the clue of the twisted candle-第2节

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〃I　flatter　myself　it　is　impossible　to　tell　how　my　stories　will　end　until　the　last　chapter；〃　he　said。

Kara　nodded。

〃That　would　be　so　in　the　case　of　the　average　reader；　but　you　forget　that　I　am　a　student。　　I　follow　every　little　thread　of　the　clue　which　you　leave　exposed。〃

〃You　should　meet　T。　X。；〃　said　John；　with　a　laugh；　as　he　rose　from　his　chair　to　poke　the　fire。

〃T。　X。？〃

〃T。　X。　Meredith。　　He　is　the　most　ingenious　beggar　you　could　meet。　We　were　at　Caius　together；　and　he　is　by　way　of　being　a　great　pal　of　mine。　　He　is　in　the　Criminal　Investigation　Department。〃

Kara　nodded。　　There　was　the　light　of　interest　in　his　eyes　and　he　would　have　pursued　the　discussion　further；　but　at　the　moment　dinner　was　announced。

It　was　not　a　particularly　cheerful　meal　because　Grace　did　not　as　usual　join　in　the　conversation；　and　it　was　left　to　Kara　and　to　her　husband　to　supply　the　deficiencies。　　She　was　experiencing　a　curious　sense　of　depression；　a　premonition　of　evil　which　she　could　not　define。　　Again　and　again　in　the　course　of　the　dinner　she　took　her　mind　back　to　the　events　of　the　day　to　discover　the　reason　for　her　unease。

Usually　when　she　adopted　this　method　she　came　upon　the　trivial　causes　in　which　apprehension　was　born；　but　now　she　was　puzzled　to　find　that　a　solution　was　denied　her。　　Her　letters　of　the　morning　had　been　pleasant；　neither　the　house　nor　the　servants　had　given　her　any　trouble。　　She　was　well　herself；　and　though　she　knew　John　had　a　little　money　trouble；　since　his　unfortunate　speculation　in　Roumanian　gold　shares；　and　she　half　suspected　that　he　had　had　to　borrow　money　to　make　good　his　losses；　yet　his　prospects　were　so　excellent　and　the　success　of　his　last　book　so　promising　that　she；　probably　seeing　with　a　clearer　vision　the　unimportance　of　those　money　worries；　was　less　concerned　about　the　problem　than　he。

〃You　will　have　your　coffee　in　the　study；　I　suppose；〃　said　Grace；　〃and　I　know　you'll　excuse　me；　I　have　to　see　Mrs。　Chandler　on　the　mundane　subject　of　laundry。〃

She　favoured　Kara　with　a　little　nod　as　she　left　the　room　and　touched　John's　shoulder　lightly　with　her　hand　in　passing。

Kara's　eyes　followed　her　graceful　figure　until　she　was　out　of　view；　then

〃I　want　to　see　you；　Kara；〃　said　John　Lexman；　〃if　you　will　give　me　five　minutes。〃

〃You　can　have　five　hours；　if　you　like；〃　said　the　other；　easily。

They　went　into　the　study　together；　the　maid　brought　the　coffee　and　liqueur；　and　placed　them　on　a　little　table　near　the　fire　and　disappeared。

For　a　time　the　conversation　was　general。　　Kara；　who　was　a　frank　admirer　of　the　comfort　of　the　room　and　who　lamented　his　own　inability　to　secure　with　money　the　cosiness　which　John　had　obtained　at　little　cost；　went　on　a　foraging　expedition　whilst　his　host　applied　himself　to　a　proof　which　needed　correcting。

〃I　suppose　it　is　impossible　for　you　to　have　electric　light　here；〃　Kara　asked。

〃Quite；〃　replied　the　other。

〃Why？〃

〃I　rather　like　the　light　of　this　lamp。〃

〃It　isn't　the　lamp；〃　drawled　the　Greek　and　made　a　little　grimace；　〃I　hate　these　candles。〃

He　waved　his　hand　to　the　mantle…shelf　where　the　six　tall；　white；　waxen　candles　stood　out　from　two　wall　sconces。

〃Why　on　earth　do　you　hate　candles？〃　asked　the　other　in　surprise。

Kara　made　no　reply　for　the　moment；　but　shrugged　his　shoulders。　Presently　he　spoke。

〃If　you　were　ever　tied　down　to　a　chair　and　by　the　side　of　that　chair　was　a　small　keg　of　black　powder　and　stuck　in　that　powder　was　a　small　candle　that　burnt　lower　and　lower　every　minute　…　my　God！〃

John　was　amazed　to　see　the　perspiration　stand　upon　the　forehead　of　his　guest。

〃That　sounds　thrilling；〃　he　said。

The　Greek　wiped　his　forehead　with　a　silk　handkerchief　and　his　hand　shook　a　little。

〃It　was　something　more　than　thrilling；〃　he　said。

〃And　when　did　this　occur？〃　asked　the　author　curiously。

〃In　Albania；〃　replied　the　other；　〃it　was　many　years　ago；　but　the　devils　are　always　sending　me　reminders　of　the　fact。〃

He　did　not　attempt　to　explain　who　the　devils　were　or　under　what　circumstances　he　was　brought　to　this　unhappy　pass；　but　changed　the　subject　definitely。

Sauntering　round　the　cosy　room　he　followed　the　bookshelf　which　filled　one　wall　and　stopped　now　and　again　to　examine　some　title。　Presently　he　drew　forth　a　stout　volume。

〃'Wild　Brazil'；〃　he　read；　〃by　George　Gathercole　…　do　you　know　Gathercole？〃

John　was　filling　his　pipe　from　a　big　blue　jar　on　his　desk　and　nodded。

〃Met　him　once　…　a　taciturn　devil。　　Very　short　of　speech　and；　like　all　men　who　have　seen　and　done　things；　less　inclined　to　talk　about　himself　than　any　man　I　know。〃

Kara　looked　at　the　book　with　a　thoughtful　pucker　of　brow　and　turned　the　leaves　idly。

〃I've　never　seen　him；〃　he　said　as　he　replaced　the　book；　〃yet；　in　a　sense；　his　new　journey　is　on　my　behalf。〃

The　other　man　looked　up。

〃On　your　behalf？〃

〃Yes　…　you　know　he　has　gone　to　Patagonia　for　me。　　He　believes　there　is　gold　there　…　you　will　learn　as　much　from　his　book　on　the　mountain　systems　of　South　America。　　I　was　interested　in　his　theories　and　corresponded　with　him。　　As　a　result　of　that　correspondence　he　undertook　to　make　a　geological　survey　for　me。　　I　sent　him　money　for　his　expenses；　and　he　went　off。〃

〃You　never　saw　him？〃　asked　John　Lexman；　surprised。

Kara　shook　his　head。

〃That　was　not　…　？〃　began　his　host。

〃Not　like　me；　you　were　going　to　say。　　Frankly；　it　was　not；　but　then　I　realized　that　he　was　an　unusual　kind　of　man。　　I　invited　him　to　dine　with　me　before　he　left　London；　and　in　reply　received　a　wire　from　Southampton　intimating　that　he　was　already　on　his　way。〃

Lexman　nodded。

〃It　must　be　an　awfully　interesting　kind　of　life；〃　he　said。　　〃I　suppose　he　will　be　away　for　quite　a　long　time？〃

〃Three　years；〃　said　Kara；　continuing　his　examination　of　the　bookshelf。

〃I　envy　those　fellows　who　run　round　the　world　writing　books；〃　said　John；　puffing　reflectively　at　his　pipe。　　〃They　have　all　the　best　of　it。〃

Kara　turned。　　He　stood　immediately　behind　the　author　and　the　other　could　not　see　his　face。　　There　was；　however；　in　his　voice　an　unusual　earnestness　and　an　unusual　quiet　vehemence。

〃What　have　you　to　complain　about！〃　he　asked；　with　that　little　drawl　of　his。　　〃You　have　your　own　creative　work　…　the　most　fascinating　branch　of　labour　that　comes　to　a　man。　　He；　poor　beggar；　is　bound　to　actualities。　　You　have　the　full　range　of　all　the　worlds　which　your　imagination　gives　to　you。　　You　can　create　men　and　destroy　them；　call　into　existence　fascinating　problems；　mystify　and　baffle　ten　or　twenty　thousand　people；　and　then；　at　a　word；　elucidate　your　mystery。〃

John　laughed。

〃There　is　something　in　that；〃　he　said。

〃As　for　the　rest　of　your　life；〃　Kara　went　on　in　a　lower　voice；　〃I　think　you　have　that　which　makes　life　worth　living　…　an　incomparable　wife。〃

Lexman　swung　round　in　his　chair；　and　met　the　other's　gaze；　and　there　was　something　in　the　set　of　the　other's　handsome　face　which　took　his。　　breath　away。

〃I　do　not　see　…　〃　he　began。

Kara　smiled。

〃That　was　an　impertinence；　wasn't　it！〃　he　said；　banteringly。　　〃But　then　you　mustn't　forget；　my　dear　man；　that　I　was　very　anxious　to　marry　your　wife。　　I　don't　suppose　it　is　secret。　　And　when　I　lost　her；　I　had　ideas　about　you　which　are　not　pleasant　to　recall。〃

He　had　recovered　his　self…possession　and　had　continued　his　aimless　stroll　about　the　room。

〃You　must　remember　I　am　a　Greek；　and　the　modern　Greek　is　no　philosopher。　　You　must　remember；　too；　that　I　am　a　petted　child　of　fortune；　and　have　had　everything　I　wanted　since　I　was　a　baby。〃

〃You　are　a　fortunate　devil；〃　said　the　other；　turning　back　to　his　desk；　and　taking　up　his　pen。

For　a　moment　Kara　did　not　speak；　then　he　made　as　though　he　would　say　something；　checked　himself；　and　laughed。

〃I　wonder　if　I　am；〃　he　said。

And　now　he　spoke　with　a　sudden　energy。

〃What　is　this　trouble　you　are　having　with　Vassalaro？〃

John　rose　from　his　chair　and　walked　over　to　the　fire；　stood　gazing　down　into　its　depths；　his　legs　wide　apart；　his　hands　clasped　behind　him；　and　Kara　took　his　attitude　to　supply　an　answer　to　the　question。

〃I　warned　you　against　Vassalaro；〃　he　said；　stooping　by　the　other's　side　to　light　his　cigar　with　a　spill　of　paper。　　〃My　dear　Lexman；　my　fellow　countrymen　are　unpleasant　people　to　deal　with　in　certain　moods。〃

〃He　was　so　obliging　at　first；〃　said　Lexman；　half　to　himself。

〃And　now　he　is　so　disobliging；〃　drawled　Kara。　　〃That　is　a　way　which　moneylenders　have；　my　dear　man；　you　were　very　foolish　to　go　to　him　at　all。　　I　could　have　lent　you　the　money。〃

〃There　were　reasons　why　I　should　not　borrow　money　from　you；〃；　said　John；　quietly；　〃and　I　think　you　yourself　have　supplied　the　principal　reason　when　you　told　me　just　now；　what　I　already　knew；　that　you　wanted　to　marry　Grace。〃

〃How　much　is　the　amount？〃　asked　Kara；　examining　his　well…manicured　finger…nails。

〃Two　thousand　five　hundred　pounds；〃　replied　John；　with　a　short　laugh；　〃and　I　haven't　two　thousand　five　hundred　shillings　at　this　moment。〃

〃Will　he　wait？〃

John　Lexman　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃Look　here；　Kara；〃　he　said；　suddenly；　〃don't　think　I　want　to　reproach　you；　but　it　was　through　you　that　I　met　Vassalaro　so　that　you　know　the　kind　of　man　he　is。〃

Kara　nodded。

〃Well；　I　can　tell　you　he　has　been　very　unpleasant　indee