the haunted hotel-第21节
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at the garden wall； waiting to see her again！ It depends on Miss
Haldane to make me the happiest or the wretchedest man living。'
'You foolish boy！ How can you talk such nonsense？'
He was talking nonsense undoubtedly。 But； if Agnes had only known it；
he was doing something more than that。 He was innocently leading
her another stage nearer on the way to Venice。
CHAPTER XIV
As the summer months advanced； the transformation of the Venetian
palace into the modern hotel proceeded rapidly towards completion。
The outside of the building； with its fine Palladian front looking
on the canal； was wisely left unaltered。 Inside； as a matter
of necessity； the rooms were almost rebuiltso far at least
as the size and the arrangement of them were concerned。
The vast saloons were partitioned off into 'apartments' containing
three or four rooms each。 The broad corridors in the upper regions
afforded spare space enough for rows of little bedchambers；
devoted to servants and to travellers with limited means。
Nothing was spared but the solid floors and the finely…carved ceilings。
These last； in excellent preservation as to workmanship；
merely required cleaning； and regilding here and there； to add
greatly to the beauty and importance of the best rooms in the hotel。
The only exception to the complete re…organization of the interior
was at one extremity of the edifice； on the first and second floors。
Here there happened； in each case； to be rooms of such comparatively
moderate size； and so attractively decorated； that the architect
suggested leaving them as they were。 It was afterwards discovered
that these were no other than the apartments formerly occupied
by Lord Montbarry （on the first floor）； and by Baron Rivar
（on the second）。 The room in which Montbarry had died was still fitted
up as a bedroom； and was now distinguished as Number Fourteen。
The room above it； in which the Baron had slept； took its place
on the hotel…register as Number Thirty…Eight。 With the ornaments on
the walls and ceilings cleaned and brightened up； and with the heavy
old…fashioned beds； chairs； and tables replaced by bright； pretty；
and luxurious modern furniture； these two promised to be at once
the most attractive and the most comfortable bedchambers in the hotel。
As for the once…desolate and disused ground floor of the building；
it was now transformed； by means of splendid dining…rooms； reception…rooms；
billiard…rooms； and smoking…rooms； into a palace by itself。
Even the dungeon…like vaults beneath； now lighted and ventilated
on the most approved modern plan； had been turned as if by magic
into kitchens； servants' offices； ice…rooms； and wine cellars；
worthy of the splendour of the grandest hotel in Italy； in the now
bygone period of seventeen years since。
Passing from the lapse of the summer months at Venice； to the lapse of
the summer months in Ireland； it is next to be recorded that Mrs。 Rolland
obtained the situation of attendant on the invalid Mrs。 Carbury；
and that the fair Miss Haldane； like a female Caesar； came； saw；
and conquered； on her first day's visit to the new Lord Montbarry's house。
The ladies were as loud in her praises as Arthur Barville himself。
Lord Montbarry declared that she was the only perfectly pretty woman
he had ever seen； who was really unconscious of her own attractions。
The old nurse said she looked as if she had just stepped out of a picture；
and wanted nothing but a gilt frame round her to make her complete。
Miss Haldane； on her side； returned from her first visit to the
Montbarrys charmed with her new acquaintances。 Later on the same day；
Arthur called with an offering of fruit and flowers for Mrs。 Carbury；
and with instructions to ask if she was well enough to receive
Lord and Lady Montbarry and Miss Lockwood on the morrow。
In a week's time； the two households were on the friendliest terms。
Mrs。 Carbury； confined to the sofa by a spinal malady； had been
hitherto dependent on her niece for one of the few pleasures she
could enjoy； the pleasure of having the best new novels read
to her as they came out。 Discovering this； Arthur volunteered
to relieve Miss Haldane； at intervals； in the office of reader。
He was clever at mechanical contrivances of all sorts；
and he introduced improvements in Mrs。 Carbury's couch； and in
the means of conveying her from the bedchamber to the drawing…room；
which alleviated the poor lady's sufferings and brightened her
gloomy life。 With these claims on the gratitude of the aunt；
aided by the personal advantages which he unquestionably possessed；
Arthur advanced rapidly in the favour of the charming niece。
She was； it is needless to say； perfectly well aware that he was in love
with her； while he was himself modestly reticent on the subject
so far as words went。 But she was not equally quick in penetrating
the nature of her own feelings towards Arthur。 Watching the two young
people with keen powers of observation； necessarily concentrated
on them by the complete seclusion of her life； the invalid lady
discovered signs of roused sensibility in Miss Haldane； when Arthur
was present； which had never yet shown themselves in her social
relations with other admirers eager to pay their addresses to her。
Having drawn her own conclusions in private； Mrs。 Carbury took the first
favourable opportunity （in Arthur's interests） of putting them to
the test。
'I don't know what I shall do；' she said one day； 'when Arthur
goes away。'
Miss Haldane looked up quickly from her work。 'Surely he is not
going to leave us！' she exclaimed。
'My dear！ he has already stayed at his uncle's house a month longer
than he intended。 His father and mother naturally expect to see
him at home again。'
Miss Haldane met this difficulty with a suggestion； which could
only have proceeded from a judgment already disturbed by the ravages
of the tender passion。 'Why can't his father and mother go and see
him at Lord Montbarry's？' she asked。 'Sir Theodore's place is only
thirty miles away； and Lady Barville is Lord Montbarry's sister。
They needn't stand on ceremony。'
'They may have other engagements；' Mrs。 Carbury remarked。
'My dear aunt； we don't know that！ Suppose you ask Arthur？'
'Suppose you ask him？'
Miss Haldane bent her head again over her work。 Suddenly as it
was done； her aunt had seen her faceand her face betrayed her。
When Arthur came the next day； Mrs。 Carbury said a word to him
in private； while her niece was in the garden。 The last new
novel lay neglected on the table。 Arthur followed Miss Haldane
into the garden。 The next day he wrote home； enclosing in his
letter a photograph of Miss Haldane。 Before the end of the week；
Sir Theodore and Lady Barville arrived at Lord Montbarry's；
and formed their own judgment of the fidelity of the portrait。
They had themselves married early in lifeand； strange to say；
they did not object on principle to the early marriages
of other people。 The question of age being thus disposed of；
the course of true love had no other obstacles to encounter。
Miss Haldane was an only child； and was possessed of an ample fortune。
Arthur's career at the university had been creditable； but certainly not
brilliant enough to present his withdrawal in the light of a disaster。
As Sir Theodore's eldest son； his position was already made for him。
He was two…and…twenty years of age； and the young lady was eighteen。
There was really no producible reason for keeping the lovers waiting；
and no excuse for deferring the wedding…day beyond the first week
in September。 In the interval； while the bride and bridegroom
would be necessarily absent on the inevitable tour abroad；
a sister of Mrs。 Carbury volunteered to stay with her during
the temporary separation from her niece。 On the conclusion
of the honeymoon； the young couple were to return to Ireland；
and were to establish themselves in Mrs。 Carbury's spacious and
comfortable house。
These arrangements were decided upon early in the month of August。
About the same date； the last alterations in the old palace at Venice
were completed。 The rooms were dried by steam； the cellars were stocked；
the manager collected round him his army of skilled servants；
and the new hotel was advertised all over Europe to op
