Готель з привидами

           Downinthevaults,theBaronstandsbythecorpseofthepoisonedlord,preparingthestrongchemicalacidswhicharetoreduceittoaheapofashes—Surely,itisnotworthwhiletotroubleourselveswithdecipheringsuchmelodramatichorrorsasthese?Letusgeton!letusgeton!’

           Heturnedtheleavesagain;attemptingvainlytodiscoverthemeaningoftheconfusedscenesthatfollowed.Onthelastpagebutone,hefoundthelastintelligiblesentences.

           ’TheThirdActseemstobedivided,’hesaid,’intotwoPartsorTableaux.IthinkIcanreadthewritingatthebeginningoftheSecondPart.TheBaronandtheCountessopenthescene.TheBaron’shandsaremysteriouslyconcealedbygloves.Hehasreducedthebodytoashesbyhisownsystemofcremation,withtheexceptionofthehead—’

           Henryinterruptedhisbrotherthere.’Don’treadanymore!’heexclaimed.

           ’LetusdotheCountessjustice,’LordMontbarrypersisted.’TherearenothalfadozenlinesmorethatIcanmakeout!TheaccidentalbreakingofhisjarofacidhasburnttheBaron’shandsseverely.Heisstillunabletoproceedtothedestructionofthehead—andtheCountessiswomanenough(withallherwickedness)toshrinkfromattemptingtotakehisplace—whenthefirstnewsisreceivedofthecomingarrivalofthecommissionofinquirydespatchedbytheinsuranceoffices.TheBaronfeelsnoalarm.Inquireasthecommissionmay,itisthenaturaldeathoftheCourier(inmyLord’scharacter)thattheyareblindlyinvestigating.