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dream？ She had not dreamed at allor； to speak more correctly； she had
no waking remembrance of having dreamed。 The mystery was beyond
her fathoming： the darkness began to oppress her。 She struck the match
on the box； and lit her candle。
As the welcome light diffused itself over the room； she turned from the
table and looked towards the other side of the bed。
In the moment when she turned； the chill of a sudden terror gripped
her round the heart； as with the clasp of an icy hand。
She was not alone in her room！
Therein the chair at the bedsidethere； suddenly revealed under the
flow of light from the candle； was the figure of a woman； reclining。 Her
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head lay back over the chair。 Her face； turned up to the ceiling； had the
eyes closed； as if she was wrapped in a deep sleep。
The shock of the discovery held Agnes speechless and helpless。 Her
first conscious action； when she was in some degree mistress of herself
again； was to lean over the bed； and to look closer at the woman who had
so incomprehensibly stolen into her room in the dead of night。 One glance
was enough： she started back with a cry of amazement。 The person in
the chair was no other than the widow of the dead Montbarry the woman
who had warned her that they were to meet again； and that the place might
be Venice！
Her courage returned to her； stung into action by the natural sense of
indignation which the presence of the Countess provoked。
'Wake up！' she called out。 'How dare you come here？ How did you
get in？ Leave the roomor I will call for help！'
She raised her voice at the last words。 It produced no effect。 Leaning
farther over the bed； she boldly took the Countess by the shoulder and
shook her。 Not even this effort succeeded in rousing the sleeping woman。
She still lay back in the chair； possessed by a torpor like the torpor of
deathinsensible to sound； insensible to touch。 Was she really sleeping？
Or had she fainted？
Agnes looked closer at her。 She had not fainted。 Her breathing was
audible； rising and falling in deep heavy gasps。 At intervals she ground
her teeth savagely。 Beads of perspiration stood thickly on her forehead。
Her clenched hands rose and fell slowly from time to time on her lap。
Was she in the agony of a dream？ or was she spiritually conscious of
something hidden in the room？
The doubt involved in that last question was unendurable。 Agnes
determined to rouse the servants who kept watch in the hotel at night。
The bell…handle was fixed to the wall； on the side of the bed by which
the table stood。
She raised herself from the crouching position which she had assumed
in looking close at the Countess； and； turning towards the other side of the
bed； stretched out her hand to the bell。 At the same instant； she stopped
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THE HAUNTED HOTEL A Mystery of Modern Venice
and looked upward。 Her hand fell helplessly at her side。 She shuddered；
and sank back on the pillow。
What had she seen？
She had seen another intruder in her room。
Midway between her face and the ceiling； there hovered a human
head severed at the neck； like a head struck from the body by the
guillotine。
Nothing visible； nothing audible； had given her any intelligible
warning of its appearance。 Silently and suddenly； the head had taken its
place above her。 No supernatural change had passed over the room； or
was perceptible in it now。 The dumbly…tortured figure in the chair； the
broad window opposite the foot of the bed； with the black night beyond it；
the candle burning on the table these； and all other objects in the room；
remained unaltered。 One object more； unutterably horrid； had been added
to the rest。 That was the only changeno more； no less。
By the yellow candlelight she saw the head distinctly； hovering in mid…
air above her。 She looked at it steadfastly； spell…bound by the terror that
held her。
The flesh of the face was gone。 The shrivelled skin was darkened in
hue； like the skin of an Egyptian mummyexcept at the neck。 There it was
of a lighter colour； there it showed spots and splashes of the hue of that
brown spot on the ceiling； which the child's fanciful terror had distorted
into the likeness of a spot of blood。 Thin remains of a discoloured
moustache and whiskers； hanging over the upper lip； and over the hollows
where the cheeks had once been； made the head just recognisable as the
head of a man。 Over all the features death and time had done their
obliterating work。 The eyelids were closed。 The hair on the skull；
discoloured like the hair on the face； had been burnt away in places。 The
bluish lips； parted in a fixed grin； showed the double row of teeth。 By slow
degrees； the hovering head （perfectly still when she first saw it） began to
descend towards Agnes as she lay beneath。 By slow degrees； that strange
doubly…blended odour； which the Commissioners had discovered in the
vaults of the old palace which had sickened Francis Westwick in the bed…
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chamber of the new hotelspread its fetid exhalations over the room。
Downward and downward the hideous apparition made its slow progress；
until it stopped close over Agnesstopped； and turned slowly； so that the
face of it confronted the upturned face of the woman in the chair。
There was a pause。 Then； a supernatural movement disturbed the
rigid repose of the dead face。
The closed eyelids opened slowly。 The eyes revealed themselves；
bright with the glassy film of deathand fixed their dreadful look on the
woman in the chair。
Agnes saw that look； saw the eyelids of the living woman open slowly
like the eyelids of the dead； saw her rise； as if in obedience to some silent
commandand saw no more。
Her next conscious impression was of the sunlight pouring in at the
window； of the friendly presence of Lady Montbarry at the bedside； and of
the children's wondering fa