Отель с привидениями
Chapter XXI
ThenextinstantshealarmedAgnes,bystartingtoherfeetwithacryofterror,andpointingtoasmallbrownspotononeofthewhitepanelledspacesofthecarvedceiling.’It’saspotofblood!’thechildexclaimed.’Takemeaway!Iwon’tsleephere!’
Seeingplainlythatitwouldbeuselesstoreasonwithherwhileshewasintheroom,AgneshurriedlywrappedMarianinadressing-gown,andcarriedherbacktohermotherinthedrawing-room.Here,theladiesdidtheirbesttosootheandreassurethetremblinggirl.Theeffortprovedtobeuseless;theimpressionthathadbeenproducedontheyoungandsensitivemindwasnottoberemovedbypersuasion.Mariancouldgivenoexplanationofthepanicofterrorthathadseizedher.Shewasquiteunabletosaywhythespotontheceilinglookedlikethecolourofaspotofblood.Sheonlyknewthatsheshoulddieofterrorifshesawitagain.Underthesecircumstances,butonealternativewasleft.Itwasarrangedthatthechildshouldpassthenightintheroomoccupiedbyhertwoyoungersistersandthenurse.
Inhalfanhourmore,Marianwaspeacefullyasleepwithherarmaroundhersister’sneck.LadyMontbarrywentbackwithAgnestoherroomtoseethespotontheceilingwhichhadsostrangelyfrightenedthechild.Itwassosmallastobeonlyjustperceptible,andithadinallprobabilitybeencausedbythecarelessnessofaworkman,orbyadrippingfromwateraccidentallyspiltontheflooroftheroomabove.
’IreallycannotunderstandwhyMarianshouldplacesuchashockinginterpretationonsuchatriflingthing,’LadyMontbarryremarked
