the haunted hotel(闹鬼的旅馆)-第19节
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the person？' he interrupted with ironical politeness。
She answered him with contemptuous ease。 'You may be right； Mr。
Westwick。 One day or another； I may be the person who tells Miss
Lockwood what has become of Ferrari； if' She stopped； with her eyes
fixed on Agnes。
'If what？' Henry asked。
'If Miss Lockwood forces me to it。'
Agnes listened in astonishment。 'Force you to it？' she repeated。 'How
can I do that？ Do you mean to say my will is stronger than yours？'
'Do you mean to say that the candle doesn't burn the moth； when the
moth flies into it？' Lady Montbarry rejoined。 'Have you ever heard of
such a thing as the fascination of terror？ I am drawn to you by a
fascination of terror。 I have no right to visit you； I have no wish to visit
you： you are my enemy。 For the first time in my life； against my own
will； I submit to my enemy。 See！ I am waiting because you told me to
waitand the fear of you （I swear it！） creeps through me while I stand here。
Oh； don't let me excite your curiosity or your pity！ Follow the example
of Mr。 Westwick。 Be hard and brutal and unforgiving； like him。 Grant
me my release。 Tell me to go。'
The frank and simple nature of Agnes could discover but one
intelligible meaning in this strange outbreak。
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'You are mistaken in thinking me your enemy；' she said。 'The wrong
you did me when you gave your hand to Lord Montbarry was not
intentionally done。 I forgave you my sufferings in his lifetime。 I forgive
you even more freely now that he has gone。'
Henry heard her with mingled emotions of admiration and distress。
'Say no more！' he exclaimed。 'You are too good to her； she is not worthy
of it。'
The interruption passed unheeded by Lady Montbarry。 The simple
words in which Agnes had replied seemed to have absorbed the whole
attention of this strangely…changeable woman。 As she listened； her face
settled slowly into an expression of hard and tearless sorrow。 There was a
marked change in her voice when she spoke next。 It expressed that last
worst resignation which has done with hope。
'You good innocent creature；' she said； 'what does your amiable
forgiveness matter？ What are your poor little wrongs； in the reckoning
for greater wrongs which is demanded of me？ I am not trying to frighten
you； I am only miserable about myself。 Do you know what it is to have a
firm presentiment of calamity that is coming to youand yet to hope that
your own positive conviction will not prove true？ When I first met you；
before my marriage； and first felt your influence over me； I had that hope。
It was a starveling sort of hope that lived a lingering life in me until to…day。
You struck it dead； when you answered my question about Ferrari。'
'How have I destroyed your hopes？' Agnes asked。 'What
connection is there between my permitting Ferrari to use my name to Lord
Montbarry； and the strange and dreadful things you are saying to me now？'
'The time is near； Miss Lockwood； when you will discover that for
yourself。 In the mean while； you shall know what my fear of you is； in
the plainest words I can find。 On the day when I took your hero from
you and blighted your lifeI am firmly persuaded of it！ you were made
the instrument of the retribution that my sins of many years had deserved。
Oh； such things have happened before to…day！ One person has； before now；
been the means of innocently ripening the growth of evil in another。 You
have done that already and you have more to do yet。 You have still to
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bring me to the day of discovery； and to the punishment that is my doom。
We shall meet againhere in England； or there in Venice where my
husband died and meet for the last time。'
In spite of her better sense； in spite of her natural superiority to
superstitions of all kinds； Agnes was impressed by the terrible earnestness
with which those words were spoken。 She turned pale as she looked at
Henry。 'Do you understand her？' she asked。
'Nothing is easier than to understand her；' he replied contemptuously。
'She knows what has become of Ferrari； and she is confusing you in a
cloud of nonsense； because she daren't own the truth。 Let her go！'
If a dog had been under one of the chairs； and had barked； Lady
Montbarry could not have proceeded more impenetrably with the last
words she had to say to Agnes。
'Advise your interesting Mrs。 Ferrari to wait a little longer；' she said。
'You will know what has become of her husband； and you will tell her。
There will be nothing to alarm you。 Some trifling event will bring us
together the next timeas trifling； I dare say； as the engagement of Ferrari。
Sad nonsense； Mr。 Westwick； is it not？ But you make allowances for
women； we all talk nonsense。 Good morning； Miss Lockwood。'
She opened the doorsuddenly； as if she was afraid of being called
back for the second timeand left them。
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CHAPTER XII
'Do you think she is mad？' Agnes asked。
'I think she is simply wicked。 False； superstitious； inveterately cruel…
… but not mad。 I believe her main motive in coming here was to enjoy the
luxury of frightening you。'
'She has frightened me。 I am ashamed to own itbut so it is。'
Henry looked at her； hesitated for a moment； and seated himself on the
sofa by her side。
'I am very anxious about you； Agnes；' he said。 'But for the fortunate
chance which led me to call here to…daywho knows what that vile
woman might not have said or done； if she had found you alone？ My dear；
you are leading a sadly unprotected solitary life。 I don't like to think of it； I
want to see it changedespecially after what has happened to…day。 No！ no！
it is useless to tell me that you have your old nurse。 She is too old； she is
not in your rank of lifethere is no sufficient protection in the
companionship of such a person for a lady in your position。 Don't
mistake me； Agnes！ what I say； I say in the sincerity of my devotion to
you。' He paused； and took her hand。 She made a feeble effort to
withdraw it and yielded。 'Will the day never come；' he pleaded； 'when
the privilege of protecting you may be mine？ when you will be the pride
and joy of my life； as long as my life lasts？' He pressed her hand gently。
She made no reply。 The colour came and went on her face； her eyes were
turned away from him。 'Have I been so unhappy as to offend you？' he
asked。
She answered thatshe said； almost in a whisper； 'No。'
'Have I distressed you？'
'You have made me think of the sad days that are gone。' She said no
more； she only tried to withdraw her hand from his for the second time。
He still held it； he lifted it to his lips。
'Can I never make you think of other days than thoseof the happier
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days to come？ Or； if you must think of the time that is passed； can you
not look back to the time when I first loved you？'
She sighed as he put the question。 'Spare me Henry；' she answered
sadly。 'Say no more！'
The colour again rose in her cheeks； her hand trembled in his。 She
looked lovely； with her eyes cast down and her bosom heaving gently。 At
that moment he would have given everything he had in the world to take
her in his arms and kiss her。 Some myste
