Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-03-09
THE WATERBURY EVENING DEMOCRAT, MARCH

l Ol ucdIu Dy = S~ there was an unanswerable question: there It 1 is. Was the consul's testimony doubtful m | any part of it? He called at the palace to 1 offer his services, after hearing of Lord Mont barry's death; he arrived at the time when | the coffin was in the house; he himself saw l the corpse placed in 1t, and the lid screwed down. The evidence of the priest was equally | bes ond dispute. He remained in the room with the coffin, reciting the prayers for the dead, until the funeral left the palace Bear all these statements ill mind, Agnes; and how can you deny that the question of Montbar- rys death and burial is a question Set at rest7 1 We have really but one doubt left; we have still to ask ourselves whether the remains 1 which 1 discovered are the remains of the l lost courier or not. There is the case as un- derstand it. Have stated it fairly7" Agnes could not deny that he had stated it fairly
 'sThen what prevents you from experienc- | ing the same sense of relief that 1 feelF' Henry asked.
 "What Isaw last night prevents me,' Agnes answered. "When you spoke of this subject, after our inquiries were over, you reproacheei me with taking, what you called, the super stitious view. I don't quite admit that-but I do acknowledge that should find the super stitious view ineligible if I heard it ex- pressed by some other person. Remembering what your brother and I once were to each other in the bygone time, can understand tue apparition making itself visible to me, to claim the mercy of Christian burial and the vengeance due to crime. l can even per- ceive some faint possibility of truth in~the ex- planation which you described as/the mes merle theory-that What saw might be the result of magnetic influence communicated to me 1 lay between the remains of the | / -a-l.- AL wife suffering the tortures of renorse at my bedside. But what I do not understand is, that should have passed through that dread 1 full ordeal having no previous knowledge of the murdered man in his lifetime, or only l knowing him if you suppose that l saw the appariton of Ferrari) through the interest l which I took ill his wife. I can't dispute your reasoning, Henry. But feel ill my i heart of hearts that you are deceived. Noth- ing will shake my belief that we are still as 1 far from having discovered the dreadful truth 1 as ever."
 Henry made no further attempt to dispute with her. Sine had impressed him with cer tain reluctant respect for her own opinion in spite of himself.
 "Have you thought of any better way of arriving at the trutha" he asked. "Who is to help us9 No doubt there is the countess, who nas the clew to the mystery in her own hands. But, ill the present state of her mind i is her testimony to be trusted-even if she were will ng to speak7 Judging by my own experience, should say decidedly not"
 ''You don't mean that you have seen her againP' Agnes eagerly interposed.
 "Yes, had half all hour to spare before dinner, and disturbed her once more over her endless wrlting."
 ''And you told her what you found when you opened the hiding placea"
 ''Of course did," Henry replied. ''I said, | in so many words, that held her responsible for the discovery, and that expected her to | reveal the whole truth. She went on with ner writing as if had spoken ill an unknown tongue. I was equally obstinate on my side. I told her plainly that the head had been placed under the care of the police, and that the manager and had signed our declara- tions and given our evidence She paid not tue slightest heed to nle. By way of tempt ing her to speak, I added that the whole in- vcstigation was to be kept secret, and that she might depend on my discretion. For the moment I thought I had succeeded. She looked up from her writing with passing | flash of curiosity, and said: What are they going to do with it?-meaning, suppose, the I head. I answered that it was to be privately buried, after photographs of it had been first taken. I even went the length of communicating the opinion of the l surgeon consulted, that some chemical means l of arresting decomposition had been used and had only partially succeeded-and l asked her point blank if the surgeon was right. The trap was not . bad one, but it completely failed. She said in the coolest manner: Now you arc here I should like to consult you about my play; am at loss for some new incident Mindl there was nothing satirical ill this. She was really eager to | read her wonderful work to me-evidently supposing that l took a special interest in such things because my brother is the man. ager of theatre! I left her, making the ] first excuse that occurred to me- So far as am concerned I can do nothing with her. But it is possible that your influence may suc- ceed with her again, as it has succeeded al ready. Will you make the attempt to sat- isfy your own mind7 She is still upstairs; and am quite ready to accompany you" l Agnes shuddered at the bare suggestion oi another interview with the countess.
 .I can't! daren'tl" she exclaimed. "Afte1 what has happened ill that horrible room, shs is more repellent to ne than ever. Don't ask mo to do it, Henryl Feel my hand-you have turned me as cold as death only with talking of itl"
 She was not exaggerating the terror that possessed her. Henry hastened to chang, the subject. .. "Let us talk of something more interest ing," he said. Il have question to ask yos about yourself. Am right in believing that the sooner you get away from Venice the happier you will bef'
 "Righta" she repeated, excitedly. "You a-e more than rightl No words can say how I :ong to be away from this horrible place. But you know how I am situated-you heard wiaat Lord Montbarry said at dinner time?o
 Suppose he has altered his plans since dinner tin1e?' Henry suggested.
 Agnes looked surprised. "I thought he had received letters from England which obliged him to leave Venice tomorrow" she l said.
 Quite true," Henry admitted. "He had arranged to start for England tomorrow, and to leave you and Lady Montbarry and the children to enjoy your holiday in Venice under my care. Circumstances have oc cured, however, which have forced him to