the haunted hotel-第40部分

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been　made　for　the　first　Lord　Montbarry。







Henry　never　revealed　the　existence　of　this　last　link　in　the　chain



of　discovery　to　any　living　creature；　his　brother　Stephen　included。



He　carried　his　terrible　secret　with　him　to　the　grave。







There　was　one　other　event　in　the　memorable　past　on　which　he　preserved



the　same　compassionate　silence。　　Little　Mrs。　Ferrari　never　knew　that



her　husband　had　beennot；　as　she　supposed；　the　Countess's　victim



but　the　Countess's　accomplice。　　She　still　believed　that　the　late　Lord



Montbarry　had　sent　her　the　thousand…pound　note；　and　still　recoiled



from　making　use　of　a　present　which　she　persisted　in　declaring　had



'the　stain　of　her　husband's　blood　on　it。'　　Agnes；　with　the　widow's



entire　approval；　took　the　money　to　the　Children's　Hospital；



and　spent　it　in　adding　to　the　number　of　the　beds。







In　the　spring　of　the　new　year；　the　marriage　took　place。



At　the　special　request　of　Agnes；　the　members　of　the　family　were　the　only



persons　present　at　the　ceremony。　　There　was　no　wedding　breakfast



and　the　honeymoon　was　spent　in　the　retirement　of　a　cottage　on



the　banks　of　the　Thames。







During　the　last　few　days　of　the　residence　of　the　newly　married



couple　by　the　riverside；　Lady　Montbarry's　children　were　invited



to　enjoy　a　day's　play　in　the　garden。　　The　eldest　girl　overheard



（and　reported　to　her　mother）　a　little　conjugal　dialogue　which　touched



on　the　topic　of　The　Haunted　Hotel。







'Henry；　I　want　you　to　give　me　a　kiss。'







'There　it　is；　my　dear。'







'Now　I　am　your　wife；　may　I　speak　to　you　about　something？'







'What　is　it？'









'Something　that　happened　the　day　before　we　left　Venice。



You　saw　the　Countess；　during　the　last　hours　of　her　life。



Won't　you　tell　me　whether　she　made　any　confession　to　you？'







'No　conscious　confession；　Agnesand　therefore　no　confession　that　I



need　distress　you　by　repeating。'







'Did　she　say　nothing　about　what　she　saw　or　heard；　on　that　dreadful



night　in　my　room？'







'Nothing。　　We　only　know　that　her　mind　never　recovered　the　terror



of　it。'







Agnes　was　not　quite　satisfied。　　The　subject　troubled　her。



Even　her　own　brief　intercourse　with　her　miserable　rival



of　other　days　suggested　questions　that　perplexed　her。



She　remembered　the　Countess's　prediction。　　'You　have　to　bring　me



to　the　day　of　discovery；　and　to　the　punishment　that　is　my　doom。'



Had　the　prediction　simply　faded；　like　other　mortal　prophecies？



or　had　it　been　fulfilled　on　the　terrible　night　when　she　had　seen



the　apparition；　and　when　she　had　innocently　tempted　the　Countess



to　watch　her　in　her　room？







Let　it；　however；　be　recorded；　among　the　other　virtues　of　Mrs。　Henry



Westwick；　that　she　never　again　attempted　to　persuade　her　husband



into　betraying　his　secrets。　　Other　men's　wives；　hearing　of　this



extraordinary　conduct　（and　being　trained　in　the　modern　school　of　morals



and　manners）；　naturally　regarded　her　with　compassionate　contempt。　　They



spoke　of　Agnes；　from　that　time　forth；　as　'rather　an　old…fashioned　person。'















Is　that　all？







That　is　all。







Is　there　no　explanation　of　the　mystery　of　The　Haunted　Hotel？







Ask　yourself　if　there　is　any　explanation　of　the　mystery　of　your　own



life　and　death。Farewell。















End