the lodger-第30节

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There　came　a　sudden　silence；　and　he　was　startled　to　see　that。　　Ellen　was　standing　in　the　doorway；　staring　at　him；　doing　nothing。

〃Come　in；〃　he　said；　〃do！　　Ain't　you　finished　yet？〃

〃I　was　only　resting　a　minute；〃　she　said。　　〃You　don't　tell　me　nothing。　I'd　like　to　know　if　there's　anything　…　I　mean　anything　new　…　in　the　paper　this　morning。〃

She　spoke　in　a　muffled　voice；　almost　as　if　she　were　ashamed　of　her　unusual　curiosity；　and　her　look　of　fatigue；　of　pallor；　made　Bunting　suddenly　uneasy。　　〃Come　in　　…　do！〃　he　repeated　sharply。　　〃You've　done　quite　enough　…　and　before　breakfast；　too。　　'Tain't　necessary。　Come　in　and　shut　that　door。〃

He　spoke　authoritatively；　and　his　wife；　for　a　wonder；　obeyed　him。

She　came　in；　and　did　what　she　had　never　done　before　…　brought　the　broom　with　her；　and　put　it　up　against　the　wall　in　the　corner。

Then　she　sat　down。

〃I　think　I'll　make　breakfast　up　here；〃　she　said。　　〃I　…　I　feel　cold；　Bunting。〃　　And　her　husband　stared　at　her　surprised；　for　drops　of　perspiration　were　glistening　on　her　forehead。

He　got　up。　　〃All　right。　　I'll　go　down　and　bring　the　eggs　up。　　Don't　you　worry。　　For　the　matter　of　that；　I　can　cook　them　downstairs　if　you　like。〃

〃No；〃　she　said　obstinately。　　〃I'd　rather　do　my　own　work。　　You　just　bring　them　up　here　…　that'll　be　all　right。　　To…morrow　morning　we'll　have　Daisy　to　help　see　to　things。〃

〃Come　over　here　and　sit　down　comfortable　in　my　chair；〃　he　suggested　kindly。　　〃You　never　do　take　any　bit　of　rest；　Ellen。　　I　never　see'd　such　a　woman！〃

And　again　she　got　up　and　meekly　obeyed　him；　walking　across　the　room　with　languid　steps。

He　watched　her；　anxiously；　uncomfortably。

She　took　up　the　newspaper　he　had　just　laid　down；　and　Bunting　took　two　steps　towards　her。

〃I'll　show　you　the　most　interesting　bit〃　he　said　eagerly。　　〃It's　the　piece　headed；　'Our　Special　Investigator。'　You　see；　they've　started　a　special　investigator　of　their　own；　and　he's　got　hold　of　a　lot　of　little　facts　the　police　seem　to　have　overlooked。　　The　man　who　writes　all　that　…　I　mean　the　Special　Investigator　…　was　a　famous　'tec　in　his　time；　and　he's　just　come　back　out　of　his　retirement　o'　purpose　to　do　this　bit　of　work　for　the　paper。　　You　read　what　he　says　…　I　shouldn't　be　a　bit　surprised　if　he　ends　by　getting　that　reward！　　One　can　see　he　just　loves　the　work　of　tracking　people　down。〃

〃There's　nothing　to　be　proud　of　in　such　a　job；〃　said　his　wife　listlessly。

〃He'll　have　something　to　be　proud　of　if　he　catches　The　Avenger！〃　cried　Bunting。　　He　was　too　keen　about　this　affair　to　be　put　off　by　Ellen's　contradictory　remarks。　　〃You　just　notice　that　bit　about　the　rubber　soles。　　Now；　no　one's　thought　o'　that。　　I'll　just　tell　Chandler　…　he　don't　seem　to　me　to　be　half　awake；　that　young　man　don't。〃

〃He's　quite　wide　awake　enough　without　you　saying　things　to　him！　How　about　those　eggs；　Bunting？　　I　feel　quite　ready　for　my　breakfast　even　if　you　don't　…　〃

Mrs。　Bunting　now　spoke　in　what　her　husband　sometimes　secretly　described　to　himself　as　〃Ellen's　snarling　voice。

He　turned　away　and　left　the　room；　feeling　oddly　troubled。　　There　was　something　queer　about　her；　and　he　couldn't　make　it　out。　　He　didn't　mind　it　when　she　spoke　sharply　and　nastily　to　him。　　He　was　used　to　that。　　But　now　she　was　so　up　and　down；　so　different　from　what　she　used　to　be！　　In　old　days　she　had　always　been　the　same；　but　now　a　man　never　knew　where　to　have　her。

And　as　he　went　downstairs　he　pondered　uneasily　over　his　wife's　changed　ways　and　manner。

Take　the　question　of　his　easy　chair。　　A　very　small　matter；　no　doubt；　but　he　had　never　known　Ellen　sit　in　that　chair　…　no；　not　even　once；　for　a　minute；　since　it　had　been　purchased　by　her　as　a　present　for　him。

They　had　been　so　happy；　so　happy；　and　so　…　so　restful；　during　that　first　week　after　Mr。　Sleuth　had　come　to　them。　　Perhaps　it　was　the　sudden；　dramatic　change　from　agonising　anxiety　to　peace　and　security　which　had　been　too　much　for　Ellen　…　yes；　that　was　what　was　the　matter　with　her；　that　and　the　universal　excitement　about　these　Avenger　murders；　which　were　shaking　the　nerves　of　all　London。　　Even　Bunting；　unobservant　as　he　was；　had　come　to　realise　that　his　wife　took　a　morbid　interest　in　these　terrible　happenings。　　And　it　was　the　more　queer　of　her　to　do　so　that　at　first　she　refused　to　discuss　them；　and　said　openly　that　she　was　utterly　uninterested　in　murder　or　crime　of　any　sort。

He；　Bunting；　had　always　had　a　mild　pleasure　in　such　things。　　In　his　time　he　had　been　a　great　reader　of　detective　tales；　and　even　now　he　thought　there　was　no　pleasanter　reading。　　It　was　that　which　had　first　drawn　him　to　Joe　Chandler；　and　made　him　welcome　the　young　chap　as　cordially　as　he　had　done　when　they　first　came　to　London。

But　though　Ellen　had　tolerated；　she　had　never　encouraged；　that　sort　of　talk　between　the　two　men。　　More　than　once　she　had　exclaimed　reproachfully：　〃To　hear　you　two；　one　would　think　there　was　no　nice；　respectable；　quiet　people　left　in　the　world！〃

But　now　all　that　was　changed。　　She　was　as　keen　as　anyone　could　be　to　hear　the　latest　details　of　an　Avenger　crime。　　True；　she　took　her　own　view　of　any　theory　suggested。　　But　there！　　Ellen　always　had　had　her　own　notions　about　everything　under　the　sun。　　Ellen　was　a　woman　who　thought　for　herself　…　a　clever　woman；　not　an　everyday　woman　by　any　manner　of　means。

While　these　thoughts　were　going　disconnectedly　through　his　mind；　Bunting　was　breaking　four　eggs　into　a　basin。　　He　was　going　to　give　Ellen　a　nice　little　surprise　…　to　cook　an　omelette　as　a　French　chef　had　once　taught　him　to　do；　years　and　years　ago。　　He　didn't　know　how　she　would　take　his　doing　such　a　thing　after　what　she　had　said；　but　never　mind；　she　would　enjoy　the　omelette　when　done。　　Ellen　hadn't　been　eating　her　food　properly　of　late。

And　when　he　went　up　again；　his　wife；　to　his　relief；　and；　it　must　be　admitted；　to　his　surprise；　took　it　very　well。　　She　had　not　even　noticed　how　long　he　had　been　downstairs；　for　she　had　been　reading　with　intense；　painful　care　the　column　that　the　great　daily　paper　they　took　in　had　allotted　to　the　one…time　famous　detective。

According　to　this　Special　Investigator's　own　account　he　had　discovered　all　sorts　of　things　that　had　escaped　the　eye　of　the　police　and　of　the　official　detectives。　　For　instance；　owing；　he　admitted；　to　a　fortunate　chance；　he　had　been　at　the　place　where　the　two　last　murders　had　been　committed　very　soon　after　the　double　crime　had　been　discovered　…　in　fact　within　half　an　hour；　and　he　had　found；　or　so　he　felt　sure；　on　the　slippery；　wet　pavement　imprints　of　the　murderer's　right　foot。

The　paper　reproduced　the　impression　of　a　half…worn　rubber　sole。　At　the　same　time；　he　also　admitted　…　for　the　Special　Investigator　was　very　honest；　and　he　had　a　good　bit　of　space　to　fill　in　the　enterprising　paper　which　had　engaged　him　to　probe　the　awful　mystery　…　that　there　were　thousands　of　rubber　soles　being　worn　in　London。　。　。　。

And　when　she　came　to　that　statement　Mrs。　Bunting　looked　up；　and　there　came　a　wan　smile　over　her　thin；　closely…shut　lips。　　It　was　quite　true　…　that　about　rubber　soles；　there　were　thousands　of　rubber　soles　being　worn　just　now。　　She　felt　grateful　to　the　Special　Investigator　for　having　stated　the　fact　so　clearly。

The　column　ended　up　with　the　words：

〃And　to…day　will　take　place　the　inquest　on　the　double　crime　of　ten　days　ago。　　To　my　mind　it　would　be　well　if　a　preliminary　public　inquiry　could　be　held　at　once。　　Say；　on　the　very　day　the　discovery　of　a　fresh　murder　is　made。　　In　that　way　alone　would　it　be　possible　to　weigh　and　sift　the　evidence　offered　by　members　of　the　general　public。　　For　when　a　week　or　more　has　elapsed；　and　these　same　people　have　been　examined　and　cross…examined　in　private　by　the　police；　their　impressions　have　had　time　to　become　blurred　and　　hopelessly　confused。　　On　that　last　occasion　but　one　there　seems　no　doubt　that　several　people；　at　any　rate　two　women　and　one　man；　actually　saw　the　murderer　hurrying　from　the　scene　of　his　atrocious　double　crime　…　this　being　so；　to…day's　investigation　may　be　of　the　highest　value　and　importance。　　To…morrow　I　hope　to　give　an　account　of　the　impression　made　on　me　by　the　inquest；　and　by　any　statements　made　during　its　course。〃

Even　when　her　husband　had　come　in　with　the　tray　Mrs。　Bunting　had　gone　on　reading；　only　lifting　up　her　eyes　for　a　moment。　　At　last　he　said　rather　crossly；　〃Put　down　that　paper；　Ellen；　this　minute！　　The　omelette　I've　cooked　for　you　will　be　just　like　leather　if　you　don't　eat　it。〃

But　once　his　wile　had　eaten　her　breakfast　…　and；　to　Bunting's　mortification；　she　left　more　than　half　the　nice　omelette　untouched　　…　she　took　the　paper　up　again。　　She　turned　over　the　big　sheets；　until　she　found；　at　the　foot　of　one　of　the　ten　columns　devoted　to　The　Avenger　and　his　crimes；　the　information　she　wanted；　and　then　uttered　an　exclamation　under　her　breath。

What　Mrs。　Bunting　had　been　looking　for　…　what　at　last　she　had　found　　…　was　the　time　and　place　of　the　inquest　which　was　to　be　held　that　day。　　The　hour　named　was　a　rather　odd　time　…　two　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　but；　from　Mrs。　Bunting's　point　of　view；　it　was　most　convenient。

By　two　o'clock；　nay；　by　half…past　one；　the　lodger　would　have　had　his　lunch；　by　hurrying　matters　a　little　she　and　Bunting　would　have　had　their　dinner；　and　…　and　Daisy　w