the haunted hotel(闹鬼的旅馆)-第40章
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THE HAUNTED HOTEL A Mystery of Modern Venice
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
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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
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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！'
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'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 poker。 'The room is getting chilly the Countess's play will set
some of these charred logs flaming again。' He waited a little at the fire…
place； and returned to his brother。 'Now； Henry； I have a last word to say；
and then I have done。 I am ready to admit that you have stumbled； by an
unlucky chance； on the proof of a crime committed in the old days of the
palace； nobody knows how long ago。 With that one concession； I dispute
everything else。 Rather than agree in the opinion you have formed； I
won't believe anything that has happened。 The supernatural influences
that some of us felt when we first slept in this hotel your loss of appetite；
our sister's dreadful dreams； the smell that overpowered Francis； and the
head that appeared to AgnesI declare them all to be sheer delusions！ I
believe in nothing； nothing； nothing！' He opened the door to go out； and
looked back into the room。 'Yes；' he resumed； 'there is one thing I believe
in。 My wife has committed a breach of confidenceI believe Agnes will
marry you。 Good night； Henry。 We leave Venice the first thing to…
morrow morning。
So Lord Montbarry disposed of the mystery of The Haunted Hotel。
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POSTSCRIPT
A last chance of deciding the difference of opinion between the two
brothers remained in Henry's possession。 He had his own idea of the use
to which he might put the false teeth as a means of inquiry when he and
Ms fellow…travellers returned to England。
The only surviving depositary of the domestic history of the family in
past years； was Agnes Lockwood's old nurse。 Henry took his first
opportunity of trying to revive her personal recollections of the deceased
Lord Montbarry。 But the nurse had never forgiven the great man of the
family for
