the lodger-第27节

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Bunting　went　into　the　next　room；　then　he　came　back　and　handed　her　silently　the　odd…looking；　thin　little　sheet。

〃Why；　whatever's　this？〃　she　asked。　　〃This　ain't　our　paper！〃

〃'Course　not；〃　he　answered；　a　trifle　crossly。　　〃It's　a　special　early　edition　of　the　Sun；　just　because　of　The　Avenger。　　Here's　the　bit　about　it〃　…　he　showed　her　the　exact　spot。　　But　she　would　have　found　it；　even　by　the　comparatively　bad　light　of　the　gas…jet　now　flaring　over　the　dressing…table；　for　the　news　was　printed　in　large；　clear　characters：　…　

〃Once　more　the　murder　fiend　who　chooses　to　call　himself　The　Avenger　has　escaped　detection。　　While　the　whole　attention　of　the　police；　and　of　the　great　army　of　amateur　detectives　who　are　taking　an　interest　in　this　strange　series　of　atrocious　crimes；　were　concentrating　their　attention　round　the　East　End　and　King's　Cross；　he　moved　swift1y　and　silently　Westward。　　And；　choosing　a　time　when　the　Edgware　Road　is　at　its　busiest　and　most　thronged；　did　another　human　being　to　death　with　lightning…like　quickness　and　savagery。

〃Within　fifty　yards　of　the　deserted　warehouse　yard　where　he　had　lured　his　victim　to　destruction　were　passing　up　and　down　scores　of　happy；　busy　people；　intent　on　their　Christmas　shopping。　　Into　that　cheerful　throng　he　must　have　plunged　within　a　moment　of　committing　his　atrocious　crime。　　And　it　was　only　owing　to　the　merest　accident　that　the　body　was　discovered　as　soon　as　it　was　…　that　is；　just　after　midnight

〃Dr。　Dowtray；　who　was　called　to　the　spot　at　once；　is　of　opinion　that　the　woman　had　been　dead　at　least　three　hours；　if　not　four。　　It　was　at　first　thought　…　we　were　going　to　say；　hoped　…　that　this　murder　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　series　which　is　now　puzzling　and　horrifying　the　whole　of　the　civilised　world。　　But　no　…　pinned　on　the　edge　of　the　dead　woman's　dress　was　the　usual　now　familiar　triangular　piece　of　grey　paper　…　the　grimmest　visiting　card　ever　designed　by　the　wit　of　man！　　And　this　time　The　Avenger　has　surpassed　himself　as　regards　his　audacity　and　daring　…　so　cold　in　its　maniacal　fanaticism　and　abhorrent　wickedness。〃

All　the　time　that　Mrs。　Bunting　was　reading　with　slow；　painful　intentness；　her　husband　was　looking　at　her；　longing；　yet　afraid；　to　burst　out　with　a　new　idea　which　he　was　burning　to　confide　even　to　his　Ellen's　unsympathetic　ears。

At　last；　when　she　had　quite　finished；　she　looked　up　defiantly。

〃Haven't　you　anything　better　to　do　than　to　stare　at　me　like　that？〃　she　said　irritably。　　〃Murder　or　no　murder；　I've　got　to　get　up！　　Go　away　…　do！〃

And　Bunting　went　off　into　the　next　room。

After　he　had　gone；　his　wife　lay　back　and　closed　her　eyes。　　She　tried　to　think　of　nothing。　　Nay；　more　…　so　strong；　so　determined　was　her　will　that　for　a　few　moments　she　actually　did　think　of　nothing。　　She　felt　terribly　tired　and　weak；　brain　and　body　both　quiescent；　as　does　a　person　who　is　recovering　from　a　long；　wearing　illness。

Presently　detached；　puerile　thoughts　drifted　across　the　surface　of　her　mind　like　little　clouds　across　a　summer　sky。　　She　wondered　if　those　horrid　newspaper　men　were　allowed　to　shout　in　Belgrave　Square；　she　wondered　if；　in　that　case；　Margaret；　who　was　so　unlike　her　brother…in…law；　would　get　up　and　buy　a　paper。　　But　no。　　Margaret　was　not　one　to　leave　her　nice　warm　bed　for　such　a　silly　reason　as　that。

Was　it　to…morrow　Daisy　was　coming　back？　　Yes　…　to…morrow；　not　to…day。　　Well；　that　was　a　comfort；　at　any　rate。　　What　amusing　things　Daisy　would　be　able　to　tell　about　her　visit　to　Margaret！　　The　girl　had　an　excellent　gift　of　mimicry。　　And　Margaret；　with　her　precise；　funny　ways；　her　perpetual　talk　about　〃the　family；〃　lent　herself　to　the　cruel　gift。

And　then　Mrs。　Bunting's　mind　…　her　poor；　weak；　tired　mind　…　wandered　off　to　young　Chandler。　　A　funny　thing　love　was；　when　you　came　to　think　of　it　…　which　she；　Ellen　Bunting；　didn't　often　do。　　There　was　Joe；　a　likely　young　fellow；　seeing　a　lot　of　young　women；　and　pretty　young　women；　too；　…　quite　as　pretty　as　Daisy；　and　ten　times　more　artful　…　and　yet　there！　　He　passed　them　all　by；　had　done　so　ever　since　last　summer；　though　you　might　be　sure　that　they；　artful　minxes；　by　no　manner　of　means　passed　him　by；　…　without　giving　them　a　thought！　As　Daisy　wasn't　here；　he　would　probably　keep　away　to…day。　　There　was　comfort　in　that　thought；　too。

And　then　Mrs。　Bunting　sat　up；　and　memory　returned　in　a　dreadful　turgid　flood。　　If　Joe　did　come　in；　she　must　nerve　herself　to　hear　all　that　…　that　talk　there'd　be　about　The　Avenger　between　him　and　Bunting。

Slowly　she　dragged　herself　out　of　bed；　feeling　exactly　as　if　she　had　just　recovered　from　an　illness　which　had　left　her　very　weak；　very；　very　tired　in　body　and　soul。

She　stood　for　a　moment　listening　…　listening；　and　shivering；　for　it　was　very　cold。　　Considering　how　early　it　still　was；　there　seemed　a　lot　of　coming　and　going　in　the　Marylebone　Road。　　She　could　hear　the　unaccustomed　sounds　through　her　closed　door　and　the　tightly　fastened　windows　of　the　sitting…room。　　There　must　be　a　regular　crowd　of　men　and　women；　on　foot　and　in　cabs；　hurrying　to　the　scene　of　The　Avenger's　last　extraordinary　crime。

She　heard　the　sudden　thud　made　by　their　usual　morning　paper　falling　from　the　letter…box　on　to　the　floor　of　the　hall；　and　a　moment　later　came　the　sound　of　Bunting　quickly；　quietly　going　out　and　getting　it。　She　visualised　him　coming　back；　and　sitting　down　with　a　sigh　of　satisfaction　by　the　newly…lit　fire。

Languidly　she　began　dressing　herself　to　the　accompaniment　of　distant　tramping　and　of　noise　of　passing　traffic；　which　increased　in　volume　and　in　sound　as　the　moments　slipped　by。

******

When　Mrs。　Bunting　went　down　into　her　kitchen　everything　looked　just　as　she　had　left　it；　and　there　was　no　trace　of　the　acrid　smell　she　had　expected　to　find　there。　　Instead；　the　cavernous；　whitewashed　room　was　full　of　fog；　but　she　noticed　that；　though　the　shutters　were　bolted　and　barred　as　she　had　left　them；　the　windows　behind　them　had　been　widely　opened　to　the　air。　　She　had　left　them　shut。

Making　a　〃spill〃　out　of　a　twist　of　newspaper　…　she　had　been　taught　the　art　as　a　girl　by　one　of　her　old　mistresses　…　she　stooped　and　flung　open　the　oven…door　of　her　gas…stove。　　Yes；　it　was　as　she　had　expected　a　fierce　heat　had　been　generated　there　since　she　had　last　used　the　oven；　and　through　to　the　stone　floor　below　had　fallen　a　mass　of　black；　gluey　soot。

Mrs。　Bunting　took　the　ham　and　eggs　that　she　had　bought　the　previous　day　for　her　own　and　Bunting's　breakfast　upstairs；　and　broiled　them　over　the　gas…ring　in　their　sitting…room。　　Her　husband　watched　her　in　surprised　silence。　　She　had　never　done　such　a　thing　before。

〃I　couldn't　stay　down　there；〃　she　said；　〃it　was　so　cold　and　foggy。　I　thought　I'd　make　breakfast　up　here；　just　for　to…day。〃

〃Yes；〃　he　said　kindly；　〃that's　quite　right；　Ellen。　　I　think　you've　done　quite　right；　my　dear。〃

But；　when　it　came　to　the　point；　his　wife　could　not　eat　any　of　the　nice　breakfast　she　had　got　ready；　she　only　had　another　cup　of　tea。

〃I'm　afraid　you're　ill；　Ellen？〃　Bunting　asked　solicitously。

〃No；〃　she　said　shortly；　〃I'm　not　ill　at　all。　　Don't　be　silly！　　The　thought　of　that　horrible　thing　happening　so　close　by　has　upset　me；　and　put　me　off　my　food。　　Just　hark　to　them　now！〃

Through　their　closed　windows　penetrated　the　sound　of　scurrying　feet　and　loud；　ribald　laughter。　　What　a　crowd；　nay；　what　a　mob；　must　be　hastening　busily　to　and　from　the　spot　where　there　was　now　nothing　to　be　seen！

Mrs。　Bunting　made　her　husband　lock　the　front　gate。　　〃I　don't　want　any　of　those　ghouls　in　here！〃　she　exclaimed　angrily。　　And　then；　〃What　a　lot　of　idle　people　there　are　in　the　world！〃　she　said。


CHAPTER　XVI

Bunting　began　moving　about　the　room　restlessly。　　He　would　go　to　the　window；　stand　there　awhile　staring　out　at　the　people　hurrying　past；　then；　coming　back　to　the　fireplace；　sit　down。

But　he　could　not　stay　long　quiet。　　After　a　glance　at　his　paper；　up　he　would　rise　from　his　chair；　and　go　to　the　window　again。

〃I　wish　you'd　stay　still；〃　his　wife　said　at　last。　And　then；　a　few　minutes　later；　〃Hadn't　you　better　put　your　hat　and　coat　on　and　go　out？〃　she　exclaimed。

And　Bunting；　with　a　rather　shamed　expression；　did　put　on　his　hat　and　coat　and　go　out。

As　he　did　so　be　told　himself　that；　after　all；　he　was　but　human；　it　was　natural　that　he　should　be　thrilled　and　excited　by　the　dreadful；　extraordinary　thing　which　had　just　happened　close　by。　　Ellen　wasn't　reasonable　about　such　things。　　How　queer　and　disagreeable　she　had　been　that　very　morning　…　angry　with　him　because　he　had　gone　out　to　hear　what　all　the　row　was　about；　and　even　more　angry　when　he　had　come　back　and　said　nothing；　because　he　thought　it　would　annoy　her　to　hear　about　it！

Meanwhile；　Mrs。　Bunting　forced　herself　to　go　down　again　into　the　kitchen；　and　as　she　went　through　into　the　low；　whitewashed　place；　a　tremor　of　fear；　of　quick　terror；　came　over　her。　　She　turned　and　did　what　she　had　never　in　her　life　done　before；　and　what　she　had　never　heard　of　anyone　else　doing　in　a　kitchen。　　She　bolted　the　door。

But；　having　done　this；　finding　herself　at　last　alone；　shut　off　from　everybody；　she　was　still　beset　by　a　strange；　uncanny　dread。　　She　felt　as　if　she　were　locked　in　with　an　invisible　presence；　which　mocked　and　jeered；　reproached　and　threatened　h