the vanished messenger-第13节

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quarters。〃

Hamel　followed　her　slowly　on　to　the　platform；　saw　her　escorted　to
a　very　handsome　motor…car　by　an　obsequious　station…master；　and
watched　the　former　disappear　down　the　stretch　of　straight　road
which　led　to　the　hill。　　Then；　with　a　stick　in　one　hand；　and　the
handbag　which　was　his　sole　luggage　in　the　other；　he　left　the
station　and　turned　seaward。




CHAPTER　IX

Mr。　Fentolin；　surrounded　by　his　satellites；　was　seated　in　his　chair
before　the　writing…table。　　There　were　present　in　the　room　most　of
the　people　important　to　him　in　his　somewhat　singular　life。　　A　few
feet　away；　in　characteristic　attitude；　stood　Meekins。　　Doctor　Sarson；
with　his　hands　behind　him；　was　looking　out　of　the　window。　　At　the
further　end　of　the　table　stood　a　confidential　telegraph　clerk；　who
was　just　departing　with　a　little　sheaf　of　messages。　　By　his　side；
with　a　notebook　in　her　hand；　stood　Mr。　Fentolin's　private　secretary
…　a　white…haired　woman；　with　a　strangely　transparent　skin　and　light
brown　eyes；　dressed　in　somber　black；　a　woman　who　might　have　been
of　any　age　from　thirty　to　fifty。　　Behind　her　was　a　middle…aged　man
whose　position　in　the　household　no　one　was　quite　sure　about　…　a
clean…shaven　man　whose　name　was　Ryan；　and　who　might　very　well　have
been　once　an　actor　or　a　clergyman。。　　In　the　background　stood
Henderson；　the　perfect　butler。

〃It　is　perhaps　opportune；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　said　quietly；　〃that　you
all　whom　I　trust　should　be　present　here　together。　　I　wish　you　to
understand　one　thing。　　You　have；　I　believe；　in　my　employ　learned
the　gift　of　silence。　　It　is　to　be　exercised　with　regard　to　a
certain　visitor　brought　here　by　my　nephew；　a　visitor　whom　I　regret
to　say　is　now　lying　seriously　ill。〃

There　was　absolute　silence。　　Doctor　Sarson　alone　turned　from　the
window　as　though　about　to　speak；　but　met　Mr。　Fentolin's　eye　and　at
once　resumed　his　position。

〃I　rely　upon　you　all；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　continued　softly。　　〃Henderson；　you；　perhaps；　have　the　most
difficult　task；　for　you　have　the　servants　to　control。　　Nevertheless；
I　rely　upon　you；　also。　　If　one　word　of　this　visitor's　presence　here
leaks　out　even　so　far　as　the　village；　out　they　go；　every　one　of　them。
I　will　not　have　a　servant　in　the　place　who　does　not　respect　my
wishes。　　You　can　give　any　reason　you　like　for　my　orders。　　It　is　a
whim。　　I　have　whims；　and　I　choose　to　pay　for　them。　　You　are　all
better　paid　than　any　man　breathing　could　pay　you。　　In　return　I　ask
only　for　your　implicit　obedience。〃

He　stretched　out　his　hand　and　took　a　cigarette　from　a　curiously
carved　ivory　box　which　stood　by　his　side。　　He　tapped　it　gently　upon
the　table　and　looked　up。

〃I　think；　sir；〃　Henderson　said　respectfully；　〃that　I　can　answer　for
the　servants。　　Being　mostly　foreigners；　they　see　little　or　nothing
of　the　village　people。〃

No　one　else　made　any　remark。　　It　was　strange　to　see　how　dominated
they　all　were　by　that　queer　little　fragment　of　humanity；　whose　head
scarcely　reached　a　foot　above　the　table　before　which　he　sat。　　They
departed　silently；　almost　abjectly；　dismissed　with　a　single　wave　of
the　hand。　　Mr。　Fentolin　beckoned　his　secretary　to　remain。　　She　came
a　little　nearer。

〃Sit　down；　Lucy；〃　he　ordered。

She　seated　herself　a　few　feet　away　from　him。　　Mr。　Fentolin　watched
her　for　several　moments。　　He　himself　had　his　back　to　the　light。
The　woman；　on　the　other　hand；　was　facing　it。　　The　windows　were　high；
and　the　curtains　were　drawn　back　to　their　fullest　extent。　　A　cold
stream　of　northern　light　fell　upon　her　face。　　Mr。　Fentolin　gazed　at
her　and　nodded　her　head　slightly。

〃My　dear　Lucy；〃　he　declared；　〃you　are　wonderful　…　a　perfect　cameo；
a　gem。　　To　look　at　you　now；　with　your　delightful　white　hair　and　your
flawless　skin；　one　would　never　believe　that　you　bad　ever　spoken　a
single　angry　word；　that　you　had　ever　felt　the　blood　flow　through
your　veins；　or　that　your　eyes　had　ever　looked　upon　the　gentle　things
of　life。〃

She　looked　at　him；　still　without　speech。　　The　immobility　of　her
face　was　indeed　a　marvellous　thing。　　Mr。　Fentolin's　expression
darkened。

〃Sometimes；〃　he　murmured　softly；　〃I　think　that　if　I　had　strong
fingers　…　really　strong　fingers；　you　know；　Lucy　…　I　should　want　to
take　you　by　the　throat　and　hold　you　tighter　and　tighter；　until　your
breath　came　fast；　and　your　eyes　came　out　from　their　shadows。〃

She　turned　over　a　few　pages　of　her　notebook。　　To　all　appearance
she　had　not　heard　a　word。

〃To…day；〃　she　announced；　〃is　the　fourth　of　April。　　Shall　I　send　out
the　various　checks　to　those　men　in　Paris；　New　York；　Frankfort；　St。
Petersburg；　and　Tokio？〃

〃You　can　send　the　checks；〃　he　told　her。　　〃Be　sure　that　you　draw
them；　as　usual；　upon　the　Credit　Lyonaise　and　in　the　name　you　know
of。　　Say　to　Lebonaitre　of　Paris　that　you　consider　his　last　reports
faulty。　　No　mention　was　made　of　Monsieur　C's　visit　to　the　Russian
Embassy；　or　of　the　supper　party　given　to　the　Baron　von　Erlstein　by
a　certain　Russian　gentleman。　　Warn　him；　if　you　please；　that　reports
with　such　omissions　are　useless　to　me。〃

She　wrote　a　few　words　in　her　book。

〃You　made　a　note　of　that？〃

She　raised　her　head。

〃I　do　not　make　mistakes；〃　she　said。

His　eyebrows　were　drawn　together。　　This　was　his　work；　he　told
himself；　this　magnificent　physical　subjection。　　Yet　his
inability　to　stir　her　sometimes　maddened　him。

〃You　know　who　is　in　this　house？〃　he　asked。　　〃You　know　the　name　of
my　unknown　guest？〃

〃I　know　nothing；〃　she　replied。　　〃His　presence　does　not　interest　me。〃

〃Supposing　I　desire　you　to　know？〃　he　persisted；　leaning　a　little
forward。　　〃Supposing　I　tell　you　that　it　is　your　duty　to　know？〃

〃Then；〃　she　said；　〃I　should　tell　you　that　I　believe　him　to　be　the
special　envoy　from　New　York　to　The　Hague；　or　whatever　place　on　the
Continent　this　coming　conference　is　to　be　held　at。〃

〃Right；　woman！〃　Mr。　Fentolin　answered　sharply。　　〃Right！　　It　is　the
special　envoy。　　He　has　his　mandate　with　him。　　I　have　them　both　…　the
man　and　his　mandate。　　Can　you　guess　what　I　am　going　to　do　with　them？〃

〃It　is　not　difficult；〃　she　replied。　　〃Your　methods　are　scarcely
original。　　His　mandate　to　the　flames；　and　his　body　to　the　sea！〃

She　raised　her　eyes　as　she　spoke　and　looked　over　Mr。　Fentolin's
shoulder；　across　the　marshland　to　the　grey　stretch　of　ocean。　　Her
eyes　became　fixed。　　It　was　not　possible　to　say　that　they　held　any
expression；　and　yet　one　felt　that　she　saw　beneath　the　grey　waves；
even　to　the　rocks　and　caverns　below。

〃It　does　not　terrify　you；　then；〃　he　asked　curiously；　〃to　think　that
a　man　under　this　roof　is　about　to　die？〃

〃Why　should　it？〃　she　retorted。　　〃Death　does　not　frighten　me　…　my
own　or　anybody　else's。　　Does　it　frighten　you？〃

His　face　was　suddenly　livid；　his　eyes　full　of　fierce　anger。　　His
lips　twitched。　　He　struck　the　table　before　him。

〃Beast　of　a　woman！〃　he　shouted。　　〃You　ghoul！　　How　dare　you！　How
dare　you　…〃

He　stopped　short。　　He　passed　his　hand　across　his　forehead。　　All　the
time　the　woman　remained　unmoved。

〃Do　you　know；〃　he　muttered；　his　voice　still　shaking　a　little；　〃that
I　believe　sometimes　I　am　afraid　of　you？　　How　would　you　like　to　see
me　there；　eh；　down　at　the　bottom　of　that　hungry　sea？　　You　watch
sometimes　so　fixedly。　　You'd　miss　me；　wouldn't　you？　　I　am　a　good
master；　you　know。　　I　pay　well。　　You've　been　with　me　a　good　many
years。　　You　were　a　different　sort　of　woman　when　you　first　came。〃

　〃Yes；〃　she　admitted；　〃I　was　a　different　sort　of　woman。〃

〃You　don't　remember　those　days；　I　suppose；〃　he　went　on；　〃the　days
when　you　had　brown　hair；　when　you　used　to　carry　roses　about　and
sing　to　yourself　while　you　beat　your　work　out　of　that　wretched
typewriter？〃

〃No；〃　she　answered；　〃I　do　not　remember　those　days。　　They　do　not
belong　to　me。　　It　is　some　other　woman　you　are　thinking　of。〃


Their　eyes　met。　　Mr。　Fentolin　turned　away　first。　　He　struck　the
bell　at　his　elbow。　　She　rose　at　once。

〃Be　off！〃　he　ordered。　　〃When　you　look　at　me　like　that；　you　send
shivers　through　me！　　You'll　have　to　go；　I　can　see　you'll　have　to　go。
I　can't　keep　you　any　longer。　　You　are　the　only　person　on　the　face
of　the　earth　who　dares　to　say　things　to　me　which　make　me　think；　the
only　person　who　doesn't　shrink　at　the　sound　of　my　voice。　　You'll
have　to　go。　　Send　Sarson　to　me　at　once。　　You've　upset　me！〃

She　listened　to　his　words　in　expressionless　silence。　　When　he　had
finished；　carrying　her　book　in　her　hand；　she　very　quietly　moved
towards　the　door。　　He　watched　her；　leaning　a　little　forward　in　his
chair；　his　lips　parted；　his　eyes　threatening。　　She　walked　with
steady；　even　footsteps。　　She　carried　herself　with　almost　machine…like
erectness；　her　skirts　were　noiseless。　　She　had　the　trick　of　turning
the　handle　of　the　door　in　perfect　silence。　　He　heard　her　calm　voice
in　the　hall。

〃Doctor　Sarson　is　to　go　to　Mr。　Fentolin。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　sat　quite　still；　feeling　his　own　pulse。

〃That　woman；〃　he　muttered　to　himself；　〃that　…woman　…　some　day　I
shouldn't　be　surprised　if　she　really　…〃

He　paused。　　The　doctor　had　entered　the　room。

〃I　am　upset；　Sarson；〃　he　declared。　　〃Come　and　feel　my　pulse　quickly。
That　woman　has　upset　me。〃

〃Miss　Price？〃

〃Miss　Price；　d…n　it！　Lucy　…　yes！〃

〃It　seems　unlike　her；〃　the　doctor　remarked。　　〃I　have　never　heard　her
utter　a　use