The Haunted Hotel / Отель с привидениями

“Don’t be alarmed, gentlemen,” he said; “the door is safe. My favourite study is the study of experimental chemistry – and my workshop is down here.”

These last words explained a curious smell in the vaults, which we noticed. The smell was of a twofold sort – faintly aromatic, in its first effect, but with some after-odour very sickening. The Baron’s furnaces and retorts, and other things, were all there, together with some packages of chemicals. “Not a pleasant place for study,” Baron Rivar observed, “but my sister is timid.

She has a horror of chemical smells and explosions.” He held out his hands, on which we noticed that he wore gloves in the house. “Accidents happen sometimes,” he said, “I burnt my hands severely, and they are only recovering now.”

Later we were even admitted to her ladyship’s own room, when she went out. Our instructions recommended us to examine his lordship’s residence, because the extreme privacy of his life in Venice, and the remarkable departure of the only two servants in the house, might have some suspicious connection with the nature of his death.

We found nothing to justify suspicion.

As to his lordship’s retired way of life, we conversed on the subject with the consul and the banker. He called once at the bank to obtain money on his letter of credit. He did not accept an invitation to visit the banker at his private residence. His lordship wrote to the consul, as well.

We saw the letter, and we offer the copy of it.

“Many years in India have injured my constitution. I don’t go into society; the occupation of my life now is the study of Oriental literature. The air of Italy is better for me than the air of England. Pray accept the apologies of a student and an invalid. The active part of my life is at an end.”

The self-seclusion of his lordship is explained in these brief lines. Nothing to excite a suspicion of anything wrong has come to our knowledge.

As to the departure of the lady’s maid, we have seen the woman’s receipt for her wages. She left Lady Montbarry’s service because she disliked the Continent, and wished to get back to her own country.

The disappearance of the courier Ferrari is, in itself, unquestionably a suspicious circumstance. Neither her ladyship nor the Baron can explain it. We have examined the portmanteau which Ferrari left behind him.