登陆注册
15459600000059

第59章 CHAPTER XXIV(1)

Henry and Agnes were left alone in the Room of the Caryatides.

The person who had written the description of the palace--probably a poor author or artist--had correctly pointed out the defects of the mantel-piece. Bad taste, exhibiting itself on the most costly and splendid scale, was visible in every part of the work. It was nevertheless greatly admired by ignorant travellers of all classes; partly on account of its imposing size, and partly on account of the number of variously-coloured marbles which the sculptor had contrived to introduce into his design.

Photographs of the mantel-piece were exhibited in the public rooms, and found a ready sale among English and American visitors to the hotel.

Henry led Agnes to the figure on the left, as they stood facing the empty fire-place. 'Shall I try the experiment,' he asked, 'or will you?'

She abruptly drew her arm away from him, and turned back to the door.

'I can't even look at it,' she said. 'That merciless marble face frightens me!'

Henry put his hand on the forehead of the figure. 'What is there to alarm you, my dear, in this conventionally classical face?' he asked jestingly. Before he could press the head inwards, Agnes hurriedly opened the door. 'Wait till I am out of the room!' she cried. 'The bare idea of what you may find there horrifies me!'

She looked back into the room as she crossed the threshold.

'I won't leave you altogether,' she said, 'I will wait outside.'

She closed the door. Left by himself, Henry lifted his hand once more to the marble forehead of the figure.

For the second time, he was checked on the point of setting the machinery of the hiding-place in motion. On this occasion, the interruption came from an outbreak of friendly voices in the corridor. A woman's voice exclaimed, 'Dearest Agnes, how glad I am to see you again!' A man's voice followed, offering to introduce some friend to 'Miss Lockwood.' A third voice (which Henry recognised as the voice of the manager of the hotel)became audible next, directing the housekeeper to show the ladies and gentlemen the vacant apartments at the other end of the corridor.

'If more accommodation is wanted,' the manager went on, 'I have a charming room to let here.' He opened the door as he spoke, and found himself face to face with Henry Westwick.

'This is indeed an agreeable surprise, sir!' said the manager cheerfully.

'You are admiring our famous chimney-piece, I see. May I ask, Mr. Westwick, how you find yourself in the hotel, this time?

Have the supernatural influences affected your appetite again?'

'The supernatural influences have spared me, this time,' Henry answered.

'Perhaps you may yet find that they have affected some other member of the family.' He spoke gravely, resenting the familiar tone in which the manager had referred to his previous visit to the hotel.

'Have you just returned?' he asked, by way of changing the topic.

'Just this minute, sir. I had the honour of travelling in the same train with friends of yours who have arrived at the hotel--Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Barville, and their travelling companions.

Miss Lockwood is with them, looking at the rooms. They will be here before long, if they find it convenient to have an extra room at their disposal.'

This announcement decided Henry on exploring the hiding-place, before the interruption occurred. It had crossed his mind, when Agnes left him, that he ought perhaps to have a witness, in the not very probable event of some alarming discovery taking place.

The too-familiar manager, suspecting nothing, was there at his disposal.

He turned again to the Caryan figure, maliciously resolving to make the manager his witness.

'I am delighted to hear that our friends have arrived at last,' he said.

'Before I shake hands with them, let me ask you a question about this queer work of art here. I see photographs of it downstairs.

Are they for sale?'

'Certainly, Mr. Westwick!'

'Do you think the chimney-piece is as solid as it looks?'

Henry proceeded. 'When you came in, I was just wondering whether this figure here had not accidentally got loosened from the wall behind it.'

He laid his hand on the marble forehead, for the third time.

'To my eye, it looks a little out of the perpendicular.

I almost fancied I could jog the head just now, when I touched it.'

He pressed the head inwards as he said those words.

A sound of jarring iron was instantly audible behind the wall.

The solid hearthstone in front of the fire-place turned slowly at the feet of the two men, and disclosed a dark cavity below.

At the same moment, the strange and sickening combination of odours, hitherto associated with the vaults of the old palace and with the bed-chamber beneath, now floated up from the open recess, and filled the room.

The manager started back. 'Good God, Mr. Westwick!' he exclaimed, 'what does this mean?'

Remembering, not only what his brother Francis had felt in the room beneath, but what the experience of Agnes had been on the previous night, Henry was determined to be on his guard.

'I am as much surprised as you are,' was his only reply.

'Wait for me one moment, sir,' said the manager. 'I must stop the ladies and gentlemen outside from coming in.'

He hurried away--not forgetting to close the door after him.

Henry opened the window, and waited there breathing the purer air.

Vague apprehensions of the next discovery to come, filled his mind for the first time. He was doubly resolved, now, not to stir a step in the investigation without a witness.

The manager returned with a wax taper in his hand, which he lighted as soon as he entered the room.

'We need fear no interruption now,' he said. 'Be so kind, Mr. Westwick, as to hold the light. It is my business to find out what this extraordinary discovery means.'

Henry held the taper. Looking into the cavity, by the dim and flickering light, they both detected a dark object at the bottom of it.

'I think I can reach the thing,' the manager remarked, 'if I lie down, and put my hand into the hole.'

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • “金融风暴”与企业的战略选择

    “金融风暴”与企业的战略选择

    面对日益蔓延的“金融风暴”,数以千万计的中国的企业怎么办?这是当前许多企业界人士所关心的大问题,也是该书作者思考的出发点。《“金融风暴”与企业的战略选择》以通俗的语言,丰富的案例,力图破解这个难题,着力为“金融风暴”下的企业的发展提供一些思路。
  • 混元天魔

    混元天魔

    天地初开,混沌初现,分为两极。此后便有了人世间的天力和魔力,因为两力的不同,人类歧视因而战乱,战乱足足持续了三千年,终于,这场缠绵不断的纠葛在一次毁灭性的灾难结束了,最初的三片大陆因而诞生,兽元大陆,天元大陆,魔元大陆。兽元大陆原本处于原大陆的中部,但招受南北战乱和灾难后已经民不聊生,人类频临灭绝,因此人兽杂交,诞生出兽人,但在三千年的战乱下,悄然,天力和魔力重新融合,混元之力再次诞生,而这种元素之力具有毁灭意义,兽元大陆也开始了他们的报复,我们的故事因此开始。。。。。。。
  • 鬼王霸爱:独宠盲妃

    鬼王霸爱:独宠盲妃

    缘劫:魂身穿越,她成为一个盲女药童,与他们相遇,是缘,还是劫?他温润如玉,为了让她复明,苦研医书,却只能是他的兄长。他弑舅辅兄,暴戾无情,却愿意为她保留温柔的一面。为了得到她,他强取豪夺,不择手段,直到她答应为止。他将保护她的人一一铲除,将陷害她的人割下舌头,而换来的不是感激而是讽刺。女子的声音如梦魇缠身,愤怒之下将她推向身后的桌角,血,顺着她的额头流下,女子奄奄一息。他按着她的肩膀,心疼的抱紧她:“对不起,很痛是不是,所以,最好不要尝试想要离开我,否则,我会让你更痛。”诅咒再次袭梦,他的眸光是从未出现的恐慌。从此,她成了他的禁妃,失去以往对她的耐心,强行占有。爱,是强取豪夺的占有,还是默默的守候?爱是禁锢,还是守护?(此文正剧,慢热,入坑谨慎!)推荐好友七七的现代文:《无情总裁的情人》
  • 剑逆星河

    剑逆星河

    少年天才陈东,丹田被废,无法汲取内力。成为一个真的的废材,然而天无绝人之路,一把断剑改变了他一生的命运。平息族中争斗,击败外族侵略。入学院,盗法宝。甚至于整个世界的强者大周王朝为敌。“就算使用一把断剑,整个世界也不在话下!”脚下的众神,为我铺下一条属于剑的路!
  • 墨阳传

    墨阳传

    八夫临门:墨谦:“丫头,你可曾听说过,一日为师,终身为夫。”末寒:“阳儿,我错了。让我永生永世陪在你身边,来赎今生的罪过。”景衍:“我寻你千百度,日出到日暮,等你重回灯火阑珊处。”瑾宸:“我一生救人无数,世人都称我为在世华佗,可我却独独没有救了你。”流痕:“公主,你知道吗?作为即墨流痕也好,百晓玲珑也罢,你都是我唯一的例外。”焱溟:“待繁花落尽,你褪尽风华之时,我在彼岸等你可好?”雨泽:“小妖精,我们永生永世生活在大海中,做自由自在的鲛人如何?”泠崖:“茫茫冥界路,三生石畔,彼岸花旁,奈何桥上,轮回台边我都陪你走过。”
  • 相思谋:妃常难娶

    相思谋:妃常难娶

    某日某王府张灯结彩,婚礼进行时,突然不知从哪冒出来一个小孩,对着新郎道:“爹爹,今天您的大婚之喜,娘亲让我来还一样东西。”说完提着手中的玉佩在新郎面前晃悠。此话一出,一府宾客哗然,然当大家看清这小孩与新郎如一个模子刻出来的面容时,顿时石化。此时某屋顶,一个绝色女子不耐烦的声音响起:“儿子,事情办完了我们走,别在那磨矶,耽误时间。”新郎一看屋顶上的女子,当下怒火攻心,扔下新娘就往女子所在的方向扑去,吼道:“女人,你给本王站住。”一场爱与被爱的追逐正式开始、、、、、、、
  • 命运怒雷

    命运怒雷

    刘飞,一个极其平常的小男孩,他变成了各种怪物,经历惊险传奇,有很多美女很崇拜他,他有一个梦想,问鼎巅峰,天下英雄小!
  • 陌上花开:倾沫

    陌上花开:倾沫

    “楚沫,今天爷就把话撩在这里了。你今天要是不答应爷的要求,不给一句准话,爷就一直抱着你到死不放手!”“你这是在耍赖?南宫惟你高冷的形象呢,被狗吃了?”楚沫无语了。“你是狗?”南宫唯不答,反问道。“滚。”
  • 三界英雄传奇

    三界英雄传奇

    每当永夜界的魔族冲破人族在黄昏界的防线将肆虐人间时,总会有一位惊才绝艳的人站出来以夺天地造化之能率领人族打败异族,之后便化作神塔封住黄昏界与人间的缺口保人族平安。迄今为止已经有七座神塔伫立在了人间大地上,传说中当九塔并立时人间将获得永久的太平。我们的故事从一个被狼抚养长大的孩子身上开始。
  • 星星流浪的城市

    星星流浪的城市

    没有血缘关系的姐弟,在父母车祸身亡后,依然快乐的生活在一起。高中后,姐姐有了爱慕的对象。暗恋姐姐的可豪为了保守一个秘密选择了和自己不喜欢的女生交往。他们回避着爱,却发现离开对方的时候自己会像失去了生命一样。然而,双方亲生父母的突然出现,可豪的被迫表白将他们推到了一个伤心之境……\r