Готель з привидами
Chapter V
’Mylord’scaprices’(Ferrariwrote)’havekeptusperpetuallyonthemove.Heisbecomingincurablyrestless.Isuspectheisuneasyinhismind.Painfulrecollections,Ishouldsay—Ifindhimconstantlyreadingoldletters,whenherladyshipisnotpresent.WeweretohavestoppedatGenoa,buthehurrieduson.ThesamethingatFlorence.Here,atRome,myladyinsistsonresting.Herbrotherhasmetusatthisplace.Therehasbeenaquarrelalready(thelady’smaidtellsme)betweenmylordandtheBaron.Thelatterwantedtoborrowmoneyoftheformer.HislordshiprefusedinlanguagewhichoffendedBaronRivar.Myladypacifiedthem,andmadethemshakehands.’
Thethird,andlastletter,wasfromVenice.
’Moreofmylord’seconomy!Insteadofstayingatthehotel,wehavehiredadamp,mouldy,ramblingoldpalace.Myladyinsistsonhavingthebestsuitesofroomswhereverwego—andthepalacecomescheaperforatwomonths’term.Mylordtriedtogetitforlonger;hesaysthequietofVeniceisgoodforhisnerves.Butaforeignspeculatorhassecuredthepalace,andisgoingtoturnitintoanhotel.TheBaronisstillwithus,andtherehavebeenmoredisagreementsaboutmoneymatters.Idon’tliketheBaron—andIdon’tfindtheattractionsofmyladygrowonme.ShewasmuchnicerbeforetheBaronjoinedus.Mylordisapunctualpaymaster;it’samatterofhonourwithhim;hehatespartingwithhismoney,buthedoesitbecausehehasgivenhisword.
