the vanished messenger-第14节

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〃Miss　Price？〃

〃Miss　Price；　d…n　it！　Lucy　…　yes！〃

〃It　seems　unlike　her；〃　the　doctor　remarked。　　〃I　have　never　heard　her
utter　a　useless　syllable　in　my　life。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　held　out　his　wrist。

〃It's　what　she　doesn't　say；〃　he　muttered。

The　doctor　produced　his　watch。　　In　less　than　a　minute　he　put　it
away。

〃This　is　quite　unnecessary；〃　he　pronounced。　　〃Your　pulse　is
wonderful。〃

〃Not　hurried？　　No　signs　of　palpitation？〃

〃You　have　seven　or　eight　footmen；　all　young　men；〃　Doctor　Sarson
replied　drily。　　〃I　will　wager　that　there　isn't　one　of　them　has　a
pulse　so　vigorous　as　yours。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　leaned　a　little　back　in　his　chair。　　An　expression　of
satisfaction　crept　over　his　face。

〃You　reassure　me；　my　dear　Sarson。　　That　is　excellent。　　What　of　our
patient？〃

〃There　is　no　change。〃

〃I　am　afraid；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　sighed；　〃that　we　shall　have　trouble
with　him。　　These　strong　people　always　give　trouble。〃

〃It　will　be　just　the　same　in　the　long　run；〃　the　doctor　remarked；
shrugging　his　shoulders。

Mr。　Fentolin　held　up　his　finger。

〃Listen！　　A　motor…car；　I　believe？〃

〃It　is　Miss　Fentolin　who　is　just　arriving；〃　the　doctor　announced。
〃I　saw　the　car　coming　as　I　crossed　the　hall。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　nodded　gently。

〃Indeed？〃　he　replied。　　〃Indeed？　　So　my　dear　niece　has　returned。
Open　the　door；　friend　Sarson。　　Open　the　door；　if　you　please。　　She
will　be　anxious　to　see　me。　　We　must　summon　her。〃




CHAPTER　X

Mr。　Fentolin　raised　to　his　lips　the　little　gold　whistle　which　hung
from　his　neck　and　blew　it。　　He　seemed　to　devote　very　little　effort
to　the　operation；　yet　the　strength　of　the　note　was　wonderful。　　As
the　echoes　died　away；　he　let　it　fall　by　his　side　and　waited　with
a　pleased　smile　upon　his　lips。　　In　a　few　seconds　there　was　the
hurried　flutter　of　skirts　and　the　sound　of　footsteps。　　The　girl　who
had　just　completed　her　railway　journey　entered；　followed　by　her
brother。　　They　were　both　a　little　out　of　breath；　they　both
approached　the　chair　without　a　smile；　the　girl　in　advance；　with　a
certain　expression　of　apprehension　in　her　eyes。　　Mr。　Fentolin　sighed。
He　appeared　to　notice　these　things　and　regret　them。

〃My　child；〃　he　said；　holding　out　his　hands；　〃my　dear　Esther；　welcome
home　again！　　I　heard　the　car　outside。　　I　am　grieved　that　you　did　not
at　once　hurry　to　my　side。〃

〃I　have　not　been　in　the　house　two　minutes；〃　Esther　replied；　〃and　I
haven't　seen　mother　yet。　　Forgive　me。〃

She　had　come　to　a　standstill　a　few　yards　away。　　She　moved　now　very
slowly　towards　the　chair；　with　the　air　of　one　fulfilling　a　hateful
task。　　The　fingers　which　accepted　his　hands　were　extended　almost
hesitatingly。　　He　drew　her　closer　to　him　and　held　her　there。

〃Your　mother；　my　dear　Esther；　is；　I　regret　to　say；　suffering　from
a　slight　indisposition；〃　he　remarked。　　〃She　has　been　confined　to
her　room　for　the　last　few　days。　　Just　a　trifling　affair　of　the
nerves；　nothing　more；　Doctor　Sarson　assures　me。　　But　my　dear　child；〃
he　went　on；　〃your　fingers　are　as　cold　as　ice。　　You　look　at　me　so
strangely；　too。　　Alas！　you　have　not　the　affectionate　disposition
of　your　dear　mother。　　One　would　scarcely　believe　that　we　have　been
parted　for　more　than　a　week。〃

〃For　more　than　a　week；〃　she　repeated；　under　her　breath。

〃Stoop　down；　my　dear。　　I　must　kiss　your　forehead　…　there！　　Now
bring　up　a　chair　to　my　side。　　You　seem　frightened　…　alarmed。　　Have
you　ill　news　for　me？〃

〃I　have　no　news；〃　she　answered；　gradually　recovering　herself。

〃The　gaieties　of　London；　I　fear；〃　he　protested　gently；　〃have　proved
a　little　unsettling。〃

〃There　were　no　gaieties　for　me；〃　the　girl　replied　bitterly。　　〃Mrs。
Sargent　obeyed　your　orders　very　faithfully。　　I　was　not　allowed　to
move　out　except　with　her。〃

〃My　dear　child；　you　would　not　go　about　London　unchaperoned！〃

〃There　is　a　difference；〃　she　retorted；　〃between　a　chaperon　and　a
jailer。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　sighed。　　He　shook　his　head　slowly。　He　seemed　pained。

〃I　am　not　sure　that　you　repay　my　care　as　it　deserves；　Esther；〃　he
declared。　　〃There　is　something　in　your　deportment　which　disappoints
me。　　Never　mind；　your　brother　has　made　some　atonement。　　I　entrusted
him　with　a　little　mission　in　which　I　am　glad　to　say　that　he　has
been　brilliantly　successful。〃

〃I　cannot　say　that　I　am　glad　to　hear　it；〃　Esther　replied　quietly。

Mr。　Fentolin　sat　back　in　his　chair。　　His　long　fingers　played
nervously　together；　he　looked　at　her　gravely。

〃My　dear　child；〃　he　exclaimed；　in　a　tone　of　pained　surprise；　〃your
attitude　distresses　me！〃

〃I　cannot　help　it。　　I　have　told　you　what　I　think　about　Gerald　and
the　life　he　is　compelled　to　live　here。　　I　don't　mind　so　much　for
myself；　but　for　him　I　think　it　is　abominable。〃

〃The　same　as　ever；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　sighed。　　〃I　fear　that　this　little
change　has　done　you　no　good；　dear　niece。

〃Change！〃　she　echoed。　　〃It　was　only　a　change　of　prisons。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　shook　his　head　slowly　…　a　distressful　gesture。　　Yet
all　the　time　he　had　somehow　the　air　of　a　man　secretly　gratified。

〃You　are　beginning　to　depress　me；〃　he　announced。　　〃I　think　that
you　can　go　away。　　No；　stop　for　just　one　moment。　　Stand　there　in
the　light。　　Dear　me；　how　unfortunate！　　Who　would　have　thought　that
so　beautiful　a　mother　could　have　so　plain　a　daughter！〃

She　stood　quite　still　before　him；　her　hands　crossed　in　front　of
her；　something　of　the　look　of　the　nun　from　whom　the　power　of
suffering　has　gone　in　her　still；　cold　face　and　steadfast　eyes。

〃Not　a　touch　of　colour；〃　he　continued　meditatively；　〃a　figure
straight　as　my　walking…stick。　　What　a　pity！　　And　all　the　taste；
nowadays；　they　tell　me；　is　in　the　other　direction。　　The　lank
damsels　have　gone　completely　out。　　We　buried　them　with　Oscar　Wilde。
Run　along；　my　dear　child。　　You　do　not　amuse　me。　　You　can　take　Gerald
with　you；　if　you　will。　　I　have　nothing　to　say　to　Gerald　just　now。
He　is　in　my　good　books。　　Is　there　anything　I　can　do　for　you；　Gerald？
Your　allowance；　for　instance　…　a　trifling　increase　or　an　advance？
I　am　in　a　generous　humour。〃

〃Then　grant　me　what　I　begged　for　the　other　day；〃　the　boy　answered
quickly。　　〃Let　me　go　to　Sandhurst。　　I　could　enter　my　name　next　week
for　the　examinations；　and　I　could　pass　to…morrow。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　tapped　the　table　thoughtfully　with　his　forefinger。

〃A　little　ungrateful；　my　dear　boy；〃　he　declared；　〃a　little　ungrateful
that；　I　think。　　Your　confidence　in　yourself　pleases　me；　though。　　You
think　you　could　pass　your　examinations？〃

〃I　did　a　set　of　papers　last　week；〃　the　boy　replied。　　〃On　the　given
percentages　I　came　out　twelfth　or　better。　　Mr。　　Brown　assured　me
that　I　could　go　in　for　them　at　any　moment。　　He　promised　to　write
you　about　it　before　he　left。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　nodded　gently。

〃Now　I　come　to　think　of　it；　I　did　have　a　letter　from　Mr。　　Brown；〃
he　remarked。　　〃Rather　an　impertinence　for　a　tutor；　I　thought　it。
He　devoted　three　pages　towards　impressing　upon　me　the　necessity　of
your　adopting　some　sort　of　a　career。〃

〃He　wrote　because　he　thought　it　was　his　duty；〃　the　boy　said　doggedly。

〃So　you　want　to　be　a　soldier；〃　Mr。　Fentolln　continued　musingly。
〃Well；　well；　why　not？　　Our　picture　galleries　are　full　of　them。
There　has　been　a　Fentolin　in　every　great　battle　for　the　last　five
hundred　years。　　Sailors；　too　…　plenty　of　them　…　and　just　a　few
diplomatists。　　Brave　fellows！　　Not　one；　I　fancy；〃　he　added；　〃like
me　…　not　one　condemned　to　pass　their　days　in　a　perambulator。　　You
are　a　fine　fellow；　Gerald　…　a　regular　Fentolin。　　Getting　on　for
six　feet；　aren't　you？

〃　Six　feet　two；　sir。〃

〃A　very　fine　fellow；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　repeated。　　〃I　am　not　so　sure
about　the　army；　Gerald。　　You　see；　there　are　some　people　who　say；
like　your　American　friend；　that　we　are　even　now　almost　on　the　brink
of　war。〃

〃All　the　more　reason　for　me　to　hurry；〃　the　boy　begged。

Mr。　Fentolin　closed　his　eyes。

〃Don't！〃　he　insisted。　　〃Have　you　ever　stopped　to　think　what　war
means　…　the　war　you　speak　of　so　lightly？　　The　suffering；　the　misery
of　it！　　All　the　pageantry　and　music　and　heroism　in　front；　and　behind；
a　blackened　world；　a　trail　of　writhing　corpses；　a　world　of　weeping
women　for　whom　the　sun　shall　never　rise　again。　　Ugh！　　An　ugly　thing
war；　Gerald。　　I　am　not　sure　that　you　are　not　better　at　home　here。
Why　not　practise　golf　a　little　more　assiduously？　　I　see　from　the
local　paper　that　you　are　still　playing　at　two　handicap。　　Now　with
your　physique；　I　should　have　thought　you　would　have　been　a　scratch
player　long　before　now。〃

〃I　play　cricket；　sir；〃　the　boy　reminded　him；　a　little　impatiently；
〃and；　after　all；　there　are　other　things　in　the　world　besides　games。〃

Mr。　Fentolin's　long　finger　shot　suddenly　out。　　He　was　leaning　a
little　from　his　chair。　　His　expression　of　gentle　immobility　had
passed　away。　　His　face　was　stern；　almost　stony。

〃You　have　spoken　the　truth；　Gerald；〃　he　said。　　〃There　are　other
things　in　the　world　besides　games。　　There　is　the　real；　the　tragical
side　of　life；　the　duties　one　takes　up；　the　obligations　of　honour。
You　have　not　forgotten；　young　man；　the　burden　you　carry？〃

The　boy　was　paler；　but　he　had　drawn　himself　to　his　full　height。

〃I　have　not　forgotten；　sir；〃　he　answered　bitterly。　　〃Do　I　show　any
signs　of　forgetting？　　Haven't　I　done　your　bidding　year　by　year？
Aren't　I