Готель з привидами

           Theyhadthemselvesmarriedearlyinlife—and,strangetosay,theydidnotobjectonprincipletotheearlymarriagesofotherpeople.Thequestionofagebeingthusdisposedof,thecourseoftruelovehadnootherobstaclestoencounter.MissHaldanewasanonlychild,andwaspossessedofanamplefortune.Arthur’scareerattheuniversityhadbeencreditable,butcertainlynotbrilliantenoughtopresenthiswithdrawalinthelightofadisaster.AsSirTheodore’seldestson,hispositionwasalreadymadeforhim.Hewastwo-and-twentyyearsofage;andtheyoungladywaseighteen.Therewasreallynoproduciblereasonforkeepingtheloverswaiting,andnoexcusefordeferringthewedding-daybeyondthefirstweekinSeptember.Intheinterval,whilethebrideandbridegroomwouldbenecessarilyabsentontheinevitabletourabroad,asisterofMrs.Carburyvolunteeredtostaywithherduringthetemporaryseparationfromherniece.Ontheconclusionofthehoneymoon,theyoungcoupleweretoreturntoIreland,andweretoestablishthemselvesinMrs.Carbury’sspaciousandcomfortablehouse.

           ThesearrangementsweredecideduponearlyinthemonthofAugust.Aboutthesamedate,thelastalterationsintheoldpalaceatVenicewerecompleted.Theroomsweredriedbysteam;thecellarswerestocked;themanagercollectedroundhimhisarmyofskilledservants;andthenewhotelwasadvertisedalloverEuropetoopeninOctober.