the vanished messenger-第19节

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only　changed　into　my　carriage　during　the　last　few　minutes　of　her
journey。　　Besides；〃　he　continued；　〃to　tell　you　the　truth；　my　ideas
as　to　my　destination　were　a　little　hazy。　　To　come　and　look　for　some
queer　sort　of　building　by　the　side　of　the　sea；　which　has　been
unoccupied　for　a　dozen　years　or　so；　scarcely　seems　a　reasonable
quest；　does　it？〃

〃Scarcely；　indeed；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　assented。　　〃You　may　thank　me；　Mr。
Hamel；　for　the　fact　that　the　place　is　not　in　ruins。　　My　blatant
trespassing　has　saved　you　from　that；　at　least。　　After　dinner　we　must
talk　further　about　the　Tower。　　To　tell　you　the　truth；　I　have　grown
accustomed　to　the　use　of　the　little　place。〃

The　sound　of　the　dinner　gong　boomed　through　the　house。　　A　moment
later　Gerald　entered；　followed　by　a　butler　announcing　dinner。

〃The　only　remaining　member　of　my　family；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　remarked；
indicating　his　nephew。　　〃Gerald；　you　will　be　pleased；　I　know；　to
meet　Mr。　Hamel。　　Mr。　Hamel　has　been　a　great　traveller。　　Long　before
you　can　remember；　his　father　used　to　paint　wonderful　pictures　of
this　coast。〃

Gerald　shook　hands　with　his　visitor。　　His　face；　for　a　moment；
lighted　up。　　He　was　looking　pale；　though；　and　singularly　sullen
and　dejected。

〃There　are　two　of　your　father's　pictures　in　the　modern　side　of　the
gallery　up…stairs；〃　he　remarked；　a　little　diffidently。　　〃They　are
great　favourites　with　everybody　here。〃

They　all　went　in　to　dinner　together。　　Meekins；　who　had　appeared
silently；　had　glided　unnoticed　behind　his　master's　chair　and
wheeled　it　across　the　hall。

〃A　partie　carree　to…night；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　declared。　　〃I　have　a
resident　doctor　here；　a　very　delightful　person；　who　often　dines
with　us；　but　to…night　I　thought　not。　　Five　is　an　awkward　number。
I　want　to　get　to　know　you　better；　Mr。　　Hamel；　and　quickly。　　I
want　you；　too；　to　make　friends　with　my　niece　and　nephew。　　Mr。
Hamel's　father；〃　he　went　on；　addressing　the　two　latter；〃　and　your
father　were　great　friends。　　By…the…by；　have　I　told　you　both
exactly　why　Mr。　Hamel　is　a　guest　here　to…night　…　why　he　came　to
these　parts　at　all？　　No？　　Listen；　then。　　He　came　to　take　possession
of　the　Tower。　　The　worst　of　it　is　that　it　belongs　to　him；　too。　　His
father　bought　it　from　your　father　more　years　ago　than　we　should
care　to　talk　about。　　I　have　really　been　a　trespasser　all　this　time。〃

They　took　their　places　at　a　small　round　table　in　the　middle　of　the
dining…room。　　The　shaded　lights　thrown　downwards　upon　the　table
seemed　to　leave　most　of　the　rest　of　the　apartment　in　semi…darkness。
The　gloomy　faces　of　the　men　and　women　whose　pictures　hung　upon　the
walls　were　almost　invisible。　　The　servants　themselves；　standing　a
little　outside　the　halo　of　light；　were　like　shadows　passing　swiftly
and　noiselessly　back　and　forth。　　At　the　far　end　of　the　room　was　an
organ；　and　to　the　left　a　little　balcony；　built　out　as　though　for　an
orchestra。　　Hamel　looked　about　him　almost　in　wonderment。　　There　was
something　curiously　impressive　in　the　size　of　the　apartment　and
its　emptiness。

〃A　trespasser；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　continued；　as　he　took　up　the　menu　and
criticised　it　through　his　horn…rimmed　eyeglass；　〃that　is　what　I
have　been；　without　a　doubt。〃

〃But　for　your　interest　and　consequent　trespass；〃　Hamel　remarked；　〃I
should　probably　have　found　the　roof　off　and　the　whole　place　in　ruins。〃

〃Instead　of　which　you　found　the　door　locked　against　you；〃　Mr。
Fentolin　pointed　out。　　〃Well；　we　shall　see。　　I　might；　at　any　rate；
have　lost　the　opportunity　of　entertaining　you　here　this　evening。
I　am　particularly　glad　to　have　an　opportunity　of　making　you　known
to　my　niece　and　nephew。　　I　think　you　will　agree　with　me　that　here
are　two　young　people　who　are　highly　to　be　commended。　　I　cannot　offer
them　a　cheerful　life　here。　　There　is　little　society；　no　gaiety；　no
sort　of　excitement。　　Yet　they　never　leave　me。　　They　seem　to　have　no
other　interest　in　life　but　to　be　always　at　my　beck　and　call。　　A　case；
Mr。　Hamel；　of　really　touching　devotion。　　If　anything　could　reconcile
me　to　my　miserable　condition；　it　would　he　the　kindness　and
consideration　of　those　by　whom　I　am　surrounded。〃

Hamel　murmured　a　few　words　of　cordial　agreement。　　Yet　he　found
himself；　in　a　sense；　embarrassed。　　Gerald　was　looking　down　upon　his
plate　and　his　face　was　hidden。　　Esther's　features　had　suddenly
become　stony　and　expressionless。　　Hamel　felt　instinctively　that
something　was　wrong。

〃There　are　compensations；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　continued；　with　the　air　of
one　enjoying　speech；　〃which　find　their　way　into　even　the　gloomiest
of　lives。　　As　I　lie　on　my　back；　hour　after　hour；　I　feel　all　the　more
conscious　of　this。　　The　world　is　a　school　of　compensations；　Mr。　Hamel。
The　interests　…　the　mental　interests；　I　mean　…　of　unfortunate　people
like　myself；　come　to　possess　in　time　a　peculiar　significance　and　to
yield　a　peculiar　pleasure。　　I　have　hobbies；　Mr。　Hamel。　I　frankly
admit　it。　　Without　my　hobbies；　I　shudder　to　think　what　might　become
of　me。　　I　might　become　a　selfish；　cruel；　misanthropical　person。
Hobbies　are　indeed　a　great　thing。〃

The　brother　and　sister　sat　still　in　stony　silence。　　Hamel；　looking
across　the　little　table　with　its　glittering　load　of　cut　glass　and
silver　and　scarlet　flowers；　caught　something　in　Esther's　eyes；　so
rarely　expressive　of　any　emotion　whatever；　which　puzzled　him。　　He
looked　swiftly　back　at　his　host。　　Mr。　Fentolin's　face；　at　that
moment；　was　like　a　beautiful　cameo。　　His　expression　was　one　of
gentle　benevolence。

〃Let　me　be　quite　frank　with　you；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　murmured。　　〃My
occupation　of　the　Tower　is　one　of　these　hobbies。　　I　love　to　sit
there　within　a　few　yards　of　the　sea　and　watch　the　tide　come　in。
I　catch　something　of　the　spirit；　I　think；　which　caught　your　father；
Mr。　Hamel；　and　kept　him　a　prisoner　here。　　In　my　small　way　I；　too；
paint　while　I　am　down　there；　paint　and　dream。　　These　things　may　not
appeal　to　you；　but　you　must　remember　that　there　are　few　things　left
to　me　in　life；　and　that　those；　therefore；　which　I　can　make　use　of；
are　dear　to　me。　　Gerald；　you　are　silent　to…night。　　How　is　it　that
you　say　nothing？〃

〃I　am　tired；　sir；〃　the　boy　answered　quietly。

Mr。　Fentolin　nodded　gravely。

〃It　is　inexcusable　of　me；〃　he　declared　smoothly；　〃to　have　forgotten
even　for　a　moment。　　My　nephew；　Mr。　Hamel；〃　he　went　on；　〃had　quite
an　exciting　experience　last　night　…　or　rather　a　series　of
experiences。　　He　was　first　of　all　in　a　railway　accident；　and　then；
for　the　sake　of　a　poor　fellow　who　was　with　him　and　who　was　badly
hurt；　he　motored　back　here　in　the　grey　hours　of　the　morning　and
ran；　they　tell　me；　considerable　risk　of　being　drowned　on　the　marshes。
A　very　wonderful　and　praiseworthy　adventure；　I　consider　it。　　I　trust
that　our　friend　up…stairs；　when　he　recovers；　will　be　properly
grateful。〃

Gerald　rose　to　his　feet　precipitately。　　The　service　of　dinner　was
almost　concluded；　and　he　muttered　something　which　sounded　like　an
excuse。　　Mr。　Fentolin；　however；　stretched　out　his　band　and　motioned
him　to　resume　his　seat。

〃My　dear　Gerald！〃　he　exclaimed　reprovingly。　　〃You　would　leave　us　so
abruptly？　　Before　your　sister；　too！　　What　will　Mr。　Hamel　think　of
our　country　ways？　　Pray　resume　your　seat。〃

For　a　moment　the　boy　stood　quite　still；　then　he　slowly　subsided　into
his　chair。　　Mr。　Fentolin　passed　around　a　decanter　of　wine　which　had
been　placed　upon　the　table　by　the　butler。　　The　servants　had　now　left
the　room。

〃You　must　excuse　my　nephew；　if　you　please；　Mr。　Hamel；〃　he　begged。
〃Gerald　has　a　boy's　curious　aversion　to　praise　in　any　form。　　I　am
looking　forward　to　hearing　your　verdict　upon　my　port。　　The
collection　of　wine　and　pictures　was　a　hobby　of　my　grandfather's；　for
which　we；　his　descendants；　can　never　be　sufficiently　grateful。〃

Hamel　praised　his　wine；　as　indeed　he　had　every　reason　to；　but　for
a　few　moments　the　smooth　conversation　of　his　host　fell　upon　deaf
ears。　　He　looked　from　the　boy's　face；　pale　and　wrinkled　as　though
with　some　sort　of　suppressed　pain；　to　the　girl's　still；　stony
expression。　　This　was　indeed　a　house　of　mysteries！　　There　was
something　here　incomprehensible；　some　thing　about　the　relations　of
these　three　and　their　knowledge　of　one　another；　utterly　baffling。
It　was　the　queerest　household；　surely；　into　which　any　stranger　had　
ver　been　precipitated。

〃The　planting　of　trees　and　the　laying　down　of　port　are　two　virtues
in　our　ancestors　which　have　never　been　properly　appreciated；〃　Mr。
Fentolin　continued。　　〃Let　us；　at　any　rate；　free　ourselves　from　the
reproach　of　ingratitude　so　far　as　regards　my　grandfather　…　Gerald
Fentolin　…　to　whom　I　believe　we　are　indebted　for　this　wine。　　We
will　drink　…〃

Mr。　Fentolin　broke　off　in　the　middle　of　his　sentence。　　The　august
calm　of　the　great　house　had　been　suddenly　broken。　　From　up…stairs
came　the　tumult　of　raised　voices；　the　slamming　of　a　door；　the
falling　of　something　heavy　upon　the　floor。　　Mr。　Fentolin　listened
with　a　grim　change　in　his　expression。　　His　smile　had　departed；　his
lower　lip　was　thrust　out；　his　eyebrows　met。　　He　raised　the　little
whistle　which　hung　from　his　chain。　　At　that　moment；　however；　the
door　was　opened。　　Doctor　Sarson　appeared。

〃I　am　sorry　to　disturb　you；　Mr。　Fentolin；〃　he　said；　〃but　our　patient
is　becoming　a　little　difficult。　　The　concu