the haunted hotel(闹鬼的旅馆)-第23节
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'I am afraid I have hardly made myself understood；' said Agnes。 'I am
not speaking to you out of any interest in Ferrari。 Are you aware that he is
married？'
'I pity his wife；' said Mrs。 Rolland。
'She is naturally in great grief about him；' Agnes proceeded。
'She ought to thank God she is rid of him；' Mrs。 Rolland interposed。
Agnes still persisted。 'I have known Mrs。 Ferrari from her childhood；
and I am sincerely anxious to help her in this matter。 Did you notice
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anything； while you were at Venice； that would account for her husband's
extraordinary disappearance？ On what sort of terms； for instance； did he
live with his master and mistress？'
'On terms of familiarity with his mistress；' said Mrs。 Rolland； 'which
were simply sickening to a respectable English servant。 She used to
encourage him to talk to her about all his affairs how he got on with his
wife； and how pressed he was for money； and such likejust as if they
were equals。 Contemptiblethat's what I call it。'
'And his master？' Agnes continued。 'How did Ferrari get on with
Lord Montbarry？'
'My lord used to live shut up with his studies and his sorrows；' Mrs。
Rolland answered； with a hard solemnity expressive of respect for his
lordship's memory。 Mr。 Ferrari got his money when it was due； and he
cared for nothing else。 〃If I could afford it； I would leave the place too；
but I can't afford it。〃 Those were the last words he said to me； on the
morning when I left the palace。 I made no reply。 After what had
happened （on that other occasion） I was naturally not on speaking terms
with Mr。 Ferrari。'
'Can you really tell me nothing which will throw any light on this
matter？'
'Nothing；' said Mrs。 Rolland； with an undisguised relish of the
disappointment that she was inflicting。
'There was another member of the family at Venice；' Agnes resumed；
determined to sift the question to the bottom while she had the chance。
'There was Baron Rivar。'
Mrs。 Rolland lifted her large hands； covered with rusty black gloves； in
mute protest against the introduction of Baron Rivar as a subject of inquiry。
'Are you aware； Miss；' she began； 'that I left my place in consequence of
what I observed？'
Agnes stopped her there。 'I only wanted to ask；' she explained； 'if
anything was said or done by Baron Rivar which might account for
Ferrari's strange conduct。'
'Nothing that I know of；' said Mrs。 Rolland。 'The Baron and Mr。
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Ferrari （if I may use such an expression） were 〃birds of a feather；〃 so far
as I could seeI mean； one was as unprincipled as the other。 I am a just
woman； and I will give you an example。 Only the day before I left； I
heard the Baron say （through the open door of his room while I was
passing along the corridor）； 〃Ferrari； I want a thousand pounds。 What
would you do for a thousand pounds？〃 And I heard Mr。 Ferrari answer；
〃Anything； sir； as long as I was not found out。〃 And then they both burst
out laughing。 I heard no more than that。 Judge for yourself； Miss。'
Agnes reflected for a moment。 A thousand pounds was the sum that
had been sent to Mrs。 Ferrari in the anonymous letter。 Was that enclosure
in any way connected； as a result； with the conversation between the
Baron and Ferrari？ It was useless to press any more inquiries on Mrs。
Rolland。 She could give no further information which was of the
slightest importance to the object in view。 There was no alternative but
to grant her dismissal。 One more effort had been made to find a trace of
the lost man； and once again the effort had failed。
They were a family party at the dinner…table that day。 The only guest
left in the house was a nephew of the new Lord Montbarry the eldest son
of his sister； Lady Barrville。 Lady Montbarry could not resist telling the
story of the first （and last） attack made on the virtue of Mrs。 Rolland； with
a comically…exact imitation of Mrs。 Rolland's deep and dismal voice。
Being asked by her husband what was the object which had brought that
formidable person to the house； she naturally mentioned the expected visit
of Miss Haldane。 Arthur Barville； unusually silent and pre…occupied so far；
suddenly struck into the conversation with a burst of enthusiasm。 'Miss
Haldane is the most charming girl in all Ireland！' he said。 'I caught sight of
her yesterday； over the wall of her garden； as I was riding by。 What time
is she coming to…morrow？ Before two？ I'll look into the drawing…room by
accidentI am dying to be introduced to her！'
Agnes was amused by his enthusiasm。 'Are you in love with Miss
Haldane already？' she asked。
Arthur answered gravely； 'It's no joking matter。 I have been all day at
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the garden wall； waiting to see her again！ It depends on Miss Haldane to
make me the happiest or the wretchedest man living。'
'You foolish boy！ How can you talk such nonsense？'
He was talking nonsense undoubtedly。 But； if Agnes had only known
it； he was doing something more than that。 He was innocently leading
her another stage nearer on the way to Venice。
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CHAPTER XIV
As the summer months advanced； the transformation of the Venetian
palace into the modern hotel proceeded rapidly towards completion。 The
outside of the building； with its fine Palladian front looking on the canal；
was wisely left unaltered。 Inside； as a matter of necessity； the rooms
were almost rebuiltso far at least as the size and the arrangement of them
were concerned。 The vast saloons were partitioned off into 'apartments'
containing three or four rooms each。 The broad corridors in the upper
regions afforded spare space enough for rows of little bedchambers；
devoted to servants and to travellers with limited means。 Nothing was
spared but the solid floors and the finely…carved ceilings。 These last； in
excellent preservation as to workmanship； merely required cleaning； and
regilding here and there； to add greatly to the beauty and importance of the
best rooms in the hotel。 The only exception to the complete re…
organization of the interior was at one extremity of the edifice； on the first
and second floors。 Here there happened； in each case； to be rooms of such
comparatively moderate size； and so attractively decorated； that the
architect suggested leaving them as they were。 It was afterwards
discovered that these were no other than the apartments formerly occupied
by Lord Montbarry （on the first floor）； and by Baron Rivar （on the second）。
The room in which Montbarry had died was still fitted up as a bedroom；
and was now distinguished as Number Fourteen。 The room above it； in
which the Baron had slept； took its place on the hotel…register as Number
Thirty…Eight。 With the ornaments on the walls and ceilings cleaned and
brightened up； and with the heavy old…fashioned beds； chairs； and tables
replaced by bright； pretty； and luxurious modern furniture； these two
promised to be at once the most attractive and the most comfortable
bedchambers in the hotel。 As for the once…desolate and disused ground
floor of the building； it was now transformed； by means of splendid
dining…rooms； reception…rooms； billiard…rooms； and smoking…rooms； into a
palace b
