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What information did Lord Canterville give Mr. Otis before handing over Canterville Chase?
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Before selling Canterville Chase, Lord Canterville informed Mr. Otis that the house was haunted, describing several incidents and noting that even a respected reverend had seen the ghost. Despite these warnings, Mr. Otis, an American, dismissed the existence of ghosts, humorously suggesting that if they were real, Americans would have commercialized them. Lord Canterville, maintaining cordiality, reiterated the ghost’s long history since the 1500s, but Mr. Otis remained unconcerned.
As an honest man, Lord Canterville feels that it is his duty to inform the Otis family that the Canterville house is haunted by a ghost. As an aside, I figure a really honest man would have said something before the house was sold.
When Mr. Hiram B. Otis, the American Minister, bought Canterville Chase, every one told him he was doing a very foolish thing, as there was no doubt at all that the place was haunted. Indeed, Lord Canterville himself, who was a man of the most punctilious honour, had felt it his duty to mention the fact to Mr. Otis when they came to discuss terms.
Lord Canterville tells Mr. Otis some specifics of the haunting. He describes some of the haunting incidents and tells Mr. Otis that none of the younger servants ever agree to stay with the Canterville family at the house. The ghost has...
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even been seen by an esteemed reverend.
". . . Mr. Otis, that the ghost has been seen by several living members of my family, as well as by the rector of the parish, the Rev. Augustus Dampier, who is a Fellow of King's College, Cambridge."
Mr. Otis's response is quite comical. He flatly denies the existence of ghosts, and he even goes so far as to say that if ghosts were real, Americans would already have had them on display in museums or traveling road shows.
". . . I reckon that if there were such a thing as a ghost in Europe, we'd have it at home in a very short time in one of our public museums, or on the road as a show."
To his credit, Lord Canterville stays cordial and attempts to further warn Mr. Otis. Lord Canterville describes a bit more history about the ghost and explains that the ghost has been haunting since the 1500's. Mr. Otis responds with a joke, and Lord Canterville decides to drop the subject.
"You are certainly very natural in America . . . and if you don't mind a ghost in the house, it is all right. Only you must remember I warned you."