酷兔英语
    当前位置:
  1. 首页
  2. 文章
  3. 娱乐英语
  4. 原版小说
  5. 正文

The Haunted Hotel-Part7_WILKIE COLLINS (1824-1899)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

0 收藏 0 分享 0 赞

章节正文
文章总共2页


he said to Mr. Westwick politely. 'I wish you good evening.'

Henry turned to Mrs. Ferrari as the lawyer closed the door.



'I have heard of your trouble, Emily, from Miss Lockwood. Is there

anything I can do to help you?'



'Nothing, sir, thank you. Perhaps, I had better go home after

what has happened? I will call to-morrow, and see if I can be of



any use to Miss Agnes. I am very sorry for her.' She stole away,

with her formalcurtsey, her noiseless step, and her obstinate



resolution to take the gloomiest view of her husband's case.

Henry Westwick looked round him in the solitude of the little drawing-room.



There was nothing to keep him in the house, and yet he lingered in it.

It was something to be even near Agnes--to see the things belonging



to her that were scattered about the room. There, in the corner,

was her chair, with her embroidery on the work-table by its side.



On the little easel near the window was her last drawing, not quite

finished yet. The book she had been reading lay on the sofa,



with her tiny pencil-case in it to mark the place at which she

had left off. One after another, he looked at the objects that



reminded him of the woman whom he loved--took them up tenderly--

and laid them down again with a sigh. Ah, how far, how unattainably



far from him, she was still! 'She will never forget Montbarry,'

he thought to himself as he took up his hat to go. 'Not one of us



feels his death as she feels it. Miserable, miserable wretch--how she

loved him!'



In the street, as Henry closed the house-door, he was stopped

by a passing acquaintance--a wearisome inquisitive man--



doubly unwelcome to him, at that moment. 'Sad news, Westwick,

this about your brother. Rather an unexpected death, wasn't it?



We never heard at the club that Montbarry's lungs were weak.

What will the insurance offices do?'



Henry started; he had never thought of his brother's life insurance.

What could the offices do but pay? A death by bronchitis, certified by



two physicians, was surely the least disputable of all deaths. 'I wish

you hadn't put that question into my head!' he broke out irritably.



'Ah!' said his friend, 'you think the widow will get the money?

So do I! so do I!'



CHAPTER VII

Some days later, the insurance offices (two in number)



received the formalannouncement of Lord Montbarry's death,

from her ladyship's London solicitors. The sum insured in each



office was five thousand pounds--on which one year's premium only

had been paid. In the face of such a pecuniary emergency as this,



the Directors thought it desirable to consider their position.

The medical advisers of the two offices, who had recommended



the insurance of Lord Montbarry's life, were called into council

over their own reports. The result excited some interest



among persons connected with the business of life insurance.

Without absolutely declining to pay the money, the two offices



(acting in concert) decided on sending a commission of inquiry

to Venice, 'for the purpose of obtaining further information.'



Mr. Troy received the earliest intelligence of what was going on.

He wrote at once to communicate his news to Agnes; adding, what he



considered to be a valuable hint, in these words:

'You are intimatelyacquainted, I know, with Lady Barville, the late



Lord Montbarry's eldest sister. The solicitors employed by her

husband are also the solicitors to one of the two insurance offices.



There may possibly be something in the report of the commission

of inquirytouching on Ferrari's disappearance. Ordinary persons



would not be permitted, of course, to see such a document.

But a sister of the late lord is so near a relative as to be an exception



to general rules. If Sir Theodore Barville puts it on that footing,

the lawyers, even if they do not allow his wife to look at the report,



will at least answer any discreet questions she may ask referring

to it. Let me hear what you think of this suggestion, at your



earliest convenience.'

The reply was received by return of post. Agnes declined to avail



herself of Mr. Troy's proposal.

'My interference, innocent as it was,' she wrote, 'has already






文章总共2页
文章标签:名著  

章节正文
Copyright © 2023 Qeto All rights reserved.
商务合作 | 联系我们 | 关于我们 | 版权声明 | 隐私条款 | 如果智培

京ICP备05059198号-1 京公网安备 11011202003401号