# VIII explained — The Haunted Hotel

> Chapter companion for The Haunted Hotel by Wilkie Collins.

## What happens

The Directors and their legal advisers meet privately to read the report from the Commissioners who investigated Lord Montbarry's death in Venice. The report details their visit to the palace, interviews with Baron Rivar and Lady Montbarry, and the medical account from Doctor Bruno. It describes the palace layout, the Baron's chemical experiments in the vaults, and the mysterious disappearance of the courier Ferrari. The Commissioners conclude that nothing suspicious was found, though Ferrari's disappearance remains unexplained.

## Themes in this chapter

### Deception and Secrets

The Commissioners' report attempts to present a straightforward account, but the unexplained disappearance of Ferrari and the Baron's chemical experiments hint at hidden truths.

### Madness and Psychological Torment

Lord Montbarry's erratic behavior—answering in Italian when spoken to in English, his contradictory nature—suggests psychological disturbance during his illness.

## Character check-ins

### Baron Rivar

Receives the Commissioners at the palace, shows them around, explains his chemical experiments in the vaults, and mentions his burnt hands.

### Lady Montbarry

Interviewed by the Commissioners; described as worn and ill, she provides details of Lord Montbarry's illness and her care for him.

### Lord Montbarry

Deceased; his illness, refusal to see a doctor, and death are recounted through Lady Montbarry's and Doctor Bruno's statements.

### Mr. Ferrari

The courier who disappeared on November 14; his portmanteau was examined but yielded no clues.

### Doctor Bruno

The Venetian physician who attended Lord Montbarry; his medical report is included in the Commissioners' findings.

## Key lines

> We have the honour to inform our Directors that 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.

The Commissioners arrived in Venice on December 6, 1860, and immediately visited the palace where Lord Montbarry had died.

_Opening of the report, establishing the timeline of the investigation._

> We went down, so as to leave no part of the palace unexplored. The vaults were, it was believed, used as dungeons in the old times—say, some centuries since.

The Commissioners explored the vaults beneath the palace, which were thought to have been dungeons centuries ago.

_Description of the vaults, adding a Gothic atmosphere to the setting._

> From first to last we found this gentleman perfectly straightforward, and most amiably willing to assist us.

The Commissioners found Baron Rivar to be completely honest and cooperative throughout their inquiry.

_Assessment of Baron Rivar's character by the investigators._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_haunted_hotel_se/chapters/viii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_haunted_hotel_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_haunted_hotel_se/chapters