the vanished messenger-第21节

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higher。　　〃Mr。　Fentolin；　if　the　truth　must　be　told；　I　have　heard　of
you　before　and　been　warned　against　you。　　I　decline　to　accept　any
longer　the　hospitality　of　your　roof。　　I　insist　upon　leaving　it。
If　you　will　not　provide　me　with　any　means　of　doing　so；　I　will　walk。〃

He　made　a　motion　as　though　to　rise　from　the　bed。　　Meekins'　hand　very
gently　closed　upon　his　arm。　　One　could　judge　that　the　grip　was　like
a　grip　of　iron。

〃Dear　me；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　said；　〃this　is　really　very　unreasonable　of
you！　　If　you　have　heard　of　me；　Mr。　Dunster；　you　ought　to　understand
that　notwithstanding　my　unfortunate　physical　trouble；　I　am　a　person
of　consequence　and　position　in　this　county。　　I　am　a　magistrate；
ex…high　sheriff；　and　a　great　land…owner　here。　　I　think　I　may　say
without　boasting　that　I　represent　one　of　the　most　ancient　families
in　this　country。　　Why；　therefore；　should　you　treat　me　as　though　it
were　to　my　interest　to　inveigle　you　under　my　roof　and　keep　you　there
for　some　guilty　purpose？　　Cannot　you　understand　that　it　is　for　your
own　good　I　hesitate　to　part　with　you？〃

〃I　understand　nothing　of　the　sort；〃　Mr。　Dunster　exclaimed　angrily。
〃Let　us　bring　this　nonsense　to　an　end。　　I　want　my　clothes；　and　if
you　won't　lend　me　a　car　or　a　trap；　I'll　walk　to　the　nearest　railway
station。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　shook　his　head。

〃I　am　quite　sure；〃　he　said；　〃that　you　are　not　in　a　position　to
travel。　　Even　in　the　dining…room　just　now　I　heard　a　disturbance　for
which　I　was　told　that　you　were　responsible。〃

〃I　simply　insisted　upon　having　my　clothes；〃　Mr。　Dunster　explained。
〃Your　servant　refused　to　fetch　them。　　rerhaps　I　lost　my　temper。
If　so；　I　am　sorry。　　I　am　not　used　to　being　thwarted。〃

〃A　few　days'　rest　…〃　Mr。　Fentolin　began。

〃A　few　days'　rest　be　hanged！〃　Mr。　Dunster　interrupted　fiercely。
〃Listen；　Mr。　Fentolin；〃　he　added；　with　the　air　of　one　making　a　last
effort　to　preserve　his　temper；　〃the　mission　with　which　I　am　charged
is　one　of　greater　importance　than　you　can　imagine。　　So　much　depends
upon　it　that　my　own　life；　if　that　is　in　danger；　would　be　a　mere
trifle　in　comparison　with　the　issues　involved。　　If　I　am　not　allowed
to　continue　upon　my　journey　at　once；　the　consequences　may　be　more
serious　than　I　can　tell　you；　to　you　and　yours；　to　your　own　country。
There！　…　I　am　telling　you　a　great　deal；　but　I　want　you　to　understand
that　I　am　in　earnest。　　I　have　a　mission　which　I　must　perform；　and
which　I　must　perform　quickly。〃

〃You　are　very　mysterious；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　murinured。

〃I　will　leave　nothing　to　chance；〃　Mr。　Dunster　continued。　　〃Send
this　man　who　seems　to　have　constituted　himself　my　jailer　out　of
earshot；　and　I　will　tell　you　even　more。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　turned　to　Meekins。

〃You　can　leave　the　room　for　a　moment；〃　he　ordered。　　〃Wait　upon　the
threshold。〃

Meekins　very　unwillingly　turned　to　obey。

〃You　will　excuse　me；　sir；〃　he　objected　doubtfully；　〃but　I　am　not　at
all　sure　that　he　is　safe。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　smiled　faintly。

〃You　need　have　no　fear；　Meekins；〃　he　declared。　　〃I　am　quite　sure
that　you　are　mistaken。　　I　think　that　Mr。　Dunster　is　incapable　of
any　act　of　violence　towards　a　person　in　my　unfortunate　position。
I　am　willing　to　trust　myself　with　him　…　perfectly　willing；　Meekins。〃

Meekins；　with　ponderous　footsteps；　left　the　room　and　closed　the　door
behind　him。　　Mr。　Fentolin　leaned　a　little　forward　in　his　chair。　　It
seemed　as　though　he　were　on　springs。　　The　fingers　of　his　right　hand
had　disappeared　in　the　pocket　of　his　black　velvet　dinner…coat。　　He
was　certainly　prepared　for　all　emergencies。

〃Now；　Mr。　Dunster；〃　he　said　softly；　〃you　can　speak　to　me　without
reserve。〃

Mr。　Dunster　dropped　his　voice。　　His　tone　became　one　of　fierce
eagerness。

〃Look　here；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃I　don't　think　you　ought　to　force　me　to
give　myself　away　like　this；　but；　after　all；　you　are　an　Englishman；
with　a　stake　in　your　country；　and　I　presume　you　don't　want　her　to
take　a　back　seat　for　the　next　few　generations。　　Listen　here。　　It's
to　save　your　country　that　I　want　to　get　to　The　Hague　without　a
second's　delay。　　I　tell　you　that　if　I　don't　get　there；　if　the　message
I　convey　doesn't　reach　its　destination；　you　may　find　an　agreement
signed　between　certain　Powers　which　will　mean　the　greatest　diplomatic
humiliation　which　Great　Britain　has　ever　known。　　Aye；　and　more　than
that！〃　　Mr。　Dunster　continued。　　〃It　may　be　that　the　bogey　you've　been
setting　before　yourself　for　all　these　years　may　trot　out　into　life；
and　you　may　find　St。　David's　Hall　a　barrack　for　German　soldiers
before　many　months　have　passed。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　shook　his　head　in　gentle　disbelief。

〃You　are　speaking　to　one；〃　he　declared；　〃who　knows　more　of　the
political　situation　than　you　imagine。　　In　my　younger　days　I　was　in
the　Foreign　Office。　　Since　my　unfortunate　accident　I　have　preserved
the　keenest　interest　in　politics。　　I　tell　you　frankly　that　I　do　not
believe　you。　　As　the　Powers　are　grouped　at　present；　I　do　not　believe
in　the　possibility　of　a　successful　invasion　of　this　country。〃

〃Perhaps　not；〃　Mr。　Dunster　replied　eagerly；　〃but　the　grouping　of
the　Powers　as　it　has　existed　during　the　last　few　years　is　on　the
eve　of　a　great　change。　　I　cannot　take　you　wholly　into　my　confidence。
I　can　only　give　you　my　word　of　honour　as　a　friend　to　your　country
that　the　message　I　carry　is　her　only　salvation。　　Having　told　you　as
much　as　that；　I　do　not　think　I　am　asking　too　much　if　I　ask　you　for
my　clothes　and　dressing…case；　and　for　the　fastest　motor…car　you　can
furnish　me　with。　　I　guess　I　can　get　from　here　to　Yarmouth；　and　from
there　I　can　charter　something　which　will　take　me　to　the　other　side。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　raised　the　little　gold　whistle　to　his　lips　and　blew　it
very　softly。　　Meekins　at　once　entered；　closing　the　door　behind　him。
He　moved　silently　to　the　side　of　the　man　who　bad　risen　now　from　the
bed；　and　who　was　standing　with　his　hand　grasping　the　post　and　his
eyes　fixed　upon　Mr。　Fentolin；　as　though　awaiting　his　answer。

〃Our　conversation；〃　the　latter　said　calmly；　〃has　reached　a　point；
Mr。　Dunster；　at　which　I　think　we　may　leave　it　for　the　moment。　　You
have　told　me　some　very　surprising　things。　　I　perceive　that　you　are
a　more　interesting　visitor　even　than　I　had　thought。〃

He　raised　his　left　hand；　and　Meekins；　who　seemed　to　have　been
waiting　for　some　signal　of　the　sort；　suddenly；　with　a　movement　of
his　knee　and　right　arm；　flung　Dunster　hack　upon　the　bed。　　The　man
opened　his　mouth　to　shout；　but　already；　with　lightning…like
dexterity；　his　assailant　had　inserted　a　gag　between　his　teeth。
Treating　his　struggles　as　the　struggles　of　a　baby；　Meekins　next
proceeded　to　secure　his　wrists　with　handcuffs。　　He　then　held　his
feet　together　while　he　quietly　wound　a　coil　of　cord　around　them。
Mr。　Fentolin　watched　the　proceedings　from　his　chair　with　an　air　of
pleased　and　critical　interest。

〃Very　well　done；　Meekins　…　very　neatly　done；　indeed！〃　he　exclaimed。
〃As　I　was　saying；　Mr。　Dunster；〃　he　continued；　turning　his　chair；
〃our　conversation　has　reached　a　point　at　which　I　think　we　may
safely　leave　it　for　a　time。　　We　will　discuss　these　matters　again。
Your　pretext　of　a　political　mission　is；　of　course；　an　absurd　one；
but　fortunately　you　have　fallen　into　good　hands。　　Take　good　care　of
Mr。　Dunster；　Meekins。　　I　can　see　that　he　is　a　very　important
personage。　　We　must　be　careful　not　to　lose　sight　of　him。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　steered　his　chair　to　the　door；　opened　it；　and　passed
out。　　On　the　landing　he　blew　his　whistle；　the　lift　almost　immediately
ascended。　　A　moment　or　two　later　he　glided　into　the　dining…room。　　The
three　men　were　still　seated　around　the　table。　　A　decanter　of　wine；
almost　empty；　was　before　Doctor　Sarson；　whose　pallid　cheeks；　however；
were　as　yet　unflushed。

〃At　last；　my　dear　guest；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　exclaimed；　turning　to　Hamel；
〃I　am　able　to　return　to　you。　　If　you　will　drink　no　more　wine；　let
us　have　our　coffee　in　the　library；　you　and　I。　　I　want　to　talk　to
you　about　the　Tower。〃




CHAPTER　XV

Mr。　Fentolin　led　the　way　to　a　delightful　little　corner　of　his
library；　where　before　the　open　grate；　recently　piled　with　hissing
logs；　an　easy　chair　had　been　drawn。　　He　wheeled　himself　up　to　the
other　side　of　the　hearthrug　and　leaned　back　with　a　little　air　of
exhaustion。　　The　butler；　who　seemed　to　have　appeared　unsummoned
from　somewhere　among　the　shadows；　served　coffee　and　poured　some
old　brandy　into　large　and　wonderfully　thin　glasses。

〃Why　my　house　should　be　turned　into　an　asylum　to　gratify　the
hospitable　instincts　of　my　young　nephew；　I　cannot　imagine；〃　Mr。
Fentolin　grumbled。　　〃A　most　extraordinary　person；　our　visitor；
I　can　assure　you。　　Quite　violent；　too；　he　was　at　first。〃

〃Have　you　had　any　outside　advice　about　his　condition？〃　Hamel
inquired。

Mr。　Fentolin　glanced　across　those　few　feet　of　space　and　looked　at
Hamel　with　swift　suspicion。

〃Why　should　I？〃　he　asked。　　〃Doctor　Sarson　is　fully　qualified；　and
the　case　seems　to　present　no　unusual　characteristics。〃

Hamel　sipped　his　brandy　thoughtfully。

〃I　don't　know　why　I　suggested　it；〃　he　admitted。　　〃I　only　thought
that　an　outside　doctor　might　help　you　to　get　rid　of　the　fellow。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃After　all；〃　he　said；　〃the　matter　is　of　no　real　consequence。　　Doctor
Sarson　assures