the haunted hotel(闹鬼的旅馆)-第3章
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and left him。 The night has passed。 I am here； with my fixed
conviction that innocent woman is ordained to have a fatal influence
over my life。 I am here with my one question to put； to the one man who
can answer it。 For the last time； sir； what am Ia demon who has seen the
avenging angel？ or only a poor mad woman； misled by the delusion of a
deranged mind？'
Doctor Wybrow rose from his chair； determined to close the interview。
He was strongly and painfully impressed by what he had heard。 The
longer he had listened to her； the more irresistibly the conviction of the
woman's wickedness had forced itself on him。 He tried vainly to think of
her as a person to be pitieda person with a morbidly sensitive
imagination； conscious of the capacities for evil which lie dormant in us
all； and striving earnestly to open her heart to the counter…influence of her
own better nature； the effort was beyond him。 A perverse instinct in him
said； as if in words； Beware how you believe in her！
'I have already given you my opinion；' he said。 'There is no sign of
your intellect being deranged； or being likely to be deranged； that medical
science can discoveras I understand it。 As for the impressions you have
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confided to me； I can only say that yours is a case （as I venture to think）
for spiritual rather than for medical advice。 Of one thing be assured：
what you have said to me in this room shall not pass out of it。 Your
confession is safe in my keeping。'
She heard him； with a certain dogged resignation； to the end。
'Is that all？' she asked。
'That is all；' he answered。
She put a little paper packet of money on the table。 'Thank you； sir。
There is your fee。'
With those words she rose。 Her wild black eyes looked upward； with
an expression of despair so defiant and so horrible in its silent agony that
the Doctor turned away his head； unable to endure the sight of it。 The
bare idea of taking anything from hernot money only； but anything even
that she had touchedsuddenly revolted him。 Still without looking at her；
he said； 'Take it back； I don't want my fee。'
She neither heeded nor heard him。 Still looking upward； she said
slowly to herself； 'Let the end come。 I have done with the struggle： I
submit。'
She drew her veil over her face； bowed to the Doctor； and left the
room。
He rang the bell； and followed her into the hall。 As the servant closed
the door on her； a sudden impulse of curiosity utterly unworthy of him；
and at the same time utterly irresistible sprang up in the Doctor's mind。
Blushing like a boy； he said to the servant； 'Follow her home； and find out
her name。' For one moment the man looked at his master； doubting if his
own ears had not deceived him。 Doctor Wybrow looked back at him in
silence。 The submissive servant knew what that silence meanthe took his
hat and hurried into the street。
The Doctor went back to the consulting…room。 A sudden revulsion of
feeling swept over his mind。 Had the woman left an infection of
wickedness in the house； and had he caught it？ What devil had possessed
him to degrade himself in the eyes of his own servant？ He had behaved
infamouslyhe had asked an honest man； a man who had served him
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THE HAUNTED HOTEL A Mystery of Modern Venice
faithfully for years； to turn spy！ Stung by the bare thought of it； he ran
out into the hall again； and opened the door。 The servant had disappeared；
it was too late to call him back。 But one refuge from his contempt for
himself was now open to him the refuge of work。 He got into his
carriage and went his rounds among his patients。
If the famous physician could have shaken his own reputation； he
would have done it that afternoon。 Never before had he made himself so
little welcome at the bedside。 Never before had he put off until to…
morrow the prescription which ought to have been written； the opinion
which ought to have been given； to…day。 He went home earlier than usual
unutterably dissatisfied with himself。
The servant had returned。 Dr。 Wybrow was ashamed to question him。
The man reported the result of his errand； without waiting to be asked。
'The lady's name is the Countess Narona。 She lives at'
Without waiting to hear where she lived； the Doctor acknowledged the
all…important discovery of her name by a silent bend of the head； and
entered his consulting…room。 The fee that he had vainly refused still lay in
its little white paper covering on the table。 He sealed it up in an envelope；
addressed it to the 'Poor…box' of the nearest police…court； and； calling the
servant in； directed him to take it to the magistrate the next morning。
Faithful to his duties； the servant waited to ask the customary question；
'Do you dine at home to…day； sir？'
After a moment's hesitation he said； 'No： I shall dine at the club。'
The most easily deteriorated of all the moral qualities is the quality
called 'conscience。' In one state of a man's mind； his conscience is the
severest judge that can pass sentence on him。 In another state； he and his
conscience are on the best possible terms with each other in the
comfortable capacity of accomplices。 When Doctor Wybrow left his house
for the second time； he did not even attempt to conceal from himself that
his sole object； in dining at the club； was to hear what the world said of the
Countess Narona。
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CHAPTER III
There was a time when a man in search of the pleasures of gossip
sought the society of ladies。 The man knows better now。 He goes to the
smoking…room of his club。
Doctor Wybrow lit his cigar； and looked round him at his brethren in
social conclave assembled。 The room was well filled； but the flow of
talk was still languid。 The Doctor innocently applied the stimulant that
was wanted。 When he inquired if anybody knew the Countess Narona；
he was answered by something like a shout of astonishment。 Never （the
conclave agreed） had such an absurd question been asked before！ Every
human creature； with the slightest claim to a place in society； knew the
Countess Narona。 An adventuress with a European reputation of the
blackest possible colour such was the general description of the woman
with the deathlike complexion and the glittering eyes。
Descending to particulars； each member of the club contributed his
own little stock of scandal to the memoirs of the Countess。 It was doubtful
whether she was really； what she called herself； a Dalmatian lady。 It was
doubtful whether she had ever been married to the Count whose widow
she assumed to be。 It was doubtful whether the man who accompanied her
in her travels （under the name of Baron Rivar； and in the character of her
brother） was her brother at all。 Report pointed to the Baron as a gambler
at every 'table' on the Continent。 Report whispered that his so…called
sister had narrowly escaped being implicated in a famous trial for
poisoning at Viennathat she had been known at Milan as a spy in the
interests of Austriathat her 'apartment' in Paris had been denounced to
the police as nothing less than a private gambling…house and that her
present appearance in England was the natural result of the discovery。
Only one member of the assembly in the smoking…room took the part of
this much…abused woman； and declared that her character had been most
cruelly and most unjustly assailed。 But as the man was a lawyer； his
interference went for nothing： it was naturally attributed to the spirit of
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contradiction inherent in his profession。 He was asked derisively what he
thought of the circumstances under which the Countess had become
engaged to be married； and he made the characteristic answer； that he
thought the circumstances highly creditable to both parties； and that he
looked on the lady's future husband as a most enviable man。
Hearing this； the Doctor raised another shout of astonishment by
inquiring the name of the gentleman whom the Countess was about to
marry。
His friends in the smoking…room decided unanimously that the
celebrated physician must be a second 'Rip…van…Winkle；' and that he had
just awakened from a supernatural sleep of twenty years。 It was all very
well to say that he was devoted to his profession； and that he had neither
time nor inclination to pick up fragments of gossip at dinner…parties and
balls。 A man who did not know that the Countess Narona had borrowed
money at Homburg of no less a person than Lord Montbarry； and had then
deluded him into making her a proposal of marriage； was a man who had
probably never heard of Lord Montbarry himself。 The younger members
of the club； humouring the joke； sent a waiter for the 'Peerage'； and read
aloud the memoir of the nobleman in question； for the Doctor's benefit
with illustrative morsels of information interpolated by themselves。
'Herbert John Westwick。 First Baron Montbarry； of Montbarry；
King's County； Ireland。 Created a Pe
