按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
which the manager had referred to his previous visit to the hotel。 'Have
you just returned？' he asked； by way of changing the topic。
'Just this minute； sir。 I had the honour of travelling in the same train
with friends of yours who have arrived at the hotel Mr。 and Mrs。 Arthur
Barville； and their travelling companions。 Miss Lockwood is with them；
looking at the rooms。 They will be here before long； if they find it
convenient to have an extra room at their disposal。'
This announcement decided Henry on exploring the hiding…place；
before the interruption occurred。 It had crossed his mind； when Agnes
left him； that he ought perhaps to have a witness； in the not very probable
event of some alarming discovery taking place。 The too…familiar manager；
suspecting nothing； was there at his disposal。 He turned again to the
Caryan figure； maliciously resolving to make the manager his witness。
'I am delighted to hear that our friends have arrived at last；' he said。
'Before I shake hands with them； let me ask you a question about this
queer work of art here。 I see photographs of it downstairs。 Are they for
sale？'
'Certainly； Mr。 Westwick！'
'Do you think the chimney…piece is as solid as it looks？' Henry
proceeded。 'When you came in； I was just wondering whether this figure
here had not accidentally got loosened from the wall behind it。' He laid his
hand on the marble forehead； for the third time。 'To my eye； it looks a little
147
… Page 148…
THE HAUNTED HOTEL A Mystery of Modern Venice
out of the perpendicular。 I almost fancied I could jog the head just now；
when I touched it。' He pressed the head inwards as he said those words。
A sound of jarring iron was instantly audible behind the wall。 The
solid hearthstone in front of the fire…place turned slowly at the feet of the
two men； and disclosed a dark cavity below。 At the same moment； the
strange and sickening combination of odours； hitherto associated with the
vaults of the old palace and with the bed…chamber beneath； now floated up
from the open recess； and filled the room。
The manager started back。 'Good God； Mr。 Westwick！' he exclaimed；
'what does this mean？'
Remembering； not only what his brother Francis had felt in the room
beneath； but what the experience of Agnes had been on the previous night；
Henry was determined to be on his guard。 'I am as much surprised as you
are；' was his only reply。
'Wait for me one moment； sir；' said the manager。 'I must stop the
ladies and gentlemen outside from coming in。'
He hurried awaynot forgetting to close the door after him。 Henry
opened the window； and waited there breathing the purer air。 Vague
apprehensions of the next discovery to come； filled his mind for the first
time。 He was doubly resolved； now； not to stir a step in the investigation
without a witness。
The manager returned with a wax taper in his hand； which he lighted
as soon as he entered the room。
'We need fear no interruption now；' he said。 'Be so kind； Mr。
Westwick； as to hold the light。 It is my business to find out what this
extraordinary discovery means。'
Henry held the taper。 Looking into the cavity； by the dim and
flickering light； they both detected a dark object at the bottom of it。 'I think
I can reach the thing；' the manager remarked； 'if I lie down； and put my
hand into the hole。'
He knelt on the floorand hesitated。 'Might I ask you； sir； to give me
my gloves？' he said。 'They are in my hat； on the chair behind you。'
Henry gave him the gloves。 'I don't know what I may be going to
148
… Page 149…
THE HAUNTED HOTEL A Mystery of Modern Venice
take hold of；' the manager explained； smiling rather uneasily as he put on
his right glove。
He stretched himself at full length on the floor； and passed his right
arm into the cavity。 'I can't say exactly what I have got hold of；' he said。
'But I have got it。'
Half raising himself； he drew his hand out。
The next instant； he started to his feet with a shriek of terror。 A human
head dropped from his nerveless grasp on the floor； and rolled to Henry's
feet。 It was the hideous head that Agnes had seen hovering above her； in
the vision of the night！
The two men looked at each other； both struck speechless by the same
emotion of horror。 The manager was the first to control himself。 'See to
the door； for God's sake！' he said。 'Some of the people outside may have
heard me。'
Henry moved mechanically to the door。
Even when he had his hand on the key； ready to turn it in the lock in
case of necessity； he still looked back at the appalling object on the floor。
There was no possibility of identifying those decayed and distorted
features with any living creature whom he had seen and； yet； he was
conscious of feeling a vague and awful doubt which shook him to the soul。
The questions which had tortured the mind of Agnes； were now his
questions too。 He asked himself； 'In whose likeness might I have
recognised it before the decay set in？ The likeness of Ferrari？ or the
likeness of？' He paused trembling； as Agnes had paused trembling before
him。 Agnes！ The name； of all women's names the dearest to him； was a
terror to him now！ What was he to say to her？ What might be the
consequence if he trusted her with the terrible truth？
No footsteps approached the door； no voices were audible outside。 The
travellers were still occupied in the rooms at the eastern end of the
corridor。
In the brief interval that had passed； the manager had sufficiently
recovered himself to be able to think once more of the first and foremost
interests of his lifethe interests of the hotel。 He approached Henry
149
… Page 150…
THE HAUNTED HOTEL A Mystery of Modern Venice
anxiously。
'If this frightful discovery becomes known；' he said； 'the closing of the
hotel and the ruin of the Company will be the inevitable results。 I feel sur