Готель з привидами

           ’Sofar,theBaronhasnocausetocomplain.ButmyLord’sturncomes,whenthemarriagehasbeencelebrated,andwhenthehoneymoonisover.TheBaronhasjoinedthemarriedpairatapalacewhichtheyhavehiredinVenice.Heisstillbentonsolvingtheproblemofthe"Philosopher’sStone."Hislaboratoryissetupinthevaultsbeneaththepalace—sothatsmellsfromchemicalexperimentsmaynotincommodetheCountess,inthehigherregionsofthehouse.Theoneobstacleinthewayofhisgranddiscoveryis,asusual,thewantofmoney.Hispositionatthepresenttimehasbecometrulycritical.Heowesdebtsofhonourtogentlemeninhisownrankoflife,whichmustpositivelybepaid;andheproposes,inhisownfriendlymanner,toborrowthemoneyofmyLord.MyLordpositivelyrefuses,intherudestterms.TheBaronappliestohissistertoexerciseherconjugalinfluence.Shecanonlyanswerthathernoblehusband(beingnolongerdistractedlyinlovewithher)nowappearsinhistruecharacter,asoneofthemeanestmenliving.Thesacrificeofthemarriagehasbeenmade,andhasalreadyproveduseless.

           ’SuchisthestateofaffairsattheopeningoftheSecondAct.

           ’TheentranceoftheCountesssuddenlydisturbstheBaron’sreflections.Sheisinastateborderingonfrenzy.Incoherentexpressionsofrageburstfromherlips:itissometimebeforeshecansufficientlycontrolherselftospeakplainly.Shehasbeendoublyinsulted—first,byamenialpersoninheremployment;secondly,byherhusband.Hermaid,anEnglishwoman,hasdeclaredthatshewillservetheCountessnolonger.