The Canterville Ghost: Chapters 3–4 — Pranks and Decline

Chapter 3: The Ghost's Second Appearance

The ghost had not manifested itself only in the bloodstain.

His next appearance was a Sunday night when everyone had gone to sleep. They heard a terrible noise; someone went down to see who it was and saw a huge suit of armor that had fallen and the ghost sitting in a chair, rubbing his knees with severe pain.

The twins had lowered their pea-shooters and shot the ghost. He became angry, stepped between them, and looked like the fog from a candle that Washington had left; they were in total darkness. He decided to launch a terrible laugh, which brought out Mrs. Otis, and she gave him a bottle because the ghost felt ill.

For several days the ghost was ill, and he chose a Friday—August 17—to return to the family. They were planning how to scare, especially Washington, about the stain on the floor that the ghost always made. The twins also wanted to give a good lesson, not so much to Virginia, since she had not done anything.

When night came and the ghost appeared before him, he was frightened as he had never been. He went to his room and dropped on his bed, but then decided to go and talk to the ghost to ally with him against the rebuking twins.

But, when he approached, he saw that it was a doll made by the twins with an inscription that read: "The Ghost Otis, the only true original specter. Be wary of imitations. All others are false."

The ghost was angry that he had been cheated; at other times he would have been appalled.

Chapter 4: The Ghost's Decline and Disappearance

The ghost was very weak and tired after all the jokes that had been played on him; his nerves were extremely upset. He was surprised that the Otis family did not find such events frightening.

He now made no noise when walking down the corridor, even when using the oil Mr. Otis had once given him, but the twins still set traps for the poor ghost.

Then he dressed up as "the Headless Count," but when he reached the twins' door—ajar—opening it dropped a bucket of water on his head. At that moment, they destroyed all his hopes of frightening the family.

September 19 was the "final blow." At a quarter past two in the morning he went to see if the bloodstain in the library remained; the twins sprang out, raised their arms, and cried "Boo!" The ghost ran away, but Washington was there with the garden hose, and then the ghost decided to disappear. He came to a messy room, full of disorder and despair.

After this event he was not seen again and it was thought he was gone; he had even been reported to Lord Canterville, who was congratulated on the event. But this was not true, for the ghost was still there and not willing to leave just yet.

As he knew the ghost was coming, Virginia's suitor decided to scare him, but at the last moment the fear the twins had instilled made him stay in his room.