the yellow crayon-第43节

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〃Mr。　Brott；〃　he　said；　〃the　Countess　is；　as　I　feared；　too　agitated
to　see　you　again　for　the　present；　or　any　one　else。　　She　sends　you；
however；　this　message。〃

He　took　the　folded　paper　from　his　waistcoat　pocket　and　handed　it
to　the　other　man。　　Brott　read　it　through　eagerly。　　His　eyes　shone。

〃She　accepts　the　situation；　then？〃　he　exclaimed。

〃Precisely！　　Will　you　pardon　me；　my　friend；　if　I　venture　upon　one
other　word。　　Lucille　is　not　an　ordinary　woman。　　She　is　not　in　the
least　like　the　majority　of　her　sex；　especially；　I　might　add；　amongst
us。　　The　fact　that　her　husband　was　living　would　seriously　influence
her　consideration　of　any　other　man　…　as　her　lover。　　The　present
crisis；　however；　has　changed　everything。　　I　do　not　think　that　you
will　have　cause　to　complain　of　her　lack　of　gratitude。〃

Brott　walked　out　into　the　streets　with　the　half　sheet　of　note…paper
twisted　up　between　his　fingers。　　For　the　first　time　for　months　he
was　conscious　of　a　distinct　and　vivid　sense　of　happiness。　　The
terrible　period　of　indecision　was　past。　　He　knew　now　where　he　stood。
Nor　was　his　immediate　departure　from　England　altogether　unpleasant
to　him。　　His　political　career　was　shattered　…　friends　and　enemies
were　alike　cold　to　him。　　Such　an　act　of　cowardice　as　his；　such
pitiful　shrinking　back　at　the　last　fateful　moment；　was　inexplicable
and　revolting。　　Even　Letheringham　was　barely　civil。　　It　was　certain
that　his　place　in　the　Cabinet　would　be　intolerable。　　He　yearned　for
escape　from　it　all；　and　the　means　of　escape　were　now　at　hand。　　In
after　years　he　knew　very　well　that　the　shadow　of　his　broken　trust；
the　torture　of　his　misused　opportunities；　would　stand　for　ever
between　him　and　the　light。　　But　at　that　moment　he　was　able　to　clear
his　mind　of　all　such　disquieting　thoughts。　　He　had　won　Lucille
　…　never　mind　at　what　cost；　at　what　peril！　　He　had　won　Lucille！

He　was　deeply　engrossed；　and　his　name　was　spoken　twice　in　his　ear
before　he　turned　round。　　A　small；　somewhat　shabby…looking　man；　with
tired　eyes　and　more　than　a　day's　growth　of　beard　upon　his　chin；　had
accosted　him。

〃Mr。　Brott；　sir。　　A　word　with　you；　please。〃

Brott　held　out　his　hand。　　Nevertheless　his　tone　when　he　spoke　lacked
heartiness。

〃You；　Hedley！　　Why；　what　brings　you　to　London？〃

The　little　man　did　not　seem　to　see　the　hand。　　At　any　rate　he　made
no　motion　to　take　it。

〃A　few　minutes'　chat　with　Mr。　Brott。　　That's　what　I've　come　for。〃

Brott　raised　his　eyebrows；　and　nodded　in　somewhat　constrained
fashion。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　on　my　way　to　my　rooms。　　We　can　talk　as　we
go；　if　you　like。　　I　am　afraid　the　good　people　up　in　your　part　of
the　world　are　not　too　well　pleased　with　me。〃

The　little　man　smiled　rather　queerly。

〃That　is　quite　true；〃　he　answered　calmly。　　〃They　hate　a　liar　and
a　turn…coat。　　So　do　I！〃
　
Brott　stopped　short　upon　the　pavement。

〃If　you　are　going　to　talk　like　that　to　me；　Hedley；〃　he　said；　〃the
less　you　have　to　say　the　better。〃

The　man　nodded。

〃Very　well；〃　he　said。　　〃What　I　have　to　say　won't　take　me　very　long。
But　as　I've　tramped　most　of　the　way　up　here　to　say　it；　you'll　have
to　listen　here　or　somewhere　else。　　I　thought　you　were　always　one　who
liked　the　truth。〃

〃So　I　do！〃　　Brott　answered。　　〃Go　on！〃

The　man　shuffled　along　by　his　side。　　They　were　an　odd…looking　pair；
for　Brott　was　rather　a　careful　man　as　regards　his　toilet；　and　his
companion　looked　little　better　than　a　tramp。

〃All　my　life；〃　he　continued；　〃I've　been　called　'Mad　Hedley；'　or
'Hedley；　the　mad　tailor。'　　Sometimes　one　and　sometimes　the　other。
It　don't　matter　which。　　There's　truth　in；　it。　　I　am　a　bit　mad。　　You；
Mr。　Brott；　were　one　of　those　who　understood　me　a　little。　　I　have
brooded　a　good　deal　perhaps；　and　things　have　got　muddled　up　in　my
brain。　　You　know　what　has　been　at　the　bottom　of　it　all。

〃I　began　making　speeches　when　I　was　a　boy。　　People　laughed　at　me；
but　I've　set　many　a　one　a…thinking。　　I'm　no　anarchist；　although
people　call　me　one。　　I'll　admit　that　I　admire　the　men　who　set　the
French　Revolution　going。　　If　such　a　thing　happened　in　this　country
I'd　be　one　of　the　first　to　join　in。　　But　I've　never　had　a　taste
for　bloodshed。　　I'd　rather　the　thing　had　been　done　without。　　From
the　first　you　seemed　to　be　the　man　who　might　have　brought　it　about。
We　listened　to　you；　we　watched　your　career；　and　we　began　to　have
hopes。　　Mr。　Brott；　the　bodies　and　souls　of　millions　of　your
fellow…creatures　were　in　the　hollow　of　your　hand。　　It　was　you　who
might　have　set　them　free。　　It　was　you　who　might　have　made　this　the
greatest；　the　freest；　the　happiest　country　in　the　world。　　Not　so
much　for　us　perhaps　as　for　our　children；　and　our　children's　children。
We　didn't　expect　a　huge　social　upheaval　in　a　week；　or　even　a　decade
of　years。　　But　we　did　expect　to　see　the　first　blow　struck。　　Oh；　yes；
we　expected　that。〃

〃I　have　disappointed　you；　I　know；　you　and　many　others；〃　Brott　said
bitterly。　　〃I　wish　I　could　explain。　　But　I　can't！〃
　
〃Oh；　it　doesn't　matter；〃　the　man　answered。　　〃You　have　broken　the
hearts　of　thousands　of　suffering　men　and　women　…　you　who　might　have
led　them　into　the　light；　have　forged　another　bolt　in　the　bars　which
stand　between　them　and　liberty。　　So　they　must　live　on　in　the
darkness；　dull；　dumb　creatures　with　just　spirit　enough　to　spit　and
curse　at　the　sound　of　your　name。　　It　was　the　greatest　trust　God
ever　placed　in　one　man's　hand　…　and　you　…　you　abused　it。　　They　were
afraid　of　you　…　the　aristocrats；　and　they　bought　you。　　Oh；　we　are
not　blind　up　there　…　there　are　newspapers　in　our　public　houses；　and
now　and　then　one　can　afford　a　half…penny。　　We　have　read　of　you　at
their　parties　and　their　dances。　　Quite　one　of　them　you　have　become；
haven't　you？　　But；　Mr。　Brott；　have　you　never　been　afraid？　　Have　you
never　said　to　yourself；　there　is　justice　in　the　earth？　Suppose　it
finds　me　out？〃

〃Hedley；　you　are　talking　rubbish；〃　J3rott　said。　　〃Up　here　you　would
see　things　with　different　eyes。　　Letheringham　is　pledged。〃

〃If　any　man　ever　earned　hell；〃　Hedley　continued；　〃it　is　you；　Brott；
you　who　came　to　us　a　deliverer；　and　turned　out　to　be　a　lying　prophet。
'Hell；'　he　repeated　fiercely；　〃and　may　you　find　it　swiftly。〃

The　man's　right　hand　came　out　of　his　long　pocket。　　They　were　in　the
thick　of　Piccadilly；　but　his　action　was　too　swift　for　any
interference。　　Four　reports　rang　suddenly　out；　and　the　muzzle　of
the　revolver　was　held　deliberately　within　an　inch　or　so　of　Brett's
heart。　　And　before　even　the　nearest　of　the　bystanders　could　realise
what　had　happened　Brott　lay　across　the　pavement　a　dead　man；　and
Hedley　was　calmly　handing　over　the　revolver　to　a　policeman　who　had
sprang　across　the　street。

〃Be　careful；　officer；〃　he　said；　〃there　are　still　two　chambers　loaded。
I　will　come　with　you　quite　quietly。　　That　is　Mr。　Reginald　Brott；　the
Cabinet　Minister；　and　I　have　killed　him。〃


CHAPTER　XL

For　once；〃　Lady　Carey　said；　with　a　faint　smile；　〃your　'admirable
Crichton'　has　failed　you。〃

Lucille　opened　her　eyes。　　She　had　been　leaning　back　amongst　the
railway　cushions。

〃I　think　not；〃　she　said。　　〃Only　I　blame　myself　that　I　ever　trusted
the　Prince　even　so　far　as　to　give　him　that　message。　　For　I　know
very　well　that　if　Victor　had　received　it　he　would　have　been　here。〃

Lady　Carey　took　up　a　great　pile　of　papers　and　looked　them　carelessly
through。

〃I　am　afraid；〃　she　said；　〃that　I　do　not　agree　with　you。　　I　do　not
think　that　Saxe　Leinitzer　had　any　desire　except　to　see　you　safely
away。　　I　believe　that　he　will　be　quite　as　disappointed　as　you　are
that　your　husband　is　not　here　to　aid　you。　　Some　one　must　see　you
safely　on　the　steamer　at　Havre。　　Perhaps　he　will　come　himself。〃

〃I　shall　wait　in　Paris；〃　Lucille　said　quietly；　〃for　my　husband。〃

〃You　may　wait；〃　Lady　Carey　said；　〃for　a　very　long　time。〃

Lucille　looked　at　her　steadily。　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃What　a　fool　you　are；　Lucille。　　If　to　other　people　it　seems　almost
certain　on　the　face　of　it　that　you　were　responsible　for　that　drop
of　poison　in　your　husband's　liqueur　glass；　why　should　it　not　seem
so　to　himself？〃

Lucille　laughed；　but　there　was　a　look　of　horror　in　her　dark　eyes。

〃How　absurd。　　　I　know　Victor　better　than　to　believe　him　capable　of
such　a　suspicion。　　Just　as　he　knows　me　better　than　to　believe　me
capable　of　such　an　act。〃

〃Really。　　But　you　were　in　his　rooms　secretly　just　before。〃

〃I　went　to　leave　some　roses　for　him；〃　Lucille　answered。　　〃And　if
you　would　like　to　know　it；　I　will　tell　you　this。　　I　left　my　card
tied　to　them　with　a　message　for　him。〃

Lady　Carey　yawned。

〃A　remarkably　foolish　thing　to　do；〃　she　said。　　〃That　may　cause　you
trouble　later　on。　　Great　heavens；　what　is　this？〃

She　held　the　evening　paper　open　in　her　hand。　　Lucille　leaned　over
with　blanched　face。

〃What　has　happened？〃　she　cried。　　〃Tell　me；　can't　you！〃

〃Reginald　Brott　has　been　shot　in　Piccadilly；〃　Lady　Carey　said。

〃Is　he　hurt？〃　Lucille　asked。

〃He　is　dead！〃

They　read　the　brief　announcement　together。　　The　deed　had　been
committed　by　a　man　whose　reputation　for　sanity　had　long　been
questioned；　one　of　Brott's　own　constituents。　　He　was　in　custody；
and　freely　admitted　his　guilt。　　The　two　women　looked　at　one　another
in　horror。　　Even　Lady　Carey　was　affected。

〃