Linkworth went to his death with a calm, expressionless face. Mr Dawkins, the prison chaplain, did
his best to persuade Linkworth to confess his crime. Linkworth refused to admit his guilt. Now, on a
bright September morning, the sun shone warmly on the terrible little group that crossed the prison yard.
The chaplain prayed. Then the prison officers put a black cloth over the condemned man's head. They
tied his arms behind his back. Then they led Linkworth to the hanging−shed to punish him for his crime.
It was Doctor Teesdale's job afterwards to make sure that the man was dead. He did so. He had
seen it all, of course. He had heard the chaplain praying. He had watched the prison officers putting the
rope around the condemned man's neck. He had seen the floor open up underneath him, and he had
watched the body drop down into the black hole below. He had looked down and watched the body
trembling and kicking. That lasted for only a few moments; it was a perfect death. An hour later it was
Ghost Stories
2 18
Teesdale's duty to examine the body, and again everything was normal. The prisoner's neck was broken;
death had been quick and painless. As he examined the body, Teesdale had a very strange feeling. It
seemed to him that the spirit of the dead man was very near to him. But the body was cold and stiff.
Linkworth had been dead for an hour.
Then another strange thing happened. One of the prison officers came into the room.
`Excuse me, Doctor,' he said politely. `Has someone brought the rope in here with the body? As
you know, the hangman is always allowed to keep the rope, and we can't find it anywhere.'
`No,' said Teesdale in surprise. `It isn't here. Have you looked in the hanging−shed?'
He thought no more about it. The disappearance of the rope, although it was strange, was not
particularly important.
Doctor Teesdale was unmarried, and had a good income of his own. He lived in a pleasing little
flat some distance away from the prison. An excellent couple − Mr and Mrs Parker − looked after him.
He did not need the money that he earned as a doctor. But he was interested in crime and criminals. That
evening Teesdale could not stop thinking about Linkworth.
`It was a horrible crime,' he thought. `The man did not desperately need the money. It was an
unnatural crime: was the man mad? They said at the trial that he was a kind husband, a good neighbour
− why did he suddenly do this terrible thing? And afterwards he never confessed. He never asked for
forgiveness. Everyone knew that he was guilty; why didn't he confess?'
About half past nine that evening, after one of Mrs Parker's excellent dinners, Teesdale sat alone in
his study. Once more he had the feeling of another presence, a strange spirit, in the room. Teesdale was
not particularly surprised. `If the spirit continues to live after the death of the body,' he said to himself,
`is it so very surprising if it remains in this world for a time?'
Linkworth went to his death with a calm, expressionless face. Mr Dawkins, the prison chaplain, didhis best to persuade Linkworth to confess his crime. Linkworth refused to admit his guilt. Now, on abright September morning, the sun shone warmly on the terrible little group that crossed the prison yard.The chaplain prayed. Then the prison officers put a black cloth over the condemned man's head. Theytied his arms behind his back. Then they led Linkworth to the hanging−shed to punish him for his crime. It was Doctor Teesdale's job afterwards to make sure that the man was dead. He did so. He hadseen it all, of course. He had heard the chaplain praying. He had watched the prison officers putting therope around the condemned man's neck. He had seen the floor open up underneath him, and he hadwatched the body drop down into the black hole below. He had looked down and watched the bodytrembling and kicking. That lasted for only a few moments; it was a perfect death. An hour later it wasGhost Stories2 18Teesdale's duty to examine the body, and again everything was normal. The prisoner's neck was broken;death had been quick and painless. As he examined the body, Teesdale had a very strange feeling. Itseemed to him that the spirit of the dead man was very near to him. But the body was cold and stiff.Linkworth had been dead for an hour. Then another strange thing happened. One of the prison officers came into the room. `Excuse me, Doctor,' he said politely. `Has someone brought the rope in here with the body? Asyou know, the hangman is always allowed to keep the rope, and we can't find it anywhere.' `No,' said Teesdale in surprise. `It isn't here. Have you looked in the hanging−shed?' He thought no more about it. The disappearance of the rope, although it was strange, was notparticularly important. Doctor Teesdale was unmarried, and had a good income of his own. He lived in a pleasing littleflat some distance away from the prison. An excellent couple − Mr and Mrs Parker − looked after him.He did not need the money that he earned as a doctor. But he was interested in crime and criminals. Thatevening Teesdale could not stop thinking about Linkworth. `It was a horrible crime,' he thought. `The man did not desperately need the money. It was anunnatural crime: was the man mad? They said at the trial that he was a kind husband, a good neighbour− why did he suddenly do this terrible thing? And afterwards he never confessed. He never asked forforgiveness. Everyone knew that he was guilty; why didn't he confess?' About half past nine that evening, after one of Mrs Parker's excellent dinners, Teesdale sat alone inhis study. Once more he had the feeling of another presence, a strange spirit, in the room. Teesdale wasnot particularly surprised. `If the spirit continues to live after the death of the body,' he said to himself,`is it so very surprising if it remains in this world for a time?'
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