Готель з привидами

           ’Withtheoneexceptionofherladyship’sroom,wewentoverthewholeofthepalacethesameday.Itisanimmenseplaceonlypartiallyfurnished.ThefirstfloorandpartofthesecondfloorweretheportionsofitthathadbeeninhabitedbyLordMontbarryandthemembersofthehousehold.Wesawthebedchamber,atoneextremityofthepalace,inwhichhislordshipdied,andthesmallroomcommunicatingwithit,whichheusedasastudy.Nexttothiswasalargeapartmentorhall,thedoorsofwhichhehabituallykeptlocked,hisobjectbeing(aswewereinformed)topursuehisstudiesuninterruptedlyinperfectsolitude.Ontheothersideofthelargehallwerethebedchamberoccupiedbyherladyship,andthedressing-roominwhichthemaidsleptprevioustoherdepartureforEngland.Beyondthesewerethediningandreceptionrooms,openingintoanantechamber,whichgaveaccesstothegrandstaircaseofthepalace.

           ’Theonlyinhabitedroomsonthesecondfloorwerethesitting-roomandbedroomoccupiedbyBaronRivar,andanotherroomatsomedistancefromit,whichhadbeenthebedroomofthecourierFerrari.

           ’Theroomsonthethirdfloorandonthebasementwerecompletelyunfurnished,andinaconditionofgreatneglect.Weinquirediftherewasanythingtobeseenbelowthebasement—andwewereatonceinformedthattherewerevaultsbeneath,whichwewereatperfectlibertytovisit.

           ’Wewentdown,soastoleavenopartofthepalaceunexplored.Thevaultswere,itwasbelieved,usedasdungeonsintheoldtimes—say,somecenturiessince.