In Chapter One of "The Canterville Ghost," Lord Canterville sells his ancestral home, Canterville Chase, to Mr Otis. On the day of the sale, Lord Canterville feels duty-bound to inform Mr Otis that the house is haunted and this is the reason why he and his family have moved out.
In fact, the ghost has been at Canterville Chase since 1584 and, during this time, has appeared on many occasions. Lord Canterville's grand-aunt, the Dowager Duchess of Bolton, was "frightened into a fit" after the ghost put his skeletal hands on her shoulders. His wife, Lady Canterville, was also bothered by the resident ghost: she got "very little sleep at night in consequence of the mysterious noises that came from the corridor and the library." After these incidents, many of Lord Canterville's servants refused to stay at Canterville Chase, forcing the family to depart and find a new home.
Despite Lord Canterville's warning, Mr Otis is very sceptical about the presence of a ghost because he comes from a "modern country" and believes in the laws of nature, not the supernatural. This contrast between Lord Canterville and Mr Otis represents a clash between the old world and the new. It also sets the tone for the rest of the story, by preparing the reader for the inevitable conflict between the ghost and the Otis family.
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