the haunted hotel-第36节
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'You are admiring our famous chimney…piece； I see。 May I ask；
Mr。 Westwick； how you find yourself in the hotel； this time？
Have the supernatural influences affected your appetite again？'
'The supernatural influences have spared me； this time；' Henry answered。
'Perhaps you may yet find that they have affected some other member
of the family。' He spoke gravely； resenting the familiar tone in
which the manager had referred to his previous visit to the hotel。
'Have you just returned？' he asked； by way of changing the topic。
'Just this minute； sir。 I had the honour of travelling in the same
train with friends of yours who have arrived at the hotel
Mr。 and Mrs。 Arthur Barville； and their travelling companions。
Miss Lockwood is with them； looking at the rooms。 They will be here
before long； if they find it convenient to have an extra room at
their disposal。'
This announcement decided Henry on exploring the hiding…place；
before the interruption occurred。 It had crossed his mind；
when Agnes left him； that he ought perhaps to have a witness；
in the not very probable event of some alarming discovery taking place。
The too…familiar manager； suspecting nothing； was there at his disposal。
He turned again to the Caryan figure； maliciously resolving to make
the manager his witness。
'I am delighted to hear that our friends have arrived at last；' he said。
'Before I shake hands with them； let me ask you a question about
this queer work of art here。 I see photographs of it downstairs。
Are they for sale？'
'Certainly； Mr。 Westwick！'
'Do you think the chimney…piece is as solid as it looks？'
Henry proceeded。 'When you came in； I was just wondering whether this
figure here had not accidentally got loosened from the wall behind it。'
He laid his hand on the marble forehead； for the third time。
'To my eye； it looks a little out of the perpendicular。
I almost fancied I could jog the head just now； when I touched it。'
He pressed the head inwards as he said those words。
A sound of jarring iron was instantly audible behind the wall。
The solid hearthstone in front of the fire…place turned slowly
at the feet of the two men； and disclosed a dark cavity below。
At the same moment； the strange and sickening combination of odours；
hitherto associated with the vaults of the old palace and with the
bed…chamber beneath； now floated up from the open recess； and filled
the room。
The manager started back。 'Good God； Mr。 Westwick！' he exclaimed；
'what does this mean？'
Remembering； not only what his brother Francis had felt
in the room beneath； but what the experience of Agnes had been
on the previous night； Henry was determined to be on his guard。
'I am as much surprised as you are；' was his only reply。
'Wait for me one moment； sir；' said the manager。 'I must stop
the ladies and gentlemen outside from coming in。'
He hurried awaynot forgetting to close the door after him。
Henry opened the window； and waited there breathing the purer air。
Vague apprehensions of the next discovery to come； filled his mind
for the first time。 He was doubly resolved； now； not to stir a step in
the investigation without a witness。
The manager returned with a wax taper in his hand； which he lighted
as soon as he entered the room。
'We need fear no interruption now；' he said。 'Be so kind；
Mr。 Westwick； as to hold the light。 It is my business to find
out what this extraordinary discovery means。'
Henry held the taper。 Looking into the cavity； by the dim and
flickering light； they both detected a dark object at the bottom of it。
'I think I can reach the thing；' the manager remarked； 'if I lie down；
and put my hand into the hole。'
He knelt on the floorand hesitated。 'Might I ask you； sir； to give
me my gloves？' he said。 'They are in my hat； on the chair behind you。'
Henry gave him the gloves。 'I don't know what I may be going
to take hold of；' the manager explained； smiling rather uneasily
as he put on his right glove。
He stretched himself at full length on the floor； and passed his right
arm into the cavity。 'I can't say exactly what I have got hold of；'
he said。 'But I have got it。'
Half raising himself； he drew his hand out。
The next instant； he started to his feet with a shriek of terror。
A human head dropped from his nerveless grasp on the floor；
and rolled to Henry's feet。 It was the hideous head that Agnes
had seen hovering above her； in the vision of the night！
The two men looked at each other； both struck speechless by the same
emotion of horror。 The manager was the first to control himself。
'See to the door； for God's sake！' he said。 'Some of the people
outside may have heard me。'
Henry moved mechanically to the door。
Even when he had his hand on the key； ready to turn it in the lock
in case of necessity； he still looked back at the appalling object
on the floor。 There was no possibility of identifying those decayed
and distorted features with any living creature whom he had seen
and； yet； he was conscious of feeling a vague and awful doubt
which shook him to the soul。 The questions which had tortured
the mind of Agnes； were now his questions too。 He asked himself；
'In whose likeness might I have recognised it before the decay set in？
The likeness of Ferrari？ or the likeness of？' He paused trembling；
as Agnes had paused trembling before him。 Agnes！ The name；
of all women's names the dearest to him； was a terror to him now！
What was he to say to her？ What might be the consequence if he trusted her
with the terrible truth？
No footsteps approached the door； no voices were audible outside。
The travellers were still occupied in the rooms at the eastern end of
the corridor。
In the brief interval that had passed； the manager had sufficiently
recovered himself to be able to think once more of the first
and foremost interests of his lifethe interests of the hotel。
He approached Henry anxiously。
'If this frightful discovery becomes known；' he said； 'the closing
of the hotel and the ruin of the Company will be the inevitable results。
I feel sure that I can trust your discretion； sir； so far？'
'You can certainly trust me；' Henry answered。 'But surely discretion
has its limits；' he added； 'after such a discovery as we have made？'
The manager understood that the duty which they owed to the community；
as honest and law…abiding men； was the duty to which Henry now referred。
'I will at once find the means；' he said； 'of conveying the remains
privately out of the house； and I will myself place them in the care
of the police authorities。 Will you leave the room with me？ or do you
not object to keep watch here； and help me when I return？'
While he was speaking； the voices of the travellers made themselves
heard again at the end of the corridor。 Henry instantly consented
to wait in the room。 He shrank from facing the inevitable meeting
with Agnes if he showed himself in the corridor at that moment。
The manager hastened his departure； in the hope of escaping notice。
He was discovered by his guests before he could reach the head
of the stairs。 Henry heard the voices plainly as he turned the key。
While the terrible drama of discovery was in progress on one side
of the door； trivial questions about the amusements of Venice；
and facetious discussions on the relative merits of French and
Italian cookery； were proceeding on the other。 Little by little；
the sound of the talking grew fainter。 The visitors； having arranged
their plans of amusement for the day； were on their way out of the hotel。
In a minute or two； there was silence once more。
Henry turned to the window； thinking to relieve his mind by looking
at the bright view over the canal。 He soon grew wearied of the
familiar scene。 The morbid fascination which seems to be exercised by all
horrible sights； drew him back again to the ghastly object on the floor。
Dream or reality； how had Agnes survived the sight of it？
As the question passed through his mind； he noticed for the first
time something lying on the floor near the head。 Looking closer；
he perceived a thin little plate of gold； with three false teeth
attached to it； which had apparently dropped out （loosened by the shock）
