the haunted hotel(闹鬼的旅馆)-第17章
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children the eldest of whom is only eleven years old。 You say I am their
equal。 Are there no other women who serve as governesses； and who are
the equals of the persons whom they serve？ Besides； I don't know that I
am their equal。 Have I not heard that your brother Stephen was the next
heir to the title？ Will he not be the new lord？ Never mind answering
me！ We won't dispute whether I mn right or wrong in turning governess
we will wait the event。 I am weary of my lonely useless existence here；
and eager to make my life more happy and more useful； in the household
of all others in which I should like most to have a place。 If you will look
again； you will see that I have these personal considerations still to urge
before I finish my letter。 You don't know your brother and his wife as well
as I do； if you doubt their answer。 I believe they have courage enough
and heart enough to say Yes。'
Henry submitted without being convinced。
He was a man who disliked all eccentric departures from custom and
routine； and he felt especially suspicious of the change proposed in the life
of Agnes。 With new interests to occupy her mind； she might be less
favourably disposed to listen to him； on the next occasion when he urged
his suit。 The influence of the 'lonely useless existence' of which she
complained； was distinctly an influence in his favour。 While her heart was
empty； her heart was accessible。 But with his nieces in full possession of it；
the clouds of doubt overshadowed his prospects。 He knew the sex well
enough to keep these purely selfish perplexities to himself。 The waiting
policy was especially the policy to pursue with a woman as sensitive as
Agnes。 If he once offended her delicacy he was lost。 For the moment he
wisely controlled himself and changed the subject。
'My little niece's letter has had an effect；' he said； 'which the child
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never contemplated in writing it。 She has just reminded me of one of the
objects that I had in calling on you to…day。'
Agnes looked at the child's letter。 'How does Lucy do that？' she
asked。
'Lucy's governess is not the only lucky person who has had money left
her；' Henry answered。 'Is your old nurse in the house？'
'You don't mean to say that nurse has got a legacy？'
'She has got a hundred pounds。 Send for her； Agnes； while I show
you the letter。'
He took a handful of letters from his pocket； and looked through them；
while Agnes rang the bell。 Returning to him； she noticed a printed letter
among the rest； which lay open on the table。 It was a 'prospectus；' and
the title of it was 'Palace Hotel Company of Venice （Limited）。' The two
words； 'Palace' and 'Venice；' instantly recalled her mind to the unwelcome
visit of Lady Montbarry。 'What is that？' she asked； pointing to the title。
Henry suspended his search； and glanced at the prospectus。 'A really
promising speculation；' he said。 'Large hotels always pay well； if they are
well managed。 I know the man who is appointed to be manager of this
hotel when it is opened to the public； and I have such entire confidence in
him that I have become one of the shareholders of the Company。'
The reply did not appear to satisfy Agnes。 'Why is the hotel called
the 〃Palace Hotel〃？' she inquired。
Henry looked at her； and at once penetrated her motive for asking the
question。 'Yes；' he said； 'it is the palace that Montbarry hired at Venice；
and it has been purchased by the Company to be changed into an hotel。'
Agnes turned away in silence； and took a chair at the farther end of the
room。 Henry had disappointed her。 His income as a younger son stood
in need； as she well knew； of all the additions that he could make to it by
successful speculation。 But she was unreasonable enough； nevertheless；
to disapprove of his attempting to make money already out of the house in
which his brother had died。 Incapable of understanding this purely
sentimental view of a plain matter of business； Henry returned to his
papers； in some perplexity at the sudden change in the manner of Agnes
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towards him。 Just as he found the letter of which he was in search； the
nurse made her appearance。 He glanced at Agnes； expecting that she
would speak first。 She never even looked up when the nurse came in。 It
was left to Henry to tell the old woman why the bell had summoned her to
the drawing…room。
'Well； nurse；' he said； 'you have had a windfall of luck。 You have had a
legacy left you of a hundred pounds。'
The nurse showed no outward signs of exultation。 She waited a little
to get the announcement of the legacy well settled in her mind and then
she said quietly； 'Master Henry； who gives me that money； if you please？'
'My late brother； Lord Montbarry； gives it to you。' （Agnes instantly
looked up； interested in the matter for the first time。 Henry went on。）
'His will leaves legacies to the surviving old servants of the family。 There
is a letter from his lawyers； authorising you to apply to them for the
money。'
In every class of society； gratitude is the rarest of all human virtues。 In
the nurse's class it is extremely rare。 Her opinion of the man who had
deceived and deserted her mistress remained the same opinion still；
perfectly undisturbed by the passing circumstance of the legacy。
'I wonder who reminded my lord of the old servants？' she said。 'He
would never have heart enough to remember them himself！'
Agnes suddenly interposed。 Nature； always abhorring monotony；
institutes reserves of temper as elements in the composition of the gentlest
women living。 Even Agnes could； on rare occasions； be angry。 The
nurse's view of Montbarry's character seemed to have provoked her
beyond endurance。
'If you have any sense of shame in you；' she broke out； 'you ought to
be ashamed of what you have just said！ Your ingratitude disgusts me。 I
leave you to speak with her； Henryyou won't mind it！' With this
significant intimation that he too had dropped out of his customary place
in her good opinion； she left the room。
The nurse received the smart reproof administered to her with every
appearance of feeling rather amused by it than not。 When the door had
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closed； this female philosopher winked at Henry。
'There's a power of obstinacy in young women；' she remarked。 'Miss
Agnes wouldn't give my lord up as a bad one； even when he jilted her。
And now she's sweet on him after he's dead。 Say a word against him； and
she fires up as you see。 All obstinacy！ It will wear out with time。 Stick
to her； Master Henry stick to her！'
'She doesn't seem to have offended you；' said Henry。
'She？' the nurse repeated in amazement'she offend me？ I like her in
her tantrums； it reminds me of her when she was a baby。 Lord bless you！
when I go to bid her good…night； she'll give me a big kiss； poor dearand
say； Nurse； I didn't mean it！ About this money； Master Henry？ If I was
younger I should spend it in dress and jewellery。 But I'm too old for that。
What shall I do with my legacy when I have got it？'
'Put it out at interest；' Henry suggested。 'Get so much a year for it；
you know。' 'How much shall I get？' the nurse asked。
'If you put your hundred pounds into the Funds； you will get between
three and four pounds a year。'
The nurse shook her head。 'Three or four pounds a year？ That
won't do！ I want more than that。 Look here； Master Henry。 I don't care
about this bit of moneyI never did like the man who has left it to me；
though he was your brother。 If I lost it all to…morrow； I shouldn't break
my heart； I'm well enough off； as it is； for the rest of my days。 They say
you're a speculator。 Put me in for a good thing； there's a dear！ Neck…or…
nothingand that for the Funds！' She snapped her fingers to express her
contempt for security of investment at three per cent。
Henry produced the prospectus of the Venetian Hotel Company。
'You're a funny old woman；' he said。 'There； you dashing speculator
there is neck…or…nothing for you！ You must keep it a secret from Miss
Agnes； mind。 I'm not at all sure that she would approve of my helping
you to this investment。'
The nurse took out her spectacles。 'Six per cent。 guaranteed；' she
read； 'and the Directors have every reason to believe that ten per cent。； or
more； will be ultimately realised to the shareholders by the hotel。' 'Put me
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into that； Master Henry！ And； wherever you go； for Heaven's sake
recommend the hotel to your friends！'
So the nurse； following Henry's mercenary example； had her pecuniary
interest； too； in the house in which Lord Montbarry had died。
Three days passed before Henry was able to visit Agnes again。 In that
time； the little cloud between them had entirely passed away。 Agnes
received him with even more than her customary kindness。 She was in
better spirits than usual。 Her letter to Mrs。 Stephen Westwick had been
answered by return of post； and her proposal had been joyfully accepted；
with one modification。 She was to visit the Westwicks for a monthand；
if she really liked teaching the children； she was then to be governess； aunt；
and cousin； all in one and was only to go
