the lodger-第37节

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〃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　Margaret。　　Wonderful　what　love　will　do；　ain't　it？　　He　went　over　there　just　to　help　Daisy　carry　her　bag　back；　you　know；　and　then　Margaret　told　him　that　her　lady　had　sent　her　some　money　to　go　to　the　play；　and　she　actually　asked　Joe　to　go　with　them　this　evening　…　she　and　Daisy　…　to　the　pantomime。　　Did　you　ever　hear　o'　such　a　thing？〃

〃Very　nice　for　them；　I'm　sure；〃　said　Mrs。　Bunting　absently。　　But　she　was　pleased　…　pleased　to　have　her　mind　taken　off　herself。　　〃Then　when　is　that　girl　coming　home？〃　she　asked　patiently。

〃Well；　it　appears　that　Chandler's　got　to…morrow　morning　off　too　…　　this　evening　and　to…morrow　morning。　　He'll　be　on　duty　all　night；　but　he　proposes　to　go　over　and　bring　Daisy　back　in　time　for　early　dinner。　　Will　that　suit　you；　Ellen？〃

〃Yes。　　That'll　be　all　right；〃　she　said。　　〃I　don't　grudge　the　girl　her　bit　of　pleasure。　　One's　only　young　once。　　By　the　way；　did　the　lodger　ring　while　I　was　out？〃

Bunting　turned　round　from　the　gas…ring；　which　he　was　watching　to　see　the　kettle　boil。　　〃No；〃　he　said。　　〃Come　to　think　of　it；　it's　rather　a　funny　thing；　but　the　truth　is；　Ellen；　I　never　gave　Mr。　Sleuth　a　thought。　　You　see；　Chandler　came　in　and　was　telling　me　all　about　Margaret；　laughing…like；　and　then　something　else　happened　while　you　was　out；　Ellen。〃

〃Something　else　happened？〃　she　said　in　a　startled　voice。　　Getting　up　from　her　chair　she　came　towards　her　husband：　〃What　happened？　Who　came？〃

〃Just　a　message　for　me；　asking　if　I　could　go　to…night　to　wait　at　a　young　lady's　birthday　party。　　In　Hanover　Terrace　it　is。　　A　waiter　　…　one　of　them　nasty　Swiss　fellows　as　works　for　nothing　…　fell　out　just　at　the　last　minute　and　so　they　had　to　send　for　me。〃

His　honest　face　shone　with　triumph。　　The　man　who　had　taken　over　his　old　friend's　business　in　Baker　Street　had　hitherto　behaved　very　badly　to　Bunting；　and　that　though　Bunting　had　been　on　the　books　for　ever　so　long；　and　had　always　given　every　satisfaction。　　But　this　new　man　had　never　employed　him　…　no；　not　once。

〃I　hope　you　didn't　make　yourself　too　cheap？〃　said　his　wife　jealously。

〃No；　that　I　didn't！　　I　hum'd　and　haw'd　a　lot；　and　I　could　see　the　fellow　was　quite　worried　…　in　fact；　at　the　end　he　offered　me　half…a…crown　more。　　So　I　graciously　consented！〃

Husband　and　wife　laughed　more　merrily　than　they　had　done　for　a　long　time。

〃You　won't　mind　being　alone；　here？　　I　don't　count　the　lodger　…　he's　no　good　…　〃　　Bunting　looked　at　her　anxiously。　　He　was　only　prompted　to　ask　the　question　because　lately　Ellen　had　been　so　queer；　so　unlike　herself。　　Otherwise　it　never　would　have　occurred　to　him　that　she　could　be　afraid　of　being　alone　in　the　house。　　She　had　often　been　so　in　the　days　when　he　got　more　jobs。

She　stared　at　him；　a　little　suspiciously。　　〃I　be　afraid？〃　she　echoed。　〃Certainly　not。　　Why　should　I　be？　　I've　never　been　afraid　before。　What　d'you　exactly　mean　by　that；　Bunting？〃

〃Oh；　nothing。　　I　only　thought　you　might　feel　funny…like；　all　alone　on　this　ground　floor。　　You　was　so　upset　yesterday　when　that　young　fool　Chandler　came；　dressed　up；　to　the　door。〃

〃I　shouldn't　have　been　frightened　if　he'd　just　been　an　ordinary　stranger；〃　she　said　shortly。　　〃He　said　something　silly　to　me　…　just　in　keeping　with　his　character…like；　and　it　upset　me。　　Besides；　I　feel　better　now。〃

As　she　was　sipping　gratefully　her　cup　of　tea；　there　came　a　noise　outside；　the　shouts　of　newspaper…sellers。

〃I'll　just　run　out；〃　said　Bunting　apologetically；　〃and　see　what　happened　at　that　inquest　to…day。　　Besides；　they　may　have　a　clue　about　the　horrible　affair　last　night。　　Chandler　was　full　of　it　…　　when　he　wasn't　talking　about　Daisy　and　Margaret；　that　is。　　He's　on　to…night；　luckily　not　till　twelve　o'clock；　plenty　of　time　to　escort　the　two　of　'em　back　after　the　play。　　Besides；　he　said　he'll　put　them　into　a　cab　and　blow　the　expense；　if　the　panto'　goes　on　too　long　for　him　to　take　'em　home。〃

〃On　to…night？〃。　　repeated　Mrs。　Bunting。　　〃Whatever　for？〃

〃Well；　you　see；　The　Avenger's　always　done　'em　in　couples；　so　to　speak。　　They've　got　an　idea　that　he'll　have　a　try　again　to…night。　However；　even　so；　Joe's　only　on　from　midnight　till　five　o'clock。　Then　he'll　go　and　turn　in　a　bit　before　going　off　to　fetch　Daisy；　Fine　thing　to　be　young；　ain't　it；　Ellen？〃

〃I　can't　believe　that　he'd　go　out　on　such　a　night　as　this！〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　Bunting；　staring　at　her。　　Ellen　had　spoken　so　oddly；　as　if　to　herself；　and　in　so　fierce　and　passionate　a　tone。

〃What　do　I　mean？〃　she　repeated　…　and　a　great　fear　clutched　at　her　heart。　　What　had　she　said？　　She　had　been　thinking　aloud。

〃Why；　by　saying　he　won't　go　out。　　Of　course；　he　has　to　go　out。　Besides；　he'll　have　been　to　the　play　as　it　is。　　'Twould　be　a　pretty　thing　if　the　police　didn't　go　out；　just　because　it　was　cold！〃

〃I　…　I　was　thinking　of　The　Avenger；〃　said　Mrs。　Bunting。　　She　looked　at　her　husband　fixedly。　　Somehow　she　had　felt　impelled　to　utter　those　true　words。

〃He　don't　take　no　heed　of　heat　nor　cold；〃　said　Bunting　sombrely。　〃I　take　it　the　man's　dead　to　all　human　feeling　…　…saving；　of　course；　revenge。

〃So　that's　your　idea　about　him；　is　it？〃　　She　looked　across　at　her　husband。　　Somehow　this　dangerous；　this　perilous　conversation　between　them　attracted　her　strangely。　　She　felt　as　if　she　must　go　on　with　it。　〃D'you　think　he　was　the　man　that　woman　said　she　saw？　　That　young　man　what　passed　her　with　a　newspaper　parcel？〃

〃Let　me　see；〃　he　said　slowly。　　〃I　thought　that　'twas　from　the　bedroom　window　a　woman　saw　him？〃

〃No；　no。　　I　mean　the　other　woman；　what　was　taking　her　husband's　breakfast　to　him　in　the　warehouse。　　She　was　far　the　most　respectable…looking　woman　of　the　two；〃　said　Mrs。　Bunting　impatiently。

And　then；　seeing　her　husband's　look　of　utter；　blank　astonishment；　she　felt　a　thrill　of　unreasoning　terror。　　She　must　have　gone　suddenly　mad　to　have　said　what　she　did！　　Hurriedly　she　got　up　from　her　chair。　〃There；　now；〃　she　said；　〃here　I　am　gossiping　all　about　nothing　when　I　ought　to　be　seeing　about　the　lodger's　supper。　　It　was　someone　in　the　train　talked　to　me　about　that　person　as　thinks　she　saw　The　Avenger。〃

Without　waiting　for　an　answer；　she　went　into　her　bedroom；　lit　the　gas；　and　shut　the　door。　　A　moment　later　she　heard　Bunting　go　out　to　buy　the　paper　they　had　both　forgotten　during　their　dangerous　discussion。

As　she　slowly；　languidly　took　off　her　nice；　warm　coat　and　shawl；　Mrs。　Bunting　found　herself　shivering。　　It　was　dreadfully　cold；　quite　unnaturally　cold　even　for　the　time　of　year。

She　looked　longingly　towards　the　fireplace。　　It　was　now　concealed　by　the　washhand…stand；　but　how　pleasant　it　would　be　to　drag　that　stand　aside　and　light　a　bit　of　fire；　especially　as　Bunting　was　going　to　be　out　to…night。　　He　would　have　to　put　on　his　dress　clothes；　and　she　didn't　like　his　dressing　in　the　sitting…room。　　It　didn't　suit　her　ideas　that　he　should　do　so。　　How　if　she　did　light　the　fire　here；　in　their　bedroom？　　It　would　be　nice　for　her　to　have　bit　of　fire　to　cheer　her　up　after　he　had　gone。

Mrs。　Bunting　knew　only　too　well　that　she　would　have　very　little　sleep　the　coming　night。　　She　looked　over；　with　shuddering　distaste；　at　her　nice；　soft　bed。　　There　she　would　lie；　on　that　couch　of　little　ease；　listening　…　listening。　。　。　。

She　went　down　to　the　kitchen。　　Everything　was　ready　for　Mr。　Sleuth's　supper；　for　she　had　made　all　her　preparations　before　going　out　so　as　not　to　have　to　hurry　back　before　it　suited　her　to　do　so。

Leaning　the　tray　for　a　moment　on　the　top　of　the　banisters；　she　listened。　　Even　in　that　nice　warm　drawing…room；　and　with　a　good　fire；　how　cold　the　lodger　must　feel　sitting　studying　at　the　table！　But　unwonted　sounds　were　coming　through　the　door。　　Mr。　Sleuth　was　moving　restlessly　about　the　room；　not　sitting　reading；　as　was　his　wont　at　this　time　of　the　evening。

She　knocked；　and　then　waited　a　moment。

There　came　the　sound　of　a　sharp　click；　that　of　the　key　turning　in　the　lock　of　the　chiffonnier　cupboard　…　or　so　Mr。　Sleuth's　landlady　could　have　sworn。

There　was　a　pause　…　she　knocked　again。

〃Come　in；〃　said　Mr。　Sleuth　loudly；　and　she　opened　the　door　and　carried　in　the　tray。

〃You　are　a　little　earlier　than　usual；　are　you　not　Mrs。　Bunting？〃　he　said；　with　a　touch　of　irritation　in　his　voice。

〃I　don't　think　so；　sir；　but　I've　been　out。　　Perhaps　I　lost　count　of　the　time。　　I　thought　you'd　like　your　breakfast　early；　as　you　had　dinner　rather　sooner　than　usual。〃

〃Breakfast？　　Did　you　say　breakfast；　Mrs。　Bunting？〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；　I'm　sure！　　I　meant　supper。〃　　He　looked　at　her　fixedly。　　It　seemed　to　Mrs。　Bunting　that　there　was　a　terrible　questioning　look　in　his　dark；　sunken　eyes。

〃Aren't　you　well？〃　he　said　slowly。　　〃You　don't　look　well；　Mrs。　Bunting。〃

〃No；　sir；〃　she　said。　　〃I'm　not　well。　　I　went　over　to　see　a　doctor　this　afternoon；　to　Ealing；　sir。〃

〃I　hope　he　did　you　good；　Mrs。　Bunting〃　…　the　lodger's　voice　had　become　softer；　kinder　in　quality。

〃It　always　does　me　good　to　see　the　doctor；〃　said　Mrs。　Bunting　evasively。

And　then　a　very　odd　smile　lit　up　Mr。　Sleuth's　face。　　〃Doctors　are　a　maligned　body　of　men；〃　he　said。　　〃I'm　glad　to　hear