the haunted hotel-第43节
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The door opened almost at the same moment。 Lord Montbarry entered
the room。
'We have just returned from the Opera；' he said； 'and we have heard
the news of that miserable woman's death。 They say you spoke
to her in her last moments； and I want to hear how it happened。'
'You shall hear how it happened；' Henry answered； 'and more than that。
You are now the head of the family； Stephen； and I feel bound；
in the position which oppresses me； to leave you to decide what ought
to be done。'
With those introductory words； he told his brother how the Countess's
play had come into his hands。 'Read the first few pages；' he said。
'I am anxious to know whether the same impression is produced on both
of us。'
Before Lord Montbarry had got half…way through the First Act；
he stopped； and looked at his brother。 'What does she mean
by boasting of this as her own invention？' he asked。 'Was she
too crazy to remember that these things really happened？'
This was enough for Henry： the same impression had been produced
on both of them。 'You will do as you please；' he said。
'But if you will be guided by me； spare yourself the reading
of those pages to come； which describe our brother's terrible
expiation of his heartless marriage。'
'Have you read it all； Henry？'
'Not all。 I shrank from reading some of the latter part of it。
Neither you nor I saw much of our elder brother after we left school；
and； for my part； I felt； and never scrupled to express my feeling；
that he behaved infamously to Agnes。 But when I read that unconscious
confession of the murderous conspiracy to which he fell a victim；
I remembered； with something like remorse； that the same mother bore us。
I have felt for him to…night； what I am ashamed to think I never felt for
him before。'
Lord Montbarry took his brother's hand。
'You are a good fellow； Henry；' he said； 'but are you quite
sure that you have not been needlessly distressing yourself？
Because some of this crazy creature's writing accidentally tells
what we know to be the truth； does it follow that all the rest is
to be relied on to the end？'
'There is no possible doubt of it；' Henry replied。
'No possible doubt？' his brother repeated。 'I shall go
on with my reading； Henryand see what justification
there may be for that confident conclusion of yours。'
He read on steadily； until he had reached the end of the Second Act。
Then he looked up。
'Do you really believe that the mutilated remains which you
discovered this morning are the remains of our brother？' he asked。
'And do you believe it on such evidence as this？'
Henry answered silently by a sign in the affirmative。
Lord Montbarry checked himselfevidently on the point of entering
an indignant protest。
'You acknowledge that you have not read the later scenes
of the piece；' he said。 'Don't be childish； Henry！ If you
persist in pinning your faith on such stuff as this； the least
you can do is to make yourself thoroughly acquainted with it。
Will you read the Third Act？ No？ Then I shall read it to you。'
He turned to the Third Act； and ran over those fragmentary passages
which were clearly enough written and expressed to be intelligible
to the mind of a stranger。
'Here is a scene in the vaults of the palace；' he began。 'The victim
of the conspiracy is sleeping on his miserable bed； and the Baron
and the Countess are considering the position in which they stand。
The Countess （as well as I can make it out） has raised the money
that is wanted by borrowing on the security of her jewels at Frankfort；
and the Courier upstairs is still declared by the Doctor to have
a chance of recovery。 What are the conspirators to do； if the man
does recover？ The cautious Baron suggests setting the prisoner free。
If he ventures to appeal to the law； it is easy to declare that he is
subject to insane delusion； and to call his own wife as witness。
On the other hand； if the Courier dies； how is the sequestrated
and unknown nobleman to be put out of the way？ Passively； by letting
him starve in his prison？ No： the Baron is a man of refined tastes；
he dislikes needless cruelty。 The active policy remains
say； assassination by the knife of a hired bravo？ The Baron
objects to trusting an accomplice； also to spending money on anyone
but himself。 Shall they drop their prisoner into the canal？
The Baron declines to trust water； water will show him on the surface。
Shall they set his bed on fire？ An excellent idea； but the smoke
might be seen。 No： the circumstances being now entirely altered；
poisoning him presents the easiest way out of it。 He has simply
become a superfluous person。 The cheapest poison will do。
Is it possible； Henry； that you believe this consultation really
took place？'
Henry made no reply。 The succession of the questions that had just
been read to him； exactly followed the succession of the dreams
that had terrified Mrs。 Norbury； on the two nights which she had
passed in the hotel。 It was useless to point out this coincidence
to his brother。 He only said； 'Go on。'
Lord Montbarry turned the pages until he came to the next
intelligible passage。
'Here；' he proceeded； 'is a double scene on the stageso far as I can
understand the sketch of it。 The Doctor is upstairs； innocently writing
his certificate of my Lord's decease； by the dead Courier's bedside。
Down in the vaults； the Baron stands by the corpse of the poisoned lord；
preparing the strong chemical acids which are to reduce it
to a heap of ashesSurely； it is not worth while to trouble
ourselves with deciphering such melodramatic horrors as these？
Let us get on！ let us get on！'
He turned the leaves again； attempting vainly to discover the meaning
of the confused scenes that followed。 On the last page but one；
he found the last intelligible sentences。
'The Third Act seems to be divided；' he said； 'into two Parts
or Tableaux。 I think I can read the writing at the beginning
of the Second Part。 The Baron and the Countess open the scene。
The Baron's hands are mysteriously concealed by gloves。
He has reduced the body to ashes by his own system of cremation；
with the exception of the head'
Henry interrupted his brother there。 'Don't read any more！'
he exclaimed。
'Let us do the Countess justice；' Lord Montbarry persisted。
'There are not half a dozen lines more that I can make out！
The accidental breaking of his jar of acid has burnt the Baron's
hands severely。 He is still unable to proceed to the destruction
of the headand the Countess is woman enough （with all her wickedness）
to shrink from attempting to take his placewhen the first news
is received of the coming arrival of the commission of inquiry
despatched by the insurance offices。 The Baron feels no alarm。
Inquire as the commission may； it is the natural death of the Courier
（in my Lord's character） that they are blindly investigating。
The head not being destroyed； the obvious alternative is to hide it
and the Baron is equal to the occasion。 His studies in the old library
have informed him of a safe place of concealment in the palace。
The Countess may recoil from handling the acids and watching the process
of cremation； but she can surely sprinkle a little disinfecting
powder'
'No more！' Henry reiterated。 'No more！'
'There is no more that can be read； my dear fellow。 The last page
looks like sheer delirium。 She may well have told you that her
invention had failed her！'
'Face the truth honestly； Stephen； and say her memory。'
Lord Montbarry rose from the table at which he had been sitting；
and looked at his brother with pitying eyes。
'Your nerves are out of order； Henry；' he said。 'And no wonder；
after that frightful discovery under the hearth…stone。 We won't dispute
about it； we will wait a day or two until you are quite yourself again。
In the meantime； let us understand each other on one point at least。
You leave the question of what is to be done with these pages of writing
to me； as the head of the family？'
'I do。'
Lord Montbarry quietly took up the manuscript； and threw it
into the fire。 'Let this rubbish be of some use；' he said；
holding the pages down with the
