'Assuming your absurd
superstition to be a serious thing, you are taking the wrong means
to prove it true. If I and my brother and sister have seen nothing,
how should Agnes Lockwood discover what was not revealed to us?
She is only distantly related to the Montbarrys--she is only
our cousin.'
'She was nearer to the heart of the Montbarry who is dead than
any of you,' the Countess answered sternly. 'To the last day
of his life, my miserable husband repented his desertion of her.
She will see what none of you have seen--she shall have the room.'
Francis listened, utterly at a loss to account for the motives
that animated her. 'I don't see what interest you have in trying
this extraordinary experiment,' he said.
'It is my interest not to try it! It is my interest to fly from Venice,
and never set eyes on Agnes Lockwood or any of your family again!'
'What prevents you from doing that?'
She started to her feet and looked at him wildly. 'I know no more what
prevents me than you do!' she burst out. 'Some will that is stronger
than mine drives me on to my destruction, in spite of my own self!'
She suddenly sat down again, and waved her hand for him to go.
Pages:
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223