Will you leave the room with me? or do you
not object to keep watch here, and help me when I return?'
While he was speaking, the voices of the travellers made themselves
heard again at the end of the corridor. Henry instantly consented
to wait in the room. He shrank from facing the inevitable meeting
with Agnes if he showed himself in the corridor at that moment.
The manager hastened his departure, in the hope of escaping notice.
He was discovered by his guests before he could reach the head
of the stairs. Henry heard the voices plainly as he turned the key.
While the terrible drama of discovery was in progress on one side
of the door, trivial questions about the amusements of Venice,
and facetious discussions on the relative merits of French and
Italian cookery, were proceeding on the other. Little by little,
the sound of the talking grew fainter. The visitors, having arranged
their plans of amusement for the day, were on their way out of the hotel.
In a minute or two, there was silence once more.
Henry turned to the window, thinking to relieve his mind by looking
at the bright view over the canal.
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