the haunted hotel-第17节
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'You are mistaken in thinking me your enemy；' she said。
'The wrong you did me when you gave your hand to Lord Montbarry was
not intentionally done。 I forgave you my sufferings in his lifetime。
I forgive you even more freely now that he has gone。'
Henry heard her with mingled emotions of admiration and distress。
'Say no more！' he exclaimed。 'You are too good to her； she is not
worthy of it。'
The interruption passed unheeded by Lady Montbarry。 The simple
words in which Agnes had replied seemed to have absorbed the whole
attention of this strangely…changeable woman。 As she listened；
her face settled slowly into an expression of hard and tearless sorrow。
There was a marked change in her voice when she spoke next。
It expressed that last worst resignation which has done with hope。
'You good innocent creature；' she said； 'what does your
amiable forgiveness matter？ What are your poor little wrongs；
in the reckoning for greater wrongs which is demanded of me？
I am not trying to frighten you； I am only miserable about myself。
Do you know what it is to have a firm presentiment of calamity that
is coming to youand yet to hope that your own positive conviction
will not prove true？ When I first met you； before my marriage；
and first felt your influence over me； I had that hope。
It was a starveling sort of hope that lived a lingering life in me
until to…day。 You struck it dead； when you answered my question
about Ferrari。'
'How have I destroyed your hopes？' Agnes asked。 'What connection is
there between my permitting Ferrari to use my name to Lord Montbarry；
and the strange and dreadful things you are saying to me now？'
'The time is near； Miss Lockwood； when you will discover that
for yourself。 In the mean while； you shall know what my fear of you is；
in the plainest words I can find。 On the day when I took your hero
from you and blighted your lifeI am firmly persuaded of it！
you were made the instrument of the retribution that my sins
of many years had deserved。 Oh； such things have happened before
to…day！ One person has； before now； been the means of innocently
ripening the growth of evil in another。 You have done that already
and you have more to do yet。 You have still to bring me to the day
of discovery； and to the punishment that is my doom。 We shall
meet againhere in England； or there in Venice where my husband died
and meet for the last time。'
In spite of her better sense； in spite of her natural
superiority to superstitions of all kinds； Agnes was impressed
by the terrible earnestness with which those words were spoken。
She turned pale as she looked at Henry。 'Do you understand her？'
she asked。
'Nothing is easier than to understand her；' he replied contemptuously。
'She knows what has become of Ferrari； and she is confusing you
in a cloud of nonsense； because she daren't own the truth。
Let her go！'
If a dog had been under one of the chairs； and had barked；
Lady Montbarry could not have proceeded more impenetrably
with the last words she had to say to Agnes。
'Advise your interesting Mrs。 Ferrari to wait a little longer；'
she said。 'You will know what has become of her husband； and you
will tell her。 There will be nothing to alarm you。 Some trifling
event will bring us together the next timeas trifling； I dare say；
as the engagement of Ferrari。 Sad nonsense； Mr。 Westwick； is it not？
But you make allowances for women； we all talk nonsense。 Good morning；
Miss Lockwood。'
She opened the doorsuddenly； as if she was afraid of being called
back for the second timeand left them。
CHAPTER XII
'Do you think she is mad？' Agnes asked。
'I think she is simply wicked。 False； superstitious； inveterately cruel
but not mad。 I believe her main motive in coming here was to enjoy
the luxury of frightening you。'
'She has frightened me。 I am ashamed to own itbut so it is。'
Henry looked at her； hesitated for a moment； and seated himself
on the sofa by her side。
'I am very anxious about you； Agnes；' he said。 'But for the fortunate
chance which led me to call here to…daywho knows what that vile
woman might not have said or done； if she had found you alone？
My dear； you are leading a sadly unprotected solitary life。
I don't like to think of it； I want to see it changedespecially after
what has happened to…day。 No！ no！ it is useless to tell me that you
have your old nurse。 She is too old； she is not in your rank
of lifethere is no sufficient protection in the companionship
of such a person for a lady in your position。 Don't mistake me；
Agnes！ what I say； I say in the sincerity of my devotion to you。'
He paused； and took her hand。 She made a feeble effort to withdraw it
and yielded。 'Will the day never come；' he pleaded； 'when the privilege
of protecting you may be mine？ when you will be the pride and joy
of my life； as long as my life lasts？' He pressed her hand gently。
She made no reply。 The colour came and went on her face； her eyes
were turned away from him。 'Have I been so unhappy as to offend you？'
he asked。
She answered thatshe said； almost in a whisper； 'No。'
'Have I distressed you？'
'You have made me think of the sad days that are gone。' She said no more；
she only tried to withdraw her hand from his for the second time。
He still held it； he lifted it to his lips。
'Can I never make you think of other days than thoseof the happier
days to come？ Or； if you must think of the time that is passed；
can you not look back to the time when I first loved you？'
She sighed as he put the question。 'Spare me Henry；' she answered sadly。
'Say no more！'
The colour again rose in her cheeks； her hand trembled in his。
She looked lovely； with her eyes cast down and her bosom heaving gently。
At that moment he would have given everything he had in the world
to take her in his arms and kiss her。 Some mysterious sympathy；
passing from his hand to hers； seemed to tell her what was in his mind。
She snatched her hand away； and suddenly looked up at him。
The tears were in her eyes。 She said nothing； she let her eyes
speak for her。 They warned himwithout anger； without unkindness
but still they warned him to press her no further that day。
'Only tell me that I am forgiven；' he said； as he rose from the sofa。
'Yes；' she answered quietly； 'you are forgiven。'
'I have not lowered myself in your estimation； Agnes？'
'Oh； no！'
'Do you wish me to leave you？'
She rose； in her turn； from the sofa； and walked to her writing…table
before she replied。 The unfinished letter which she had been writing
when Lady Montbarry interrupted her； lay open on the blotting…book。
As she looked at the letter； and then looked at Henry； the smile
that charmed everybody showed itself in her face。
'You must not go just yet；' she said： 'I have something to tell you。
I hardly know how to express it。 The shortest way perhaps will be to let
you find it out for yourself。 You have been speaking of my lonely
unprotected life here。 It is not a very happy life； HenryI own that。'
She paused； observing the growing anxiety of his expression
as he looked at her； with a shy satisfaction that perplexed him。
'Do you know that I have anticipated your idea？' she went on。
'I am going to make a great change in my lifeif your brother
Stephen and his wife will only consent to it。' She opened the desk
of the writing…table while she spoke； took a letter out； and handed it
to Henry。
He received it from her mechanically。 Vague doubts； which he hardly
understood himself； kept him silent。 It was impossible that the 'change
in her life' of which she had spoken could mean that she was about
to be marriedand yet he was conscious of a perfectly unreasonable
reluctance to open the letter。 Their eyes met； she smiled again。
'Look at the address；' she said。 'You ought to know the handwriting
but I dare say you don't。'
He looked at the address。 It was in the large； irregular；
uncertain writing of a child。 He opened the letter instantly。
'Dear Aunt Agnes；Our governess is going away。 She has had money
left to her； and a house of her own。 We have had cake and wine
to
