Готель з привидами

           ThequestionwhichhadoccurredtohismindatthecloseoftheFirstActofthePlayassumedanewandterribleinterestnow.AsfarasthesceneoftheCountess’ssoliloquy,theincidentsoftheSecondActhadreflectedtheeventsofhislatebrother’slifeasfaithfullyastheincidentsoftheFirstAct.Wasthemonstrousplot,revealedinthelineswhichhehadjustread,theoffspringoftheCountess’smorbidimagination?orhadshe,inthiscasealso,deludedherselfwiththeideathatshewasinventingwhenshewasreallywritingundertheinfluenceofherownguiltyremembrancesofthepast?Ifthelatterinterpretationwerethetrueone,hehadjustreadthenarrativeofthecontemplatedmurderofhisbrother,plannedincoldbloodbyawomanwhowasatthatmomentinhabitingthesamehousewithhim.While,tomakethefatalitycomplete,Agnesherselfhadinnocentlyprovidedtheconspiratorswiththeonemanwhowasfittedtobethepassiveagentoftheircrime.

           Eventhebaredoubtthatitmightbesowasmorethanhecouldendure.Helefthisroom;resolvedtoforcethetruthoutoftheCountess,ortodenounceherbeforetheauthoritiesasamurderessatlarge.

           Arrivedatherdoor,hewasmetbyapersonjustleavingtheroom.Thepersonwasthemanager.Hewashardlyrecognisable;helookedandspokelikeamaninastateofdesperation.

           ’Oh,goin,ifyoulike!’hesaidtoHenry.’Markthis,sir!Iamnotasuperstitiousman;butIdobegintobelievethatcrimescarrytheirowncursewiththem.Thishotelisunderacurse