the haunted hotel(闹鬼的旅馆)-第41节
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He hurried awaynot forgetting to close the door after him。 Henry
opened the window； and waited there breathing the purer air。 Vague
apprehensions of the next discovery to come； filled his mind for the first
time。 He was doubly resolved； now； not to stir a step in the investigation
without a witness。
The manager returned with a wax taper in his hand； which he lighted
as soon as he entered the room。
'We need fear no interruption now；' he said。 'Be so kind； Mr。
Westwick； as to hold the light。 It is my business to find out what this
extraordinary discovery means。'
Henry held the taper。 Looking into the cavity； by the dim and
flickering light； they both detected a dark object at the bottom of it。 'I think
I can reach the thing；' the manager remarked； 'if I lie down； and put my
hand into the hole。'
He knelt on the floorand hesitated。 'Might I ask you； sir； to give me
my gloves？' he said。 'They are in my hat； on the chair behind you。'
Henry gave him the gloves。 'I don't know what I may be going to
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take hold of；' the manager explained； smiling rather uneasily as he put on
his right glove。
He stretched himself at full length on the floor； and passed his right
arm into the cavity。 'I can't say exactly what I have got hold of；' he said。
'But I have got it。'
Half raising himself； he drew his hand out。
The next instant； he started to his feet with a shriek of terror。 A human
head dropped from his nerveless grasp on the floor； and rolled to Henry's
feet。 It was the hideous head that Agnes had seen hovering above her； in
the vision of the night！
The two men looked at each other； both struck speechless by the same
emotion of horror。 The manager was the first to control himself。 'See to
the door； for God's sake！' he said。 'Some of the people outside may have
heard me。'
Henry moved mechanically to the door。
Even when he had his hand on the key； ready to turn it in the lock in
case of necessity； he still looked back at the appalling object on the floor。
There was no possibility of identifying those decayed and distorted
features with any living creature whom he had seen and； yet； he was
conscious of feeling a vague and awful doubt which shook him to the soul。
The questions which had tortured the mind of Agnes； were now his
questions too。 He asked himself； 'In whose likeness might I have
recognised it before the decay set in？ The likeness of Ferrari？ or the
likeness of？' He paused trembling； as Agnes had paused trembling before
him。 Agnes！ The name； of all women's names the dearest to him； was a
terror to him now！ What was he to say to her？ What might be the
consequence if he trusted her with the terrible truth？
No footsteps approached the door； no voices were audible outside。 The
travellers were still occupied in the rooms at the eastern end of the
corridor。
In the brief interval that had passed； the manager had sufficiently
recovered himself to be able to think once more of the first and foremost
interests of his lifethe interests of the hotel。 He approached Henry
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anxiously。
'If this frightful discovery becomes known；' he said； 'the closing of the
hotel and the ruin of the Company will be the inevitable results。 I feel sure
that I can trust your discretion； sir； so far？'
'You can certainly trust me；' Henry answered。 'But surely discretion
has its limits；' he added； 'after such a discovery as we have made？'
The manager understood that the duty which they owed to the
community； as honest and law…abiding men； was the duty to which Henry
now referred。 'I will at once find the means；' he said； 'of conveying the
remains privately out of the house； and I will myself place them in the care
of the police authorities。 Will you leave the room with me？ or do you not
object to keep watch here； and help me when I return？'
While he was speaking； the voices of the travellers made themselves
heard again at the end of the corridor。 Henry instantly consented to wait
in the room。 He shrank from facing the inevitable meeting with Agnes if
he showed himself in the corridor at that moment。
The manager hastened his departure； in the hope of escaping notice。
He was discovered by his guests before he could reach the head of the
stairs。 Henry heard the voices plainly as he turned the key。 While the
terrible drama of discovery was in progress on one side of the door； trivial
questions about the amusements of Venice； and facetious discussions on
the relative merits of French and Italian cookery； were proceeding on the
other。 Little by little； the sound of the talking grew fainter。 The visitors；
having arranged their plans of amusement for the day； were on their way
out of the hotel。 In a minute or two； there was silence once more。
Henry turned to the window； thinking to relieve his mind by looking at
the bright view over the canal。 He soon grew wearied of the familiar
scene。 The morbid fascination which seems to be exercised by all
horrible sights； drew him back again to the ghastly object on the floor。
Dream or reality； how had Agnes survived the sight of it？ As the
question passed through his mind； he noticed for the first time something
lying on the floor near the head。 Looking closer； he perceived a thin little
plate of gold； with three false teeth attached to it； which had apparently
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dropped out （loosened by the shock） when the manager let the head fall on
the floor。
The importance of this discovery； and the necessity of not too readily
communicating it to others； instantly struck Henry。 Here surely was a
chanceif any chance remainedof identifying the shocking relic of
humanity which lay before him； the dumb witness of a crime！ Acting on
this idea； he took possession of the teeth； purposing to use them as a last
means of inquiry when other attempts at investigation had been tried and
had failed。
He went back again to the window： the solitude of the room began to
weigh on his spirits。 As he looked out again at the view； there was a soft
knock at the door。 He hastened to open it and checked himself in the
act。 A doubt occurred to him。 Was it the manager who had knocked？
He called out； 'Who is there？'
The voice of Agnes answered him。 'Have you anything to tell me；
Henry？'
He was hardly able to reply。 'Not just now；' he said； confusedly。
'Forgive me if I don't open the door。 I will speak to you a little later。'
The sweet voice made itself heard again； pleading with him piteously。
'Don't leave me alone； Henry！ I can't go back to the happy people
downstairs。'
How could he resist that appeal？ He heard her sighhe heard the
rustling of her dress as she moved away in despair。 The very thing that
he had shrunk from doing but a few minutes since was the thing that he
did now！ He joined Agnes in the corridor。 She turned as she heard him；
and pointed； trembling； in the direction of the closed room。 'Is it so terrible
as that？' she asked faintly。
He put his arm round her to support her。 A thought came to him as he
looked at her； waiting in doubt and fear for his reply。 'You shall know what
I have discovered；' he said； 'if you will first put on your hat and cloak； and
come out with me。'
She was naturally surprised。 'Can you tell me your object in going
out？' she asked。
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