Готель з привидами
Chapter XIII
’Ferrarileftthepalacesecretly;andhehasneverbeenheardofsince.’
Mrs.Rollandmysteriouslyclosedhereyes—asiftoexcludesomevisionofthelostcourierwhichwasofanaturetodisturbarespectablewoman.’NothingthatMr.Ferraricoulddowouldsurpriseme,’sherepliedinherdeepestbasstones.
’Youspeakratherharshlyofhim,’saidAgnes.
Mrs.Rollandsuddenlyopenedhereyesagain.’Ispeakharshlyofnobodywithoutreason,’shesaid.’Mr.Ferraribehavedtome,MissLockwood,asnomanlivinghaseverbehaved—beforeorsince.’
’Whatdidhedo?’
Mrs.Rollandanswered,withastonystareofhorror:—’Hetooklibertieswithme.’
YoungLadyMontbarrysuddenlyturnedaside,andputherhandkerchiefoverhermouthinconvulsionsofsuppressedlaughter.
Mrs.Rollandwenton,withagrimenjoymentofthebewildermentwhichherreplyhadproducedinAgnes:’AndwhenIinsistedonanapology,Miss,hehadtheaudacitytosaythatthelifeatthepalacewasdull,andhedidn’tknowhowelsetoamusehimself!’
’IamafraidIhavehardlymademyselfunderstood,’saidAgnes.’IamnotspeakingtoyououtofanyinterestinFerrari.Areyouawarethatheismarried?’
’Ipityhiswife,’saidMrs.Rolland.
’Sheisnaturallyingreatgriefabouthim,’Agnesproceeded.
’SheoughttothankGodsheisridofhim,’Mrs.Rollandinterposed.
Agnesstillpersisted.’IhaveknownMrs.Ferrarifromherchildhood,andIamsincerelyanxioustohelpherinthismatter.
