Готель з привидами

           Ashecrossedthehall,hewasrequestedbyoneoftheservantstowalkintotheprivateoffice.Themanagerwaswaitingtherewithagravelypre-occupiedmanner,asifhehadsomethingserioustosay.HeregrettedtohearthatMr.FrancisWestwickhad,likeothermembersofthefamily,discoveredserioussourcesofdiscomfortinthenewhotel.HehadbeeninformedinstrictconfidenceofMr.Westwick’sextraordinaryobjectiontotheatmosphereofthebedroomupstairs.Withoutpresumingtodiscussthematter,hemustbegtobeexcusedfromreservingtheroomforMr.Westwickafterwhathadhappened.

           Francisansweredsharply,alittleruffledbythetoneinwhichthemanagerhadspokentohim.’Imight,verypossibly,havedeclinedtosleepintheroom,ifyouhadreservedit,’hesaid.’Doyouwishmetoleavethehotel?’

           Themanagersawtheerrorthathehadcommitted,andhastenedtorepairit.’Certainlynot,sir!Wewilldoourbesttomakeyoucomfortablewhileyoustaywithus.Ibegyourpardon,ifIhavesaidanythingtooffendyou.Thereputationofanestablishmentlikethisisamatterofveryseriousimportance.MayIhopethatyouwilldousthegreatfavourtosaynothingaboutwhathashappenedupstairs?ThetwoFrenchgentlemenhavekindlypromisedtokeepitasecret.’

           ThisapologyleftFrancisnopolitealternativebuttograntthemanager’srequest.’ThereisanendtotheCountess’swildscheme,’hethoughttohimself,asheretiredforthenight.’SomuchthebetterfortheCountess!’

           Heroselatethenextmorning.