the haunted hotel(闹鬼的旅馆)-第16章
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your own positive conviction will not prove true？ When I first met you；
before my marriage； and first felt your influence over me； I had that hope。
It was a starveling sort of hope that lived a lingering life in me until to…day。
You struck it dead； when you answered my question about Ferrari。'
'How have I destroyed your hopes？' Agnes asked。 'What
connection is there between my permitting Ferrari to use my name to Lord
Montbarry； and the strange and dreadful things you are saying to me now？'
'The time is near； Miss Lockwood； when you will discover that for
yourself。 In the mean while； you shall know what my fear of you is； in
the plainest words I can find。 On the day when I took your hero from
you and blighted your lifeI am firmly persuaded of it！ you were made
the instrument of the retribution that my sins of many years had deserved。
Oh； such things have happened before to…day！ One person has； before now；
been the means of innocently ripening the growth of evil in another。 You
have done that already and you have more to do yet。 You have still to
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bring me to the day of discovery； and to the punishment that is my doom。
We shall meet againhere in England； or there in Venice where my
husband died and meet for the last time。'
In spite of her better sense； in spite of her natural superiority to
superstitions of all kinds； Agnes was impressed by the terrible earnestness
with which those words were spoken。 She turned pale as she looked at
Henry。 'Do you understand her？' she asked。
'Nothing is easier than to understand her；' he replied contemptuously。
'She knows what has become of Ferrari； and she is confusing you in a
cloud of nonsense； because she daren't own the truth。 Let her go！'
If a dog had been under one of the chairs； and had barked； Lady
Montbarry could not have proceeded more impenetrably with the last
words she had to say to Agnes。
'Advise your interesting Mrs。 Ferrari to wait a little longer；' she said。
'You will know what has become of her husband； and you will tell her。
There will be nothing to alarm you。 Some trifling event will bring us
together the next timeas trifling； I dare say； as the engagement of Ferrari。
Sad nonsense； Mr。 Westwick； is it not？ But you make allowances for
women； we all talk nonsense。 Good morning； Miss Lockwood。'
She opened the doorsuddenly； as if she was afraid of being called
back for the second timeand left them。
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CHAPTER XII
'Do you think she is mad？' Agnes asked。
'I think she is simply wicked。 False； superstitious； inveterately cruel…
… but not mad。 I believe her main motive in coming here was to enjoy the
luxury of frightening you。'
'She has frightened me。 I am ashamed to own itbut so it is。'
Henry looked at her； hesitated for a moment； and seated himself on the
sofa by her side。
'I am very anxious about you； Agnes；' he said。 'But for the fortunate
chance which led me to call here to…daywho knows what that vile
woman might not have said or done； if she had found you alone？ My dear；
you are leading a sadly unprotected solitary life。 I don't like to think of it； I
want to see it changedespecially after what has happened to…day。 No！ no！
it is useless to tell me that you have your old nurse。 She is too old； she is
not in your rank of lifethere is no sufficient protection in the
companionship of such a person for a lady in your position。 Don't
mistake me； Agnes！ what I say； I say in the sincerity of my devotion to
you。' He paused； and took her hand。 She made a feeble effort to
withdraw it and yielded。 'Will the day never come；' he pleaded； 'when
the privilege of protecting you may be mine？ when you will be the pride
and joy of my life； as long as my life lasts？' He pressed her hand gently。
She made no reply。 The colour came and went on her face； her eyes were
turned away from him。 'Have I been so unhappy as to offend you？' he
asked。
She answered thatshe said； almost in a whisper； 'No。'
'Have I distressed you？'
'You have made me think of the sad days that are gone。' She said no
more； she only tried to withdraw her hand from his for the second time。
He still held it； he lifted it to his lips。
'Can I never make you think of other days than thoseof the happier
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days to come？ Or； if you must think of the time that is passed； can you
not look back to the time when I first loved you？'
She sighed as he put the question。 'Spare me Henry；' she answered
sadly。 'Say no more！'
The colour again rose in her cheeks； her hand trembled in his。 She
looked lovely； with her eyes cast down and her bosom heaving gently。 At
that moment he would have given everything he had in the world to take
her in his arms and kiss her。 Some mysterious sympathy； passing from
his hand to hers； seemed to tell her what was in his mind。 She snatched her
hand away； and suddenly looked up at him。 The tears were in her eyes。
She said nothing； she let her eyes speak for her。 They warned him
without anger； without unkindness but still they warned him to press her
no further that day。
'Only tell me that I am forgiven；' he said； as he rose from the sofa。
'Yes；' she answered quietly； 'you are forgiven。'
'I have not lowered myself in your estimation； Agnes？'
'Oh； no！'
'Do you wish me to leave you？'
She rose； in her turn； from the sofa； and walked to her writing…table
before she replied。 The unfinished letter which she had been writing
when Lady Montbarry interrupted her； lay open on the blotting…book。 As
she looked at the letter； and then looked at Henry； the smile that charmed
everybody showed itself in her face。
'You must not go just yet；' she said： 'I have something to tell you。 I
hardly know how to express it。 The shortest way perhaps will be to let
you find it out for yourself。 You have been speaking of my lonely
unprotected life here。 It is not a very happy life； HenryI own that。' She
paused； observing the growing anxiety of his expression as he looked at
her； with a shy satisfaction that perplexed him。 'Do you know that I have
anticipated your idea？' she went on。 'I am going to make a great change in
my lifeif your brother Stephen and his wife will only consent to it。' She
opened the desk of the writing…table while she spoke； took a letter out； and
handed it to Henry。
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He received it from her mechanically。 Vague doubts； which he hardly
understood himself； kept him silent。 It was impossible that the 'change in
her life' of which she had spoken could mean that she was about to be
marriedand yet he was conscious of a perfectly unreasonable reluctance
to open the letter。 Their eyes met； she smiled again。 'Look at the address；'
she said。 'You ought to know the handwriting but I dare say you don't。'
He looked at the address。 It was in the large； irregular； uncertain
writing of a child。 He opened the letter instantly。
'Dear Aunt Agnes；Our governess is going away。 She has had
money left to her； and a house of her own。 We have had cake and wine to
drink her health。 You promised to be our governess if we wanted another。
We want you。 Mamma knows nothing about this。 Please come before
Mamma can get another governess。 Your loving Lucy； who writes this。
Clara and Blanche have tried to write too。 But they are too young to do it。
They blot the paper。'
'Your eldest niece；' Agnes explained； as Henry looked at her in
amazement。 'The children used to call me aunt when I was staying with
their mother in Ireland； in the autumn。 The three girls were my
inseparable companionsthey are the most charming children I know。 It is
quite true that I offered to be their governess； if they ever wanted one； on
the day when I left them to return to London。 I was writing to propose it to
their mother； just before you came。'
'Not seriously！' Henry exclaimed。
Agnes placed her unfinished letter in his hand。 Enough of it had been
written to show that she did seriously propose to enter the household of
Mr。 and Mrs。 Stephen Westwick as governess to their children！ Henry's
bewilderment was not to be expressed in words。
'They won't believe you are in earnest；' he said。
'Why not？' Agnes asked quietly。
'You are my brother Stephen's cousin； you are his wife's old friend。'
'All the more reason； Henry； for trusting me with the charge of their
children。'
'But you are their equal； you are not obliged to get your living by
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teaching。 There is something absurd in your entering their service as a
governess！'
'What is there absurd in it？ The children love me； the mother loves
me； the father has shown me innumerable instances of his true friendship
and regard。 I am the very woman for the placeand； as to my education；
I must have completely forgotten it indeed； if I am not fit to teach three
children the eldest of whom is only eleven years old。 You say I am their
equal。 Are there no other women who serve
