Готель з привидами
Chapter XXIII
SofarasIcansee,suchsenseasshestillpossessesseemstobeentirelyabsorbedinoneabsurdidea—theideaofwritingaplayforFrancistobringoutathistheatre.Headmitsthatheencouragedhertohopeshemightgetmoneyinthisway.Ithinkhedidwrong.Don’tyouagreewithme?’
Withoutheedingthequestion,Agnesroseabruptlyfromherchair.
’Domeonemorekindness,Henry,’shesaid.’TakemetotheCountessatonce.’
Henryhesitated.’Areyoucomposedenoughtoseeher,aftertheshockthatyouhavesuffered?’heasked.
Shetrembled,theflushonherfacediedaway,andleftitdeadlypale.Butsheheldtoherresolution.’YouhaveheardofwhatIsawlastnight?’shesaidfaintly.
’Don’tspeakofit!’Henryinterposed.’Don’tuselesslyagitateyourself.’
’Imustspeak!Mymindisfullofhorridquestionsaboutit.IknowIcan’tidentifyit—andyetIaskmyselfoverandoveragain,inwhoselikenessdiditappear?WasitinthelikenessofFerrari?orwasit—?’shestopped,shuddering.’TheCountessknows,ImustseetheCountess!’sheresumedvehemently.’Whethermycouragefailsmeornot,Imustmaketheattempt.TakemetoherbeforeIhavetimetofeelafraidofit!’
Henrylookedatheranxiously.’Ifyouarereallysureofyourownresolution,’hesaid,’Iagreewithyou—thesooneryouseeherthebetter.Yourememberhowstrangelyshetalkedofyourinfluenceoverher,whensheforcedherwayintoyourroominLondon?’
’Irememberitperfectly.Whydoyouask?’
’Forthisreason.
