Готель з привидами

           "Ouraffairs,"hesays,"areinadesperatecondition,andmustfindadesperateremedy.Waitformehere,whileImakeinquiriesaboutmyLord.Youhaveevidentlyproducedastrongimpressiononhim.Ifwecanturnthatimpressionintomoney,nomatteratwhatsacrifice,thethingmustbedone."

           ’TheCountessnowoccupiesthestagealone,andindulgesinasoliloquywhichdevelopshercharacter.

           ’Itisatonceadangerousandattractivecharacter.Immensecapacitiesforgoodareimplantedinhernature,sidebysidewithequallyremarkablecapacitiesforevil.Itrestswithcircumstancestodevelopeithertheoneortheother.Beingapersonwhoproducesasensationwherevershegoes,thisnobleladyisnaturallymadethesubjectofallsortsofscandalousreports.Tooneofthesereports(whichfalselyandabominablypointstotheBaronasherloverinsteadofherbrother)shenowreferswithjustindignation.ShehasjustexpressedherdesiretoleaveHomburg,astheplaceinwhichthevilecalumnyfirsttookitsrise,whentheBaronreturns,overhearsherlastwords,andsaystoher,"Yes,leaveHomburgbyallmeans;providedyouleaveitinthecharacterofmyLord’sbetrothedwife!"

           ’TheCountessisstartledandshocked.SheproteststhatshedoesnotreciprocatemyLord’sadmirationforher.Sheevengoesthelengthofrefusingtoseehimagain.TheBaronanswers,"Imustpositivelyhavecommandofmoney.Takeyourchoice,betweenmarryingmyLord’sincome,intheinterestofmygranddiscovery—orleavemetosellmyselfandmytitletothefirstrichwomanoflowdegreewhoisreadytobuyme.