Отель с привидениями
Chapter XVII
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IntroducedtoNumberFourteen,thedoctorlookedroundhimwithacertainappearanceofinterestwhichwasnoticedbyeveryonepresent.’ThelasttimeIwasinthisroom,’hesaid,’wasonamelancholyoccasion.Itwasbeforethepalacewaschangedintoanhotel.IwasinprofessionalattendanceonanEnglishnoblemanwhodiedhere.’Oneofthepersonspresentinquiredthenameofthenobleman.DoctorBrunoanswered(withouttheslightestsuspicionthathewasspeakingbeforeabrotherofthedeadman),’LordMontbarry.’
Henryquietlylefttheroom,withoutsayingawordtoanybody.
Hewasnot,inanysenseoftheterm,asuperstitiousman.Buthefelt,nevertheless,aninsurmountablereluctancetoremaininginthehotel.HedecidedonleavingVenice.Toaskforanotherroomwouldbe,ashecouldplainlysee,anoffenceintheeyesofthemanager.Toremovetoanotherhotel,wouldbetoopenlyabandonanestablishmentinthesuccessofwhichhehadapecuniaryinterest.LeavinganoteforArthurBarville,onhisarrivalinVenice,inwhichhemerelymentionedthathehadgonetolookattheItalianlakes,andthatalineaddressedtohishotelatMilanwouldbringhimbackagain,hetooktheafternoontraintoPadua—anddinedwithhisusualappetite,andsleptaswellaseverthatnight.
Thenextday,agentlemanandhiswife(perfectstrangerstotheMontbarryfamily),returningtoEnglandbywayofVenice,arrivedatthehotelandoccupiedNumberFourteen.