Готель з привидами

           Asshelistened,herfacesettledslowlyintoanexpressionofhardandtearlesssorrow.Therewasamarkedchangeinhervoicewhenshespokenext.Itexpressedthatlastworstresignationwhichhasdonewithhope.

           ’Yougoodinnocentcreature,’shesaid,’whatdoesyouramiableforgivenessmatter?Whatareyourpoorlittlewrongs,inthereckoningforgreaterwrongswhichisdemandedofme?Iamnottryingtofrightenyou,Iamonlymiserableaboutmyself.Doyouknowwhatitistohaveafirmpresentimentofcalamitythatiscomingtoyou—andyettohopethatyourownpositiveconvictionwillnotprovetrue?WhenIfirstmetyou,beforemymarriage,andfirstfeltyourinfluenceoverme,Ihadthathope.Itwasastarvelingsortofhopethatlivedalingeringlifeinmeuntilto-day.Youstruckitdead,whenyouansweredmyquestionaboutFerrari.’

           ’HowhaveIdestroyedyourhopes?’Agnesasked.’WhatconnectionistherebetweenmypermittingFerraritousemynametoLordMontbarry,andthestrangeanddreadfulthingsyouaresayingtomenow?’

           ’Thetimeisnear,MissLockwood,whenyouwilldiscoverthatforyourself.Inthemeanwhile,youshallknowwhatmyfearofyouis,intheplainestwordsIcanfind.OnthedaywhenItookyourherofromyouandblightedyourlife—Iamfirmlypersuadedofit!—youweremadetheinstrumentoftheretributionthatmysinsofmanyyearshaddeserved.Oh,suchthingshavehappenedbeforeto-day!Onepersonhas,beforenow,beenthemeansofinnocentlyripeningthegrowthofevilinanother.Youhavedonethatalready—andyouhavemoretodoyet