Готель з привидами

           Ireceivemysalaryregularlyattheendofeachmonth—notafrancextra,thoughIhavedonemanythingswhicharenotpartofacourier’sproperwork.FancytheBarontryingtoborrowmoneyofme!heisaninveterategambler.Ididn’tbelieveitwhenmylady’smaidfirsttoldmeso—butIhaveseenenoughsincetosatisfymethatshewasright.Ihaveseenotherthingsbesides,which—well!whichdon’tincreasemyrespectformyladyandtheBaron.Themaidsaysshemeanstogivewarningtoleave.SheisarespectableBritishfemale,anddoesn’ttakethingsquitesoeasilyasIdo.Itisadulllifehere.Nogoingintocompany—nocompanyathome—notacreatureseesmylord—noteventheconsul,orthebanker.Whenhegoesout,hegoesalone,andgenerallytowardsnightfall.Indoors,heshutshimselfupinhisownroomwithhisbooks,andseesaslittleofhiswifeandtheBaronaspossible.Ifancythingsarecomingtoacrisishere.Ifmylord’ssuspicionsareonceawakened,theconsequenceswillbeterrible.Undercertainprovocations,thenobleMontbarryisamanwhowouldstickatnothing.However,thepayisgood—andIcan’taffordtotalkofleavingtheplace,likemylady’smaid.’

           Agneshandedbacktheletters—sosuggestiveofthepenaltypaidalreadyforhisowninfatuationbythemanwhohaddesertedher!—withfeelingsofshameanddistress,whichmadehernofitcounsellorforthehelplesswomanwhodependedonheradvice.