Готель з привидами
Chapter XXVIII
’Readthefirstfewpages,’hesaid.’Iamanxioustoknowwhetherthesameimpressionisproducedonbothofus.’
BeforeLordMontbarryhadgothalf-waythroughtheFirstAct,hestopped,andlookedathisbrother.’Whatdoesshemeanbyboastingofthisasherowninvention?’heasked.’Wasshetoocrazytorememberthatthesethingsreallyhappened?’
ThiswasenoughforHenry:thesameimpressionhadbeenproducedonbothofthem.’Youwilldoasyouplease,’hesaid.’Butifyouwillbeguidedbyme,spareyourselfthereadingofthosepagestocome,whichdescribeourbrother’sterribleexpiationofhisheartlessmarriage.’
’Haveyoureaditall,Henry?’
’Notall.Ishrankfromreadingsomeofthelatterpartofit.NeitheryounorIsawmuchofourelderbrotherafterweleftschool;and,formypart,Ifelt,andneverscrupledtoexpressmyfeeling,thathebehavedinfamouslytoAgnes.ButwhenIreadthatunconsciousconfessionofthemurderousconspiracytowhichhefellavictim,Iremembered,withsomethinglikeremorse,thatthesamemotherboreus.Ihavefeltforhimto-night,whatIamashamedtothinkIneverfeltforhimbefore.’
LordMontbarrytookhisbrother’shand.
’Youareagoodfellow,Henry,’hesaid;’butareyouquitesurethatyouhavenotbeenneedlesslydistressingyourself?Becausesomeofthiscrazycreature’swritingaccidentallytellswhatweknowtobethetruth,doesitfollowthatalltherestistobereliedontotheend?’
’Thereisnopossibledoubtofit,’Henryreplied.
’Nopossibledoubt?’hisbrotherrepeated.
