the haunted hotel(闹鬼的旅馆)-第31章
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nevertheless； an insurmountable reluctance to remaining in the hotel。 He
decided on leaving Venice。 To ask for another room would be； as he
could plainly see； an offence in the eyes of the manager。 To remove to
another hotel； would be to openly abandon an establishment in the success
of which he had a pecuniary interest。 Leaving a note for Arthur Barville；
on his arrival in Venice； in which he merely mentioned that he had gone to
look at the Italian lakes； and that a line addressed to his hotel at Milan
would bring him back again； he took the afternoon train to Padua and
dined with his usual appetite； and slept as well as ever that night。
The next day； a gentleman and his wife （perfect strangers to the
Montbarry family）； returning to England by way of Venice； arrived at the
hotel and occupied Number Fourteen。
Still mindful of the slur that had been cast on one of his best
bedchambers； the manager took occasion to ask the travellers the next
morning how they liked their room。 They left him to judge for himself
how well they were satisfied； by remaining a day longer in Venice than
they had originally planned to do； solely for the purpose of enjoying the
excellent accommodation offered to them by the new hotel。 'We have
met with nothing like it in Italy；' they said； 'you may rely on our
recommending you to all our friends。'
On the day when Number Fourteen was again vacant； an English lady
travelling alone with her maid arrived at the hotel； saw the room； and at
once engaged it。
The lady was Mrs。 Norbury。 She had left Francis Westwick at Milan；
occupied in negotiating for the appearance at his theatre of the new dancer
at the Scala。 Not having heard to the contrary； Mrs。 Norbury supposed
that Arthur Barville and his wife had already arrived at Venice。 She was
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more interested in meeting the young married couple than in awaiting the
result of the hard bargaining which delayed the engagement of the new
dancer； and she volunteered to make her brother's apologies； if his
theatrical business caused him to be late in keeping his appointment at the
honeymoon festival。
Mrs。 Norbury's experience of Number Fourteen differed entirely from
her brother Henry's experience of the room。
Failing asleep as readily as usual； her repose was disturbed by a
succession of frightful dreams； the central figure in every one of them
being the figure of her dead brother； the first Lord Montbarry。 She saw
him starving in a loathsome prison； she saw him pursued by assassins； and
dying under their knives； she saw him drowning in immeasurable depths
of dark water； she saw him in a bed on fire； burning to death in the flames；
she saw him tempted by a shadowy creature to drink； and dying of the
poisonous draught。 The reiterated horror of these dreams had such an
effect on her that she rose with the dawn of day； afraid to trust herself
again in bed。 In the old times； she had been noted in the family as the one
member of it who lived on affectionate terms with Montbarry。 His other
sister and his brothers were constantly quarrelling with him。 Even his
mother owned that her eldest son was of all her children the child whom
she least liked。 Sensible and resolute woman as she was； Mrs。 Norbury
shuddered with terror as she sat at the window of her room； watching the
sunrise； and thinking of her dreams。
She made the first excuse that occurred to her； when her maid came in
at the usual hour； and noticed how ill she looked。 The woman was of so
superstitious a temperament that it would have been in the last degree
indiscreet to trust her with the truth。 Mrs。 Norbury merely remarked that
she had not found the bed quite to her liking； on account of the large size
of it。 She was accustomed at home； as her maid knew； to sleep in a small
bed。 Informed of this objection later in the day； the manager regretted that
he could only offer to the lady the choice of one other bedchamber；
numbered Thirty…eight； and situated immediately over the bedchamber
which she desired to leave。 Mrs。 Norbury accepted the proposed change
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of quarters。 She was now about to pass her second night in the room
occupied in the old days of the palace by Baron Rivar。
Once more； she fell asleep as usual。 And； once more； the frightful
dreams of the first night terrified her； following each other in the same
succession。 This time her nerves； already shaken； were not equal to the
renewed torture of terror inflicted on them。 She threw on her dressing…
gown； and rushed out of her room in the middle of the night。 The porter；
alarmed by the banging of the door； met her hurrying headlong down the
stairs； in search of the first human being she could find to keep her
company。 Considerably surprised at this last new manifestation of the
famous 'English eccentricity；' the man looked at the hotel register； and led
the lady upstairs again to the room occupied by her maid。 The maid was
not asleep； and； more wonderful still； was not even undressed。 She
received her mistress quietly。 When they were alone； and when Mrs。
Norbury had； as a matter of necessity； taken her attendant into her
confidence； the woman made a very strange reply。
'I have been asking about the hotel； at the servants' supper to…night；'
she said。 'The valet of one of the gentlemen staying here has heard that
the late Lord Montbarry was the last person who lived in the palace；
before it was made into an hotel。 The room he died in； ma'am； was the
room you slept in last night。 Your room tonight is the room just above it。
I said nothing for fear of frightening you。 For my own part； I have
passed the night as you see； keeping my light on； and reading my Bible。
In my opinion； no member of your family can hope to be happy or
comfortable in this house。'
'What do you mean？'
'Please to let me explain myself； ma'am。 When Mr。 Henry Westwick
was here （I have this from the valet； too） he occupied the room his brother
died in （without knowing it）； like you。 For two nights he never closed his
eyes。 Without any reason for it （the valet heard him tell the gentlemen in
the coffee…room） he could not sleep； he felt so low and so wretched in
himself。 And what is more； when daytime came； he couldn't even eat while
he was under this roof You may laugh at me； ma'ambut even a servant
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may draw her own conclusions。 It's my conclusion that something
happened to my lord； which we none of us know about； when he died in
