosegay in her bodice. Her wrinkled little hands was stretched
down by her sides, and such long nails, all cut into points, I never sid in
my days. Could it even a bin the fashion for grit fowk to wear their
fingernails so?
"Well, I think ye'd a-bin frightened yourself if ye'd a sid such a sight. I
couldn't let go the curtain, nor move an inch, nor take my eyes off her;
my very heart stood still. And in an instant she opens her eyes and up
she sits, and spins herself round, and down wi' her, wi' a clack on her
two tall heels on the floor, facin' me, ogglin' in my face wi' her two
great glassy eyes, and a wicked simper wi' her wrinkled lips, and lang
fause teeth.
"Well, a corpse is a natural thing; but this was the dreadfullest sight I
ever sid. She had her fingers straight out pointin' at me, and her back
was crooked, round again wi' age. Says she:
"'Ye little limb! what for did ye say I killed the boy? I'll tickle ye till
ye're stiff!'
"If I'd a thought an instant, I'd a turned about and run. But I couldn't
take my eyes off her, and I backed from her as soon as I could; and she
came clatterin' after like a thing on wires, with her fingers pointing to
my throat, and she makin' all the time a sound with her tongue like
zizz-zizz-zizz.
"I kept backin' and backin' as quick as I could, and her fingers was only
a few inches away