the vanished messenger-第39节

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smoke　was　ascending　from　the　kitchen　chimney。　　The　little　round
table　was　laid　with　a　white　cloth。　　There　was　a　faint　odour　of
cooking　from　the　back　premises。　　His　lamp　was　lit；　there　were　logs
hissing　and　crackling　upon　the　fire。　　As　he　stood　there　looking
wonderingly　about　him；　the　door　from　the　back　was　opened。　　Hannah
Cox　came　quietly　into　the　room。

〃What　time　would　you　like　your　dinner；　sir　？〃　she　enquired。

Hamel　stared　at　her。

〃Why；　are　you　going　to　keep　house　for　me；　Mrs。　Cox？〃　he　asked。

〃If　you　please；　sir。　　I　heard　that　you　had　been　in　the　village；
looking　for　some　one。　　I　am　sorry　that　I　was　away。　　There　is　no　one
else　who　would　come　to　you。〃

〃So　I　discovered；〃　he　remarked；　a　little　grimly。

〃No　one　else；〃　she　went　on；　〃would　come　to　you　because　of　Mr。
Fentolin。　　He　does　not　wish　to　have　you　here。　　They　love　him　so
much　in　the　village　that　he　had　only　to　breathe　the　word。　　It　was
enough。〃

〃Yet　you　are　here；〃　he　reminded　her。

〃I　do　not　count；〃　she　answered。　　〃I　am　outside　all　these　things。〃

Hamel　gave　a　little　sigh　of　satisfaction。

〃Well；　I　am　glad　you　could　come；　anyhow。　　If　you　have　something　for
dinner；　I　should　like　it　in　about　half　an　hour。〃

He　climbed　the　narrow　stairs　which　led　to　his　bedroom。　　To　his
surprise；　there　were　many　things　there　for　his　comfort　which　he　had
forgotten　to　order　…　clean　bed…linen；　towels；　even　a　curtain　upon
the　window。

〃Where　did　you　get　all　the　linen　up…stairs　from；　Mrs。　Cox？〃　he
asked　her；　when　he　descended。　　〃The　room　was　almost　empty　yesterday；
and　I　forgot　nearly　all　the　things　I　meant　to　bring　home　from
Norwich。〃

〃Mrs。　Seymore　Fentolin　sent　down　a　hamper　for　you；〃　the　woman
replied；　〃with　a　message　from　Mr。　Fentolin。　　He　said　that　nothing
among　the　oddments　left　by　your　father　had　been　preserved；　but
that　you　were　welcome　to　anything　you　desired；　if　you　would　let
them　know　at　the　Hall。〃

〃It　is　very　kind　of　both　of　them；〃　Hamel　said　thoughtfully。

The　woman　stood　still　for　a　moment；　looking　at　him。　　Then　she　drew
a　step　nearer。

〃Has　Mr。　Fentolin　given　you　the　key　of　the　shed？〃　she　asked；　very
quietly。

Hamel　shook　his　head。

〃We　don't　need　the　place；　do　we？〃

〃He　did　not　give　you　the　key？〃　she　persisted。

〃Mr。　Fentolin　said　that　he　had　some　things　in　there　which　he　wished
to　keep　locked　up；〃　he　explained。

She　remained　thoughtful　for　several　moments。　　Then　she　turned　away。

〃No；〃　she　said；　〃it　was　not　likely　he　would　not　give　you　that　key！〃

Hamel　dined　simply　but　comfortably。　　Mrs。　Cox　cleared　away　the
things；　brought　him　his　coffee；　and　appeared　a　few　minutes　later；
her　shawl　wrapped　around　her；　ready　for　departure。

〃I　shall　be　here　at　seven　o'clock　in　the　morning；　sir；〃　she
announced。

Hamel　was　a　little　startled。　　He　withdrew　the　pip　from　his　mouth
and　looked　at　her。

〃Why；　of　course；〃　he　remarked。　　〃I'd　forgotten。　　There　is　no　place
for　you　to　stay　here。〃

〃I　shall　go　back　to　my　brother's。〃　she　said。

Hamel　put　some　money　upon　the　table。

〃Please　get　anything　that　is　necessary；〃　he　directed。　　〃I　shall
leave　you　to　do　the　housekeeping　for　a　few　days。〃

〃Shall　you　be　staying　here　long；　sir？〃　she　asked。

〃I　am　not　sure；〃　he　replied。

〃I　do　not　suppose；〃　she　said；　〃that　you　will　stay　for　very　long。
I　shall　get　only　the　things　that　you　require　from　day　to　day。　　Good
night；　sir。

She　left　the　room。　　Hamel　looked　after　her　for　a　moment　with　a　frown。
In　some　indescribable　way；　the　woman　half　impressed；　half　irritated
him。　　She　had　always　the　air　of　keeping　something　in　the　background。
He　followed　her　out　on　to　the　little　ridge　of　beach；　a　few　minutes
after　she　had　left。　　The　mist　was　still　drifting　about。　　Only　a　few
yards　away　the　sea　rolled　in；　filling　the　air　with　dull　thunder。
The　marshland　was　half　obscured。　　St。　David's　Hall　was　invisible；
but　like　strangely…hung　lanterns　in　an　empty　space　he　saw　the　line
of　lights　from　the　great　house　gleam　through　the　obscurity。　　There
was　no　sound　save　the　sound　of　the　sea。　　He　shivered　slightly。　　It
was　like　an　empty　land；　this。

Then；　moved　by　some　instinct　of　curiosity；　he　made　his　way　round　to
the　closed　door　of　the　boat…house；　only　to　find　it；　as　he　had
expected；　locked。　　He　shook　Lt　slightly；　without　result。　　Then　he
strolled　round　to　the　back；　entered　his　own　little　abode　by　the
kitchen；　and　tried　the　other　door　which　led　into　the　boat…house。
It　was　not　only　locked；　but　a　staple　had　been　put　in；　and　it　was
fastened　with　a　padlock　of　curious　design　which　he　did　not　remember
to　have　seen　there　before。　　Again；　half　unconsciously；　he　listened；
and　again　he　found　the　silence　oppressive。　　He　went　back　to　his
room；　brought　out　some　of　the　books　which　it　had　been　his　intention
to　study；　and　sat　and　read　over　the　fire。

At　ten　o'clock　he　went　to　bed。　　As　he　threw　open　his　window　before
undressing；　it　seemed　to　him　that　he　could　catch　the　sound　of　voices
from　the　sea。　　He　listened　intently。　　A　grey　pall　hung　everywhere。
To　the　left；　with　strange　indistinctness；　almost　like　something
human　struggling　to　assert　itself；　came　the　fitful　flash　from　the
light　at　the　entrance　to　the　tidal　way。　　Once　more　he　strained　his
ears。　　This　time　there　was　no　doubt　about　it。　　He　heard　the　sound
of　fishermen's　voices。　　He　heard　one　of　them　say　distinctly：

〃Hard　aport；　Dave　lad！　That's　Fentolin's　light。　　Keep　her　out　a　bit。
Steady；　lad！〃

Through　a　rift　in　the　mist；　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　brown　sail
of　a　fishing…boat；　dangerously　near　the　land。　　He　watched　it　alter
its　course　slightly　and　pass　on。　　Then　again　there　was　silence。　　He
undressed　slowly　and　went　to　bed。

Later　on　he　woke　with　a　start　and　sat　up　in　bed；　listening　intently；
listening　for　he　knew　not　what。　　Except　for　the　backward　scream　of
the　pebbles；　dragged　down　every　few　seconds　by　the　receding　waves；
an　unbroken　silence　seemed　to　prevail。　　He　struck　a　match　and　looked
at　his　watch。　　It　was　exactly　three　o'clock。　　He　got　out　of　bed。　　He
was　a　man　in　perfect　health；　ignorant　of　the　meaning　of　nerves；　a
man　of　proved　courage。　　Yet　he　was　conscious　that　his　pulses　were
beating　with　absurd　rapidity。　　A　new　feeling　seemed　to　possess　him。
He　could　almost　have　declared　that　he　was　afraid。　　What　sound　had
awakened　him？　　He　had　no　idea；　yet　he　seemed　to　have　a　distinct　and
absolute　conviction　that　it　had　been　a　real　sound　and　no　dream。
He　drew　aside　the　curtains　and　looked　out　of　the　window。　　The　mist
now　seemed　to　have　become　almost　a　fog；　to　have　closed　in　upon　sea
and　land。　　There　was　nothing　whatever　to　be　seen。　　As　he　stood　there
for　a　moment；　listening；　his　face　became　moist　with　the　drifting
vapour。　　Suddenly　upon　the　beach　he　saw　what　at　first　he　imagined
must　be　an　optical　illusion　…　a　long　shaft　of　light；　invisible　in
itself　except　that　it　seemed　to　slightly　change　the　density　of　the
mist。　　He　threw　on　an　overcoat　over　his　pyjamas；　thrust　on　his
slippers；　and　taking　up　his　own　electric　torch；　hastily　descended
the　stairs。　　He　opened　the　front　door　and　stepped　out　on　to　the
beach。　　He　stood　in　the　very　place　where　the　light　had　seemed　to
be；　and　looked　inland。　　There　was　no　sign　of　any　human　person；　not
a　sound　except　the　falling　of　the　sea　upon　the　pebbly　beach。　　He
raised　his　voice　and　called　out。　　Somehow　or　other；　speech　seemed
to　be　a　relief。

〃Hullo！〃

There　was　no　response。　　He　tried　again。

〃Is　any　one　there？〃

Still　no　answer。　　He　watched　the　veiled　light　from　the　harbour
appear　and　disappear。　　It　threw　no　shadow　of　illumination　upon　the
spot　to　which　he　had　gazed　from　his　window。　　One　window　at　St。
David's　Hall　was　illuminated。　　The　rest　of　the　place　was　wrapped
now　in　darkness。　　He　walked　up　to　the　boat…house。　　The　door　was
still　locked。　　There　was　　no　sign　that　any　one　had　been　there。
Reluctantly　at　last　he　re…entered　the　Tower　and　made　his　way
up…stairs。

〃Confound　that　fellow　Kinsley！〃　he　muttered；　as　he　threw　off　his
overcoat。　　〃All　his　silly　suggestions　and　melodramatic　ideas　have
given　me　a　fit　of　nerves。　　I　am　going　to　bed；　and　I　am　going　to
sleep。　　That　couldn't　have　been　a　light　I　saw　at　all。　　I　couldn't
have　heard　anything。　　I　am　going　to　sleep。〃




CHAPTER　XXVII

Hamel　awoke　to　find　his　room　filled　with　sunshine　and　a　soft　wind
blowing　in　through　the　open　window。　　There　was　a　pleasant　odour　of
coffee　floating　up　from　the　kitchen。　　He　looked　at　his　watch　…　it
was　past　eight　o'clock。　　The　sea　was　glittering　and　bespangled　with
sunlight。　　He　found　among　his　scanty　belongings　a　bathing　suit；　and；
wrapped　in　his　overcoat；　hurried　down…stairs。

〃Breakfast　in　half　an　hour；　Mrs。　Cox；〃　he　called　out。

She　stood　at　the　door；　watching　him　as　he　stepped　across　the　pebbles
and　plunged　in。　　For　a　few　moments　he　swam。　　Then　he　turned　over　on
his　back。　　The　sunlight　was　gleaming　from　every　window　of　St。　David's
Hall。　　He　even　fancied　that　upon　the　terrace　he　could　see　a
white…clad　figure　looking　towards　him。　　He　turned　over　and　swam　once
more。　　From　her　place　in　the　doorway　Mrs。　Cox　called　out　to　him。

〃Mind　the　Dagger　Rocks；　sir！〃

He　waved　his　hand。　　The　splendid　exhilaration　of　the　salt　water
seemed　to　give　him　unlimited　courage。　　He　dived；　but　the　woman's
cry　of　fear　soon