第45章姨妈历险记（3）
Thechillwasbuttra。Myaunt，whowasalmostasresoluteapersonageasyouruurnioryteller），bestantlydcollected。Shewentonadjustingherdress。Sheevenhummedanair，anddidnotmakeevenasie。Shecasuallyoverturnedadressingbox;tookadpickeduptheartiebyohefloor;pursuedaroilingpinthatwasmakiswayuhehedoor;lookedforaninstantintothecorridor，asifindoubtwhethertogo;andthelyout。
&eairs，orderedtheservantstoarmthemselveswiththeonsfirstathand，placedherselfattheirhead，aimmediately。
&ilyleviedarmypresentedaformidableforce。Thestewardhadarustybluheahefootmanapairofhorsepistols，thecookahugegkhebutlerabottleinead。Myauhared-hotpoker，andinmyopihemostformidableoftheparty。Thewaitingmaid，whodreadedtostayalos'hall，broughtuptherear，smellingtoabrokeilesalts，andexpressihe"ghostesses"。"Ghosts!"saidmyauely。"I'llsiheirwhiskersforthem!"
&eredthechamber。Allwasstillandundisturbedaswheit。Theyapproachedtheportraitofmyuncle。
"Pulldoicture!"criedmyaunt。Aheavygroan，andasouterih，issuedfromtheportrait。Theservantsshrunkback;themaidutteredafaintshriek，andgtothefootmanforsupport。
"Instantly!"addedmyaunt，ofthefoot。Thepictureulleddown，andfromaredit，inwhierlystoodaclock，theyhauledfortharound-shouldered，black-beardedvarlet，withaknifeaslongasmyarm，buttremblingalloverlikeanaspenleaf。
"Well，andwhowashe?Noghost，Isuppose，"saidtheileman。
"Aknightofthepost，"repliedthenarrator，"whohadbeeheworthofthe;orrather，amaraudingTarquin，whohadstolenintoherchambertoviolateherpurse，arongbox，whenallthehouseshouldbeasleep。I;uedhe，"thevagabondwasaloose，idlefellowoftheneighborhood，whohadonaservantinthehouse，andhadbeeoassistinarrangingitforthereistress。Hefessedthathehadtrivedthishidingplaceforhisnefariouspurpose，andhadborrowedaheportraitbywayofarehole。"
"Andwhatdidtheydowithhim?Didtheyhanghim?"resumedthequestioner。
"Hanghim?Howcouldthey?"exclaimedabeetle-browedbarristerwithahawk'sheoffeorobbery，noassaulthadbeenitted。Nofortryintothepremises。"
"Myaunt，"saidthenarrator，"irit，andapttotakethelawinherownhands。Shehadherownnotionsofessalso。Sheorderedthefellowtobedrawnthroughthehorsepond，toseawayalloffehentobewellrubbeddownwithaowel。"
"Andwhatbeafterwards?"saidtheileman。
"Idolyknow。IbelievehewassentonavoyageofimprovementtoBotanyBay。"
"Andyouraunt?"saidtheileman。"I'llwarraookakehermaidsleepihherafterthat。"
"No，sir，shedidbetter;shegaveherhandshortlyaftertsquire;forsheusedtoobservethatitwasadismalthingforawomantosleepalory。"
"Shewasright，"observedtheileman，noddingsagaciously;"butIamsorrytheydidnothangthatfellow。"
Itwasagreedonallhandsthatthelastnarraththistaletothemostsatisfa，thoughatrypresetheu，whofiguredinthedifferentstories，hadnotbeeher;theylywouldhavebeeched。