the haunted hotel-第41节
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very reluctantly on this second errand。
'My Lord turns to the Baron （who has thus far taken no part
in the conversation） and asks him； in a sneering tone； how much
longer he proposes to prolong his stay in Venice。 The Baron
answers quietly； 〃Let us speak plainly to one another； my Lord。
If you wish me to leave your house； you have only to say the word；
and I go。〃 My Lord turns to his wife； and asks if she can support
the calamity of her brother's absencelaying a grossly insulting
emphasis on the word 〃brother。〃 The Countess preserves her
impenetrable composure； nothing in her betrays the deadly hatred
with which she regards the titled ruffian who has insulted her。
〃You are master in this house； my Lord；〃 is all she says。 〃Do as
you please。〃
'My Lord looks at his wife； looks at the Baronand suddenly alters
his tone。 Does he perceive in the composure of the Countess and her
brother something lurking under the surface that threatens him？
This is at least certain； he makes a clumsy apology for the language
that he has used。 （Abject wretch！）
'My Lord's excuses are interrupted by the return of the Courier
with the lemons and hot water。
'The Countess observes for the first time that the man looks ill。
His hands tremble as he places the tray on the table。 My Lord orders
his Courier to follow him； and make the lemonade in the bedroom。
The Countess remarks that the Courier seems hardly capable of obeying
his orders。 Hearing this； the man admits that he is ill。 He； too；
is suffering from a cold； he has been kept waiting in a draught
at the shop where he bought the lemons； he feels alternately hot
and cold； and he begs permission to lie down for a little while on
his bed。
'Feeling her humanity appealed to； the Countess volunteers
to make the lemonade herself。 My Lord takes the Courier
by the arm； leads him aside； and whispers these words to him：
〃Watch her； and see that she puts nothing into the lemonade；
then bring it to me with your own hands； and； then； go to bed；
if you like。〃
'Without a word more to his wife； or to the Baron； my Lord leaves
the room。
'The Countess makes the lemonade； and the Courier takes it to his master。
'Returning； on the way to his own room； he is so weak； and feels；
he says； so giddy； that he is obliged to support himself
by the backs of the chairs as he passes them。 The Baron；
always considerate to persons of low degree； offers his arm。
〃I am afraid； my poor fellow；〃 he says； 〃that you are really ill。〃
The Courier makes this extraordinary answer： 〃It's all over with me； Sir：
I have caught my death。〃
'The Countess is naturally startled。 〃You are not an old man；〃
she says； trying to rouse the Courier's spirits。 〃At your age；
catching cold doesn't surely mean catching your death？〃 The Courier
fixes his eyes despairingly on the Countess。
〃My lungs are weak； my Lady；〃 he says； 〃I have already had two attacks
of bronchitis。 The second time； a great physician joined my own doctor
in attendance on me。 He considered my recovery almost in the light
of a miracle。 Take care of yourself；〃 he said。 〃If you have a
third attack of bronchitis； as certainly as two and two make four；
you will be a dead man。 I feel the same inward shivering； my Lady；
that I felt on those two former occasionsand I tell you again；
I have caught my death in Venice。〃
'Speaking some comforting words； the Baron leads him to his room。
The Countess is left alone on the stage。
'She seats herself； and looks towards the door by which the Courier
has been led out。 〃Ah！ my poor fellow；〃 she says； 〃if you could
only change constitutions with my Lord； what a happy result would
follow for the Baron and for me！ If you could only get cured
of a trumpery cold with a little hot lemonade； and if he could
only catch his death in your place！〃
'She suddenly pausesconsiders for a whileand springs
to her feet； with a cry of triumphant surprise： the wonderful；
the unparalleled idea has crossed her mind like a flash of lightning。
Make the two men change names and placesand the deed is done！
Where are the obstacles？ Remove my Lord （by fair means or foul）
from his room； and keep him secretly prisoner in the palace；
to live or die as future necessity may determine。 Place the Courier
in the vacant bed； and call in the doctor to see himill； in my
Lord's character； and （if he dies） dying under my Lord's name！'
The manuscript dropped from Henry's hands。 A sickening sense of
horror overpowered him。 The question which had occurred to his mind
at the close of the First Act of the Play assumed a new and terrible
interest now。 As far as the scene of the Countess's soliloquy；
the incidents of the Second Act had reflected the events of his late
brother's life as faithfully as the incidents of the First Act。
Was the monstrous plot； revealed in the lines which he had just read；
the offspring of the Countess's morbid imagination？ or had she；
in this case also； deluded herself with the idea that she was
inventing when she was really writing under the influence of her own
guilty remembrances of the past？ If the latter interpretation were
the true one； he had just read the narrative of the contemplated
murder of his brother； planned in cold blood by a woman who was at
that moment inhabiting the same house with him。 While； to make
the fatality complete； Agnes herself had innocently provided
the conspirators with the one man who was fitted to be the passive
agent of their crime。
Even the bare doubt that it might be so was more than he could endure。
He left his room； resolved to force the truth out of the Countess；
or to denounce her before the authorities as a murderess at large。
Arrived at her door； he was met by a person just leaving the room。
The person was the manager。 He was hardly recognisable； he looked
and spoke like a man in a state of desperation。
'Oh； go in； if you like！' he said to Henry。 'Mark this； sir！
I am not a superstitious man； but I do begin to believe that crimes
carry their own curse with them。 This hotel is under a curse。
What happens in the morning？ We discover a crime committed in the old
days of the palace。 The night comes； and brings another dreadful
event with ita death； a sudden and shocking death； in the house。
Go in； and see for yourself！ I shall resign my situation；
Mr。 Westwick： I can't contend with the fatalities that pursue
me here！'
Henry entered the room。
The Countess was stretched on her bed。 The doctor on one side；
and the chambermaid on the other； were standing looking at her。
From time to time； she drew a heavy stertorous breath；
like a person oppressed in sleeping。 'Is she likely to die？'
Henry asked。
'She is dead；' the doctor answered。 'Dead of the rupture of a blood…vessel
on the brain。 Those sounds that you hear are purely mechanical
they may go on for hours。'
Henry looked at the chambermaid。 She had little to tell。
The Countess had refused to go to bed； and had placed herself at her
desk to proceed with her writing。 Finding it useless to remonstrate
with her； the maid had left the room to speak to the manager。
In the shortest possible time； the doctor was summoned to the hotel；
and found the Countess dead on the floor。 There was this to tell
and no more。
Looking at the writing…table as he went out； Henry saw the sheet
of paper on which the Countess had traced her last lines of writing。
The characters were almost illegible。 Henry could just distinguish
the words； 'First Act；' and 'Persons of the Drama。' The lost wretch
had been thinking of her Play to the last； and had begun it all
over again！
CHAPTER XXVII
Henry returned to his room。
His first impulse was to throw aside the manuscript； and never to look
at it again。 The one chance of relieving his mind from the dreadful
uncertainty that oppressed it； by obtaining positive evidence
of the truth； was a chance annihilated by the Countess's death。
What good purpose could be served； what relief could he anticipate；
if he read more？
He walked up and down the room。 After an interval； his thoughts
took a new direction； the question of the manuscript presented
it
