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第10章

the haunted hotel(闹鬼的旅馆)-第10章

小说: the haunted hotel(闹鬼的旅馆) 字数: 每页4000字

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as surprised。      It was still early in the evening。 She at once sent a message 

to Mrs。 Ferrari; to say that she had returned。 

     In   an   hour   more   the   courier's   wife   appeared;   in   a   state   of   agitation 

which it was not easy to control。           Her narrative; when she was at last able 

to speak connectedly; entirely confirmed the nurse's report of it。 

     After  hearing   from  her  husband   with   tolerable  regularity  from  Paris; 

Rome; and Venice; Emily had twice written to him afterwards and had 

received no reply。        Feeling uneasy; she had gone to the office in Golden 

Square; to inquire if he had been heard of there。 The post of the morning 

had   brought   a   letter   to   the   secretary   from   a   courier   then   at   Venice。 It 

contained startling news of Ferrari。 His wife had been allowed to take a 

copy of it; which she now handed to Agnes to read。 

     The    writer   stated   that   he  had   recently    arrived    in  Venice。    He   had 

previously heard that Ferrari was with Lord and Lady Montbarry; at one of 

the old Venetian palaces which they had hired for a term。 Being a friend of 

Ferrari; he had gone to pay him a visit。 Ringing at the door that opened on 

the canal; and failing to make anyone hear him; he had gone round to a 

side    entrance    opening     on  one    of  the  narrow     lanes   of  Venice。     Here; 

standing at the door (as if she was waiting for him to try that way next); he 

found   a   pale   woman   with   magnificent   dark   eyes;   who   proved   to   be   no 

other than Lady Montbarry herself。 

     She asked; in Italian; what he wanted。            He answered that he wanted to 

see   the   courier   Ferrari;   if it   was   quite   convenient。   She   at once   informed 

him   that   Ferrari   had   left   the   palace;   without   assigning   any   reason;   and 



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without even leaving an address at which his monthly salary (then due to 

him)   could   be   paid。    Amazed   at   this   reply;   the   courier   inquired   if   any 

person had offended Ferrari; or quarrelled with him。                The lady answered; 

'To    my   knowledge;      certainly    not。   I   am   Lady    Montbarry;      and   I  can 

positively assure you that Ferrari was treated with the greatest kindness in 

this   house。   We   are   as   much   astonished   as   you   are   at   his   extraordinary 

disappearance。 If you should hear of him; pray let us know; so that we may 

at least pay him the money which is due。' 

     After one or two more questions (quite readily answered) relating to 

the   date   and   the   time   of   day   at   which   Ferrari   had   left   the   palace;   the 

courier took his leave。 

     He    at   once   entered     on   the  necessary     investigationswithout        the 

slightest result so   far as   Ferrari was concerned。           Nobody  had seen  him。 

Nobody appeared to have been taken into his confidence。 Nobody knew 

anything (that is to say; anything of the slightest importance) even about 

persons so distinguished as Lord and Lady Montbarry。 It was reported that 

her    ladyship's   English    maid    had   left  her;  before    the  disappearance      of 

Ferrari;    to  return   to  her   relatives   in  her   own    country;   and   that   Lady 

Montbarry   had   taken   no   steps   to   supply   her   place。      His   lordship   was 

described as being in delicate health。 He lived in the strictest retirement 

nobody was admitted to him; not even his own countrymen。                      A stupid old 

woman was discovered who did the housework at the palace; arriving in 

the morning and going away again at night。                She had never seen the lost 

courier she had never even seen Lord Montbarry; who was then confined 

to his room。       Her ladyship; 'a most gracious and adorable mistress;' was 

in constant attendance on her noble husband。               There was no other servant 

then in the house (so far as the old woman knew) but herself。                   The meals 

were sent in from a restaurant。           My lord; it was said; disliked strangers。 

My lord's brother…in…law; the Baron; was generally shut up in a remote part 

of   the   palace;   occupied   (the   gracious   mistress   said)   with   experiments   in 

chemistry。 The experiments sometimes made a nasty smell。                     A doctor had 

latterly  been   called in   to   his   lordshipan   Italian   doctor;  long   resident   in 

Venice。     Inquiries    being    addressed     to  this  gentleman      (a   physician    of 



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undoubted capacity and respectability); it turned out that he also had never 

seen   Ferrari;  having   been   summoned   to the   palace   (as his   memorandum 

book   showed)   at   a   date   subsequent   to   the   courier's   disappearance。   The 

doctor described Lord Montbarry's malady as bronchitis。 So far; there was 

no   reason   to   feel   any   anxiety;   though   the   attack   was   a   sharp   one。  If 

alarming symptoms should appear; he had arranged with her ladyship to 

call   in   another   physician。   For   the   rest;   it   was   impossible   to   speak   too 

highly of my lady; night and day; she was at her lord's bedside。 

     With     these   particulars    began    and   ended    the   discoveries    made     by 

Ferrari's courier…friend。 The police were on the look…out for the lost man 

and that was the only hope which could be held forth for the present; to 

Ferrari's wife。 

     'What do you think of it; Miss?' the poor woman asked eagerly。 'What 

would you advise me to do?' 

     Agnes was at a loss how to answer her; it was an effort even to listen 

to   what    Emily    was   saying。     The    references     in  the  courier's   letter  to 

Montbarrythe        report    of  his   illness;   the  melancholy       picture    of  his 

secluded lifehad reopened the old wound。 She was not even thinking of 

the lost Ferrari; her mind was at Venice; by the sick man's bedside。 

     'I hardly know what to say;' she answered。              'I have had no experience 

in serious matters of this kind。' 

     'Do you think it would help you; Miss; if you read my husband's letters 

to me?     There are only three of themthey won't take long to read。' 

     Agnes compassionately read the letters。 

     They were not written in a very tender tone。              'Dear Emily;' and 'Yours 

affectionately'these       conventional      phrases;    were    the   only   phrases    of 

endearment which they contained。 In the first letter; Lord Montbarry was 

not very favourably spoken of:'We leave Paris to…morrow。 I don't much 

like   my   lord。   He   is   proud   and   cold;   and;   between   ourselves;   stingy   in 

money matters。 I have had to dispute such trifles as a few centimes in the 

hotel bill; and twice already; some sharp remarks have passed between the 

newly…married        couple;    in   consequence      of   her   ladyship's    freedom     in 

purchasing pretty tempting things at the shops in Paris。 〃I can't afford it; 



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you   must   keep   to   your   allowance。〃        She   has   had   to   hear   those   words 

already。      For    my    part;   I  like   her。   She     has   the   nice;   easy    foreign 

mannersshe talks to me as if I was a human being like herself。' 

     The second letter was dated from Rome。 

     'My   lord's   caprices'   (Ferrari   wrote)   'have   kept   us   perpetually   on   the 

move。      He is becoming incurably restless。       

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