the haunted hotel-第18节
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left to her； and a house of her own。 We have had cake and wine
to drink her health。 You promised to be our governess if we
wanted another。 We want you。 Mamma knows nothing about this。
Please come before Mamma can get another governess。 Your loving Lucy；
who writes this。 Clara and Blanche have tried to write too。
But they are too young to do it。 They blot the paper。'
'Your eldest niece；' Agnes explained； as Henry looked at her in amazement。
'The children used to call me aunt when I was staying with their
mother in Ireland； in the autumn。 The three girls were my
inseparable companionsthey are the most charming children I know。
It is quite true that I offered to be their governess； if they
ever wanted one； on the day when I left them to return to London。
I was writing to propose it to their mother； just before you came。'
'Not seriously！' Henry exclaimed。
Agnes placed her unfinished letter in his hand。 Enough of it had been
written to show that she did seriously propose to enter the household
of Mr。 and Mrs。 Stephen Westwick as governess to their children！
Henry's bewilderment was not to be expressed in words。
'They won't believe you are in earnest；' he said。
'Why not？' Agnes asked quietly。
'You are my brother Stephen's cousin； you are his wife's old friend。'
'All the more reason； Henry； for trusting me with the charge
of their children。'
'But you are their equal； you are not obliged to get your living
by teaching。 There is something absurd in your entering their
service as a governess！'
'What is there absurd in it？ The children love me； the mother loves me；
the father has shown me innumerable instances of his true friendship
and regard。 I am the very woman for the placeand； as to my education；
I must have completely forgotten it indeed； if I am not fit to teach
three children the eldest of whom is only eleven years old。
You say I am their equal。 Are there no other women who serve
as governesses； and who are the equals of the persons whom
they serve？ Besides； I don't know that I am their equal。
Have I not heard that your brother Stephen was the next heir to
the title？ Will he not be the new lord？ Never mind answering me！
We won't dispute whether I mn right or wrong in turning governess
we will wait the event。 I am weary of my lonely useless existence here；
and eager to make my life more happy and more useful； in the household
of all others in which I should like most to have a place。
If you will look again； you will see that I have these personal
considerations still to urge before I finish my letter。
You don't know your brother and his wife as well as I do； if you doubt
their answer。 I believe they have courage enough and heart enough to
say Yes。'
Henry submitted without being convinced。
He was a man who disliked all eccentric departures from custom and routine；
and he felt especially suspicious of the change proposed in the life
of Agnes。 With new interests to occupy her mind； she might be less
favourably disposed to listen to him； on the next occasion when
he urged his suit。 The influence of the 'lonely useless existence'
of which she complained； was distinctly an influence in his favour。
While her heart was empty； her heart was accessible。
But with his nieces in full possession of it； the clouds of doubt
overshadowed his prospects。 He knew the sex well enough to keep
these purely selfish perplexities to himself。 The waiting policy was
especially the policy to pursue with a woman as sensitive as Agnes。
If he once offended her delicacy he was lost。 For the moment he wisely
controlled himself and changed the subject。
'My little niece's letter has had an effect；' he said；
'which the child never contemplated in writing it。 She has just
reminded me of one of the objects that I had in calling on you to…day。'
Agnes looked at the child's letter。 'How does Lucy do that？'
she asked。
'Lucy's governess is not the only lucky person who has had money
left her；' Henry answered。 'Is your old nurse in the house？'
'You don't mean to say that nurse has got a legacy？'
'She has got a hundred pounds。 Send for her； Agnes； while I show
you the letter。'
He took a handful of letters from his pocket； and looked through them；
while Agnes rang the bell。 Returning to him； she noticed a printed
letter among the rest； which lay open on the table。 It was a
'prospectus；' and the title of it was 'Palace Hotel Company of Venice
（Limited）。' The two words； 'Palace' and 'Venice；' instantly recalled
her mind to the unwelcome visit of Lady Montbarry。 'What is that？'
she asked； pointing to the title。
Henry suspended his search； and glanced at the prospectus。
'A really promising speculation；' he said。 'Large hotels always
pay well； if they are well managed。 I know the man who is appointed
to be manager of this hotel when it is opened to the public；
and I have such entire confidence in him that I have become one of
the shareholders of the Company。'
The reply did not appear to satisfy Agnes。 'Why is the hotel
called the 〃Palace Hotel〃？' she inquired。
Henry looked at her； and at once penetrated her motive for asking
the question。 'Yes；' he said； 'it is the palace that Montbarry
hired at Venice； and it has been purchased by the Company to be
changed into an hotel。'
Agnes turned away in silence； and took a chair at the farther
end of the room。 Henry had disappointed her。 His income as a
younger son stood in need； as she well knew； of all the additions
that he could make to it by successful speculation。 But she was
unreasonable enough； nevertheless； to disapprove of his attempting
to make money already out of the house in which his brother had died。
Incapable of understanding this purely sentimental view of a plain
matter of business； Henry returned to his papers； in some perplexity
at the sudden change in the manner of Agnes towards him。
Just as he found the letter of which he was in search； the nurse
made her appearance。 He glanced at Agnes； expecting that she would
speak first。 She never even looked up when the nurse came in。
It was left to Henry to tell the old woman why the bell had summoned her
to the drawing…room。
'Well； nurse；' he said； 'you have had a windfall of luck。
You have had a legacy left you of a hundred pounds。'
The nurse showed no outward signs of exultation。 She waited a little
to get the announcement of the legacy well settled in her mind
and then she said quietly； 'Master Henry； who gives me that money；
if you please？'
'My late brother； Lord Montbarry； gives it to you。' （Agnes instantly
looked up； interested in the matter for the first time。 Henry went on。）
'His will leaves legacies to the surviving old servants of the family。
There is a letter from his lawyers； authorising you to apply to them
for the money。'
In every class of society； gratitude is the rarest of all human virtues。
In the nurse's class it is extremely rare。 Her opinion of the man
who had deceived and deserted her mistress remained the same
opinion still； perfectly undisturbed by the passing circumstance
of the legacy。
'I wonder who reminded my lord of the old servants？' she said。
'He would never have heart enough to remember them himself！'
Agnes suddenly interposed。 Nature； always abhorring monotony；
institutes reserves of temper as elements in the composition of the
gentlest women living。 Even Agnes could； on rare occasions； be angry。
The nurse's view of Montbarry's character seemed to have provoked
her beyond endurance。
'If you have any sense of shame in you；' she broke out； 'you ought
to be ashamed of what you have just said！ Your ingratitude disgusts me。
I leave you to speak with her； Henryyou won't mind it！'
With this significant intimation that he too had dropped out of his
customary place in her good opinion； she left the room。
The nurse received the smart reproof administered to her with
every appearance of feeling rather amused by it than not。
When the door had closed； this female philosopher winked at Henry。
'There's a power of obstinacy in young women；' she remarked。
'Miss Agnes wouldn't give my lord up as a bad one； even when
he jilted her。 And now she's sweet on him afte
