useful. It was said to have turned Lord Raker's wig grey in a
single night, and had certainly made three of Lady Canterville's
French governesses give warning before their month was up. He
accordingly laughed his most horrible laugh, till the old vaulted
roof rang and rang again, but hardly had the fearful echo died away
when a door opened, and Mrs. Otis came out in a light blue dressing-
gown. 'I am afraid you are far from well,' she said, 'and have
brought you a bottle of Dr. Dobell's tincture. If it is
indigestion, you will find it a most excellent remedy.' The ghost
glared at her in fury, and began at once to make preparations for
turning himself into a large black dog, an accomplishment for which
he was justly renowned, and to which the family doctor always
attributed the permanent idiocy of Lord Canterville's uncle, the
Hon. Thomas Horton. The sound of approaching footsteps, however,
made him hesitate in his fell purpose, so he contented himself with
becoming faintly phosphorescent, and vanished with a deep churchyard
groan, just as the twins had come up to him.

On reaching his room he entirely broke down, and became a prey to
the most violent agitation. The vulgarity of the twins, and the
gross materialism of Mrs. Otis, were naturally extremely annoying,
but what really distressed him most was, that he had been unable to
wear the suit of mail. He had hoped that even modern Americans
would be thrilled by the sight of a Spectre In Armour, if for no
more sensible reason, at least out of respect for their national
poet Longfellow, over whose graceful and attractive poetry he
himself had whiled away many a weary hour when the Cantervilles were
up in town. Besides, it was his own suit. He had worn it with
great success at the Kenilworth tournament, and had been highly
complimented on it by no less a person than the Virgin Queen