the haunted hotel-第20节
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Big bushy eyebrows； an awfully deep and solemn voice； a harsh
unbending manner； a complete absence in her figure of the undulating
lines characteristic of the sex； presented Virtue in this excellent
person under its least alluring aspect。 Strangers； on a first
introduction to her； were accustomed to wonder why she was not a man。
'Are you pretty well； Mrs。 Rolland？'
'I am as well as I can expect to be； my lady； at my time of life。'
'Is there anything I can do for you？'
'Your ladyship can do me a great favour； if you will please
speak to my character while I was in your service。 I am offered
a place； to wait on an invalid lady who has lately come to live
in this neighbourhood。'
'Ah； yesI have heard of her。 A Mrs。 Carbury； with a very pretty niece
I am told。 But； Mrs。 Rolland； you left my service some time ago。
Mrs。 Carbury will surely expect you to refer to the last mistress
by whom you were employed。'
A flash of virtuous indignation irradiated Mrs。 Rolland's sunken eyes。
She coughed before she answered； as if her 'last mistress'
stuck in her throat。
'I have explained to Mrs。 Carbury； my lady； that the person I last served
I really cannot give her her title in your ladyship's presence！
has left England for America。 Mrs。 Carbury knows that I quitted
the person of my own free will； and knows why； and approves of my
conduct so far。 A word from your ladyship will be amply sufficient
to get me the situation。'
'Very well； Mrs。 Rolland； I have no objection to be your reference；
under the circumstances。 Mrs。 Carbury will find me at home to…morrow
until two o'clock。'
'Mrs。 Carbury is not well enough to leave the house； my lady。
Her niece； Miss Haldane； will call and make the inquiries； if your
ladyship has no objection。'
'I have not the least objection。 The pretty niece carries
her own welcome with her。 Wait a minute； Mrs。 Rolland。
This lady is Miss Lockwoodmy husband's cousin； and my friend。
She is anxious to speak to you about the courier who was in the late
Lord Montbarry's service at Venice。'
Mrs。 Rolland's bushy eyebrows frowned in stern disapproval of
the new topic of conversation。 'I regret to hear it； my lady；'
was all she said。
'Perhaps you have not been informed of what happened after you
left Venice？' Agnes ventured to add。 'Ferrari left the palace secretly；
and he has never been heard of since。'
Mrs。 Rolland mysteriously closed her eyesas if to exclude some vision
of the lost courier which was of a nature to disturb a respectable woman。
'Nothing that Mr。 Ferrari could do would surprise me；' she replied
in her deepest bass tones。
'You speak rather harshly of him；' said Agnes。
Mrs。 Rolland suddenly opened her eyes again。 'I speak harshly
of nobody without reason；' she said。 'Mr。 Ferrari behaved to me；
Miss Lockwood； as no man living has ever behavedbefore or since。'
'What did he do？'
Mrs。 Rolland answered； with a stony stare of horror：
'He took liberties with me。'
Young Lady Montbarry suddenly turned aside； and put her handkerchief
over her mouth in convulsions of suppressed laughter。
Mrs。 Rolland went on； with a grim enjoyment of the bewilderment
which her reply had produced in Agnes： 'And when I insisted
on an apology； Miss； he had the audacity to say that the life
at the palace was dull； and he didn't know how else to amuse himself！'
'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 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。 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 the garden wall； waiting to see her again！ It depends on Miss
Haldane to make me the happiest or the wret
