the haunted hotel-第16节
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as she recognised him。
'Go in； sir！' she cried。 'Go in； directly。 That dreadful woman
is with Miss Agnes。 Go and protect her！'
'What woman？' Henry asked。
The answer literally struck him speechless。 With amazement
and indignation in his face； he looked at Mrs。 Ferrari as she
pronounced the hated name of 'Lady Montbarry。' 'I'll see to it；'
was all he said。 He knocked at the house…door； and he too； in his turn；
was let in。
CHAPTER XI
'Lady Montbarry； Miss。'
Agnes was writing a letter； when the servant astonished
her by announcing the visitor's name。 Her first impulse was
to refuse to see the woman who had intruded on her。 But Lady
Montbarry had taken care to follow close on the servant's heels。
Before Agnes could speak； she had entered the room。
'I beg to apologise for my intrusion； Miss Lockwood。
I have a question to ask you； in which I am very much interested。
No one can answer me but yourself。' In low hesitating tones；
with her glittering black eyes bent modestly on the ground；
Lady Montbarry opened the interview in those words。
Without answering； Agnes pointed to a chair。 She could do this；
and； for the time； she could do no more。 All that she had read
of the hidden and sinister life in the palace at Venice； all that she
had heard of Montbarry's melancholy death and burial in a foreign land；
all that she knew of the mystery of Ferrari's disappearance；
rushed into her mind； when the black…robed figure confronted her；
standing just inside the door。 The strange conduct of Lady Montbarry
added a new perplexity to the doubts and misgivings that troubled her。
There stood the adventuress whose character had left its mark on
society all over Europethe Fury who had terrified Mrs。 Ferrari at
the hotelinconceivably transformed into a timid； shrinking woman！
Lady Montbarry had not once ventured to look at Agnes； since she
had made her way into the room。 Advancing to take the chair
that had been pointed out to her； she hesitated； put her hand
on the rail to support herself； and still remained standing。
'Please give me a moment to compose myself；' she said faintly。 Her head
sank on her bosom： she stood before Agnes like a conscious culprit
before a merciless judge。
The silence that followed was； literally； the silence of fear
on both sides。 In the midst of it； the door was opened once more
and Henry Westwick appeared。
He looked at Lady Montbarry with a moment's steady attention
bowed to her with formal politenessand passed on in silence。
At the sight of her husband's brother； the sinking spirit of the woman
sprang to life again。 Her drooping figure became erect。 Her eyes met
Westwick's look； brightly defiant。 She returned his bow with an icy
smile of contempt。
Henry crossed the room to Agnes。
'Is Lady Montbarry here by your invitation？' he asked quietly。
'No。'
'Do you wish to see her？'
'It is very painful to me to see her。'
He turned and looked at his sister…in…law。 'Do you hear that？'
he asked coldly。
'I hear it；' she answered； more coldly still。
'Your visit is； to say the least of it； ill…timed。'
'Your interference is； to say the least of it； out of place。'
With that retort； Lady Montbarry approached Agnes。 The presence
of Henry Westwick seemed at once to relieve and embolden her。
'Permit me to ask my question； Miss Lockwood；' she said；
with graceful courtesy。 'It is nothing to embarrass you。
When the courier Ferrari applied to my late husband for employment；
did you' Her resolution failed her； before she could say more。
She sank trembling into the nearest chair； and； after a moment's
struggle； composed herself again。 'Did you permit Ferrari；'
she resumed； 'to make sure of being chosen for our courier by using
your name？'
Agnes did not reply with her customary directness。 Trifling as it was；
the reference to Montbarry； proceeding from that woman of all others；
confused and agitated her。
'I have known Ferrari's wife for many years；' she began。
'And I take an interest'
Lady Montbarry abruptly lifted her hands with a gesture of entreaty。
'Ah； Miss Lockwood； don't waste time by talking of his wife！
Answer my
plain question； plainly！'
'Let me answer her；' Henry whispered。 'I will undertake to speak
plainly enough。'
Agnes refused by a gesture。 Lady Montbarry's interruption
had roused her sense of what was due to herself。 She resumed
her reply in plainer terms。
'When Ferrari wrote to the late Lord Montbarry；' she said； 'he did
certainly mention my name。'
Even now； she had innocently failed to see the object which her visitor
had in view。 Lady Montbarry's impatience became ungovernable。
She started to her feet； and advanced to Agnes。
'Was it with your knowledge and permission that Ferrari used
your name？' she asked。 'The whole soul of my question is in that。
For God's sake answer meYes； or No！'
'Yes。'
That one word struck Lady Montbarry as a blow might have struck her。
The fierce life that had animated her face the instant before；
faded out of it suddenly； and left her like a woman turned to stone。
She stood； mechanically confronting Agnes； with a stillness so wrapt
and perfect that not even the breath she drew was perceptible to the two
persons who were looking at her。
Henry spoke to her roughly。 'Rouse yourself；' he said。
'You have received your answer。'
She looked round at him。 'I have received my Sentence；' she rejoined
and turned slowly to leave the room。
To Henry's astonishment； Agnes stopped her。 'Wait a moment；
Lady Montbarry。 I have something to ask on my side。 You have spoken
of Ferrari。 I wish to speak of him too。'
Lady Montbarry bent her head in silence。 Her hand trembled as she
took out her handkerchief； and passed it over her forehead。
Agnes detected the trembling； and shrank back a step。 'Is the subject
painful to you？' she asked timidly。
Still silent； Lady Montbarry invited her by a wave of the hand to go on。
Henry approached； attentively watching his sister…in…law。 Agnes
went on。
'No trace of Ferrari has been discovered in England；' she said。
'Have you any news of him？ And will you tell me （if you have heard
anything）； in mercy to his wife？'
Lady Montbarry's thin lips suddenly relaxed into their sad
and cruel smile。
'Why do you ask me about the lost courier？' she said。
'You will know what has become of him； Miss Lockwood； when the time
is ripe for it。'
Agnes started。 'I don't understand you；' she said。 'How shall I know？
Will some one tell me？'
'Some one will tell you。'
Henry could keep silence no longer。 'Perhaps； your ladyship
may be the person？' he interrupted with ironical politeness。
She answered him with contemptuous ease。 'You may be right；
Mr。 Westwick。 One day or another； I may be the person who tells
Miss Lockwood what has become of Ferrari； if' She stopped；
with her eyes fixed on Agnes。
'If what？' Henry asked。
'If Miss Lockwood forces me to it。'
Agnes listened in astonishment。 'Force you to it？' she repeated。
'How can I do that？ Do you mean to say my will is stronger
than yours？'
'Do you mean to say that the candle doesn't burn the moth；
when the moth flies into it？' Lady Montbarry rejoined。 'Have you
ever heard of such a thing as the fascination of terror？ I am drawn
to you by a fascination of terror。 I have no right to visit you；
I have no wish to visit you： you are my enemy。 For the first time
in my life； against my own will； I submit to my enemy。 See！ I am
waiting because you told me to waitand the fear of you （I swear it！）
creeps through me while I stand here。 Oh； don't let me excite
your curiosity or your pity！ Follow the example of Mr。 Westwick。
Be hard and brutal and unforgiving； like him。 Grant me my release。
Tell me to go。'
The frank and simple nature of Agnes could discover but one
intelligible meaning in this strange outbreak。
'You are mistaken in thinking me your enemy；' she said。
'The wrong you did me when you gave your h
