the vanished messenger-第37节

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〃Mother　wasn't　able　to　persuade　you　to　stay？〃

He　shook　his　head。

〃She　was　very　kind；〃　he　said；　〃but　there　are　really　grave　reasons
why　I　feel　that　I　must　not　accept　Mr。　Fentolin's　hospitality　any
longer。　　I　had；〃　he　went　on；　〃a　very　interesting　talk　with　your
mother。〃

She　turned　quickly　towards　him。　　The　slightest　possible　tinge　of
additional　colour　was　in　her　cheeks。　　She　was　walking　on　the　top
of　a　green　bank；　with　the　wind　blowing　her　skirts　around　her。　　The
turn　of　her　head　was　a　little　diffident；　almost　shy。　　Her　eyes　were
asking　him　questions。　　At　that　moment　she　seemed　to　him；　with　her
slim　body；　her　gently　parted　lips　and　soft；　tremulous　eyes；　almost
like　a　child。　　He　drew　a　little　nearer　to　her。

〃I　told　your　mother；〃　he　continued；　〃all　that　I　have　told　you；　and
more。　　I　told　her；　dear；　that　I　cared　for　you；　that　I　wanted　you　to
be　my　wife。〃

She　was　caught　in　a　little　gust　of　wind。　　Both　her　hands　went　up　to
her　hat；　her　face　was　hidden。　　She　stepped　down　from　the　bank。

〃You　shouldn't　have　done　that；〃　she　said　quietly。

〃Why　not？〃　he　demanded。　　〃It　was　the　truth。〃

He　stooped　forward；　intent　upon　looking　into　her　face。　　The　mystic
softness　was　still　in　her　eyes；　but　her　general　expression　was
inscrutable。　　It　seemed　to　him　that　there　was　fear　there。

〃What　did　mother　say？〃　she　whispered。

〃Nothing　discouraging；〃　he　replied。　　〃I　don't　think　she　minded　at
all。　　I　have　decided；　if　you　give　me　permission；　to　go　and　talk　to
Mr。　Fentolin　this　evening。〃

She　shook　her　head　very　emphatically。

〃Don't！　　〃　she　implored。　　〃　Don't！　　Don't　give　him　another　whip　to
lash　us　with。　　Keep　silent。　　Let　me　just　have　the　memory　for　a　few
days　all　to　myself。〃

Her　words　came　to　him　like　numb　things。　　There　was　little　expression
in　them；　and　yet　he　felt　that　somehow　they　meant　so　much。

〃Esther　dear；〃　he　said；　〃I　shall　do　just　as　you　ask　me。　　At　the
same　time；　please　listen。　　I　think　that　you　are　all　absurdly
frightened　of　Mr。　Fentolin。　　Living　here　alone　with　him；　you　have
all　grown　under　his　dominance　to　an　unreasonable　extent。　　Because
of　his　horrible　infirmity；　you　have　let　yourselves　become　his
slaves。　　There　are　limits　to　this　sort　of　thing；　Esther。　　I　come
here　as　a　stranger；　and　I　see　nothing　more　in　Mr。　Fentolin　than
a　very　selfish；　irritable；　domineering；　and　capricious　old　man。
Humour　him；　by　all　means。　　I　am　willing　to　do　the　same　myself。
But　when　it　comes　to　the　great　things　in　life；　neither　he　nor　any
living　person　is　going　to　keep　from　me　the　woman　I　love。〃

She　walked　by　his　side　in　silence。　　Her　breath　was　coming　a　little
quicker；　her　fingers　lay　passive　in　his。　　Then　for　a　moment　he　felt
the　grip　of　them　almost　burn　into　his　flesh。　　Still　she　said　nothing。

〃I　want　your　permission；　dear；〃　he　went　on；　〃to　go　to　him。　　I
suppose　he　calls　himself　your　guardian。　　If　he　says　no；　you　are　of
age。　　I　just　want　you　to　believe　that　I　am　strong　enough　to　put　my
arms；　around　you　and　to　carry　you　away　to　my　own　world　and　keep　you
there；　although　an　army　of　Mr。　Fentolin's　creatures　followed　us。〃

She　turned；　and　he　saw　the　great　transformation。　　Her　face　was
brilliant；　her　eyes　shone　with　wonderful　things。

〃Please；〃　she　begged；　〃will　you　say　or　do　nothing　at　all　for　a
little　time；　until　I　tell　you　when？　　I　want　just　a　few　days　peace。
You　have　said　such　beautiful　things　to　me　that　I　want　them　to　lie
there　in　my　thoughts；　in　my　heart；　undisturbed；　for　just　a　littl
time。　　You　see；　we　are　at　the　village　now。　　I　am　going　to　call　at
this　third　cottage。　　While　I　am　inside；　you　can　go　and　make　what
enquiries　you　like。　　Come　and　knock　at　the　door　for　me　when　you　are
ready。〃

〃And　we　will　walk　back　together？〃

〃We　will　walk　back　together；〃　she　promised　him。

〃I　will　take　you　home　another　way。　　I　will　take　you　over　what　they
call　the　Common；　and　come　down　behind　the　Hall　into　the　gardens。

She　dismissed　him　with　a　little　smile。　　He　strolled　along　the
village　street　and　plunged　into　the　mysterious　recesses　of　the
one　tiny　shop。



CHAPTER　XXV

Hamel　met　Kinsley　shortly　before　one　o'clock　the　following　afternoon；
in　the　lounge　of　the　Royal　Hotel　at　Norwich。

〃You　got　my　wire；　then？〃　the　latter　asked；　as　he　held　out　his　hand。
〃I　had　it　sent　by　special　messenger　from　Wells。〃

〃It　arrived　directly　after　breakfast；〃　Hamel　replied。　　〃It　wasn't
the　easiest　matter　to　get　here；　even　then；　for　there　are　only　about
two　trains　a　day；　and　I　didn't　want　to　borrow　a　car　from　Mr。
Fentolin。〃

〃Quite　right；〃　Kinsley　agreed。　　〃I　wanted　you　to　come　absolutely　on
your　own。　　Let's　get　into　the　coffee…room　and　have　some　lunch　now。
I　want　to　catch　the　afternoon　train　hack　to　town。〃

〃Do　you　mean　to　say　that　you've　come　all　the　way　down　here　to　talk
to　me　for　half　an　hour　or　so？〃　Hamel　demanded；　as　they　took　their
places　at　a　table。

〃All　the　way　from　town；〃　Kinsley　assented；　〃and　up　to　the　eyes　in
work　we　are；　too。　　Dick；　what　do　you　think　of　Miles　Fentolin？〃

〃Hanged　if　I　know！〃　Hamel　answered；　with　a　sigh。

〃Nothing　definite　to　tell　us；　then？〃　Nothing！〃

〃What　about　Mr。　John　P。　Dunster？〃

〃He　left　yesterday　morning；〃　Hamel　said。　　〃I　saw　him　go。　　He　looked
very　shaky。　　I　understood　that　Mr。　Fentolin　sent　him　to　Yarmouth。〃

〃Did　Mr。　Fentolin　know　that　there　was　an　enquiry　on　foot　about　this
man's　disappearance？〃　Kinsley　asked。

〃Certainly。　　I　heard　Lord　Saxthorpe　tell　him　that　the　police　had
received　orders　to　scour　the　country　for　him；　and　that　they　were
coming　to　St。　David's　Hall。〃

Kinsley；　for　a　moment；　was　singularly　and　eloquently　profane。

〃That's　why　Mr。　Fentolin　let　him　go；　then。　　If　Saxthorpe　had　only
held　his　tongue；　or　if　those　infernal　police　hadn't　got　chattering
with　the　magistrates；　we　might　have　made　a　coup。　　As　it　is；　the
game's　up。　　Mr。　Dunster　left　for　Yarmouth；　you　say；　yesterday
morning？〃

〃I　saw　him　go　myself。　　He　looked　very　shaky　and　ill；　but　he　was
able　to　smoke　a　big　cigar　and　walk　down…stairs　leaning　on　the
doctor's　arm。〃

〃I　don't　doubt；〃　Kinsley　remarked；　〃but　that　you　saw　what　you　say
you　saw。　　At　the　same　time；　you　may　be　surprised　to　hear　that　Mr。
Dunster　has　disappeared　again。〃

〃Disappeared　again？〃　Hamel　muttered。

〃It　looks　very　much；〃　Kinsley　continued；　〃as　though　your　friend
Miles　Fentolin　has　been　playing　with　him　like　a　cat　with　a　mouse。
He　has　been　obliged　to　turn　him　out　of　one　hiding…place；　and　he　has
simply　transferred　him　to　another。〃

Hamel　looked　doubtful。

〃Mr。　Dunster　left　quite　alone　in　the　car；〃　he　said。　　〃He　was　on　his
guard　too；　for　Mr。　Fentolin　and　he　had　had　words。　　1　really　can't
see　how　it　was　possible　for　him　to　have　got　into　any　more　trouble。〃

〃Where　is　he；　then？〃　Kinsley　demanded。　　〃Come；　I　will　let　you　a
little　further　into　our　confidence。　　We　have　reason　to　believe　that
he　carries　with　him　a　written　message　which　is　practically　the　only
chance　we　have　of　avoiding　disaster　during　the　next　few　days。　　That
written　message　is　addressed　to　the　delegates　at　The　Hague；　who　are
now　sitting。　　Nothing　had　been　heard　of　Dunster　or　the　document　he
carries。　　No　word　has　come　from　him　of　any　sort　since　he　left　St。
David's　Hall。〃

〃Have　you　tried　to　trace　him　from　there？〃　Hamel　asked。

〃Trace　him？〃　Kinsley　repeated。　　〃By　heavens；　you　don't　seem　to
understand；　Dick；　the　immense；　the　extraordinary　importance　of　this
man　to　us！　　The　cleverest　detective　in　England　spent　yesterday
under　your　nose　at　St。　David's　Hall。　　There　are　a　dozen　others
working　upon　the　job　as　hard　as　they　can。　　All　the　reports　confirm
what　you　say　…　that　Dunster　left　St。　David's　Hall　at　half…past　nine
yesterday　morning；　and　he　certainly　arrived　in　Yarmouth　at　a　little
before　twelve。　　From　there　he　seems；　however；　to　have　completely
disappeared。　　The　car　went　back　to　St。　David's　Hall　empty；　the　man
only　stayed　long　enough　in　Yarmouth；　in　fact；　to　have　his　dinner。
We　cannot　find　a　single　smack　owner　who　was　approached　in　any　way
for　the　hire　of　a　boat。　　Yarmouth　has　been　ransacked　in　vain。　　He
certainly　has　not　arrived　at　The　Hague　or　we　should　have　heard　news
at　once。　　As　a　last　resource；　I　ran　down　here　to　see　you　on　the
chance　of　your　having　picked　up　any　information。〃

Hamel　shook　his　head。

〃You　seem　to　know　a　good　deal　more　than　I　do；　already；〃　he　said。

〃What　do　you　think　of　Mr。　Fentolin？　　You　have　stayed　in　his　house。
You　have　had　an　opportunity　of　studying　him。〃

〃So　far　as　my　impressions　go；〃　Hamel　replied；　〃everything　which　you
have　suggested　might　very　well　be　true。　　I　think　that　either　out　of
sheer　love　of　mischief；　or　from　some　subtler　motive；　he　is　capable
of　anything。　　Every　one　in　the　place；　except　one　poor　woman；　seems
to　look　upon　him　as　a　sort　of　supernatural　being。　　He　gives　money
away　to　worthless　people　with　both　hands。　　Yet　I　share　your　opinion
of　him。　　I　believe　that　he　is　a　creature　without　conscience　or　morals。
I　have　sat　at　his　table　and　shivered　when　he　has　smiled。〃

〃Are　you　staying　at　St。　　David's　Hall　now？〃

〃I　left　yesterday。〃

〃Where　are　you　now；　then？〃

〃I　am　at　St。　　David's　Tower　…　the　little　place　I　told　you　of　that
belonged　to　my　father　…　but　I　don't　know　whether　I　shall　be　able　to
stop　there。　　Mr。　Fentolin；　for　some