five tales-第23节

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Mr。　Ventnor　repeated：

〃Larne。　　Writes　stories。〃

Joe　Pillin　muttered　into　his　handkerchief

〃Ali！　　H'm！　　NoIno！　　My　son　knows　all　sorts　of　people。　　I　shall　have　to　try　Mentone。　　Are　you　going？　　Good…bye！　　Good…bye！　I'm　sorry；　ah！　ha！　　My　coughah！　ha　h'h'm！　　Very　distressing。　　Ye…hes！　　My　cough…ah！　ha　h'h'm！　　Most　distressing。　　Ye…hes！〃

Out　in　the　drive　Mr。　Ventnor　took　a　deep　breath　of　the　frosty　air。　Not　much　doubt　now！　　The　two　names　had　worked　like　charms。　　This　weakly　old　fellow　would　make　a　pretty　witness；　would　simply　crumple　under　cross…examination。　　What　a　contrast　to　that　hoary　old　sinner　Heythorp；　whose　brazenness　nothing　could　affect。　　The　rat　was　as　large　as　life！　　And　the　only　point　was　how　to　make　the　best　use　of　it。　　Thenfor　his　experience　was　widethe　possibility　dawned　on　him；　that　after　all；　this　Mrs。　Larne　might　only　have　been　old　Pillin's　mistressor　be　his　natural　daughter；　or　have　some　other　blackmailing　hold　on　him。　　Any　such　connection　would　account　for　his　agitation；　for　his　denying　her；　for　his　son's　ignorance。　　Only　it　wouldn't　account　for　young　Pillin's　saying　that　old　Heythorp　had　made　the　settlement。　　He　could　only　have　got　that　from　the　woman　herself。　Still；　to　make　absolutely　sure；　he　had　better　try　and　see　her。　　But　how？　　It　would　never　do　to　ask　Bob　Pillin　for　an　introduction；　after　this　interview　with　his　father。　　He　would　have　to　go　on　his　own　and　chance　it。　　Wrote　stories　did　she？　　Perhaps　a　newspaper　would　know　her　address；　or　the　Directory　would　give　itnot　a　common　name！　　And；　hot　on　the　scent；　he　drove　to　a　post　office。　　Yes；　there　it　was；　right　enough！　　〃Larne；　Mrs。　R。；　23；　Millicent　Villas。〃　　And　thinking　to　himself：　'No　time　like　the　present；'　he　turned　in　that　direction。　The　job　was　delicate。　　He　must　be　careful　not　to　do　anything　which　might　compromise　his　power　of　making　public　use　of　his　knowledge。　Yes…ticklish！　　What　he　did　now　must　have　a　proper　legal　bottom。　Still；　anyway　you　looked　at　it；　he　had　a　right　to　investigate　a　fraud　on　himself　as　a　shareholder　of　〃The　Island　Navigation　Company；〃　and　a　fraud　on　himself　as　a　creditor　of　old　Heythorp。　　Quite！　　But　suppose　this　Mrs。　Larne　was　really　entangled　with　old　Pillin；　and　the　settlement　a　mere　reward　of　virtue；　easy　or　otherwise。　　Well！　in　that　case　there'd　be　no　secret　commission　to　make　public；　and　he　needn't　go　further。　　So　that；　in　either　event；　he　would　be　all　right。　　Only　how　to　introduce　himself？　　He　might　pretend　he　was　a　newspaper　man　wanting　a　story。　　No；　that　wouldn't　do！　　He　must　not　represent　that　he　was　what　he　was　not；　in　case　he　had　afterwards　to　justify　his　actions　publicly；　always　a　difficult　thing；　if　you　were　not　careful！　At　that　moment　there　came　into　his　mind　a　question　Bob　Pillin　had　asked　the　other　night。　　〃By　the　way；　you　can't　borrow　on　a　settlement；　can　you？　　Isn't　there　generally　some　clause　against　it？〃　Had　this　woman　been　trying　to　borrow　from　him　on　that　settlement？　But　at　this　moment　he　reached　the　house；　and　got　out　of　his　cab　still　undecided　as　to　how　he　was　going　to　work　the　oracle。　　Impudence；　constitutional　and　professional；　sustained　him　in　saying　to　the　little　maid：

〃Mrs。　Larne　at　home？　　Say　Mr。　Charles　Ventnor；　will　you？〃

His　quick　brown　eyes　took　in　the　apparel　of　the　passage　which　served　for　hallthe　deep　blue　paper　on　the　walls；　lilac…patterned　curtains　over　the　doors；　the　well…known　print　of　a　nude　young　woman　looking　over　her　shoulder；　and　he　thought：　'H'm！　　Distinctly　tasty！'　　They　noted；　too；　a　small　brown…and…white　dog　cowering　in　terror　at　the　very　end　of　the　passage；　and　he　murmured　affably：　〃Fluffy！　　Come　here；　Fluffy！〃　till　Carmen's　teeth　chattered　in　her　head。

〃Will　you　come　in；　sir？〃

Mr。　Ventnor　ran　his　hand　over　his　whiskers；　and；　entering　a　room；　was　impressed　at　once　by　its　air　of　domesticity。　　On　a　sofa　a　handsome　woman　and　a　pretty　young　girl　were　surrounded　by　sewing　apparatus　and　some　white　material。　　The　girl　looked　up；　but　the　elder　lady　rose。

Mr。　Ventnor　said　easily

〃You　know　my　young　friend；　Mr。　Robert　Pillin；　I　think。〃

The　lady；　whose　bulk　and　bloom　struck　him　to　the　point　of　admiration；　murmured　in　a　full；　sweet　drawl：

〃Oh！　　Ye…es。　　Are　you　from　Messrs。　Scrivens？〃

With　the　swift　reflection：　'As　I　thought！'　　Mr。　Ventnor　answered：

〃Ernot　exactly。　　I　am　a　solicitor　though；　came　just　to　ask　about　a　certain　settlement　that　Mr。　Pillin　tells　me　you're　entitled　under。〃

〃Phyllis　dear！〃

Seeing　the　girl　about　to　rise　from　underneath　the　white　stuff；　Mr。　Ventnor　said　quickly：

〃Pray　don't　disturb　yourself　…just　a　formality！〃　　It　had　struck　him　at　once　that　the　lady　would　have　to　speak　the　truth　in　the　presence　of　this　third　party；　and　he　went　on：　〃Quite　recent；　I　think。　　This'll　be　your　first　interest…on　six　thousand　pounds？　　Is　that　right？〃　　And　at　the　limpid　assent　of　that　rich；　sweet　voice；　he　thought：　'Fine　woman；　what　eyes！'

〃Thank　you；　that's　quite　enough。　　I　can　go　to　Scrivens　for　any　detail。　　Nice　young　fellow；　Bob　Pillin；　isn't　he？〃　　He　saw　the　girl's　chin　tilt；　and　Mrs。　Larne's　full　mouth　curling　in　a　smile。

〃Delightful　young　man；　we're　very　fond　of　him。〃

And　he　proceeded：

〃I'm　quite　an　old　friend　of　his；　have　you　known　him　long？〃

〃Oh！　no。　　How　long；　Phyllis；　since　we　met　him　at　Guardy's？　　About　a　month。　　But　he's　so　unaffectedquite　at　home　with　us。　　A　nice　fellow。〃

Mr。　Ventnor　murmured：

〃Very　different　from　his　father；　isn't　he？〃

〃Is　he？　　We　don't　know　his　father；　he's　a　shipowner；　I　think。〃

Mr。　Ventnor　rubbed　his　hands：　〃Ye…es；〃　he　said；　〃just　giving　upa　warm　man。　　Young　Pillin's　a　lucky　fellowonly　son。　　So　you　met　him　at　old　Mr。　Heythorp's。　　I　know　him　toorelation　of　yours；　I　believe。〃

〃Our　dear　Guardy　such　a　wonderful　man。〃

Mr。　Ventnor　echoed：　〃Wonderfulregular　old　Roman。〃

〃Oh！　but　he's　so　kind！〃　　Mrs。　Larne　lifted　the　white　stuff：　〃Look　what　he's　given　this　naughty　gairl！〃

Mr。　Ventnor　murmured：　〃Charming！　Charming！　　Bob　Pillin　said；　I　think；　that　Mr。　Heythorp　was　your　settlor。〃

One　of　those　little　clouds　which　visit　the　brows　of　women　who　have　owed　money　in　their　time　passed　swiftly　athwart　Mrs。　Larne's　eyes。　For　a　moment　they　seemed　saying：　'Don't　you　want　to　know　too　much？'　Then　they　slid　from　under　it。

〃Won't　you　sit　down？〃　　she　said。　　〃You　must　forgive　our　being　at　work。〃

Mr。　Ventnor；　who　had　need　of　sorting　his　impressions；　shook　his　head。

〃Thank　you；　I　must　be　getting　on。　　Then　Messrs。　Scriven　cana　mere　formality！　　Goodbye！　　Good…bye；　Miss　Larne。　　I'm　sure　the　dress　will　be　most　becoming。〃

And　with　memories　of　a　too　clear　look　from　the　girl's　eyes；　of　a　warm　firm　pressure　from　the　woman's　hand；　Mr。　Ventnor　backed　towards　the　door　and　passed　away　just　in　time　to　avoid　hearing　in　two　voices：

〃What　a　nice　lawyer！〃

〃What　a　horrid　man！〃

Back　in　his　cab；　he　continued　to　rub　his　hands。　　No；　she　didn't　know　old　Pillin！　That　was　certain；　not　from　her　words；　but　from　her　face。　She　wanted　to　know　him；　or　about　him；　anyway。　　She　was　trying　to　hook　young　Bob　for　that　sprig　of　a　girlit　was　clear　as　mud。　　H'm！　it　would　astonish　his　young　friend　to　hear　that　he　had　called。　　Well；　let　it！　　And　a　curious　mixture　of　emotions　beset　Mr。　Ventnor。　　He　saw　the　whole　thing　now　so　plainly；　and　really　could　not　refrain　from　a　certain　admiration。　　The　law　had　been　properly　diddled！　　There　was　nothing　to　prevent　a　man　from　settling　money　on　a　woman　he　had　never　seen；　and　so　old　Pillin's　settlement　could　probably　not　be　upset。　But　old　Heythorp　could。　　It　was　neat；　though；　oh！　　neat！　　And　that　was　a　fine　womanremarkably！　　He　had　a　sort　of　feeling　that　if　only　the　settlement　had　been　in　danger；　it　might　have　been　worth　while　to　have　made　a　bargaina　woman　like　that　could　have　made　it　worth　while！　　And　he　believed　her　quite　capable　of　entertaining　the　proposition！　　Her　eye！　　Pityquite　a　pity！　　Mrs。　Ventnor　was　not　a　wife　who　satisfied　every　aspiration。　　But　alas！　the　settlement　was　safe。　　This　baulking　of　the　sentiment　of　love；　whipped　up；　if　anything；　the　longing　for　justice　in　Mr。　Ventnor。　　That　old　chap　should　feel　his　teeth　now。　　As　a　piece　of　investigation　it　was　not　so　badnot　so　bad　at　all！　　He　had　had　a　bit　of　luck；　of　course；no；　not　luckjust　that　knack　of　doing　the　right　thing　at　the　right　moment　which　marks　a　real　genius　for　affairs。

But　getting　into　his　train　to　return　to　Mrs。　Ventnor；　he　thought：　'A　woman　like　that　would　have　been！'　And　he　sighed。




2

With　a　neatly　written　cheque　for　fifty　pounds　in　his　pocket　Bob　Pillin　turned　in　at　23；　Millicent　Villas　on　the　afternoon　after　Mr。　Ventnor's　visit。　　Chivalry　had　won　the　day。　　And　he　rang　the　bell　with　an　elation　which　astonished　him；　for　he　knew　he　was　doing　a　soft　thing。

〃Mrs。　Larne　is　out；　sir；　Miss　Phyllis　is　at　home。〃

His　heart　leaped。

〃Oh…h！　　I'm　sorry。　　I　wonder　if　she'd　see　me？〃

The　little　maid　answered

〃I　think　she's　been　washin'　'er'air；　sir；　but　it　may　be　dry　be　now。　I'll　see。〃

Bob　Pillin　stood　stock　still　beneath　the　young　woman　on　the　wall。　　He　could　scarcely　breathe。　　If　her　hair　were　not　dryhow　awful！　Suddenly　he　heard　floating　down　a　clear　but　smothered　〃Oh！　Gefoozleme！〃　　and　other　words　which　he　could　not　catch。　　The　little　maid　came　running　down。

〃Miss　Phyllis　says；　sir；　she'll　be　w