the haunted hotel(闹鬼的旅馆)-第38章
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My Lord gives him orders to go out again and buy some lemons。 He
proposes to try hot lemonade as a means of inducing perspiration in bed。
In that way he has formerly cured colds； and in that way he will cure the
cold from which he is suffering now。
'The Courier obeys in silence。 Judging by appearances； he goes 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 absence
laying 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
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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
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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
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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
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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！
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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 itself under
another point of view。 Thus far； his reading had only informed him that
the conspiracy had been planned。 How did he know that the plan had been
put in execution？
The manuscript lay just
