the vanished messenger-第45节

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away！〃

〃What　about　Esther？〃　he　asked　quietly。

〃You　must　leave　her；〃　she　cried；　with　a　little　catch　in　her　throat。
〃Gerald　has　broken　away。　　Esther　and　I　must　carry　still　the　burden。〃

She　motioned　him　to　go。　　He　touched　her　fingers　for　a　moment。

〃Mrs；　Fentolin；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　been　a　good　many　years　making　up
my　mind。　　Now　that　I　have　done　so；　I　do　not　think　that　any　one　will
keep　Esther　from　me。〃

She　looked　at　him　a　little　pitifully；　a　little　wistfully。　　Then；
with　a　shrug　of　the　shoulders；　she　turned　round　to　the　piano　and
recommenced　to　play。　　Hamel　took　his　coat　and　hat　from　a　servant
who　was　waiting　in　the　hail　and　passed　out　into　the　night。

He　walked　briskly　until　he　reached　the　Tower。　The　wind　had　risen；
but　there　was　still　enough　light　to　help　him　on　his　way。　　The
little　building　was　in　complete　darkness。　　He　opened　the　door　and
stepped　into　the　sitting…room；　lit　the　lamp；　and；　holding　it　over
his　head；　went　down　the　passage　and　into　the　kitchen。　　Then　he　gave
a　start。　　The　lamp　nearly　slipped　from　his　fingers。　　Kneeling　on
the　stone　floor；　in　very　much　the　same　attitude　as　he　had　found　her
earlier　in　the　day；　Hannah　Cox　was　crouching　patiently　by　the　door
which　led　into　the　boathouse；　her　face　expressionless；　her　ear
turned　towards　the　crack。　　She　was　still　listening。




CHAPTER　XXXI

Hamel　set　down　the　lamp　upon　the　table。　　He　glanced　at　the　little
clock　upon　the　dresser；　it　was　a　quarter　past　ten。　　The　woman　had
observed　his　entrance；　although　it　seemed　in　no　way　to　have
discomposed　her。

〃Do　you　know　the　time；　Mrs。　Cox？〃　he　asked。　　〃You　ought　to　have　been
home　hours　ago。　　What　are　you　doing　there？〃

She　rose　to　her　feet。　　Her　expression　was　one　of　dogged　but　patient
humility。

〃I　started　for　home　before　nine　o'clock；　sir；〃　she　told　him；　〃but
it　was　worse　than　ever　to…night。　　All　the　way　along　by　the　sea　I
seemed　to　hear　their　voices；　so　I　came　back。　　I　came　back　to　listen。
I　have　been　listening　for　an　hour。〃

Hamel　looked　at　her　with　a　frown　upon　his　forehead。

〃Mrs。　Cox；〃　he　said；　〃I　wish　I　could　understand　what　it　is　that　you
have　in　your　mind。　　Those　are　not　real　voices　that　you　hear；　you
cannot　believe　that？〃

〃Not　real　voices；〃　she　repeated；　without　the　slightest　expression　in
her　tone。

〃Of　course　not！　　And　tell　me　what　connection　you　find　between　these
fancies　of　yours　and　that　room？　　Why　do　you　come　and　listen　here？

〃I　do　not　know；〃　she　answered　patiently。

〃You　must　have　some　reason；〃　he　persisted。

〃I　have　no　reason；〃　she　assured　him；　〃only　some　day　I　shall　see
behind　these　doors。　　Afterwards；　I　shall　hear　the　voices　no　more。〃

She　was　busy　tying　a　shawl　around　her　head。　　Hamel　watched　her；
still　puzzled。　　He　could　not　get　rid　of　the　idea　that　there　was
some　method　behind　her　madness。

〃Tell　me　…　I　have　found　you　listening　here　before。　　Have　you　ever
heard　anything　suspicious？〃

〃I　have　heard　nothing　yet；〃　she　admitted；　〃nothing　that　counts。〃

〃Come；〃　he　continued；　〃couldn't　we　clear　this　matter　up　sensibly？
Do　you　believe　that　there　is　anybody　in　there？　　Do　you　believe　the
place　is　being　used　in　any　way　for　a　wrong　purpose？　　If　so；　we　will
insist　upon　having　the　keys　from　Mr。　Fentolin。　　He　cannet　refuse。
The　place　is　mine。

〃Mr。　Fentolin　would　not　give　you　the　keys；　sir；〃　she　replied。　　〃If
he　did；　it　would　be　useless。〃

〃Would　you　like　me　to　break　the　door　in？〃　Hamel　asked。

〃You　could　not　do　it；　sir；〃　she　told　him；　〃not　you　nor　anybody　else。
The　door　is　thicker　than　my　fist；　of　solid　oak。　　It　was　a　mechanic
from　New　York　who　fitted　the　locks。　　I　have　heard　it　said　in　the
village　…　Bill　Hamas；　the　carpenter；　declares　that　there　are　double
doors。　　The　workmen　who　were　employed　here　were　housed　in　a　tent
upon　the　beach　and　sent　home　the　day　they　finished　their　job。　　They
were　never　allowed　in　the　village。　　They　were　foreigners；　most　of
them。　　They　came　from　nobody　knows　where；　and　when　they　had　finished
they　disappeared。　　Why　was　that；　sir？　　What　is　there　inside　which
Mr。　Fentolin　needs　to　guard　so　carefully？〃

〃Mr。　Fentolin　has　invented　something；〃　Hamel　explained。　　〃He　keeps
the　model　in　there。　　Inventors　are　very　jealous　of　their　work。〃

She　looked　down　upon　the　floor　for　a　moment。

〃I　shall　be　here　at　seven　o'clock　in　the　morning；　sir。　　I　will　give
you　your　breakfast　at　the　usual　time。〃

Hamel　opened　the　door　for　her。

〃Good　night；　Mrs。　Cox；〃　he　said。　　〃Would　you　like　me　to　walk　a
little　way　with　you？　　It's　a　lonely　path　to　the　village；　and　the
dikes　are　full。〃

〃Thank　you；　no；　sir；〃　she　replied。　　〃It's　a　lonely　way；　right　enough；
but　it　isn't　loneliness　that　frightens　me。　　I　am　less　afraid　out
with　the　winds　and　the　darkness　than　under　this　roof。　　If　I　lose　my
way　and　wander　all　night　upon　the　marsh；　I'll　be　safer　out　there
than　you；　sir。

She　passed　away；　and　Hamel　watched　her　disappear　into　the　darkness。
Then　he　dragged　out　a　bowl　of　tobacco　and　filled　a　pipe。　　Although
he　was　half　ashamed　of　himself；　he　strolled　back　once　more　into　the
kitchen；　and；　drawing　up　a　stool；　he　sat　down　just　where　he　had
discovered　Hannah　Cox；　sat　still　and　listened。　　No　sound　of　any　sort
reached　him。　　He　sat　there　for　ten　minutes。　　Then　he　scrambled　to
his　feet。

〃She　is　mad；　of　course！〃　he　muttered。

He　mixed　himself　a　whisky　and　soda；　relit　his　pipe；　which　had　gone
out；　and　drew　up　an　easy…chair　to　the　fire　which　she　had　left　him
in　the　sitting…room。　　The　wind　had　increased　in　violence；　and　the
panes　of　his　window　rattled　continually。　　He　yawned　and　tried　to
fancy　that　he　was　sleepy。　　It　was　useless。　　He　was　compelled　to
admit　the　truth　…　that　his　nerves　were　all　on　edge。　　In　a　sense　he
was　afraid。　　The　thought　of　bed　repelled　him。　　He　had　not　a　single
impulse　towards　repose。　　Outside；　the　wind　all　the　time　was
gathering　force。　　More　than　once　his　window　was　splashed　with　the
spray　carried　on　by　the　wind　which　followed　the　tide。　　He　sat　quite
still　and　tried　to　think　calmly；　tried　to　piece　together　in　his　mind
the　sequence　of　events　which　had　brought　him　to　this　part　of　the
world　and　which　had　led　to　his　remaining　where　he　was；　an　undesired
hanger…on　at　the　threshold　of　Miles　Fentolin。　　He　had　the　feeling
that　to…night　he　had　burned　his　boats。　　There　was　no　longer　any
pretence　of　friendliness　possible　between　him　and　this　strange
creature。　　Mr。　Fentolin　suspected　him；　realised　that　he　himself　was
suspected。　　But　of　what？　　Hamel　moved　in　his　chair　restlessly。
Sometimes　that　gathering　cloud　of　suspicion　seemed　to　him　grotesque。
Of　what　real　harm　could　he　be　capable；　this　little　autocrat　who　from
his　chair　seemed　to　exercise　such　a　malign　influence　upon　every　one
with　whom　he　was　brought　into　contact？　　Hamel　sighed。　　The　riddle
was　insoluble。　　With　a　sudden　rush　of　warmer　and　more　joyous
feelings；　he　let　the　subject　slip　away　from　him。　　He　closed　his　eyes
and　dreamed　for　a　while。　　There　was　a　new　world　before　him；　joys
which　only　so　short　a　time　ago　he　had　fancied　had　passed　him　by。

He　sat　up　in　his　chair　with　a　start。　　The　fire　had　become　merely
a　handful　of　grey　ashes；　his　limbs　were　numb　and　stiff。　　The　lamp
was　flickering　out。　　He　had　been　dozing；　how　long　he　had　no　idea。
Something　had　awakened　him　abruptly。　　There　was　a　cold　draught
blowing　through　the　room。　　He　turned　his　head；　his　hands　still
gripping　the　sides　of　his　chair。　　His　heart　gave　a　leap。　　The
outer　door　was　a　few　inches　open；　was　being　held　open　by　some
invisible　force。　　There　was　some　one　there；　some　one　on　the　point
of　entering　stealthily。　　Even　as　he　watched；　the　crack　became　a
little　wider。　　He　sat　with　his　eyes　riveted　upon　that　opening
space。　　The　unseen　hand　was　still　at　work。　　Every　instant　he
expected　to　see　a　face　thrust　forward。　　The　sensation　of　absolute
physical　fear　by　which　he　was　oppressed　was　a　revelation　to　him。
He　found　himself　wishing　almost　feverishly　that　he　was　armed。　　The
physical　strength　in　which　he　had　trusted　seemed　to　him　at　that
instant　a　valueless　and　impotent　thing。　　There　was　a　splash　of
spray　or　raindrops　against　the　window　and　through　the　crack　in
the　door。　　The　lamp　chimney　hissed　and　spluttered　and　finally　the
light　went　out。　　The　room　was　in　sudden　darkness。　　Hamel　sprang
then　to　his　feet。　　Silence　had　become　an　intolerable　thing。　　He
felt　the　close　presence　of　another　human　being　creeping　in　upon
him。

〃Who's　there？〃　he　cried。　　〃Who's　there；　I　say？〃

There　was　no　direct　answer；　only　the　door　was　pushed　a　little
further　open。　　He　had　stepped　close　to　it　now。　　The　sweep　of　the
wind　was　upon　his　face；　although　in　the　black　darkness　he　could
see　nothing。　　And　then　a　sudden　recollection　flashed　in　upon　him。
》From　his　trousers　pocket　he　snatched　a　little　electric　torch。　　In
an　instant　his　thumb　had　pressed　the　button。　　He　turned　it　upon
the　door。　　The　shivering　white　hand　which　held　it　open　was　plainly
in　view。　　It　was　the　hand　of　a　woman！　　He　stepped　swiftly　forward。
A　dark　figure　almost　fell　into　his　arms。

〃Mrs；　Fentolin！〃　he　exclaimed；　aghast。

An　hysterical　cry；　choked　and　subdued；　broke　from　her　lips。　　He
half　carried；　half　led　her　to　his　easy…chair。　　Suddenly　steadied　by
the　presence　of　this　unlooked…for　emergency；　he　close