The Haunted Hotel

We arrived in Venice on December 6, 1860. On the same day we proceeded to the palace inhabited by Lord Montbarry at the time of his last illness and death. “We were received with all possible courtesy by Lady Montbarry”

Sealed Venice report turns marriage gossip into death-inquiry plot — so plot scores 84.

Countess Narona. She lives at—” Without waiting to hear where she lived, the Doctor acknowledged the all-important discovery of her name by a silent bend of the head

Name alone is "all-important discovery" — Countess cast as doom before Venice — so cast scores 83.

CHAPTER XVI It was only the twentieth of September, when Agnes and the children reached Paris.… The person answerable for this premature departure was Francis Westwick.

Mid-book jumps travelers toward the hotel weeks early — pace as premature arrival at the haunt — so pace scores 82.

In the year 1860, the reputation of Doctor Wybrow as a London physician reached its highest point. It was reported on good authority that he was in receipt of one of the largest incomes derived from the practice of medicine in modern times.

Income-and-season documentary open — modern professional prose before the Venetian gothic — so prose scores 83.

Haunted Hotel.” Post that in red letters six feet high, on a black ground, all over London—and trust the excitable public to crowd into the theatre!

Hotel renamed as theatrical attraction — Venice tourism as stage set — so world scores 86.

“Who is she?” the Doctor asked. “A stranger?” “Yes, sir.” “I see no strangers out of consulting-hours. Tell her what the hours are, and send her away.” “I have told her, sir.” “Well?” “And she won’t go.”

Stranger who won't leave hooks doom before any Countess biography — so hook scores 85.

Is there no explanation of the mystery of The Haunted Hotel? Ask yourself if there is any explanation of the mystery of your own life and death.—Farewell.

Refuses detective closure by equating hotel mystery with life's — sensation meta-innovation — so innov scores 86.

She remembered the Countess’s prediction. “You have to bring me to the day of discovery, and to the punishment that is my doom.” Had the prediction simply faded, like other mortal prophecies?—or had it been fulfilled on the terrible night when she had seen the apparition

Doom prophecy left oscillating between faded and fulfilled — open moral ending — so ending scores 84.