Готель з привидами

           Withtheornamentsonthewallsandceilingscleanedandbrightenedup,andwiththeheavyold-fashionedbeds,chairs,andtablesreplacedbybright,pretty,andluxuriousmodernfurniture,thesetwopromisedtobeatoncethemostattractiveandthemostcomfortablebedchambersinthehotel.Asfortheonce-desolateanddisusedgroundfloorofthebuilding,itwasnowtransformed,bymeansofsplendiddining-rooms,reception-rooms,billiard-rooms,andsmoking-rooms,intoapalacebyitself.Eventhedungeon-likevaultsbeneath,nowlightedandventilatedonthemostapprovedmodernplan,hadbeenturnedasifbymagicintokitchens,servants’offices,ice-rooms,andwinecellars,worthyofthesplendourofthegrandesthotelinItaly,inthenowbygoneperiodofseventeenyearssince.

           PassingfromthelapseofthesummermonthsatVenice,tothelapseofthesummermonthsinIreland,itisnexttoberecordedthatMrs.RollandobtainedthesituationofattendantontheinvalidMrs.Carbury;andthatthefairMissHaldane,likeafemaleCaesar,came,saw,andconquered,onherfirstday’svisittothenewLordMontbarry’shouse.

           TheladieswereasloudinherpraisesasArthurBarvillehimself.LordMontbarrydeclaredthatshewastheonlyperfectlyprettywomanhehadeverseen,whowasreallyunconsciousofherownattractions.Theoldnursesaidshelookedasifshehadjuststeppedoutofapicture,andwantednothingbutagiltframeroundhertomakehercomplete.MissHaldane,onherside,returnedfromherfirstvisittotheMontbarryscharmedwithhernewacquaintances.