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Speaker 1: Brought to you by the all new twenty fourteen Toyota Corolla.

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Speaker 2: Welcome to Stuff you Should Know from HowStuffWorks dot com.

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Speaker 3: Hey, and welcome to the podcast. I'm Josh Clark. There's

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Speaker 3: Charles w Chuck Bryan. It's very spooky, It's Halloween, it's.

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Speaker 1: This is the holiday episode, Christmas Holiday episode or my

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Speaker 1: favorite two of the year.

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Speaker 3: Yes, oh yeah, it's a tradition. Now I love tradition. Yeah, custom, Yeah.

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Speaker 1: You want to explain what we do each Halloween in

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Speaker 1: case people aren't in the know.

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Speaker 3: We like to read a scary story for Halloween. The

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Speaker 3: first few years we read public domain scary stories HP Lovecraft,

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Speaker 3: Edgrell and Poe.

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Speaker 1: Yeah so Chuck.

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Speaker 3: If you remember last year we held a horror fiction contest.

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Speaker 3: Yeah yeah, and we came up with the winner. There

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Speaker 3: was a sweet sixteen you can actually go read them

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Speaker 3: on stuff youshould Know dot com. All sixteen of them

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Speaker 3: are awesome. And then we had like a leg wrestling

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Speaker 3: competition and the guy who came out on top was

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Speaker 3: Brett s Arnold with his really awesome story signed forever

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Speaker 3: and Ever.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, thank you, strong Leg. Josh.

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Speaker 3: I didn't like wrestle I just watched Oh that was

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Speaker 3: me and Tracy. Yeah you don't remember. This is awkward,

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Speaker 3: it's crazy, like Tracy was really fast. Yeah, and she

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Speaker 3: was strangely agitated too, like she really had something against you. Anyway,

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Speaker 3: Brette s Arnold one signed Forever and Ever. If you

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Speaker 3: haven't heard that, go back and listen to. It's very creepy.

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Speaker 3: Jerry did some excellent sound design. And then but this

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Speaker 3: year we are not holding another contest that way.

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Speaker 1: No, No, even though it was great, that was a

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Speaker 1: lot of reading.

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Speaker 3: That's right. And then this year we're back at it

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Speaker 3: reading a very scary short story from the early twentieth

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Speaker 3: century written by a writer named Algernon Blackwood who was fantastic.

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Speaker 1: Yeah. You get a name like Algernon Blackwood and you

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Speaker 1: were born to write short story horror.

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Speaker 3: Exactly, or you're gonna found some like a church of

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Speaker 3: Satan or something like that.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, he probably tried both. He's a good writer, yeah.

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Speaker 3: More positive than you'd think.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, and this is a good one. Just to set

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Speaker 1: it up, it's about a haunted house and a couple

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Speaker 1: of people venturing through this haunted house. Yeah, and it's

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Speaker 1: creepy as age.

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Speaker 3: It is so we're gonna get to it. Jerry's gonna

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Speaker 3: lay down the sound design and we're going to scare

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Speaker 3: the socks off of you. Happy Halloween to you guys.

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Speaker 1: Turn the lights down, and here we go with the

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Speaker 1: Empty House by Algernon Blackwood.

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Speaker 3: Certain houses, like certain persons, manage somehow to proclaim at

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Speaker 3: once their character for evil. In the case of the latter,

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Speaker 3: no particular feature need betray them. They may boast an

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Speaker 3: open countenance and an ingenuous smile, and yet a little

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Speaker 3: of their company leaves the unalterable conviction that there is

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Speaker 3: something radically amiss with their being, that they are evil

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Speaker 3: Willie Nil. They seem to communicate an atmosphere of secret

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Speaker 3: and wicked thoughts, which makes those in their immediate neighborhood

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Speaker 3: shrink from them, as from a thing diseased. And perhaps

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Speaker 3: with houses, the same principle as operative. And it is

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Speaker 3: the aroma of evil deeds committed under a particular roof,

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Speaker 3: long after the evil doers have passed away, that makes

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Speaker 3: the goose flesh come and the hair rise. Something of

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Speaker 3: the original passion of the evil doer, and of the

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Speaker 3: horror felt by his victim enters the heart of the

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Speaker 3: innocent watcher, and he becomes suddenly conscious of tingling nerves,

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Speaker 3: creeping skin, and a chilling of the blood. He is

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Speaker 3: terror stricken without apparent cause.

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Speaker 1: There was manifestly nothing in the external appearance of this

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Speaker 1: particular house to bear out the tales of the horror

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Speaker 1: that was said to reign within. It was neither lonely

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Speaker 1: nor enkempt. It stood crowded into a corner of the

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Speaker 1: square and looked exactly like the houses on either side

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Speaker 1: of it. The same number of windows as its neighbors,

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Speaker 1: the same balcony overlooking the gardens, the same white steps

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Speaker 1: leading up to the heavy black front door, and in

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Speaker 1: the rear there was the same narrow strip of green

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Speaker 1: with neat box borders running up to the wall that

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Speaker 1: divided it from the backs of the adjoining houses. Apparently too,

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Speaker 1: the number of the chimney pots on the roof was

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Speaker 1: the same, the breadth and angle of the eaves, and

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Speaker 1: even the height of the dirty area railings. And yet

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Speaker 1: this house in the square that seemed precisely similar to

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Speaker 1: its fifty ugly neighbors, was a matter of fact, entirely different,

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Speaker 1: horribly different. Wherein lay this marked invisible difference is impossible

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Speaker 1: to say. It cannot be ascribed wholly to the imagination,

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Speaker 1: because persons who had spent some time in the house,

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Speaker 1: knowing nothing of the facts, had declared positively that certain

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Speaker 1: rooms were so disagreeable they would rather die than enter

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Speaker 1: them again, and that the atmosphere of the whole house

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Speaker 1: produced in them symptoms of a genuine terror. While the

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Speaker 1: series of innocent tenants who had tried to live in

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Speaker 1: it had been forced to DeCamp at the shortest possible notice,

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Speaker 1: was indeed little less than a scandal of the town.

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Speaker 3: When Shorthouse arrived to pay a week end visit to

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Speaker 3: his aunt Julia and her house on the seafront at

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Speaker 3: the other end of the town, he found her charged

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Speaker 3: to the brim with mystery and excitement. He had only

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Speaker 3: received her telegram that morning, and he had come anticipating boredom.

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Speaker 3: But the moment he touched her hand and kissed her

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Speaker 3: apple skin wrinkled cheek, he caught the first wave of

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Speaker 3: her electrical condition. The impression deepened when he learned that

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Speaker 3: there were to be no other visitors, and that he

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Speaker 3: had been telegraphed for with a very special object. Something

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Speaker 3: was in the wind, and the something would doubtless bear fruit.

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Speaker 3: For this elderly spinster, Aunt with a mania for psychical research,

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Speaker 3: had brains as well as willpower, and by hook er

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Speaker 3: by crook she usually managed to accomplish her ends. The

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Speaker 3: revelation was made soon after tea, when she sidled close

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Speaker 3: up to him as they paced slowly along the sea

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Speaker 3: front in the dusk. I've got the keys, she announced,

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Speaker 3: in a delighted yet half awesome voice, got them till Monday.

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Speaker 1: The keys of the bathing machine, or.

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Speaker 3: He asked, innocently, looking from the sea to the town.

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Speaker 3: Nothing brought her so quickly to the point as feigning

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Speaker 3: stupidity Neither. She whispered, I've got the keys of the

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Speaker 3: haunted house in the square, and I'm going there to night.

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Speaker 3: Shorthouse was conscious of the slightest possible tremor down his back.

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Speaker 3: He dropped his teasing tone. Something in her voice and

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Speaker 3: manner thrilled him. She was in earnest.

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Speaker 1: But you can't go alone.

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Speaker 3: He began, That's why I wired for you, she said,

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Speaker 3: with decision.

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Speaker 1: He turned to look at her. The ugly line enigmatical

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Speaker 1: face was alive with excitement. There was the glow of

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Speaker 1: genuine enthusiasm round it like a halo. The eye shone.

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Speaker 1: He caught another wave of her excitement, and a second trimmer,

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Speaker 1: more marked than the first, accompanied it. Thanks Aunt, Julia,

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Speaker 1: he said politely.

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Speaker 3: Thanks awfully, I should not dare to go quite alone.

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Speaker 1: She went on, raising her voice.

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Speaker 3: But with you, I should enjoy it immensely. You're afraid

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Speaker 3: of nothing, I know.

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Speaker 1: Thanks so much, he said again. Here is anything likely

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Speaker 1: to happen.

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Speaker 3: A great deal has happened, she whispered, though it's been

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Speaker 3: most cleverly hushed up. Three tenants have come and gone

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Speaker 3: in the last few months, and the house is said

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Speaker 3: to be empty for good now.

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Speaker 1: In spite of himself, Shorthouse became interested. His aunt was

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Speaker 1: so very much in earnest.

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Speaker 3: The house is very old, indeed, she went on. And

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Speaker 3: the story, an unpleasant one, dates a long way back.

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Speaker 3: It has to do with a murder committed by a

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Speaker 3: jealous stableman who had some affair with the servant in

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Speaker 3: the house. One night, he managed to secrete himself in

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Speaker 3: the cellar, and when everyone was asleep, he crept upstairs

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Speaker 3: to the servants quarters, chased the girl down to the

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Speaker 3: next landing, and before anyone could come to the rescue.

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Speaker 3: Threw her bodily over the banisters into.

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Speaker 1: The hall below, and the stableman was.

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Speaker 3: Caught, I believe, and hanged for murder. But it all

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Speaker 3: happened this century ago, and I've not been able to

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Speaker 3: get more details of this story. Shorthouse now felt his

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Speaker 3: interest thoroughly aroused, but though he was not particularly nervous

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Speaker 3: for himself, he hesitated a little on his aunt's account.

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Speaker 3: On one condition, he said, at length, nothing will prevent

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Speaker 3: my going. She said firmly, But I may as well

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Speaker 3: hear your condition.

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Speaker 1: That you guarantee your power of self control if anything

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Speaker 1: really horrible happens. I mean that you are sure you

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Speaker 1: won't get too.

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Speaker 3: Frightened, Jim, she said scornfully. I'm not young, I know,

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Speaker 3: nor are my nerves. But with you I should be

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Speaker 3: afraid of nothing in the world. This, of course settled it.

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Speaker 3: For Shorthouse had no pretensions to being other than a

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Speaker 3: very ordinary young man, and an appeal to his vanity

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Speaker 3: was irresistible. He agreed to go instinctively. By a sort

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Speaker 3: of subconscious preparation. He kept himself and his forces well

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Speaker 3: in hand the whole evening, compelling an accumulative reserve of

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Speaker 3: control by that nameless inward process of gradually putting all

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Speaker 3: the emotions away and turning the key upon them, a

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Speaker 3: process difficult to describe, but wonderfully effective, as all men

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Speaker 3: who have lived through severe trials of the inner man

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Speaker 3: well understand. Later it stood him in good stead. But

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Speaker 3: it was not until half past ten, when they stood

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Speaker 3: in the hall well, in the glare of friendly lamps,

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Speaker 3: and still surrounded by comforting human influences, that he had

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Speaker 3: to make the first call upon this store of collected strength.

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Speaker 3: For once the door was closed and he saw the deserted,

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Speaker 3: silent streets stretching away white in the moonlight before them,

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Speaker 3: it came to him clearly that the real test that

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Speaker 3: night would be in dealing with two fears instead of one.

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Speaker 3: He would have to carry his aunt's fear as well

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Speaker 3: as his own, And as he glanced down at her

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Speaker 3: sphinklike countenance and realized that it might assume no pleasant

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Speaker 3: aspect in a rush of real terror, he felt satisfied

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Speaker 3: with only one thing in the whole adventure, that he

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Speaker 3: had confidence in his own will and power to stand

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Speaker 3: against any shock that might be.

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Speaker 1: Okay. Little recap here got a dude and his aunt

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Speaker 1: checking out this haunted house that she has the keys to. Yep,

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Speaker 1: apparently a guy killed a lady.

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Speaker 3: There years before, a century ago.

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Speaker 1: And it sounds like this Shorthouse guy is handsome and brave. Yes,

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Speaker 1: and I'm the aunt, you're the aunt. Okay, all right,

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Speaker 1: here we go. Slowly they walked through the empty streets

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Speaker 1: of the town. A bright autumn moon silvered the roofs,

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Speaker 1: casting deep shadows. There was no breath of wind, and

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Speaker 1: the trees in the formal gardens by the seafront watched

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Speaker 1: them silently as they passed along. To his aunt's occasional remarks,

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Speaker 1: Shorthouse made no reply, realizing that she was simply surrounding

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Speaker 1: herself with the mental buffers, saying ordinary things to prevent

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Speaker 1: herself thinking of extraordinary things. Few windows showed lights, and

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Speaker 1: from scarcely a single chimney came smoke or sparks. Shorthouse

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Speaker 1: had already begun to notice everything, even the smallest details. Presently,

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Speaker 1: they stopped at the street corner and looked up at

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Speaker 1: the name on the side of the house full in

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Speaker 1: the moonlight, and with one accord, but without remark, turned

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Speaker 1: into the square, and crossed over to the side of

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Speaker 1: it that lay in the shadow.

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Speaker 3: The number of the house is thirteen.

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Speaker 1: Whispered a voice at aside, and neither of them made

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Speaker 1: the obvious reference, but passed across the broad sheet of

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Speaker 1: moonlight and began to march up the pavement in silence.

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Speaker 1: It was about halfway up the square that Shorthouse felt

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Speaker 1: an arm slipped quietly but significantly into his own, and

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Speaker 1: knew then that their adventure had begun in earnest, and

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Speaker 1: that his companion was already yielding imperceptibly to the influences

220
00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:37,560
Speaker 1: against them. She needed support. And a few people are

221
00:11:37,600 --> 00:11:40,240
Speaker 1: picturing Josh and I arm in arm, and Josh wearing

222
00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:42,199
Speaker 1: a dress. Then you're right on the money.

223
00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:43,680
Speaker 3: Like a gray wig with a bun.

224
00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:49,679
Speaker 1: Yeah, this is Anthony Perkins and mom. A few minutes

225
00:11:49,720 --> 00:11:52,200
Speaker 1: later they stopped before a tall, narrow house that rose

226
00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:54,960
Speaker 1: before them into the night, ugly in shape and painted

227
00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:59,400
Speaker 1: a dingy white. Shutterless windows without blinds stared down upon them,

228
00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:02,160
Speaker 1: shining here and there in the moonlight. There were weather

229
00:12:02,200 --> 00:12:04,280
Speaker 1: streaks in the wall and cracks in the paint, and

230
00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:07,280
Speaker 1: the balcony bulged out from the first floor. A little unnaturally.

231
00:12:07,840 --> 00:12:11,360
Speaker 1: But beyond this generally forlorn appearance of an unoccupied house,

232
00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:13,920
Speaker 1: there was nothing at first sight to single out this

233
00:12:13,960 --> 00:12:17,640
Speaker 1: particular mansion, for the evil character had most certainly acquired.

234
00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:20,120
Speaker 1: Taking a look over their shoulders to make sure they

235
00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:22,760
Speaker 1: had not been followed, they went boldly up the steps

236
00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:25,920
Speaker 1: and stood against the huge black door that fronted them forbiddingly.

237
00:12:26,559 --> 00:12:29,240
Speaker 1: But the first wave of nervous snows now upon them,

238
00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:31,640
Speaker 1: and Shorthouse fumbled a long time with the key before

239
00:12:31,679 --> 00:12:33,640
Speaker 1: he could fit it into the lock at all. For

240
00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:36,400
Speaker 1: a moment, if truth were told, they both hoped it

241
00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:39,480
Speaker 1: would not open, for they were a prey to various

242
00:12:39,559 --> 00:12:42,400
Speaker 1: unpleasant emotions. As they stood there on the threshold of

243
00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:46,400
Speaker 1: their ghostly adventure, Shorthouse, shuffling with the key and hampered

244
00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:49,680
Speaker 1: by the steady weight on his arm, certainly felt the

245
00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:53,240
Speaker 1: solemnity of the moment. It was as if the whole world,

246
00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:56,439
Speaker 1: for all experience, seemed at that instant, concentrated in his

247
00:12:56,520 --> 00:12:59,880
Speaker 1: own consciousness, were listening to the grating noise of that key.

248
00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:03,319
Speaker 1: A stray puff of wind wandering down the empty street

249
00:13:03,400 --> 00:13:06,720
Speaker 1: woke a momentary rustling in the trees behind them, but otherwise,

250
00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:09,680
Speaker 1: this rattling of the key was the only sound audible,

251
00:13:10,160 --> 00:13:12,640
Speaker 1: And at last it turned in the lock, and the

252
00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:16,840
Speaker 1: heavy door swung open and revealed a yawning gulf of

253
00:13:16,960 --> 00:13:18,160
Speaker 1: darkness beyond.

254
00:13:20,640 --> 00:13:23,760
Speaker 3: With a last glance at the moonlit square, they passed

255
00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:26,440
Speaker 3: quickly in, and the door slam behind them with a

256
00:13:26,559 --> 00:13:30,880
Speaker 3: roar that echoed prodigiously through empty halls and passages. But

257
00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:34,840
Speaker 3: instantly with the echoes, another sound made itself heard, and

258
00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:37,920
Speaker 3: Aunt Julia leaned suddenly, so heavily upon him that he

259
00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:40,440
Speaker 3: had to take a step backwards to save himself from falling.

260
00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:44,560
Speaker 3: A man had coughed close beside them, so close that

261
00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:47,400
Speaker 3: it seemed they must have been actually by his side

262
00:13:47,400 --> 00:13:51,000
Speaker 3: in the darkness. With the possibility of practical jokes in

263
00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:53,680
Speaker 3: his mind, Shorthouse at once swung his heavy stick in

264
00:13:53,679 --> 00:13:56,680
Speaker 3: the direction of the sound, but it meant nothing more

265
00:13:56,720 --> 00:13:59,640
Speaker 3: than solid air. He heard his aunt give a little

266
00:13:59,640 --> 00:14:03,640
Speaker 3: gas beside him. There's someone here, she whispered. I heard

267
00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:05,880
Speaker 3: him be quiet, he said sternly.

268
00:14:06,040 --> 00:14:07,920
Speaker 1: It was nothing but the noise of the front door.

269
00:14:08,440 --> 00:14:11,600
Speaker 3: Oh get a light quick, she added, as her nephew,

270
00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:14,440
Speaker 3: fumbling with a box of matches, opened it. Upside down

271
00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:16,360
Speaker 3: and let them fall with a rattle, on to the

272
00:14:16,400 --> 00:14:20,320
Speaker 3: stone floor. The sound, however, was not repeated, and there

273
00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:23,680
Speaker 3: was no evidence of retreating footsteps. In another minute they

274
00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:26,400
Speaker 3: had a candle burning, using an empty end of a

275
00:14:26,440 --> 00:14:29,320
Speaker 3: cigar case as a holder, And when the first flare

276
00:14:29,360 --> 00:14:32,760
Speaker 3: had died down, he held the impromptu lamp aloft and

277
00:14:32,880 --> 00:14:36,680
Speaker 3: surveyed the scene. And it was dreary enough in all conscience,

278
00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:39,720
Speaker 3: For there is nothing more desolate in all the abodes

279
00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:44,760
Speaker 3: of men than an unfurnished house, dimly lit, silent and forsaken,

280
00:14:45,200 --> 00:14:48,400
Speaker 3: and yet tenanted by rumor with the memories of evil

281
00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:52,240
Speaker 3: and violent histories. They were standing in a wide hallway.

282
00:14:52,640 --> 00:14:54,840
Speaker 3: On their left was the open door of a spacious

283
00:14:54,840 --> 00:14:57,240
Speaker 3: dining room, and in front of the hall ran ever

284
00:14:57,360 --> 00:15:00,960
Speaker 3: narrowing into a long, dark passage that led apparently to

285
00:15:01,040 --> 00:15:05,320
Speaker 3: the top of the kitchen stairs. The broad, uncarpeted staircase

286
00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:08,800
Speaker 3: rose in a suite before them, everywhere draped in shadows,

287
00:15:09,040 --> 00:15:12,040
Speaker 3: except for a single spot about half way up, where

288
00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:14,560
Speaker 3: the moonlight came in through the window and fell in

289
00:15:14,640 --> 00:15:17,880
Speaker 3: a bright patch on the boards. This shaft of light

290
00:15:17,960 --> 00:15:21,000
Speaker 3: shed a faint radiance above and below it, lending to

291
00:15:21,080 --> 00:15:24,200
Speaker 3: the objects within its reach, a misty outline that was

292
00:15:24,280 --> 00:15:29,080
Speaker 3: infinitely more suggestive and ghostly than complete darkness. Filtered moonlight

293
00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:32,040
Speaker 3: always seems to paint faces on the surrounding gloom, and

294
00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:34,520
Speaker 3: his short house peered up into the well of darkness

295
00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:37,080
Speaker 3: and thought of the countless empty rooms and passages in

296
00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:40,160
Speaker 3: the upper part of the house. He caught himself longing

297
00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:44,080
Speaker 3: again for the safety of the moonlit square or the cozy,

298
00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:47,360
Speaker 3: bright drawing room they had left an hour before. Then,

299
00:15:47,760 --> 00:15:50,960
Speaker 3: realizing that these thoughts were dangerous, he thrust them away

300
00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:54,040
Speaker 3: again and summoned all his energy for concentration on the

301
00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:55,800
Speaker 3: present aunt Julia.

302
00:15:55,920 --> 00:15:58,680
Speaker 1: He said aloud severely, we must now go through the

303
00:15:58,680 --> 00:16:01,040
Speaker 1: house from top to bottom to make a thorough search.

304
00:16:01,880 --> 00:16:04,280
Speaker 1: The echoes of his voice died away slowly all over

305
00:16:04,280 --> 00:16:06,880
Speaker 1: the building, and in the intense silence that followed, he

306
00:16:06,920 --> 00:16:10,000
Speaker 1: turned to look at her in the candlelight. He saw

307
00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:13,440
Speaker 1: that her face was already ghastly pale. But she dropped

308
00:16:13,440 --> 00:16:15,840
Speaker 1: his arm for a moment and said, in a whisper,

309
00:16:15,920 --> 00:16:17,760
Speaker 1: stepping close in front of him.

310
00:16:17,680 --> 00:16:20,320
Speaker 3: I agree. We must be sure there's no one hiding.

311
00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:21,640
Speaker 3: That's the first thing.

312
00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:24,760
Speaker 1: She spoke with evident effort, and he looked at her

313
00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:28,800
Speaker 1: with admiration. You feel quite sure of yourself. It's not

314
00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:32,680
Speaker 1: too late, I think so, she whispered, her eyes shifting

315
00:16:32,720 --> 00:16:34,320
Speaker 1: nervously towards shadows behind.

316
00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:38,680
Speaker 3: Quite sure. Only one thing, What's that? You must never

317
00:16:38,800 --> 00:16:40,680
Speaker 3: leave me alone for an instant.

318
00:16:41,160 --> 00:16:44,040
Speaker 1: As long as you understand that any sound or appearance

319
00:16:44,080 --> 00:16:47,800
Speaker 1: that must be investigated at once, for to hesitate means

320
00:16:47,840 --> 00:16:52,160
Speaker 1: to admit fear. That is fatal. Agreed, she said, a

321
00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:56,440
Speaker 1: little shakily. After a moment's hesitation, I'll try arm in

322
00:16:56,560 --> 00:17:00,240
Speaker 1: arm shorthouse, holding the dripping candle and the stick, while

323
00:17:00,280 --> 00:17:03,480
Speaker 1: his aunt carried the cloak over her shoulders. Figures of

324
00:17:03,600 --> 00:17:09,119
Speaker 1: utter comedy to all but themselves. They began a systematic search, stealthily,

325
00:17:09,480 --> 00:17:12,800
Speaker 1: walking on tiptoe and shading the candle lest it should

326
00:17:12,840 --> 00:17:16,320
Speaker 1: betray their presence. Through the shutterless windows. They went first

327
00:17:16,359 --> 00:17:18,960
Speaker 1: into the big dining room. There was not a stick

328
00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:23,399
Speaker 1: of furniture to be seen. Bare walls, ugly mantlepieces, and

329
00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:27,879
Speaker 1: empty grates stared at them. Everything they felt resented their intrusion,

330
00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:32,199
Speaker 1: watching them as it were, with veiled eyes. Whispers followed

331
00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:36,520
Speaker 1: them shadows flitted noiselessly to the right and left. Something

332
00:17:36,600 --> 00:17:40,760
Speaker 1: seemed ever at their back, watching, waiting an opportunity to

333
00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:44,240
Speaker 1: do them injury. There was the inevitable sense that operations

334
00:17:44,280 --> 00:17:46,600
Speaker 1: which went on when the room was empty had been

335
00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:49,720
Speaker 1: temporarily suspended till they were well out of way again.

336
00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:52,680
Speaker 1: The whole dark interior of the old building seemed to

337
00:17:52,720 --> 00:17:56,480
Speaker 1: become a malignant presence that rose up, warning them to

338
00:17:56,600 --> 00:18:00,600
Speaker 1: desist and mind their own business. Every moment the strains

339
00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:01,760
Speaker 1: on the nerves increased.

340
00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:07,720
Speaker 3: So you hear, what's going on now? I mean, like,

341
00:18:07,760 --> 00:18:11,680
Speaker 3: they're in this house, yeah, empty, it's dark, and yet

342
00:18:11,720 --> 00:18:15,040
Speaker 3: they both have this impression that they are not alone,

343
00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:18,919
Speaker 3: that this house is watching them and resents their intrusion.

344
00:18:19,040 --> 00:18:20,600
Speaker 1: Yeah, and the ant is clearly a burden.

345
00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:23,880
Speaker 3: Yeah, but she's like, you know, really trying to hang

346
00:18:23,920 --> 00:18:24,200
Speaker 3: in there.

347
00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:25,800
Speaker 1: Let's give her credit.

348
00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:31,119
Speaker 3: Out of the gloomy dining room, they passed through large

349
00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:34,320
Speaker 3: folding doors into a sort of library or smoking room,

350
00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:38,840
Speaker 3: wrapped equally in silence, darkness, and dust, And from this

351
00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:41,680
Speaker 3: they regained the hall near the top of the back stairs.

352
00:18:42,640 --> 00:18:45,919
Speaker 3: Here a pitch black tunnel opened before them into the

353
00:18:45,960 --> 00:18:50,159
Speaker 3: lower regions and it must be confessed. They hesitated, but

354
00:18:50,280 --> 00:18:52,959
Speaker 3: only for a minute. With the worst of the night

355
00:18:53,040 --> 00:18:55,399
Speaker 3: still to come, it was essential to turn from nothing.

356
00:18:56,080 --> 00:18:58,560
Speaker 3: Aunt Julius stumbled at the top of the dark descent,

357
00:18:58,880 --> 00:19:01,840
Speaker 3: ill lit by the flickering candle, and even Shorthouse felt

358
00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:04,280
Speaker 3: at least half the decision. Go out of his legs.

359
00:19:04,680 --> 00:19:08,040
Speaker 3: Come on, he said, peremptorily, and his voice ran on

360
00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:11,959
Speaker 3: and lost itself in the dark empty spaces below. I'm coming,

361
00:19:12,119 --> 00:19:17,120
Speaker 3: she faltered, catching his arm with unnecessary violence. They went

362
00:19:17,160 --> 00:19:20,639
Speaker 3: a little unsteadily down the stone steps, a cold, damp

363
00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:24,800
Speaker 3: air meeting them in the face, close and malodorous. The

364
00:19:24,920 --> 00:19:28,320
Speaker 3: kitchen into which the stairs led along a narrow passage,

365
00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:32,040
Speaker 3: was large, with the lofty ceiling. Several doors opened out

366
00:19:32,040 --> 00:19:35,160
Speaker 3: of it, some into cupboards with empty jars still standing

367
00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:39,119
Speaker 3: on the shelves, and others into horrible, little, ghostly back offices,

368
00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:43,160
Speaker 3: each colder and less inviting than the last. Black beetles

369
00:19:43,200 --> 00:19:46,320
Speaker 3: scurried over the floor, and once, when they knocked against

370
00:19:46,359 --> 00:19:49,159
Speaker 3: the deal table standing in the corner, something about the

371
00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:52,080
Speaker 3: size of a cat jumped down with a rush and fled,

372
00:19:52,119 --> 00:19:56,080
Speaker 3: scampering across the stone floor into the darkness everywhere. There

373
00:19:56,160 --> 00:19:59,600
Speaker 3: was a sense of recent occupation, an impression of sadness

374
00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:03,639
Speaker 3: and glued. Leaving the main kitchen, they went toward the scullery.

375
00:20:04,119 --> 00:20:06,320
Speaker 3: The door was standing ajar, and as they pushed it

376
00:20:06,359 --> 00:20:10,159
Speaker 3: open to its full extent, Aunt Juliet uttered a piercing scream,

377
00:20:10,400 --> 00:20:13,000
Speaker 3: which she instantly tried to stifle by placing her hand

378
00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:16,679
Speaker 3: over her mouth. For a second. Shorthouse stood stock still,

379
00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:19,360
Speaker 3: catching his breath. He felt as if his spine had

380
00:20:19,359 --> 00:20:22,560
Speaker 3: suddenly become hollow, and someone had filled it with particles

381
00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:26,480
Speaker 3: of ice. Facing them directly in their way, between the

382
00:20:26,520 --> 00:20:30,439
Speaker 3: doorposts stood the figure of a woman. She had disheveled

383
00:20:30,440 --> 00:20:33,960
Speaker 3: hair and wildly staring eyes, and her face was terrified

384
00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:37,639
Speaker 3: and white as death. She stood there motionless for the

385
00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:40,439
Speaker 3: space of a single second. Then the candle flickered and

386
00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:43,800
Speaker 3: she was gone, gone utterly, and the door framed nothing

387
00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:45,480
Speaker 3: but empty darkness.

388
00:20:46,160 --> 00:20:48,199
Speaker 1: Only the beastly jumping candlelight.

389
00:20:48,320 --> 00:20:51,680
Speaker 3: He said quickly, in a voice that sounded like someone else's.

390
00:20:51,680 --> 00:20:53,360
Speaker 3: It was only half under control.

391
00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:57,880
Speaker 1: Come on, Aunt, there's nothing there. He dragged her forward,

392
00:20:58,200 --> 00:21:00,560
Speaker 1: with a clattering of feet and a great appearance of boldness.

393
00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:03,240
Speaker 1: They went on but over his body the skin mood

394
00:21:03,280 --> 00:21:06,199
Speaker 1: as if crawling ants covered it, and he knew by

395
00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:08,520
Speaker 1: the weight on his arm that he was supplying the

396
00:21:08,560 --> 00:21:12,480
Speaker 1: force of locomotion. For two, the scullery was cold, bare

397
00:21:12,520 --> 00:21:15,560
Speaker 1: and empty, more like a large prison cell than anything else.

398
00:21:16,080 --> 00:21:18,520
Speaker 1: They went round it, tried the door into the yard

399
00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:22,199
Speaker 1: and the windows, but found them all fastened securely. His

400
00:21:22,280 --> 00:21:24,359
Speaker 1: aunt moved beside him like a person in a dream.

401
00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:27,280
Speaker 1: Her eyes were tightly shut, and she seemed merely to

402
00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:30,280
Speaker 1: follow the pressure of his arm. Her courage filled him

403
00:21:30,280 --> 00:21:32,960
Speaker 1: with amazement. At the same time, she noticed that a

404
00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:36,000
Speaker 1: certain odd change had come over her face, a change

405
00:21:36,000 --> 00:21:40,399
Speaker 1: which somehow evaded his powers of analysis. There's nothing here, Auntie,

406
00:21:40,560 --> 00:21:43,720
Speaker 1: he replied aloud. Quickly, Let's go upstairs and see the

407
00:21:43,720 --> 00:21:45,919
Speaker 1: rest of the house. Then we'll choose a room to

408
00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:49,359
Speaker 1: wait up in. She followed him obediently, keeping close to

409
00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:51,960
Speaker 1: his side, and they locked the kitchen door behind them.

410
00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:54,280
Speaker 1: It was a relief to get up again, and the

411
00:21:54,280 --> 00:21:56,240
Speaker 1: hall there was more light than before, for the moon

412
00:21:56,280 --> 00:21:59,479
Speaker 1: had traveled a little further down the stairs. Cautiously, they

413
00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:01,440
Speaker 1: began to go up into the dark vault of the

414
00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:04,480
Speaker 1: upper house. The boards creaking under their weight. On the

415
00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:07,240
Speaker 1: first floor, they found the large double drawing rooms, a

416
00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:10,680
Speaker 1: search of which revealed nothing. Here also was no sign

417
00:22:10,720 --> 00:22:14,320
Speaker 1: of furniture or recent occupancy, nothing but dust and neglect

418
00:22:14,359 --> 00:22:17,680
Speaker 1: and shadows. They opened the big folding doors between front

419
00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:20,639
Speaker 1: and back drawing rooms, and then came out again to

420
00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:23,919
Speaker 1: the landing and went upstairs. They had not gone up

421
00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:27,240
Speaker 1: more than a dozen steps when they both simultaneously stopped

422
00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:30,600
Speaker 1: to listen, looking into each other's eyes with a new apprehension.

423
00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:34,399
Speaker 1: Across the flickering candleplane from the room they had left

424
00:22:34,800 --> 00:22:38,600
Speaker 1: hardly ten seconds before, came the sound of doors quietly closing.

425
00:22:39,440 --> 00:22:43,040
Speaker 1: It was beyond all question. They heard the booming noise

426
00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:46,639
Speaker 1: that accompanies the shutting of heavy doors, followed by the

427
00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:49,920
Speaker 1: sharp catching of the latch. We must go back and see,

428
00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:53,439
Speaker 1: said Shorthouse briefly, in a low tone, and turning to

429
00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:57,440
Speaker 1: go downstairs again. Somehow she managed to drag after him,

430
00:22:57,800 --> 00:23:00,560
Speaker 1: her feet catching in her dress, her face livid.

431
00:23:01,560 --> 00:23:04,080
Speaker 3: When they entered the front drawing room, it was plain

432
00:23:04,119 --> 00:23:07,119
Speaker 3: that the folding doors had been closed half a minute before.

433
00:23:07,800 --> 00:23:11,280
Speaker 3: Without hesitation, short House opened them. He almost expected to

434
00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:13,880
Speaker 3: see someone facing him in the back room, but only

435
00:23:13,960 --> 00:23:17,679
Speaker 3: darkness and cold air met him. They went through both rooms,

436
00:23:17,680 --> 00:23:20,880
Speaker 3: finding nothing unusual. They tried in every way to make

437
00:23:20,920 --> 00:23:23,280
Speaker 3: the doors close of themselves, but there was not wind

438
00:23:23,560 --> 00:23:27,159
Speaker 3: enough even to set the candle flame flickering. The doors

439
00:23:27,160 --> 00:23:30,800
Speaker 3: would not move without strong pressure. All was silent as

440
00:23:30,840 --> 00:23:34,679
Speaker 3: the grave. Undeniably, the rooms were utterly empty, and the

441
00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:39,440
Speaker 3: house utterly still its beginning, whispered a voice at his elbow,

442
00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:43,760
Speaker 3: which he hardly recognized as his aunts. He nodded acquiescence,

443
00:23:44,119 --> 00:23:46,679
Speaker 3: taking out his watch to note the time. It was

444
00:23:46,760 --> 00:23:50,639
Speaker 3: fifteen minutes before midnight. He made the entry of exactly

445
00:23:50,680 --> 00:23:53,560
Speaker 3: what had occurred in his note book, setting the candle

446
00:23:53,600 --> 00:23:55,760
Speaker 3: in its case upon the floor. In order to do so,

447
00:23:56,600 --> 00:23:58,719
Speaker 3: it took a moment or two to balance it safely

448
00:23:58,760 --> 00:24:02,520
Speaker 3: against the wall. Aunt Julia always declared that at this

449
00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:05,680
Speaker 3: moment she was not actually watching him, but had turned

450
00:24:05,680 --> 00:24:08,439
Speaker 3: her head toward the inner room, where she fancied she

451
00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:12,360
Speaker 3: had heard something moving. But at any rate, both positively

452
00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:15,320
Speaker 3: agreed that there came a sound of rushing feet, heavy

453
00:24:15,359 --> 00:24:18,399
Speaker 3: and very swift, and the next instant the candle was out.

454
00:24:19,160 --> 00:24:22,159
Speaker 3: But to Shorthouse himself had come more than this and

455
00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:24,880
Speaker 3: he had always thanked his fortunate stars that it came

456
00:24:24,920 --> 00:24:27,440
Speaker 3: to him alone, and not to his aunt too. For

457
00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:30,919
Speaker 3: as he rose from the stooping position of balancing the candle,

458
00:24:31,119 --> 00:24:34,760
Speaker 3: and before it was actually extinguished, a face thrust itself forward,

459
00:24:34,840 --> 00:24:37,000
Speaker 3: so close to his own that he could almost have

460
00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:39,920
Speaker 3: touched it with his lips. It was a face working

461
00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:44,080
Speaker 3: with passion, a man's face, dark with thick features and angry,

462
00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:47,240
Speaker 3: savage eyes. It belonged to a common man, and it

463
00:24:47,320 --> 00:24:50,600
Speaker 3: was evil in its ordinary normal expression, no doubt. But

464
00:24:50,720 --> 00:24:54,040
Speaker 3: as he saw it alive with intense, aggressive emotion, it

465
00:24:54,080 --> 00:24:58,000
Speaker 3: was malignant in a terrible human countenance. There was no

466
00:24:58,080 --> 00:25:00,520
Speaker 3: movement of the air, nothing but the sound of rushing

467
00:25:00,560 --> 00:25:04,280
Speaker 3: feet stocking their muffled feet, the apparition of the face,

468
00:25:04,760 --> 00:25:07,880
Speaker 3: and the almost simultaneous extinguishing of the candle.

469
00:25:10,680 --> 00:25:12,439
Speaker 1: All right, so the s is hitting the fan. The

470
00:25:12,480 --> 00:25:13,960
Speaker 1: poopoo was hitting the fan at this point.

471
00:25:14,040 --> 00:25:16,600
Speaker 3: Yeah, he could have kissed this ghost.

472
00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:20,000
Speaker 1: Yeah, and they've seen what possibly as a stable man,

473
00:25:21,280 --> 00:25:24,199
Speaker 1: an angry man, and maybe even the woman he murdered.

474
00:25:25,119 --> 00:25:27,399
Speaker 1: And there's cats. It's always scary.

475
00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:29,800
Speaker 3: You hope it's a cat. It was something the size

476
00:25:29,800 --> 00:25:30,240
Speaker 3: of a cat.

477
00:25:30,560 --> 00:25:35,720
Speaker 1: Yet they're still in here. Here we go. In spite

478
00:25:35,720 --> 00:25:39,280
Speaker 1: of himself, Shorthouse uttered a little cry, nearly losing his balance,

479
00:25:39,280 --> 00:25:41,240
Speaker 1: as his aunt clung to him with her whole weight.

480
00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:45,399
Speaker 1: In one moment of real, uncontrollable terror. She made no sound,

481
00:25:45,480 --> 00:25:49,800
Speaker 1: but simply seized him bodily. Fortunately, however, she had seen nothing,

482
00:25:50,280 --> 00:25:53,000
Speaker 1: but had only heard the rushing feet for her control

483
00:25:53,080 --> 00:25:56,360
Speaker 1: returned almost at once, and he was able to disentangle

484
00:25:56,440 --> 00:25:59,600
Speaker 1: himself and strike a match. The shadows ran away on

485
00:25:59,640 --> 00:26:02,600
Speaker 1: all sides before the glare, and his aunt stooped down

486
00:26:02,640 --> 00:26:05,919
Speaker 1: and groped for the cigar case with a precious candle.

487
00:26:06,240 --> 00:26:08,639
Speaker 1: Then they discovered that the candle had not been blown

488
00:26:08,680 --> 00:26:12,440
Speaker 1: out at all. It had been crushed out. The wick

489
00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:15,560
Speaker 1: was pressed down into the wax, which was flattened, as

490
00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:19,720
Speaker 1: if by some smooth, heavy instrument. How his companion so

491
00:26:19,800 --> 00:26:23,960
Speaker 1: quickly overcame her terror, Shorthouse never properly understood, but his

492
00:26:24,080 --> 00:26:27,199
Speaker 1: admiration for her self control increased tenfold, and at that

493
00:26:27,240 --> 00:26:30,720
Speaker 1: same time served to feed his own dying flame, for

494
00:26:30,800 --> 00:26:34,480
Speaker 1: which he was undeniably grateful. Equally inexplicable to him was

495
00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:37,199
Speaker 1: the evidence of physical force they had just witnessed. He

496
00:26:37,280 --> 00:26:39,720
Speaker 1: at once suppressed the memories of stories he had heard

497
00:26:39,760 --> 00:26:43,600
Speaker 1: of physical mediums in their dangerous phenomena. For if these

498
00:26:43,640 --> 00:26:46,720
Speaker 1: were true, and either his aunt or himself was unwittingly

499
00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:49,439
Speaker 1: a physical medium, it meant that they were simply aiding

500
00:26:49,520 --> 00:26:52,520
Speaker 1: to focus the forces of a haunted house already charged

501
00:26:52,560 --> 00:26:55,719
Speaker 1: to the brim. It was like walking with unprotected lamps

502
00:26:55,760 --> 00:27:00,000
Speaker 1: among uncovered stores of gunpowder. So, with his little reflection

503
00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:03,639
Speaker 1: as possible, he simply ReLit the candle and went up

504
00:27:03,680 --> 00:27:06,439
Speaker 1: to the next floor. The arm in his trembled, it

505
00:27:06,520 --> 00:27:09,840
Speaker 1: is true, and his own tread was often uncertain. But

506
00:27:09,880 --> 00:27:13,600
Speaker 1: they went on with thoroughness, and after a search revealing nothing,

507
00:27:14,000 --> 00:27:16,879
Speaker 1: they climbed the last flight of stairs to the top floor.

508
00:27:16,880 --> 00:27:20,359
Speaker 1: Of all. Here they found a perfect nest of small

509
00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:24,400
Speaker 1: servants rooms with broken pieces of furniture, dirty cane bottom chairs,

510
00:27:24,680 --> 00:27:29,280
Speaker 1: chest of drawers, cracked mirrors, and decrepit bedsteads. The room

511
00:27:29,320 --> 00:27:33,400
Speaker 1: had low sloping ceilings already hung here and there with cobwebs,

512
00:27:33,720 --> 00:27:38,120
Speaker 1: small windows, and badly plastered walls. A depressing and dismal

513
00:27:38,160 --> 00:27:46,840
Speaker 1: region which they were glad to leave behind. Man, are

514
00:27:46,840 --> 00:27:47,560
Speaker 1: they gonna make it out?

515
00:27:48,080 --> 00:27:51,040
Speaker 3: I don't know, Chuck, all right, let's find out. It

516
00:27:51,119 --> 00:27:53,119
Speaker 3: was on the stroke of midnight when they entered a

517
00:27:53,160 --> 00:27:55,760
Speaker 3: small room on the third floor, close to the top

518
00:27:55,800 --> 00:27:58,720
Speaker 3: of the stairs, and arranged to make themselves comfortable for

519
00:27:58,760 --> 00:28:02,199
Speaker 3: the remainder of their adventures. It was absolutely bare, and

520
00:28:02,280 --> 00:28:04,560
Speaker 3: was said to be the room then used as a

521
00:28:04,600 --> 00:28:08,040
Speaker 3: clothes closet into which the infuriated groom had chased his

522
00:28:08,160 --> 00:28:12,040
Speaker 3: victim and finally caught her outside Across the narrow landing

523
00:28:12,400 --> 00:28:15,159
Speaker 3: began the stairs leading up to the floor above and

524
00:28:15,200 --> 00:28:18,840
Speaker 3: the servants quarters where they had just searched. In spite

525
00:28:18,880 --> 00:28:21,240
Speaker 3: of the chilliness of the night. There was something in

526
00:28:21,280 --> 00:28:23,119
Speaker 3: the air of this room that cried out for an

527
00:28:23,160 --> 00:28:26,880
Speaker 3: open window. But there was more than this. Shorthouse could

528
00:28:26,920 --> 00:28:29,520
Speaker 3: only describe it by saying that he felt less master

529
00:28:29,600 --> 00:28:32,359
Speaker 3: of himself here than in any other part of the house.

530
00:28:33,000 --> 00:28:36,480
Speaker 3: There was something that acted directly on his nerves, tiring

531
00:28:36,520 --> 00:28:40,280
Speaker 3: the resolution, enfeebling the will. He was conscious of this

532
00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:42,760
Speaker 3: result before he had been in the room five minutes,

533
00:28:43,040 --> 00:28:45,240
Speaker 3: and it was just in the short time that they

534
00:28:45,320 --> 00:28:48,440
Speaker 3: stayed there that he suffered the wholesale depletion of his

535
00:28:48,520 --> 00:28:52,280
Speaker 3: vital forces, which was for himself the chief horror of

536
00:28:52,320 --> 00:28:56,280
Speaker 3: the whole experience. They put the candle on the floor

537
00:28:56,280 --> 00:28:58,959
Speaker 3: of the cupboard, leaving the door a few inches ajar,

538
00:28:59,280 --> 00:29:01,720
Speaker 3: so that there was no glare to confuse the eyes,

539
00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:04,520
Speaker 3: and no shadow to shift about on walls and ceiling.

540
00:29:05,120 --> 00:29:07,120
Speaker 3: Then they spread the cloak on the floor and sat

541
00:29:07,160 --> 00:29:11,240
Speaker 3: down to wait with their backs against the wall. Shorthouse

542
00:29:11,320 --> 00:29:13,720
Speaker 3: was within two feet of the door on to the landing.

543
00:29:14,040 --> 00:29:16,840
Speaker 3: His position commanded a good view of the main staircase

544
00:29:16,920 --> 00:29:19,760
Speaker 3: leading down into the darkness, and also of the beginning

545
00:29:19,800 --> 00:29:22,640
Speaker 3: of the servants stairs going to the floor above. The

546
00:29:22,680 --> 00:29:26,240
Speaker 3: heavy stick lay beside him within easy reach. The moon

547
00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:29,040
Speaker 3: was now high above the house. Through the open window,

548
00:29:29,080 --> 00:29:31,880
Speaker 3: they could see the comforting stars, like friendly eyes watching

549
00:29:31,920 --> 00:29:34,600
Speaker 3: in the sky. One by one, the clocks of the

550
00:29:34,600 --> 00:29:37,920
Speaker 3: town struck midnight, and when the sounds died away, the

551
00:29:37,960 --> 00:29:41,240
Speaker 3: deep silence of a windless night fell again over everything.

552
00:29:41,960 --> 00:29:45,200
Speaker 3: Only the boom of the sea, far away and lugubrious,

553
00:29:45,440 --> 00:29:52,200
Speaker 3: filled the air with hollow murmurs, lugubrious near big trouble,

554
00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:54,560
Speaker 3: undeclarated in Saint Deletrious.

555
00:29:56,560 --> 00:29:59,920
Speaker 1: Inside the house, the silence became awful, awful, he thought,

556
00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:02,360
Speaker 1: because any minute now it might be broken by sounds

557
00:30:02,360 --> 00:30:06,200
Speaker 1: of portending terror. The strain of waiting told more and

558
00:30:06,280 --> 00:30:09,400
Speaker 1: more severely on the nerves. They talked in whispers when

559
00:30:09,400 --> 00:30:12,360
Speaker 1: they talked at all, For their voices aloud sounded queer

560
00:30:12,720 --> 00:30:16,640
Speaker 1: and unnatural. A chilliness, not altogether due to the night

561
00:30:16,680 --> 00:30:20,000
Speaker 1: air invaded the room and made them cold. The influences

562
00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:23,280
Speaker 1: against them, whatever these might be, were slowly robbing them

563
00:30:23,320 --> 00:30:27,160
Speaker 1: of self confidence and the power of decisive action. Their

564
00:30:27,200 --> 00:30:30,000
Speaker 1: forces were on the wane, and the possibility of real

565
00:30:30,080 --> 00:30:33,120
Speaker 1: fear took on a new and terrible meaning. He began

566
00:30:33,160 --> 00:30:36,080
Speaker 1: to tremble for the elderly woman by his side, whose

567
00:30:36,080 --> 00:30:39,240
Speaker 1: pluck could hardly save her. Beyond a certain extent. He

568
00:30:39,240 --> 00:30:42,400
Speaker 1: heard the blood singing in his veins. It sometimes seemed

569
00:30:42,400 --> 00:30:45,200
Speaker 1: so loud that he fancied it prevented his hearing properly

570
00:30:45,600 --> 00:30:48,640
Speaker 1: certain other sounds that were beginning very faintly to make

571
00:30:48,680 --> 00:30:51,480
Speaker 1: themselves audible in the depths of the house. Every time

572
00:30:51,520 --> 00:30:55,240
Speaker 1: he fastened his attention on the sounds, they instantly ceased.

573
00:30:55,880 --> 00:30:58,920
Speaker 1: They certainly came no nearer. Yet he could not rid

574
00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:01,719
Speaker 1: himself of the idea that movement was going on somewhere

575
00:31:01,720 --> 00:31:05,000
Speaker 1: in the lower regions of the house. The drawing room floor,

576
00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:08,640
Speaker 1: where the doors had been so strangely closed, seemed too near.

577
00:31:09,440 --> 00:31:12,200
Speaker 1: The sounds were further off than that. He thought of

578
00:31:12,240 --> 00:31:15,200
Speaker 1: the great kitchen with the scurrying black beetles, and of

579
00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:19,120
Speaker 1: the dismal little scullery, But somehow or other it did

580
00:31:19,160 --> 00:31:22,240
Speaker 1: not seem to come from there either. Surely they were

581
00:31:22,280 --> 00:31:27,760
Speaker 1: not outside the house. Then suddenly the truth flashed into

582
00:31:27,800 --> 00:31:30,240
Speaker 1: his mind, and for the space of a minute he

583
00:31:30,280 --> 00:31:32,520
Speaker 1: felt as if his blood had stopped flowing and turned

584
00:31:32,560 --> 00:31:36,040
Speaker 1: to ice. The sounds were not downstairs at all. They

585
00:31:36,040 --> 00:31:41,200
Speaker 1: were upstairs, upstairs, somewhere among those horrid, gloomy little servants

586
00:31:41,280 --> 00:31:44,920
Speaker 1: rooms with their bits of broken furniture, low ceilings and

587
00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:49,200
Speaker 1: cramped windows, upstairs where the victim had first been disturbed

588
00:31:49,520 --> 00:31:52,760
Speaker 1: and stalked her to death. And the moment he discovered

589
00:31:52,760 --> 00:31:55,560
Speaker 1: where the sounds were, he began to hear them more clearly.

590
00:31:56,480 --> 00:31:59,360
Speaker 1: It was the sound of feet moving stealthily along the

591
00:31:59,400 --> 00:32:02,760
Speaker 1: passage over head, in and out among the rooms and

592
00:32:02,800 --> 00:32:03,720
Speaker 1: pasted the furniture.

593
00:32:04,440 --> 00:32:06,880
Speaker 3: He turned quickly to steal a glance at the motionless

594
00:32:06,880 --> 00:32:09,800
Speaker 3: figure seated beside him to note whether she had shared

595
00:32:09,800 --> 00:32:13,240
Speaker 3: his discovery. The faint candlelight coming through the crack in

596
00:32:13,280 --> 00:32:16,120
Speaker 3: the cupboard door, through her strongly marked face into a

597
00:32:16,200 --> 00:32:19,080
Speaker 3: vivid relief against the white of the wall. But it

598
00:32:19,160 --> 00:32:21,080
Speaker 3: was something else that made him catch his breath and

599
00:32:21,200 --> 00:32:25,120
Speaker 3: stare again. An extraordinary something had come into her face

600
00:32:25,480 --> 00:32:27,959
Speaker 3: and seemed to spread over her features like a mask.

601
00:32:28,520 --> 00:32:30,960
Speaker 3: It smoothed out the deep lines and drew the skin

602
00:32:31,040 --> 00:32:34,640
Speaker 3: everywhere a little tighter, so that the wrinkles disappeared. It

603
00:32:34,680 --> 00:32:37,320
Speaker 3: brought into the face, with the sole exception of the

604
00:32:37,360 --> 00:32:41,280
Speaker 3: old eyes, an appearance of youth and almost of childhood.

605
00:32:41,600 --> 00:32:45,600
Speaker 3: He stared in speechless amazement, amazement that was dangerously near

606
00:32:45,640 --> 00:32:48,440
Speaker 3: to horror. It was his aunt's face, indeed, but it

607
00:32:48,480 --> 00:32:51,400
Speaker 3: was her face of forty years ago, the vacant, innocent

608
00:32:51,440 --> 00:32:54,000
Speaker 3: face of a girl. He had heard stories of that

609
00:32:54,120 --> 00:32:57,040
Speaker 3: strange effect of terror, which could wipe a human countenance

610
00:32:57,080 --> 00:33:01,200
Speaker 3: clean of other emotions, obliterating all previous expressions, but he

611
00:33:01,240 --> 00:33:04,239
Speaker 3: had never realized that it could be literally true, or

612
00:33:04,240 --> 00:33:07,640
Speaker 3: could mean anything so simply horrible as what he now saw.

613
00:33:08,240 --> 00:33:12,200
Speaker 3: For the dreadful signature of overmastering fear was written plainly

614
00:33:12,280 --> 00:33:15,000
Speaker 3: in that utter vacancy of the girlish face beside him,

615
00:33:15,200 --> 00:33:18,000
Speaker 3: And when feeling his intense gaze, she turned to look

616
00:33:18,040 --> 00:33:21,440
Speaker 3: at him. He instinctively closed his eyes tightly to shut

617
00:33:21,480 --> 00:33:24,320
Speaker 3: out the sight. Yet when he turned a minute later,

618
00:33:24,520 --> 00:33:27,280
Speaker 3: his feelings well in hand, he saw, to his intense

619
00:33:27,320 --> 00:33:30,960
Speaker 3: relief another expression. His aunt was smiling, and though the

620
00:33:31,000 --> 00:33:34,080
Speaker 3: face was deathly white, the awful veil had lifted and

621
00:33:34,120 --> 00:33:35,600
Speaker 3: the normal look was returning.

622
00:33:36,040 --> 00:33:38,320
Speaker 1: Anything wrong was all he could think of to say

623
00:33:38,320 --> 00:33:41,240
Speaker 1: at the moment, and the answer was eloquent, coming from

624
00:33:41,280 --> 00:33:42,240
Speaker 1: such an old woman.

625
00:33:42,760 --> 00:33:45,720
Speaker 3: I feel cold and a little frightened.

626
00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:49,520
Speaker 1: She whispered. He offered to close the window, but she

627
00:33:49,600 --> 00:33:51,440
Speaker 1: seized hold of him and begged him not to leave

628
00:33:51,440 --> 00:33:54,320
Speaker 1: her side, even for an instant. It's upstairs, I know,

629
00:33:54,680 --> 00:33:56,720
Speaker 1: she whispered, with an odd half laugh.

630
00:33:56,960 --> 00:33:58,560
Speaker 3: But I can't possibly go up.

631
00:33:59,360 --> 00:34:02,080
Speaker 1: But short, how else thought otherwise, Knowing that in action

632
00:34:02,600 --> 00:34:05,120
Speaker 1: lay their best hope of self control, he took the

633
00:34:05,120 --> 00:34:08,000
Speaker 1: brandy flask and poured out a glass of neat spirit,

634
00:34:08,600 --> 00:34:12,520
Speaker 1: stiff enough to help anybody over anything. It's a good move.

635
00:34:13,080 --> 00:34:16,080
Speaker 1: She swallowed it with a little shiver. His only idea

636
00:34:16,160 --> 00:34:17,920
Speaker 1: now was to get out of the house before her

637
00:34:17,920 --> 00:34:21,319
Speaker 1: collapse became inevitable. But this could not safely be done

638
00:34:21,320 --> 00:34:24,680
Speaker 1: by turning tail and running from the enemy, an action

639
00:34:24,880 --> 00:34:28,000
Speaker 1: was no longer possible. Every minute he was growing less

640
00:34:28,040 --> 00:34:32,000
Speaker 1: master of himself, and desperate. Aggressive measures were imperative without

641
00:34:32,080 --> 00:34:36,880
Speaker 1: further delay. Moreover, the action must be taken towards the enemy,

642
00:34:37,400 --> 00:34:41,440
Speaker 1: not away from it. The climax, if necessary and unavoidable,

643
00:34:41,800 --> 00:34:44,880
Speaker 1: would have to be faced boldly. He could do it now,

644
00:34:45,400 --> 00:34:47,640
Speaker 1: but in ten minutes he might not have the force

645
00:34:47,719 --> 00:34:52,120
Speaker 1: left to act for himself, much less for both. Upstairs,

646
00:34:52,160 --> 00:34:56,440
Speaker 1: the sounds were meanwhile becoming louder and closer, accompanied by

647
00:34:56,440 --> 00:35:00,000
Speaker 1: the occasional creaking of the boards. Someone was moving stille

648
00:35:00,040 --> 00:35:03,640
Speaker 1: healthily about, stumbling now and then awkwardly against the furniture,

649
00:35:04,360 --> 00:35:06,680
Speaker 1: Waiting a few moments to allow the tremendous dose of

650
00:35:06,719 --> 00:35:10,359
Speaker 1: spirits to produce its effect, and knowing this would last

651
00:35:10,400 --> 00:35:14,480
Speaker 1: but a short time under the circumstances, Shorthouse then quietly

652
00:35:14,480 --> 00:35:18,000
Speaker 1: got on his feet, saying in a determined voice, Now,

653
00:35:18,040 --> 00:35:21,879
Speaker 1: Aunt Julia, we'll go upstairs and find out what all

654
00:35:22,000 --> 00:35:25,920
Speaker 1: this noise is about. You must come too. It's what

655
00:35:25,960 --> 00:35:32,520
Speaker 1: we agreed. See he's gotten a little whiskey in his belly.

656
00:35:32,600 --> 00:35:34,359
Speaker 3: Yeah, he's a little drunk, and he's like.

657
00:35:34,719 --> 00:35:37,080
Speaker 1: Get your butt up here, right, You drug me into.

658
00:35:36,920 --> 00:35:42,719
Speaker 3: This, yeah, Brandy says the day again, He picked up

659
00:35:42,760 --> 00:35:44,840
Speaker 3: his stick and went to the cupboard for the candle.

660
00:35:45,200 --> 00:35:48,400
Speaker 3: A limp form rose shakily beside him, breathing hard, and

661
00:35:48,440 --> 00:35:51,000
Speaker 3: he heard a voice say, very faintly something about being

662
00:35:51,120 --> 00:35:54,960
Speaker 3: ready to come. The woman's courage amazed him. It was

663
00:35:55,000 --> 00:35:58,000
Speaker 3: so much greater than his own. And as they advanced,

664
00:35:58,040 --> 00:36:01,759
Speaker 3: holding aloft the dripping candle, some subtle force exhaled from

665
00:36:01,800 --> 00:36:04,480
Speaker 3: this trembling, white faced old woman at his side. That

666
00:36:04,680 --> 00:36:08,040
Speaker 3: was the true source of his inspiration. It held something

667
00:36:08,120 --> 00:36:10,880
Speaker 3: really great that shamed him and gave him the support

668
00:36:10,960 --> 00:36:13,520
Speaker 3: without which he would have proved far less. Equal to

669
00:36:13,600 --> 00:36:17,200
Speaker 3: the occasion, they crossed the dark landing, avoiding with their

670
00:36:17,239 --> 00:36:20,960
Speaker 3: eyes the deep black space over the banisters. Then they

671
00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:23,760
Speaker 3: began to mount the narrow staircase to meet the sounds,

672
00:36:23,800 --> 00:36:28,040
Speaker 3: which minute by minute grew louder and nearer. About halfway

673
00:36:28,120 --> 00:36:31,400
Speaker 3: up the stairs, Aunt Julius stumbled, and Shorthouse turned to

674
00:36:31,440 --> 00:36:33,800
Speaker 3: catch her by the arm, and just at that moment

675
00:36:33,840 --> 00:36:36,840
Speaker 3: there came a terrific crash in the servant's corridor overhead.

676
00:36:37,520 --> 00:36:40,759
Speaker 3: It was instantly followed by a shrill, agonized scream that

677
00:36:40,960 --> 00:36:43,120
Speaker 3: was a cry of terror and a cry for help

678
00:36:43,200 --> 00:36:46,600
Speaker 3: melted into one. Before they could move aside or go

679
00:36:46,680 --> 00:36:50,360
Speaker 3: down a single step, someone came rushing along the passage overhead,

680
00:36:50,600 --> 00:36:54,719
Speaker 3: blundering horribly, racing madly at full speed, three steps at

681
00:36:54,760 --> 00:36:57,840
Speaker 3: a time down the very staircase where they stood. The

682
00:36:57,920 --> 00:37:01,160
Speaker 3: steps were light and uncertain, but behind them sounded the

683
00:37:01,160 --> 00:37:04,560
Speaker 3: heavier tread of another person, and the staircase seemed to shake.

684
00:37:05,760 --> 00:37:08,960
Speaker 3: Shorthouse and his companion just had time to flatten themselves

685
00:37:09,000 --> 00:37:11,560
Speaker 3: against the wall when the jumble of flying steps was

686
00:37:11,640 --> 00:37:15,120
Speaker 3: upon them, and two persons with the slightest possible interval

687
00:37:15,160 --> 00:37:18,000
Speaker 3: between them, dashed past at full speed. It was a

688
00:37:18,040 --> 00:37:21,240
Speaker 3: perfect whirlwind of sound, breaking in upon the midnight silence

689
00:37:21,239 --> 00:37:24,719
Speaker 3: of the empty building. The two runners, pursuer and pursued,

690
00:37:24,880 --> 00:37:27,880
Speaker 3: had passed clean through them where they stood, and already

691
00:37:27,880 --> 00:37:30,680
Speaker 3: worth a thud. The boards below had received the first one,

692
00:37:30,880 --> 00:37:34,520
Speaker 3: then the other. Yet they had seen absolutely nothing, not

693
00:37:34,600 --> 00:37:36,680
Speaker 3: a hand or an arm, or a face, or even

694
00:37:36,680 --> 00:37:40,640
Speaker 3: a shred of flying clothing. Then came a second's pause,

695
00:37:41,360 --> 00:37:44,080
Speaker 3: then the first one, the lighter of the two, obviously

696
00:37:44,120 --> 00:37:47,600
Speaker 3: the pursued one, ran with uncertain footsteps into the little

697
00:37:47,680 --> 00:37:50,600
Speaker 3: room which Shorthouse and his aunt had just left, the

698
00:37:50,640 --> 00:37:54,320
Speaker 3: heavier one following There was a sound of scuffly gasping

699
00:37:54,360 --> 00:37:57,359
Speaker 3: and smothered screaming, and then out on the landing came

700
00:37:57,440 --> 00:37:59,760
Speaker 3: the step of a single person treading.

701
00:38:01,160 --> 00:38:03,560
Speaker 1: A dead silence followed for the space of half a minute,

702
00:38:03,920 --> 00:38:05,919
Speaker 1: and then was heard a rushing sound through the air.

703
00:38:06,480 --> 00:38:08,600
Speaker 1: It was followed by a dull, crashing thud in the

704
00:38:08,640 --> 00:38:11,239
Speaker 1: depths of the house below. On the stone floor of

705
00:38:11,239 --> 00:38:16,320
Speaker 1: the hall, utter silence reigned. After nothing moved. The flame

706
00:38:16,360 --> 00:38:19,480
Speaker 1: of the candle was steady, it had been steady the

707
00:38:19,480 --> 00:38:22,120
Speaker 1: whole time, and the air had been undisturbed by any

708
00:38:22,160 --> 00:38:27,480
Speaker 1: movement whatsoever. Palsied with terror, Aunt Julia, without waiting for

709
00:38:27,520 --> 00:38:31,920
Speaker 1: her companion, began fumbling her way downstairs. She was crying

710
00:38:31,960 --> 00:38:35,360
Speaker 1: gently to herself, and when Shorthouse put his arm round

711
00:38:35,400 --> 00:38:38,400
Speaker 1: her and half carried her, he felt that she was

712
00:38:38,440 --> 00:38:41,239
Speaker 1: trembling like a leaf. He went into the little room

713
00:38:41,520 --> 00:38:43,879
Speaker 1: and picked up the cloak from the floor and arm

714
00:38:43,920 --> 00:38:47,160
Speaker 1: in arm, walking very slowly, without speaking a word or

715
00:38:47,360 --> 00:38:50,600
Speaker 1: looking once behind them, they marched down the three flights

716
00:38:50,640 --> 00:38:54,160
Speaker 1: into the hall. In the hall, they saw nothing but

717
00:38:54,200 --> 00:38:56,440
Speaker 1: the whole way down the stairs, they were conscious that

718
00:38:56,520 --> 00:38:59,920
Speaker 1: someone followed them step by step. When they went back,

719
00:39:00,719 --> 00:39:03,680
Speaker 1: it was left behind, and when they went more slowly,

720
00:39:03,880 --> 00:39:06,719
Speaker 1: it caught them up. But never once did they look

721
00:39:06,760 --> 00:39:09,640
Speaker 1: behind to see. And at each turning of the staircase

722
00:39:10,000 --> 00:39:12,560
Speaker 1: they lowered their eyes for fear of the following horror

723
00:39:12,560 --> 00:39:16,400
Speaker 1: they might see upon the stairs above. With trembling hands,

724
00:39:16,760 --> 00:39:19,759
Speaker 1: Shorthouse opened the front door, and they walked out into

725
00:39:19,800 --> 00:39:22,000
Speaker 1: the moonlight and drew a deep breath of the cool

726
00:39:22,080 --> 00:39:23,439
Speaker 1: night air blowing in from the sea.

727
00:39:28,320 --> 00:39:31,040
Speaker 3: Wow. They made it out.

728
00:39:31,760 --> 00:39:35,320
Speaker 1: Yeah, and sounds like the stable man threw the girl

729
00:39:35,560 --> 00:39:36,840
Speaker 1: over the banister once again.

730
00:39:37,440 --> 00:39:39,480
Speaker 3: I have a feeling he does that every night, you

731
00:39:39,480 --> 00:39:42,760
Speaker 3: think so, or at the very least on the anniversary

732
00:39:42,800 --> 00:39:44,320
Speaker 3: of the night of the murder.

733
00:39:44,400 --> 00:39:44,680
Speaker 1: Yeah.

734
00:39:44,760 --> 00:39:45,919
Speaker 3: And the how ghosts work?

735
00:39:46,080 --> 00:39:48,520
Speaker 1: Yeah, creepy stuff, good stuff, good one.

736
00:39:48,560 --> 00:39:51,360
Speaker 3: Congratulations, Congratulations to you too, sir, Jerry.

737
00:39:51,440 --> 00:39:53,880
Speaker 1: Fine Shorthouse, Jerry can't wait too. And you're a fine

738
00:39:53,960 --> 00:39:58,840
Speaker 1: aunt leaf shaky lady. Yeah, sure, Jerry can't wait to

739
00:39:58,840 --> 00:40:00,879
Speaker 1: hear the sound design always a treat for us.

740
00:40:01,040 --> 00:40:04,640
Speaker 3: Yeah, and everyone out there. If you like this, Algernon

741
00:40:04,680 --> 00:40:06,839
Speaker 3: Blackwood has a lot of other good stuff. Yeah, check

742
00:40:06,880 --> 00:40:09,600
Speaker 3: it out and have a really happy Halloween.

743
00:40:09,719 --> 00:40:10,680
Speaker 1: Yeah, be safe out there.

744
00:40:15,880 --> 00:40:18,439
Speaker 2: For more on this and thousands of other topics, visit

745
00:40:18,480 --> 00:40:28,160
Speaker 2: HowStuffWorks dot com. Brought to you by the all new

746
00:40:28,239 --> 00:40:30,000
Speaker 2: twenty fourteen Toyota Corolla