Готель з привидами
Chapter XIX
ItwasnoteasytothrowFrancisoffhisbalance,butthatextraordinaryquestiondidit.’HowthedevildidyouknowthatMissLockwoodwascomingtoVenice?’heexclaimed.
Shelaughed—abittermockinglaugh.’Say,Iguessedit!’
Somethinginhertone,orperhapssomethingintheaudaciousdefianceofhereyesastheyrestedonhim,rousedthequicktemperthatwasinFrancisWestwick.’LadyMontbarry—!’hebegan.
’Stopthere!’sheinterposed.’YourbrotherStephen’swifecallsherselfLadyMontbarrynow.Isharemytitlewithnowoman.CallmebymynamebeforeIcommittedthefatalmistakeofmarryingyourbrother.Addressme,ifyouplease,asCountessNarona.’
’CountessNarona,’Francisresumed,’ifyourobjectinclaimingmyacquaintanceistomystifyme,youhavecometothewrongman.Speakplainly,orpermitmetowishyougoodevening.’
’IfyourobjectistokeepMissLockwood’sarrivalinVeniceasecret,’sheretorted,’speakplainly,Mr.Westwick,onyourside,andsayso.’
Herintentionwasevidentlytoirritatehim;andshesucceeded.’Nonsense!’hebrokeoutpetulantly.’Mybrother’stravellingarrangementsaresecretstonobody.HebringsMissLockwoodhere,withLadyMontbarryandthechildren.Asyouseemsowellinformed,perhapsyouknowwhysheiscomingtoVenice?’
TheCountesshadsuddenlybecomegraveandthoughtful.Shemadenoreply.Thetwostrangelyassociatedcompanions,havingreachedoneextremityofthesquare,werenowstandingbeforethechurchofSt.Mark.
