the vanished messenger-第29节

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hospitality。　　I　trust；　I　sincerely　trust；　that　this　visit　does　not
bode　any　harm　to　Mr。　John　P。　Dunster。〃

Gerald　rose　impatiently　to　his　feet　and　swung　across　the　terrace。
Mr。　Fentolin；　however；　called　him　back。

〃Gerald；〃　he　advised；　〃better　not　go　away。　　The　inspector　may　desire
to　ask　you　questions。　　You　will　have　nothing　to　conceal。　　It　was　a
natural　and　delightful　impulse　of　yours　to　bring　the　man　who　had
befriended　you；　and　who　was　your　companion　in　that　disaster；　straight
to　your　own　home　for　treatment　and　care。　　It　was　an　admirable　impulse；
my　boy。　　You　have　nothing　to　be　ashamed　of。〃

〃Shall　I　tell　him；　too　…〃　Gerald　began。

〃Be　careful；　Gerald。〃

Mr。　Fentolin's　words　seemed　to　be　charged　with　a　swift；　rapier…like
note。　　The　boy　broke　off　in　his　speech。　　He　looked　at　Hamel　and　was
silent。

〃Dear　me；〃　Mrs。　　Fentolin　mumured；　〃I　am　sure　there　is　no　need　for
us　to　talk　about　this　poor　man　as　though　anybody　had　done　anything
wrong　in　having　him　here。　　This；　I　suppose；　must　be　the　Inspector
Yardley　whom　Lord　Saxthorpe　spoke　of。〃

〃A　very　intelligent…looking　officer；　I　am　sure；〃　Mr。　Fentolin
remarked。　　〃Gerald；　go　and　meet　him；　if　you　please。　　I　should　like
to　speak　to　him　out　here。〃

The　dog…cart　had　drawn　up　at　the　front　door；　and　the　inspector　had
already　alighted。　　Gerald　intervened　as　he　was　in　the　act　of
questioning　the　butler。

〃Mr。　Fentolin　would　like　to　speak　to　you；　inspector；〃　he　said；　〃if
you　will　come　this　way。〃

The　inspector　followed　Gerald　and　saluted　the　little　group　solemnly。
Mr。　Fentolin　held　out　his　hand。

〃You　got　my　telephone　message；　inspector？〃　he　asked。

〃We　have　not　received　any　message　that　I　know　of；　sir；〃　the　inspector
replied。　　〃I　have　come　over　here　in　accordance　with　instructions
received　from　headquarters　…　in　fact　from　Scotland　Yard。〃

〃Quite　so；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　assented。　　〃You've　come　over；　I　presume；
to　make　enquiries　concerning　Mr。　John　P。　Dunster？〃

〃That　is　the　name　of　the　gentleman；　sir。〃

〃I　only　understood　to…day　from　my　friena　Lord　Saxthorpe；〃　Mr。
Fentolin　continued；　〃that　Mr。　Dunster　was　being　enquired　about　as
though　he　had　disappeared。　　My　nephew　brought　him　here　after　the
railway　accident　at　Wymondham；　since　when　he　has　been　under　the
care　of　my　own　physician。　　I　trust　that　you　have　nothing　serious
against　him？〃

〃My　first　duty；　sir；〃　the　inspector　pronounced；　〃is　to　see　the
gentleman　in　question。〃

〃By　all　means；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　agreed。　　〃Gerald；　will　you　take　the
inspector　up　to　Mr。　Dunster's　rooms？　　Or　stop；　I　will　go　myself。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　started　his　chair　and　beckoned　the　inspector　to　follow
him。　　Meekins；　who　was　waiting　inside　the　hall；　escorted　them　by
means　of　the　lift　to　the　second　floor。　　They　made　their　way　to　Mr。
Dunster's　room。　　Mr。　Fentolin　knocked　softly　at　the　door。　　It　was
opened　by　the　nurse。

〃How　is　the　patient？〃　Mr。　Fentolin　enquired。

Doctor　Sarson　appeared　from　the　interior　of　the　room。

〃Still　unconscious；〃　he　reported。　　〃Otherwise；　the　symptoms　are
favourable。　　He　is　quite　unfit；〃　the　doctor　added；　looking　steadily
at　the　inspector；　〃to　be　removed　or　questioned。〃

〃There　is　no　idea　of　anything　of　the　sort；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　explained。
〃It　is　Inspector　Yardley's　duty　to　satisfy　himself　that　Mr。　Dunster
is　here。　　It　is　necessary　for　the　inspector　to　see　your　patient；　so
that　he　can　make　his　report　at　headquarters。〃

Doctor　Sarson　bowed。

〃That　is　quite　simple；　sir；〃　he　said。　　〃Please　step　in。〃

They　all　entered　the　room；　which　was　large　and　handsomely　furnished。
Through　the　open　windows　came　a　gentle　current　of　fresh　air。　　Mr。
Dunster　lay　in　the　midst　of　all　the　luxury　of　fine　linen　sheets　and
embroidered　pillow…cases。　　The　inspector　looked　at　him　stolidly。

〃Is　he　asleep？〃　he　asked。

The　doctor　shook　his　head。

〃It　is　the　third　day　of　his　concussion；〃　he　whispered。　　〃He　is　still
unconscious。　　He　will　remain　in　the　same　condition　for　another　two
days。　　After　that　he　will　begin　to　recover。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　touched　the　inspector　on　the　arm。

〃You　see　his　clothing　at　the　foot　of　the　bed；〃　he　pointed　out。
〃His　linen　is　marked　with　his　name。　　That　is　his　dressing…case　with
his　name　painted　on　it。〃

〃I　am　quite　satisfied；　sir；〃　the　inspector　announced。　　〃I　will　not
intrude　any　further。〃

They　left　the　room。　　Mr。　Fentolin　himself　escorted　the　inspector
into　the　library　and　ordered　whisky　and　cigars。

〃I　don't　know　whether　I　am　unreasonably　curious；〃　Mr。　Fentolin
remarked；　〃but　is　it　really　true　that　you　have　had　enquiries　from
Scotland　Yard　about　the　poor　fellow　up…stairs？〃

〃We　had　a　very　important　enquiry　indeed；　sir；〃　the　inspector　replied。
〃I　have　instructions　to　telegraph　all　I　have　been　able　to　discover；
immediately。〃

〃Pardon　my　putting　it　plainly；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　asked；　〃but　is　our
friend　a　criminal？〃

〃I　wouldn't　go　so　far　as　that；　sir；〃　the　inspector　answered。　　〃I
know　of　no　charge　against　him。　　I　don't　know　that　I　have　the　right
to　say　so　much；〃　he　added；　sipping　his　whisky　and　soda；　〃but　putting
two　and　two　together；　I　should　rather　come　to　the　conclusion　that　he
was　a　person　of　some　political　importance。〃

〃Not　a　criminal　at　all？〃

〃Not　as　I　know　of；〃　the　inspector　assented。
〃That　isn't　the　way　I　read　the　enquiries　at　all。〃

〃You　relieve　me；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　declared。　　〃Now　what　about　his
possessions？〃

〃There's　a　man　coming　down　shortly　from　Scotland　Yard；〃　the
inspector　announced；　a　little　gloomily。　　〃My　orders　were　to　touch
nothing；　but　to　locate　him。〃

〃Well；　you've　succeeded　so　far；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　remarked。　　〃Here　he
is；　and　here　I　think　he　will　stay　until　some　days　after　your　friend
from　Scotland　Yard　can　get　here。〃

〃It　does　seem　so；　indeed；〃　the　inspector　agreed。　　〃To　me　he　looks
terrible　ill。　　But　there's　one　thing　sure；　he's　having　all　the　care
and　attention　that's　possible。　　And　now；　sir；　I'll　not　intrude
further　upon　your　time。　　I'll　just　make　my　report；　and　you'll
probably　have　a　visit　from　the　Scotland　Yard　man　sometime　within
the　next　few　days。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　escorted　the　inspector　to　his　dog…cart；　shook　hands
with　him；　and　watched　him　drive　off。　　Only　Mrs。　Seymour　Fentolin
remained　upon　the　terrace。　　He　glided　over　to　her　side。

〃My　dear　florence；〃　he　asked；　〃where　are　the　others？〃

〃Mr。　Hamel　and　Esther　have　gone　for　a　walk；〃　she　answered。　　〃Gerald
has　disappeared　somewhere。　　Has　anything　…　is　everything　all　right？〃

〃Naturally；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　replied　easily。　　〃All　that　the　inspector
desired　was　to　see　Mr。　Dunster。　　He　has　seen　him。　　The　poor　fellow
was　unfortunately　unconscious；　but　our　friend　will　at　least　be　able
to　report　that　he　was　in　good　hands　and　well　cared　for。〃

〃Unconscious；〃　Mrs。　　Fentolin　repeated。　　〃I　thought　that　he　was
better。〃

〃One　is　always　subject　to　those　slight　relapses　in　an　affair　of
concussion；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　explained。

Mrs。　Fentolin　laid　down　her　work　and　leaned　a　little　towards　her
brother…in…law。　　Her　hand　rested　upon　his。　　Her　voice　had　fallen
to　a　whisper。

〃Miles；〃　she　said；　〃forgive　me；　but　are　you　sure　that　you　are　not
getting　a　little　out　of　your　depth？　　Remember　that　there　are　some
risks　which　are　not　worth　while。〃

〃Quite　true；〃　he　answered。　　〃And　there　are　some　risks；　my　dear
Florence；　which　are　worth　every　drop　of　blood　in　a　man's　body；　and
every　breath　of　life。　　The　peace　of　Europe　turns　upon　that　man
up…stairs。　　It　is　worth　taking　a　little　risk　for；　worth　a　little
danger。　　I　have　made　my　plans；　and　I　mean　to　carry　them　through。
Tell　me；　when　I　was　up…stairs；　this　fellow　Hamel　…　was　he　talking
confidentially　to　Gerald？〃

〃Not　particularly。〃

〃I　am　not　sure　that　I　trust　him；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　continued。　　〃He　had
a　telegram　yesterday　from　a　man　in　the　Foreign　Office；　a　telegram
which　I　did　not　see。　　He　took　the　trouble　to　walk　three　miles　to
send　the　reply　to　it　from　another　office。〃

〃But　after　all；〃　Mrs。　Fentolinprotested；　〃you　know　who　he　is。　　You
know　that　he　is　Peter　Hamel's　son。　　He　had　a　definite　purpose　in
coming　here。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　nodded。

〃Quite　true；〃　he　admitted。　　〃But　for　that；　Mr。　Hamel　would　have
found　a　little　trouble　before　now。　　As　it　is；　he　must　be　watched。
If　any　one　comes　between　me　and　the　things　for　which　I　am　scheming
to…day；　they　will　risk　death。〃

Mrs。　Fentolin　sighed。　　She　was　watching　the　figures　of　Esther　and
Hamel　far　away　in　the　distance；　picking　their　way　across　the　last
strip　of　marshland　which　lay　between　them　and　the　sea。

〃Miles；〃　she　said　earnestly；　〃　you　take　advice　from　no　one。　　You
will　go　your　own　way；　I　know。　　And　yet；　it　seems　to　me　that　life
holds　so　many　compensations　for　you　without　your　taking　these
terrible　risks。　　I　am　not　thinking　of　any　one　else。　　I　am　not
pleading　to　you　for　the　sake　of　any　one　else。　　I　am　thinking
only　of　yourself。　　I　have　had　a　sort　of　feeling　ever　since　this
man　was　brought　into　the　house；　that　trouble　would　come　of　it。　　To
me　the　trouble　seems　to　be　gathering　even　now。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　laughed　softly；　a　little　contemptuously。

〃Presentiments；〃　he　scoffed；　〃are　the　excuses　of　cowards。　　Don't　be
afraid；　Florence。　　Remember　always　that　I　look　ahead。　　Do　you　think
that　I　could　stay　here　contented　with　what　you　call　my　compensations
…　my