the lodger-第28节

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d　her；　by　turns。

Why　had　she　allowed；　nay　encouraged；　Daisy　to　go　away　for　two　days？　Daisy；　at　any　rate；　was　company　…　kind；　young；　unsuspecting　company。　With　Daisy　she　could　be　her　old　sharp　self。　　It　was　such　a　comfort　to　be　with　someone　to　whom　she　not　only　need；　but　ought　to；　say　nothing。　　When　with　Bunting　she　was　pursued　by　a　sick　feeling　of　guilt；　of　shame。　　She　was　the　man's　wedded　wife　…　in　his　stolid　way　he　was　very　kind　to　her；　and　yet　she　was　keeping　from　him　something　he　certainly　had　a　right　to　know。

Not　for　worlds；　however；　would　she　have　told　Bunting　of　her　dreadful　suspicion　…　nay；　of　her　almost　certainty。

At　last　she　went　across　to　the　door　and　unlocked　it。　　Then　she　went　upstairs　and　turned　out　her　bedroom。　　That　made　her　feel　a　little　better。

She　longed　for　Bunting　to　return；　and　yet　in　a　way　she　was　relieved　by　his　absence。　　She　would　have　liked　to　feel　him　near　by；　and　yet　she　welcomed　anything　that　took　her　husband　out　of　the　house。

And　as　Mrs。　Bunting　swept　and　dusted；　trying　to　put　her　whole　mind　into　what　she　was　doing；　she　was　asking　herself　all　the　time　what　was　going　on　upstairs。

What　a　good　rest　the　lodger　was　having！　　But　there；　that　was　only　natural。　　Mr。　Sleuth；　as　she　well　knew；　had　been　up　a　long　time　last　night；　or　rather　this　morning。

******

Suddenly；　the　drawing…room　bell　rang。　　But　Mr。　Sleuth's　landlady　did　not　go　up；　as　she　generally　did；　before　getting　ready　the　simple　meal　which　was　the　lodger's　luncheon　and　breakfast　combined。　　Instead；　she　went　downstairs　again　and　hurriedly　prepared　the　lodger's　food。

Then；　very　slowly；　with　her　heart　beating　queerly；　she　walked　up；　and　just　outside　the　sitting…room　…　for　she　felt　sure　that　Mr。　Sleuth　had　got　up；　that　he　was　there　already；　waiting　for　her　…　she　rested　the　tray　on　the　top　of　the　banisters　and　listened。　　For　a　few　moments　she　heard　nothing；　then　through　the　door　came　the　high；　quavering　voice　with　which　she　had　become　so　familiar：

〃'She　saith　to　him；　stolen　waters　are　sweet；　and　bread　eaten　in　secret　is　pleasant。　　But　he　knoweth　not　that　the　dead　are　there；　and　that　her　guests　are　in　the　depths　of　hell。'〃

There　was　a　long　pause。　　Mrs。　Bunting　could　hear　the　leaves　of　her　Bible　being　turned　over；　eagerly；　busily；　and　then　again　Mr。　Sleuth　broke　out；　this　time　in　a　softer　voice：

〃'She　hath　cast　down　many　wounded　from　her；　yea；　many　strong　men　have　been　slain　by　her。'〃　　And　in　a　softer；　lower；　plaintive　tone　came　the　words：　〃'I　applied　my　heart　to　know；　and　to　search；　and　to　seek　out　wisdom　and　the　reason　of　things；　and　to　know　the　wickedness　of　folly；　even　of　foolishness　and　madness。'〃

And　as　she　stood　there　listening；　a　feeling　of　keen　distress；　of　spiritual　oppression；　came　over　Mrs。　Bunting。　　For　the　first　time　in　her　life　she　visioned　the　infinite　mystery；　the　sadness　and　strangeness；　of　human　life。

Poor　Mr。　Sleuth　…　poor　unhappy；　distraught　Mr。　Sleuth！　　An　overwhelming　pity　blotted　out　for　a　moment　the　fear；　aye；　and　the　loathing；　she　had　been　feeling　for　her　lodger。

She　knocked　at　the　door；　and　then　she　took　up　her　tray。

〃Come　in；　Mrs。　Bunting。〃　Mr。　Sleuth's　voice　sounded　feebler；　more　toneless　than　usual。

She　turned　the　handle　of　the　door　and　walked　in。　　The　lodger　was　not　sitting　in　his　usual　place；　he　had　taken　the　little　round　table　on　which　his　candle　generally　rested　when　he　read　in　bed；　out　of　his　bedroom；　and　placed　it　over　by　the　drawing…room　window。　　On　it　were　placed；　open；　the　Bible　and　the　Concordance。　　But　as　his　landlady　came　in；　Mr。　Sleuth　hastily　closed　the　Bible；　and　began　staring　dreamily　out　of　the　window；　down　at　the　sordid；　hurrying　crowd　of　men　and　women　which　now　swept　along　the　Marylebone　Road。

〃There　seem　a　great　many　people　out　today；〃　he　observed；　without　looking　round。

〃Yes；　sir；　there　do。〃

Mrs。　Bunting　began　busying　herself　with　laying　the　cloth　and　putting　out　the　breakfast…lunch；　and　as　she　did　so　she　was　seized　with　a　mortal；　instinctive　terror　of　the　man　sitting　there。

At　last　Mr。　Sleuth　got　up　and　turned　round。　　She　forced　herself　to　look　at　him。　　How　tired；　how　worn；　he　looked；　and　…　how　strange！

Walking　towards　the　table　on　which　lay　his　meal；　he　rubbed　his　hands　together　with　a　nervous　gesture　…　it　was　a　gesture　he　only　made　when　something　had　pleased；　nay；　satisfied　him。　　Mrs。　Bunting；　looking　at　him；　remembered　that　he　had　rubbed　his　hands　together　thus　when　he　had　first　seen　the　room　upstairs；　and　realised　that　it　contained　a　large　gas…stove　and　a　convenient　sink。

What　Mr。　Sleuth　was　doing　now　also　reminded　her　in　an　odd　way　of　a　play　she　had　once　seen　…　a　play　to　which　a　young　man　bad　taken　her　when　she　was　a　girl；　unnumbered　years　ago；　and　which　had　thrilled　and　fascinated　her。　　〃Out；　out；　damned　spot！〃　that　was　what　the　tall；　fierce；　beautiful　lady　who　had　played　the　part　of　a　queen　had　said；　twisting　her　hands　together　just　as　the　lodger　was　doing　now。

〃It's　a　fine　day；〃　said　Mr。　Sleuth；　sitting　down　and　unfolding　his　napkin。　　〃The　fog　has　cleared。　　I　do　not　know　if　you　will　agree　with　me；　Mrs。　Bunting；　but　I　always　feel　brighter　when　the　sun　is　shining；　as　it　is　now；　at　any　rate；　trying　to　shine。〃　　He　looked　at　her　inquiringly；　but　Mrs。　Bunting　could　not　speak。　　She　only　nodded。　However；　that　did　not　affect　Mr。　Sleuth　adversely。

He　had　acquired　a　great　liking　and　respect　for　this　well…balanced；　taciturn　woman。　　She　was　the　first　woman　for　whom　he　had　experienced　any　such　feeling　for　many　years　past。

He　looked　down　at　the　still　covered　dish；　and　shook　his　head。　　〃I　don't　feel　as　if　I　could　eat　very　much　to…day；〃　he　said　plaintively。　And　then　he　suddenly　took　a　half…sovereign　out　of　his　waistcoat　pocket。

Already　Mrs。　Bunting　had　noticed　that　it　was　not　the　same　waistcoat　Mr。　Sleuth　had　been　wearing　the　day　before。

〃Mrs。　Bunting；　may　I　ask　you　to　come　here？〃

And　after　a　moment　of　hesitation　his　landlady　obeyed　him。

〃Will　you　please　accept　this　little　gift　for　the　use　you　kindly　allowed　me　to　make　of　your　kitchen　last　night？〃　he　said　quietly。　〃I　tried　to　make　as　little　mess　as　I　could；　Mrs。　Bunting；　but　…　　well；　the　truth　is　I　was　carrying　out　a　very　elaborate　experiment　〃

Mrs。　Bunting　held　out　her　hand；　she　hesitated；　and　then　she　took　the　coin。　　The　fingers　which　for　a　moment　brushed　lightly　against　her　palm　were　icy　cold　…　cold　and　clammy。　　Mr。　Sleuth　was　evidently　not　well。

As　she　walked　down　the　stairs；　the　winter　sun；　a　scarlet　ball　hanging　in　the　smoky　sky；　glinted　in　on　Mr。　Sleuth's　landlady；　and　threw　blood…red　gleams；　or　so　it　seemed　to　her；　on　to　the　piece　of　gold　she　was　holding　in　her　hand。

******

The　day　went　by；　as　other　days　had　gone　by　in　that　quiet　household；　but；　of　course；　there　was　far　greater　animation　outside　the　little　house　than　was　usually　the　case。

Perhaps　because　the　sun　was　shining　for　the　first　time　for　some　days；　the　whole　of　London　seemed　to　be　making　holiday　in　that　part　of　the　town。

When　Bunting　at　1ast　came　back；　his　wife　listened　silently　while　he　told　her　of　the　extraordinary　excitement　reigning　everywhere。　　And　then；　after　he　had　been　talking　a　long　while；　she　suddenly　shot　a　strange　look　at　him。

〃I　suppose　you　went　to　see　the　place？〃　she　said。

And　guiltily　he　acknowledged　that　he　had　done　so。

〃Well？〃

〃Well；　there　wasn't　anything　much　to　see　…　not　now。　　But；　oh；　Ellen；　the　daring　of　him！　　Why；　Ellen；　if　the　poor　soul　had　had　time　to　cry　out　…　which　they　don't　believe　she　had　…　it's　impossible　someone　wouldn't　'a　heard　her。　　They　say　that　if　he　goes　on　doing　it　like　that　…　in　the　afternoon；　like　…　he　never　will　be　caught。　　He　must　have　just　got　mixed　up　with　all　the　other　people　within　ten　seconds　of　what　he'd　done！〃

During　the　afternoon　Bunting　bought　papers　recklessly　…　in　fact；　he　must　have　spent　the　best　part　of　six…pence。　　But　in　spite　of　all　the　supposed　and　suggested　clues；　there　was　nothing　…　nothing　at　all　new　to　read；　less；　in　fact　than　ever　before。

The　police；　it　was　clear；　were　quite　at　a　loss；　and　Mrs。　Bunting　began　to　feel　curiously　better；　less　tired；　less　ill；　less　…　less　terrified　than　she　had　felt　through　the　morning。

And　then　something　happened　which　broke　with　dramatic　suddenness　the　quietude　of　the　day。

They　had　had　their　tea；　and　Bunting　was　reading　the　last　of　the　papers　he　had　run　out　to　buy；　when　suddenly　there　came　a　loud；　thundering；　double　knock　at　the　door。

Mrs。　Bunting　looked　up；　startled。　　〃Why；　whoever　can　that　be？〃　she　said。

But　as　Bunting　got　up　she　added　quickly；　〃You　just　sit　down　again。　I'll　go　myself。　　Sounds　like　someone　after　lodgings。　　I'll　soon　send　them　to　the　right…about！〃

And　then　she　left　the　room；　but　not　before　there　had　come　another　loud　double　knock。

Mrs。　Bunting　opened　the　front　door。　　In　a　moment　she　saw　that　the　person　who　stood　there　was　a　stranger　to　her。　　He　was　a　big；　dark　man；　with　fierce；　black　moustaches。　　And　somehow　…　she　could　not　have　told　you　why　…　he　suggested　a　policeman　to　Mrs。　Bunting's　mind。

This　notion　of　hers　was　confirmed　by　the　very　first　words　he　uttered。　For；　〃I'm　here　to　execute　a　warrant！〃　he　exclaimed　in　a　theatrical；　hollow　tone。

With　a　weak　cry　of　protest　Mrs。　Bunting　suddenly　threw　out　her　arms　as　if　to　bar　the　way；　she　turned　deadly　whi