Отель с привидениями

           Whenhisbrotherandsisterfirsttoldhimwhattheirexperiencehadbeen,heinstantlydeclaredthathewouldgotoVeniceintheinterestofhistheatre.Thecircumstancesrelatedtohimcontainedinvaluablehintsforaghost-drama.Thetitleoccurredtohimintherailway:’TheHauntedHotel.’Postthatinredletterssixfeethigh,onablackground,alloverLondon—andtrusttheexcitablepublictocrowdintothetheatre!

           Receivedwiththepolitestattentionbythemanager,Francismetwithadisappointmentonenteringthehotel.’Somemistake,sir.NosuchroomonthefirstfloorasNumberFourteen.Theroombearingthatnumberisonthesecondfloor,andhasbeenoccupiedbyme,fromthedaywhenthehotelopened.Perhapsyoumeantnumber13A,onthefirstfloor?Itwillbeatyourserviceto-morrow—acharmingroom.Inthemeantime,wewilldothebestwecanforyou,to-night.’

           Amanwhoisthesuccessfulmanagerofatheatreisprobablythelastmaninthecivilizeduniversewhoiscapableofbeingimpressedwithfavourableopinionsofhisfellow-creatures.Francisprivatelysetthemanagerdownasahumbug,andthestoryaboutthenumberingoftheroomsasalie.

           Onthedayofhisarrival,hedinedbyhimselfintherestaurant,beforethehourofthetabled’hote,fortheexpresspurposeofquestioningthewaiter,withoutbeingoverheardbyanybody.Theanswerledhimtotheconclusionthat’13A’occupiedthesituationinthehotelwhichhadbeendescribedbyhisbrotherandsisterasthesituationof’14.