the lodger-第21节

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take　a　bus　and　go　over　and　see　Margaret？　　I'd　tell　her　just　how　it　is。　　She'd　understand；　bless　you！〃

〃I　won't　have　you　doing　nothing　of　the　sort！〃　cried　Mrs。　Bunting；　speaking　almost　as　passionately　as　her　stepdaughter　had　done。　〃Haven't　I　a　right　to　be　ill；　haven't　I　a　right　to　be　took　bad；　aye；　and　to　feel　all　right　again　…　same　as　other　people？〃

Daisy　turned　round　and　clasped　her　hands。　　〃Oh；

Ellen！〃　she　cried；　〃do　say　that　you　can't　spare　me！　　I　don't　want　to　go　across　to　that　horrid　old　dungeon　of　a　place。〃

〃Do　as　you　like；〃　said　Mrs。　Bunting　sullenly。　　〃I'm　fair　tired　of　you　both！　　There'll　come　a　day；　Daisy；　when　you'll　know；　like　me；　that　money　is　the　main　thing　that　matters　in　this　world；　and　when　your　Aunt　Margaret's　left　her　savings　to　somebody　else　just　because　you　wouldn't　spend　a　few　days　with　her　this　Christmas；　then　you'll　know　what　it's　like　to　go　without　…　you'll　know　what　a　fool　you　were；　and　that　nothing　can't　alter　it　any　more！〃

And　then；　with　victory　actually　in　her　grasp；　poor　Daisy　saw　it　snatched　from　her。

〃Ellen　is　right；〃　Bunting　said　heavily。　　〃Money　does　matter　…　a　terrible　deal…though　I　never　thought　to　hear　Ellen　say　'twas　the　only　thing　that　mattered。　　But　'twould　be　foolish　…　very；　very　foolish；　my　girl；　to　offend　your　Aunt　Margaret。　　It'll　only　be　two　days　after　all　…　two　days　isn't　a　very　long　time。〃

But　Daisy　did　not　hear　her　father's　last　words。　　She　had　already　rushed　from　the　room；　and　gone　down　to　the　kitchen　to　hide　her　childish　tears　of　disappointment　…　the　childish　tears　which　came　because　she　was　beginning　to　be　a　woman；　with　a　woman's　natural　instinct　for　building　her　own　human　nest。

Aunt　Margaret　was　not　one　to　tolerate　the　comings　of　any　strange　young　man；　and　she　had　a　peculiar　dislike　to　the　police。

〃Who'd　ever　have　thought　she'd　have　minded　as　much　as　that！〃　Bunting　looked　across　at　Ellen　deprecatingly；　already　his　heart　was　misgiving　him。

〃It's　plain　enough　why　she's　become　so　fond　of　us　all　of　a　sudden；〃　said　Mrs。　Bunting　sarcastically。　　And　as　her　husband　stared　at　her　uncomprehendingly；　she　added；　in　a　tantalising　tone；　〃as　plain　as　the　nose　on　your　face；　my　man。〃

〃What　d'you　mean？〃　he　said。　　〃I　daresay　I'm　a　bit　slow；　Ellen；　but　I　really　don't　know　what　you'd　be　at？〃

〃Don't　you　remember　telling　me　before　Daisy　came　here　that　Joe　Chandler　had　become　sweet　on　her　last　summer？　　I　thought　it　only　foolishness　then；　but　I've　come　round　to　your　view　…　that's　all。〃

Bunting　nodded　his　head　slowly。　　Yes；　Joe　had　got　into　the　way　of　coming　very　often；　and　there　had　been　the　expedition　to　that　gruesome　Scotland　Yard　museum；　but　somehow　he；　Bunting；　had　been　so　interested　in　the　Avenger　murders　that　he　hadn't　thought　of　Joe　in　any　other　connection　…　not　this　time；　at　any　rate。

〃And　do　you　think　Daisy　likes　him？〃　　There　was　an　unwonted　tone　of　excitement；　of　tenderness；　in　Bunting's　voice。

His　wife　looked　over　at　him；　and　a　thin　smile；　not　an　unkindly　smile　by　any　means；　lit　up　her　pale　face。　　〃I've　never　been　one　to　prophesy；〃　she　answered　deliberately。　　〃But　this　I　don't　mind　telling　you；　Bunting　…　Daisy'll　have　plenty　o'　time　to　get　tired　of　Joe　Chandler　before　they　two　are　dead。　　Mark　my　words！〃

〃Well；　she　might　do　worse；〃　said　Bunting　ruminatingly。　　〃He's　as　steady　as　God　makes　them；　and　he's　already　earning　thirty…two　shillings　a　week。　　But　I　wonder　how　Old　Aunt'd　like　the　notion？　I　don't　see　her　parting　with　Daisy　before　she　must。〃

〃I　wouldn't　let　no　old　aunt　interfere　with　me　about　such　a　thing　as　that！〃　cried　Mrs。　Bunting。　　〃No；　not　for　millions　of　gold！〃　And　Bunting　looked　at　her　in　silent　wonder。　　Ellen　was　singing　a　very　different　tune　now　to　what　she'd　sung　a　few　minutes　ago；　when　she　was　so　keen　about　the　girl　going　to　Belgrave　Square。

〃If　she　still　seems　upset　while　she's　having　her　dinner；〃　said　his　wife　suddenly；　〃well；　you　just　wait　till　I've　gone　out　for　something；　and　then　you　just　say　to　her；　'Absence　makes　the　heart　grow　fonder'　　…　just　that；　and　nothing　more！　　She'll　take　it　from　you。　　And　I　shouldn't　be　surprised　if　it　comforted　her　quite　a　lot。〃

〃For　the　matter　of　that；　there's　no　reason　why　Joe　Chandler　shouldn't　go　over　and　see　her　there；〃　said　Bunting　hesitatingly。

〃Oh；　yes；　there　is；〃　said　Mrs。　Bunting；　smiling　shrewdly。　　Plenty　of　reason。　　Daisy'll　be　a　very　foolish　girl　if　she　allows　her　aunt　to　know　any　of　her　secrets。　　I've　only　seen　that　woman　once；　hut　I　know　exactly　the　sort　Margaret　is。　　She's　just　waiting　for　Old　Aunt　to　drop　off　and　then　she'll　want　to　have　Daisy　herself　…　to　wait　on　her；　like。　　She'd　turn　quite　nasty　if　she　thought　there　was　a　young　fellow　what　stood　in　her　way。〃

She　glanced　at　the　dock；　the　pretty　little　eight…day　clock　which　had　been　a　wedding　present　from　a　kind　friend　of　her　last　mistress。　It　had　mysteriously　disappeared　during　their　time　of　trouble；　and　had　as　mysteriously　reappeared　three　or　four　days　after　Mr。　Sleuth's　arrival。

〃I've　time　to　go　out　with　that　telegram；〃　she　said　briskly　…　somehow　she　felt　better；　different　to　what　she　had　done　the　last　few　days　…　　〃and　then　it'll　be　done。　　It's　no　good　having　more　words　about　it；　and　I　expect　we　should　have　plenty　more　words　if　I　wait　till　the　child　comes　upstairs　again。〃

She　did　not　speak　unkindly；　and　Bunting　looked　at　her　rather　wonderingly。　　Ellen　very　seldom　spoke　of　Daisy　as　〃the　child　〃　　…　in　fact；　he　could　only　remember　her　having　done　so　once　before；　　and　that　was　a　long　time　ago。　　They　had　been　talking　over　their　　future　life　together；　and　she　had　said；　very　solemnly；　〃Bunting；　　I　promise　I　will　do　my　duty　…　as　much　as　lies　in　my　power；　that　　is　…　by　the　child。〃

But　Ellen　had　not　had　much　opportunity　of　doing　her　duty　by　Daisy。　As　not　infrequently　happens　with　the　duties　that　we　are　willing　to　do；　that　particular　duty　had　been　taken　over　by　someone　else　who　had　no　mind　to　let　it　go。

〃What　shall　I　do　if　Mr。　Sleuth　rings？〃　asked　Bunting；　rather　nervously。　　It　was　the　first　time　since　the　lodger　had　come　to　them　that　Ellen　had　offered　to　go　out　in　the　morning。

She　hesitated。　　In　her　anxiety　to　have　the　matter　of　Daisy　settled；　she　had　forgotten　Mr。　Sleuth。　　Strange　that　she　should　have　done　so　…　strange；　and；　to　herself；　very　comfortable　and　pleasant。

〃Oh；　well；　you　can　just　go　up　and　knock　at　the　door　and　say　I'll　be　back　in　a　few　minutes　…　that　I　had　to　go　out　with　a　message。　　He's　quite　a　reasonable　gentleman。〃　　She　went　into　the　back　room　to　put　on　her　bonnet　and　thick　jacket　for　it　was　very　cold　…　getting　colder　every　minute。

As　she　stood；　buttoning　her　gloves　…　she　wouldn't　have　gone　out　untidy　for　the　world　…　Bunting　suddenly　came　across　to　her。　　〃Give　us　a　kiss；　old　girl；〃　he　said。　　And　his　wife　turned　up　her　face。

〃One　'ud　think　it　was　catching！〃　she　said；　but　there　was　a　lilt　in　her　voice。

〃So　it　is；〃　Bunting　briefly　answered。　　〃Didn't　that　old　cook　get　married　just　after　us？　　She'd　never　'a　thought　of　it　if　it　hadn't　been　for　you！〃

But　once　she　was　out；　walking　along　the　damp；　uneven　pavement；　Mr。　Sleuth　revenged　himself　for　his　landlady's　temporary　forgetfulness。

During　the　last　two　days　the　lodger　had　been　queer；　odder　than　usual；　unlike　himself；　or；　rather；　very　much　as　he　had　been　some　ten　days　ago；　just　before　that　double　murder　had　taken　place。

The　night　before；　while　Daisy　was　telling　all　about　the　dreadful　place　to　which　Joe　Chandler　had　taken　her　and　her　father；　Mrs。　Bunting　had　heard　Mr。　Sleuth　moving　about　overhead；　restlessly　walking　up　and　down　his　sitting…room。　　And　later；　when　she　took　up　his　supper；　she　had　listened　a　moment　outside　the　door；　while　he　read　aloud　some　of　the　texts　his　soul　delighted　in　…　terrible　texts　telling　of　the　grim　joys　attendant　on　revenge。

Mrs。　Bunting　was　so　absorbed　in　her　thoughts；　so　possessed　with　the　curious　personality　of　her　lodger；　that　she　did　not　look　where　she　was　going；　and　suddenly　a　young　woman　bumped　up　against　her。

She　started　violently　and　looked　round；　dazed；　as　the　young　person　muttered　a　word　of　apology；　…　then　she　again　fell　into　deep　thought。

It　was　a　good　thing　Daisy　was　going　away　for　a　few　days；　it　made　the　problem　of　Mr。　Sleuth　and　his　queer　ways　less　disturbing。　　She；　Ellen；　was　sorry　she　had　spoken　so　sharp…like　to　the　girl；　but　after　all　it　wasn't　wonderful　that　she　had　been　snappy。　　This　last　night　she　had　hardly　slept　at　all。　　Instead；　she　had　lain　awake　listening　　…　and　there　is　nothing　so　tiring　as　to　lie　awake　listening　for　a　sound　that　never　comes。

The　house　had　remained　so　still　you　could　have　heard　a　pin　drop。　　Mr。　Sleuth；　lying　snug　in　his　nice　warm　bed　upstairs；　had　not　stirred。　Had　he　stirred　his　landlady　was　bound　to　have　heard　him；　for　his　bed　was；　as　we　know；　just　above　hers。　　No；　during　those　long　hours　of　darkness　Daisy's　light；　regular　breathing　was　all　that　had　fallen　on　Mrs。　Bunting's　ears。

And　then　her　mind　switched　off　Mr。　Sleuth。　　She　made　a　determined　effort　to　expel　him；　to　toss　him；　as　it　were；　out　of　her　thoughts。

It　seemed　strange　that　The　Avenger　had　stayed　his　hand；　for；　as　Joe　had　said　only　last　evening；　it　was　full　time　that　he　should　again　turn　that　awful；　mysterious　searchlight　of　his　on　himself。　　Mrs。　Bunting　always　visioned　The　Avenger　as　a　black　sh