the lodger-第36节

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ain　way　by　my　side；　and　then　he　crossed　the　road　and　was　lost　in　the　fog。〃

〃That　will　do；〃　said　the　coroner。　　He　spoke　more　kindly。　　〃I　thank　you；　Mr。　Cannot；　for　coming　here　and　giving　us　what　you　evidently　consider　important　information。〃

Mr。　Cannot　bowed；　a　funny；　little；　old…fashioned　bow；　and　again　some　of　those　present　tittered　rather　foolishly。

As　he　was　stepping　down　from　the　witness…box；　he　turned　and　looked　up　at　the　coroner；　opening　his　lips　as　he　did　so。　　There　was　a　murmur　of　talking　going　on；　but　Mrs。　Bunting；　at　any　rate；　heard　quite　distinctly　what　it　was　that　he　said：

〃One　thing　I　have　forgotten；　sir；　which　may　be　of　importance。　　The　man　carried　a　bag　…　a　rather　light…coloured　leather　bag；　in　his　left　hand。　　It　was　such　a　bag；　sir；　as　might　well　contain　a　long…handled　knife。〃

Mrs。　Bunting　looked　at　the　reporters'　table。　　She　remembered　suddenly　that　she　had　told　Bunting　about　the　disappearance　of　Mr。　Sleuth's　bag。　And　then　a　feeling　of　intense　thankfulness　came　over　her；　not　a　single　reporter　at　the　long；　ink…stained　table　had　put　down　that　last　remark　of　Mr。　Cannot。　　In　fact；　not　one　of　them　had　heard　it。

Again　the　last　witness　put　up　his　hand　to　command　attention。　　And　then　silence　did　fall　on　the　court。

〃One　word　more；〃　he　said　in　a　quavering　voice。　　〃May　I　ask　to　be　accommodated　with　a　seat　for　the　rest　of　the　proceedings？　　I　see　there　is　some　room　left　on　the　witnesses'　bench。〃　　And；　without　waiting　for　permission；　he　nimbly　stepped　across　and　sat　down。

Mrs。　Bunting　looked　up；　startled。　　Her　friend；　the　inspector；　was　bending　over　her。

〃Perhaps　you'd　like　to　come　along　now；〃　he　said　urgently。　　…　〃I　don't　suppose　you　want　to　hear　the　medical　evidence。　　It's　always　painful　for　a　female　to　hear　that。　　And　there'll　be　an　awful　rush　when　the　inquest's　over。　　I　could　get　you　away　quietly　now。〃

She　rose；　and；　pulling　her　veil　down　over　her　pale　face；　followed　him　obediently。

Down　the　stone　staircase　they　went；　and　through　the　big；　now　empty；　room　downstairs。

〃I'll　let　you　out　the　back　way；〃　he　said。　　〃I　expect　you're　tired；　ma'am；　and　will　like　to　get　home　to　a　cup　o'　tea。〃

〃I　don't　know　how　to　thank　you！〃　　There　were　tears　in　her　eyes。　She　was　trembling　with　excitement　and　emotion。　　〃You　have　been　good　to　me。〃

〃Oh；　that's　nothing；〃　he　said　a　little　awkwardly。　　〃I　expect　you　went　though　a　pretty　bad　time；　didn't　you？〃

〃Will　they　be　having　that　old　gentleman　again？〃　she　spoke　in　a　whisper；　and　looked　up　at　him　with　a　pleading；　agonised　look。

〃Good　Lord；'　no！　　Crazy　old　fool！　　We're　troubled　with　a　lot　of　those　sort　of　people；　you　know；　ma'am；　and　they　often　do　have　funny　names；　too。　　You　see；　that　sort　is　busy　all　their　lives　in　the　City；　or　what　not；　then　they　retires　when　they　gets　about　sixty；　and　they're　fit　to　hang　themselves　with　dulness。　　Why；　there's　hundreds　of　lunies　of　the　sort　to　be　met　in　London。　　You　can't　go　about　at　night　and　not　meet　'em。　　Plenty　of　'em！〃

〃Then　you　don't　think　there　was　anything　in　what　he　said？〃　she　ventured。

〃In　what　that　old　gent　said？　　Goodness　…　no！〃　he　laughed　good…naturedly。　　〃But　I'll　tell　you　what　I　do　think。　　If　it　wasn't　for　the　time　that　had　gone　by；　I　should　believe　that　the　second　witness　had　seen　that　crafty　devil　…　〃　he　lowered　his　voice。　　〃But；　there；　Dr。　Gaunt　declares　most　positively　…　so　did　two　other　medical　gentlemen　…　that　the　poor　creatures　had　been　dead　hours　when　they　was　found。　　Medical　gentlemen　are　always　very　positive　about　their　evidence。　　They　have　to　be　…　　otherwise　who'd　believe　'em？　　If　we'd　time　I　could　tell　you　of　a　case　in　which　…　well；　'twas　all　because　of　Dr。　Gaunt　that　the　murderer　escaped。　　We　all　knew　perfectly　well　the　man　we　caught　did　it；　but　he　was　able　to　prove　an　alibi　as　to　the　time　Dr。　　Gaunt　said　the　poor　soul　was　killed。　　


CHAPTER　XX

It　was　not　late　even　now；　for　the　inquest　had　begun　very　punctually；　but　Mrs。　Bunting　felt　that　no　power　on　earth　should　force　her　to　go　to　Ealing。　　She　felt　quite　tired　out　and　as　if　she　could　think　of　nothing。

Pacing　along　very　slowly；　as　if　she　were　an　old；　old　woman；　she　began　listlessly　turning　her　steps　towards　home。　　Somehow　she　felt　that　it　would　do　her　more　good　to　stay　out　in　the　air　than　take　the　train。　　Also　she　would　thus　put　off　the　moment　…　the　moment　to　which　she　looked　forward　with　dread　and　dislike　…　when　she　would　have　to　invent　a　circumstantial　story　as　to　what　she　had　said　to　the　doctor；　and　what　the　doctor　had　said　to　her。

Like　most　men　and　women　of　his　class；　Bunting　took　a　great　interest　in　other　people's　ailments；　the　more　interest　that　he　was　himself　so　remarkably　healthy。　　He　would　feel　quite　injured　if　Ellen　didn't　tell　him　everything　that　had　happened；　everything；　that　is；　that　the　doctor　had　told　her。

As　she　walked　swiftly　along；　at　every　corner；　or　so　it　seemed　to　her；　and　outside　every　public…house；　stood　eager　boys　selling　the　latest　edition　of　the　afternoon　papers　to　equally　eager　buyers。　　〃Avenger　Inquest？〃　they　shouted　exultantly。　　〃All　the　latest　evidence！〃　　At　one　place；　where　there　were　a　row　of　contents…bills　pinned　to　the　pavement　by　stones；　she　stopped　and　looked　down。　　〃Opening　of　the　Avenger　Inquest。　What　is　he　really　like？　　Full　description。〃　　On　yet　another　ran　the　ironic　query：　〃Avenger　Inquest。　Do　you　know　him？〃

And　as　that　facetious　question　stared　up　at　her　in　huge　print；　Mrs。　Bunting　turned　sick　…　so　sick　and　faint　that　she　did　what　she　had　never　done　before　in　her　life　…　she　pushed　her　way　into　a　public…house；　and；　putting　two　pennies　down　on　the　counter；　asked　for；　and　received；　a　glass　of　cold　water。

As　she　walked　along　the　now　gas…lit　streets；　she　found　her　mind　dwelling　persistently　…　not　on　the　inquest　at　which　she　had　been　present；　not　even　on　The　Avenger；　but　on　his　victims。

Shudderingly；　she　visualised　the　two　cold　bodies　lying　in　the　mortuary。　　She　seemed　also　to　see　that　third　body；　which；　though　cold；　must　yet　be　warmer　than　the　other　two；　for　at　this　time　yesterday　The　Avenger's　last　victim　had　been　alive；　poor　soul　…　　alive　and；　according　to　a　companion　of　hers　whom　the　papers　had　already　interviewed；　particularly　merry　and　bright。

Hitherto　Mrs。　Bunting　had　been　spared　in　any　real　sense　a　vision　of　The　Avenger's　victims。　　Now　they　haunted　her；　and　she　wondered　wearily　if　this　fresh　horror　was　to　be　added　to　the　terrible　fear　which　encompassed　her　night　and　day。

As　she　came　within　sight　of　home；　her　spirit　suddenly　lightened。　The　narrow；　drab…coloured　little　house；　flanked　each　side　by　others　exactly　like　it　in　every　single　particular；　save　that　their　front　yards　were　not　so　well　kept；　looked　as　if　it　could；　　aye；　and　would；　keep　any　secret　closely　hidden。

For　a　moment；　at　any　rate；　The　Avenger's　victims　receded　from　her　mind。　　She　thought　of　them　no　more。　　All　her　thoughts　were　concentrated　on　Bunting　…　Bunting　and　Mr。　Sleuth。　　She　wondered　what　had　happened　during　her　absence　…　whether　the　lodger　had　rung　his　bell；　and；　if　so；　how　he　had　got　on　with　Bunting；　and　Bunting　with　him？

She　walked　up　the　little　flagged　path　wearily；　and　yet　with　a　pleasant　feeling　of　home…coming。　　And　then　she　saw　that　Bunting　must　have　been　watching　for　her　behind　the　now　closely　drawn　curtains；　for　before　she　could　either　knock　or　ring　he　had　opened　the　door。

〃I　was　getting　quite　anxious　about　you；〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃Come　in；　Ellen；　quick！　　You　must　be　fair　perished　a　day　like　now　…　and　you　out　so　little　as　you　are。　　Well？　　I　hope　you　found　the　doctor　all　right？〃　　He　looked　at　her　with　affectionate　anxiety。

And　then　there　came　a　sudden；　happy　thought　to　Mrs。　Bunting。　　〃No；〃　she　said　slowly；　〃Doctor　Evans　wasn't　in。　　I　waited；　and　waited；　and　waited；　but　he　never　came　in　at　all。　　〃Twas　my　own　fault〃　she　added　quickly。　　Even　at　such　a　moment　as　this　she　told　herself　that　though　she　had；　in　a　sort　of　way；　a　kind　of　right　to　lie　to　her　husband；　she　had　no　sight　to　slander　the　doctor　who　had　been　so　kind　to　her　years　ago。　　〃I　ought　to　have　sent　him　a　card　yesterday　night；〃　she　said。　　〃Of　course；　I　was　a　fool　to　go　all　that　way；　just　on　chance　of　finding　a　doctor　in。　　It　stands　to　reason　they've　got　to　go　out　to　people　at　all　times　of　day。〃

〃I　hope　they　gave　you　a　cup　of　tea？〃　he　said。

And　again　she　hesitated；　debating　a　point　with　herself：　if　the　doctor　had　a　decent　sort　of　servant；　of　course；　she；　Ellen　Bunting；　would　have　been　offered　a　cup　of　tea；　especially　if　she　explained　she'd　known　him　a　long　time。

She　compromised。　　〃I　was　offered　some；〃　she　said；　in　a　weak；　tired　voice。　　〃But　there；　Bunting；　I　didn't　feel　as　if　I　wanted　it。　　I'd　be　very　grateful　for　a　cup　now　…　if　you'd　just　make　it　for　me　over　the　ring。〃

〃'Course　I　will；〃　he　said　eagerly。　　〃You　just　come　in　and　sit　down；　my　dear。　　Don't　trouble　to　take　your　things　off　now　…　wait　till　you've　had　tea。〃

And　she　obeyed　him。　　〃Where's　Daisy？〃　she　asked　suddenly。　　〃I　thought　the　girl　would　be　back　by　the　time　I　got　home。〃

〃She　ain't　coming　home　to…day〃　…　there　was　an　odd；　sly；　smiling　look　on　Bunting's　face。

〃Did　she　send　a　telegram？〃　asked　Mrs。　Bunting。

〃No。　　Young　Chandler's　just　come　in　and　told　me。　　He's　been　over　there　and；　…　would　you　believe　it；　Ellen？　　…　he's　managed　to　make　friends　with　Marg