the lodger-第5节

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e's　five　…　six　…　seven　…　eight　…　nine　　…　ten　pounds。　　You'd　better　keep　the　odd　change；　Mrs。　Bunting；　for　I　shall　want　you　to　do　some　shopping　for　me　to…morrow　morning。　I　met　with　a　misfortune　to…day。〃　　But　the　new　lodger　did　not　speak　as　if　his　misfortune；　whatever　it　was；　weighed　on　his　spirits。

〃Indeed；　sir。　　I'm　sorry　to　hear　that。〃　　Mrs。　Bunting's　heart　was　going　thump　…　thump　…　thump。　　She　felt　extraordinarily　moved；　dizzy　with　relief　and　joy。

〃Yes；　a　very　great　misfortune！　　I　lost　my　luggage；　the　few　things　I　managed　to　bring　away　with　me。〃　　His　voice　dropped　suddenly。　　〃I　shouldn't　have　said　that；〃　he　muttered。　　〃I　was　a　fool　to　say　that！〃　Then；　more　loudly；　〃Someone　said　to　me；　'You　can't　go　into　a　lodging…house　without　any　luggage。　　They　wouldn't　take　you　in。'　　But　you　have　taken　me　in；　Mrs。　Bunting；　and　I'm　grateful　for　…　for　the　kind　way　you　have　met　me　…　〃　　He　looked　at　her　feelingly；　appealingly；　and　Mrs。　Bunting　was　touched。　　She　was　beginning　to　feel　very　kindly　towards　her　new　lodger。

〃I　hope　I　know　a　gentleman　when　I　see　one；〃　she　said；　with　a　break　in　her　staid　voice；

〃I　shall　have　to　see　about　getting　some　clothes　to…morrow；　Mrs。　Bunting。〃　Again　he　looked　at　her　appealingly。

〃I　expect　you'd　like　to　wash　your　hands　now；　sir。　　And　would　you　tell　me　what　you'd　like　for　supper？　　We　haven't　much　in　the　house。〃

〃Oh；　anything'll　do；〃　he　said　hastily。　　〃I　don't　want　you　to　go　out　for　me。　　It's　a　cold；　foggy；　wet　night；　Mrs。　Bunting。　　If　you　have　a　little　bread…and…butter　and　a　cup　of　milk　I　shall　be　quite　satisfied。〃

〃I　have　a　nice　sausage；〃　she　said　hesitatingly。

It　was　a　very　nice　sausage；　and　she　had　bought　it　that　same　morning　for　Bunting's　supper；　as　to　herself；　she　had　been　going　to　content　herself　with　a　little　bread　and　cheese。　　But　now　…　wonderful；　almost；　intoxicating　thought　…　she　could　send　Bunting　out　to　get　anything　they　both　liked。　　The　ten　sovereigns　lay　in　her　hand　full　of　comfort　and　good　cheer。

〃A　sausage？　　No；　I　fear　that　will　hardly　do。　　I　never　touch　flesh　meat；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　a　long；　long　time　since　I　tasted　a　sausage；　Mrs。　Bunting。〃

〃Is　it　indeed；　sir？〃　　She　hesitated　a　moment；　then　asked　stiffly；　〃And　will　you　be　requiring　any　beer；　or　wine；　sir？〃

A　strange；　wild　look　of　lowering　wrath　suddenly　filled　Mr。　Sleuth's　pale　face。

〃Certainly　not。　　I　thought　I　had　made　that　quite　clear；　Mrs。　Bunting。　I　had　hoped　to　hear　that　you　were　an　abstainer　…　〃

〃So　I　am；　sir；　lifelong。　　And　so's　Bunting　been　since　we　married。〃　She　might　have　said；　had　she　been　a　woman　given　to　make　such　confidences；　that　she　had　made　Buntlng　abstain　very　early　in　their　acquaintance。　　That　he　had　given　in　about　that　had　been　the　thing　that　first　made　her　believe；　that　he　was　sincere　in　all　the　nonsense　that　he　talked　to　her；　in　those　far…away　days　of　his　courting。　　Glad　she　was　now　that　he　had　taken　the　pledge　as　a　younger　man；　hut　for　that　nothing　would　have　kept　him　from　the　drink　during　the　bad　times　they　had　gone　through。

And　then；　going　downstairs；　she　showed　Mr。　Sleuth　the　nice　bedroom　which　opened　out　of　the　drawing…room。　　It　was　a　replica　of　Mrs。　Bunting's　own　room　just　underneath；　excepting　that　everything　up　here　had　cost　just　a　little　more；　and　was　therefore　rather　better　in　quality。

The　new　lodger　looked　round　him　with　such　a　strange　expression　of　content　and　peace　stealing　over　his　worn　face。　　〃A　haven　of　rest；〃　he　muttered；　and　then；　〃'He　bringeth　them　to　their　desired　haven。'　Beautiful　words；　Mrs。　Bunting。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

Mrs。　Bunting　felt　a　little　startled。　　It　was　the　first　time　anyone　had　quoted　the　Bible　to　her　for　many　a　long　day。　　But　it　seemed　to　set　the　seal；　as　it　were；　on　Mr。　Sleuth's　respectability。

What　a　comfort　it　was；　too；　that　she　had　to　deal　with　only　one　lodger；　and　that　a　gentleman；　instead　of　with　a　married　couple！　Very　peculiar　married　couples　had　drifted　in　and　out　of　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Bunting's　lodgings；　not　only　here；　in　London；　but　at　the　seaside。

How　unlucky　they　had　been；　to　be　sure！　　Since　they　had　come　to　London　not　a　single　pair　of　lodgers　had　been　even　moderately　respectable　and　kindly。　　The　last　lot　had　belonged　to　that　horrible　underworld　of　men　and　women　who；　having；　as　the　phase　goes；　seen　better　days；　now　only　keep　their　heads　above　water　with　the　help　of　petty　fraud。

〃I'll　bring　you　up　some　hot　water　in　a　minute；　sir；　and　some　clean　towels；〃　she　said；　going　to　the　door。

And　then　Mr。　Sleuth　turned　quickly　round。　　〃Mrs。　Bunting　〃　…　and　as　he　spoke　he　stammered　a　little　…　〃　I　…　I　don't　want　you　to　interpret　the　word　attendance　too　liberally。　　You　need　not　run　yourself　off　your　feet　for　me。　　I'm　accustomed　to　look　after　myself。〃

And；　queerly；　uncomfortably；　she　felt　herself　dismissed　　…　even　a　little　snubbed。　　〃All　right；　sir；〃　she　said。　　〃I'll　only　just　let　you　know　when　I've　your　supper　ready。〃


CHAPTER　III

But　what　was　a　little　snub　compared　with　the　intense　relief　and　joy　of　going　down　and　telling　Bunting　of　the　great　piece　of　good　fortune　which　had　fallen　their　way？

Staid　Mrs。　Bunting　seemed　to　make　but　one　leap　down　the　steep　stairs。　In　the　hall；　however；　she　pulled　herself　together；　and　tried　to　still　her　agitation。　　She　had　always　disliked　and　despised　any　show　of　emotion；　she　called　such　betrayal　of　feeling　〃making　a　fuss。〃

Opening　the　door　of　their　sitting…room；　she　stood　for　a　moment　looking　at　her　husband's　bent　back；　and　she　realised；　with　a　pang　of　pain；　how　the　last　few　weeks　had　aged　him。

Bunting　suddenly　looked　round；　and；　seeing　his　wife；　stood　up。　　He　put　the　paper　he　had　been　holding　down　on　to　the　table：　〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃well；　who　was　it；　then？〃

He　felt　rather　ashamed　of　himself；　it　was　he　who　ought　to　have　answered　the　door　and　done　all　that　parleying　of　which　he　had　heard　murmurs。

And　then　in　a　moment　his　wife's　hand　shot　out；　and　the　ten　sovereigns　fell　in　a　little　clinking　heap　on　the　table。

〃Look　there！〃　she　whispered；　with　an　excited；　tearful　quiver　in　her　voice。　　〃Look　there；　Bunting！〃

And　Bunting　did　look　there；　but　with　a　troubled；　frowning　gaze。

He　was　not　quick…witted；　but　at　once　he　jumped　to　the　conclusion　that　his　wile　had　just　had　in　a　furniture　dealer；　and　that　this　ten　pounds　represented　all　their　nice　furniture　upstairs。　　If　that　were　so；　then　it　was　the　beginning　of　the　end。　　That　furniture　in　the　first…floor　front　had　cost　…　Ellen　had　reminded　him　of　the　fact　bitterly　only　yesterday　…　seventeen　pounds　nine　shillings；　and　every　single　item　had　been　a　bargain。　　It　was　too　bad　that　she　had　only　got　ten　pounds　for　it。

Yet　he　hadn't　the　heart　to　reproach　her。

He　did　not　speak　as　he　looked　across　at　her；　and　meeting　that　troubled；　rebuking　glance；　she　guessed　what　it　was　that　he　thought　had　happened。

〃We've　a　new　lodger！〃　she　cried。　　〃And　…　and；　Bunting？　　He's　quite　the　gentleman！　　He　actually　offered　to　pay　four　weeks　in　advance；　at　two　guineas　a　week。〃

〃No；　never！〃

Bunting　moved　quickly　round　the　table；　and　together　they　stood　there；　fascinated　by　the　little　heap　of　gold。　　〃But　there's　ten　sovereigns　here；〃　he　said　suddenly。

〃Yes；　the　gentleman　said　I'd　have　to　buy　some　things　for　him　to…morrow。　　And；　oh；　Bunting；　he's　so　well　spoken；　I　really　felt　that　…　I　really　felt　that　…　〃　and　then　Mrs。　Bunting；　taking　a　step　or　two　sideways；　sat　down；　and　throwing　her　little　black　apron　over　her　face　burst　into　gasping　sobs。

Bunting　patted　her　back　timidly。　　〃Ellen？〃　he　said；　much　moved　by　her　agitation；　〃Ellen？　　Don't　take　on　so；　my　dear　…　〃

〃I　won't；〃　she　sobbed；　〃I　…　I　won't！　　I'm　a　　fool　…　I　know　I　am！　But；　oh；　I　didn't　think　we　was　ever　going　to　have　any　luck　again！〃

And　then　she　told　him　…　or　rather　tried　to　tell　him　…　　what　the　lodger　was　like。　　Mrs。　Bunting　was　no　hand　at　talking；　but　one　thing　she　did　impress　on　her　husband's　mind；　namely；　that　Mr。　Sleuth　was　eccentric；　as　so　many　clever　people　are　eccentric　…　that　is；　in　a　harmless　way　…　and　that　he　must　be　humoured。

〃He　says　he　doesn't　want　to　be　waited　on　much；〃　she　said　at　last　wiping　her　eyes；　〃but　I　can　see　he　will　want　a　good　bit　of　looking　after；　all　the　same；　poor　gentleman。〃

And　just　as　the　words　left　her　mouth　there　came　the　unfamiliar　sound　of　a　loud　ring。　　It　was　that　of　the　drawing…room　bell　being　pulled　again　and　again。

Bunting　looked　at　his　wife　eagerly。　　〃I　think　I'd　better　go　up；　eh；　Ellen？〃　he　said。　　He　felt　quite　anxious　to　see　their　new　lodger。　For　the　matter　of　that；　it　would　be　a　relief　to　be　doing　something　again。

〃Yes；〃　she　answered；　〃you　go　up！　　Don't　keep　him　waiting！　　I　wonder　what　it　is　he　wants？　　I　said　I'd　let　him　know　when　his　supper　was　ready。〃

A　moment　later　Bunting　came　down　again。　　There　was　an　odd　smile　on　his　face。　　〃Whatever　d'you　think　he　wanted？〃　he　whispered　mysteriously。　　And　as　she　said　nothing；　he　went　on；　〃He's　asked　me　for　the　loan　of　a　Bible！〃

〃Well；　I　don't　see　anything　so　out　of　the　way　in　that；〃　she　said　hastily；　〃'specially　if　he　don't　fell　well。　　I'll　take　it　up　to　him。〃

And　then　going　to　a　small　table　which　stood　between　the　two　windows；　Mrs。　Bunting　took　off　it　a　large　Bible；　which　had　been　given　to　her　as　a　wedding　present　by　a　married　lady　with　whose　mother　she　had　lived　for　several　years。

〃He　said　it　would　do