the clue of the twisted candle-第3部分

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mpress　him。　　If　you　thrash　him；　he　will　never　forgive　you　and　will　probably　stick　a　knife　into　you　or　your　wife。　　If　you　meet　his　melodrama　with　melodrama　and　at　the　psychological　moment　produce　your　revolver；　you　will　secure　the　effect　you　require。　　Have　you　a　revolver？〃

John　went　to　his　desk　and；　pulling　open　a　drawer；　took　out　a　small　Browning。

〃That　is　the　extent　of　my　armory；〃　he　said；　〃it　has　never　been　fired　and　was　sent　to　me　by　an　unknown　admirer　last　Christmas。〃

〃A　curious　Christmas　present；〃　said　the　other；　examining　the　weapon。

〃I　suppose　the　mistaken　donor　imagined　from　my　books　that　I　lived　in　a　veritable　museum　of　revolvers；　sword　sticks　and　noxious　drugs；〃　said　Lexman；　recovering　some　of　his　good　humour；　〃it　was　accompanied　by　a　card。〃

〃Do　you　know　how　it　works？〃　asked　the　other。

〃I　have　never　troubled　very　much　about　it；〃　replied　Lexman；　〃I　know　that　it　is　loaded　by　slipping　back　the　cover；　but　as　my　admirer　did　not　send　ammunition；　I　never　even　practised　with　it。〃

There　was　a　knock　at　the　door。

〃That　is　the　post；〃　explained　John。

The　maid　had　one　letter　on　the　salver　and　the　author　took　it　up　with　a　frown。

〃From　Vassalaro；〃　he　said；　when　the　girl　had　left　the　room。

The　Greek　took　the　letter　in　his　hand　and　examined　it。

〃He　writes　a　vile　fist；〃　was　his　only　comment　as　he　handed　it　back　to　John。

He　slit　open　the　thin；　buff　envelope　and　took　out　half　a　dozen　sheets　of　yellow　paper；　only　a　single　sheet　of　which　was　written　upon。　　The　letter　was　brief：

　　〃I　must　see　you　to…night　without　fail；〃　ran　the　scrawl；　〃meet　me　　　　at　the　crossroads　between　Beston　Tracey　and　the　Eastbourne　Road。　　I　shall　be　there　at　eleven　o'clock；　and；　if　you　want　to　preserve　your　life；　you　had　better　bring　me　a　substantial　instalment。〃

It　was　signed　〃Vassalaro。〃

John　read　the　letter　aloud。　　〃He　must　be　mad　to　write　a　letter　like　that；〃　he　said；　〃I'll　meet　the　little　devil　and　teach　him　such　a　lesson　in　politeness　as　he　is　never　likely　to　forget。〃

He　handed　the　letter　to　the　other　and　Kara　read　it　in　silence。

〃Better　take　your　revolver；〃　he　said　as　he　handed　it　back。

John　Lexman　looked　at　his　watch。

〃I　have　an　hour　yet；　but　it　will　take　me　the　best　part　of　twenty　minutes　to　reach　the　Eastbourne　Road。〃

〃Will　you　see　him？〃　asked　Kara；　in　a　tone　of　surprise。

〃Certainly；〃　Lexman　replied　emphatically：　〃I　cannot　have　him　coming　up　to　the　house　and　making　a　scene　and　that　is　certainly　what　the　little　beast　will　do。〃

〃Will　you　pay　him？〃　asked　Kara　softly。

John　made　no　answer。　　There　was　probably　10　pounds　in　the　house　and　a　cheque　which　was　due　on　the　morrow　would　bring　him　another　30　pounds。　　He　looked　at　the　letter　again。　　It　was　written　on　paper　of　an　unusual　texture。　　The　surface　was　rough　almost　like　blotting　paper　and　in　some　places　the　ink　absorbed　by　the　porous　surface　had　run。　　The　blank　sheets　had　evidently　been　inserted　by　a　man　in　so　violent　a　hurry　that　he　had　not　noticed　the　extravagance。

〃I　shall　keep　this　letter；〃　said　John。

〃I　think　you　are　well　advised。　　Vassalaro　probably　does　not　know　that　he　transgresses　a　law　in　writing　threatening　letters　and　that　should　be　a　very　strong　weapon　in　your　hand　in　certain　eventualities。〃

There　was　a　tiny　safe　in　one　corner　of　the　study　and　this　John　opened　with　a　key　which　he　took　from　his　pocket。　　He　pulled　open　one　of　the　steel　drawers；　took　out　the　papers　which　were　in　it　and　put　in　their　place　the　letter；　pushed　the　drawer　to；　and　locked　it。

All　the　time　Kara　was　watching　him　intently　as　one　who　found　more　than　an　ordinary　amount　of　interest　in　the　novelty　of　the　procedure。

He　took　his　leave　soon　afterwards。

〃I　would　like　to　come　with　you　to　your　interesting　meeting；〃　he　said；　〃but　unfortunately　I　have　business　elsewhere。　　Let　me　enjoin　you　to　take　your　revolver　and　at　the　first　sign　of　any　bloodthirsty　intention　on　the　part　of　my　admirable　compatriot；　produce　it　and　click　it　once　or　twice；　you　won't　have　to　do　more。〃

Grace　rose　from　the　piano　as　Kara　entered　the　little　drawing…room　and　murmured　a　few　conventional　expressions　of　regret　that　the　visitor's　stay　had　been　so　short。　　That　there　was　no　sincerity　in　that　regret　Kara；　for　one；　had　no　doubt。　　He　was　a　man　singularly　free　from　illusions。

They　stayed　talking　a　little　while。

〃I　will　see　if　your　chauffeur　is　asleep；〃　said　John；　and　went　out　of　the　room。〃

There　was　a　little　silence　after　he　had　gone。

〃I　don't　think　you　are　very　glad　to　see　me；〃　said　Kara。　　His　frankness　was　a　little　embarrassing　to　the　girl　and　she　flushed　slightly。

〃I　am　always　glad　to　see　you；　Mr。　Kara；　or　any　other　of　my　husband's　friends；〃　she　said　steadily。

He　inclined　his　head。

〃To　be　a　friend　of　your　husband　is　something；〃　he　said；　and　then　as　if　remembering　something；　〃I　wanted　to　take　a　book　away　with　me　…　I　wonder　if　your　husband　would　mind　my　getting　it？〃

〃I　will　find　it　for　you。〃

〃Don't　let　me　bother　you；〃　he　protested；　〃I　know　my　way。〃

Without　waiting　for　her　permission　he　left　the　girl　with　the　unpleasant　feeling　that　he　was　taking　rather　much　for　granted。　　He　was　gone　less　than　a　minute　and　returned　with　a　book　under　his　arm。

〃I　have　not　asked　Lexman's　permission　to　take　it；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　am　rather　interested　in　the　author。　　Oh；　here　you　are；〃　he　turned　to　John　who　came　in　at　that　moment。　　〃Might　I　take　this　book　on　Mexico？〃　he　asked。　　〃I　will　return　it　in　the　morning。〃

They　stood　at　the　door；　watching　the　tail　light　of　the　motor　disappear　down　the　drive；　and　returned　in　silence　to　the　drawing　room。

〃You　look　worried；　dear；〃　she　said；　laying　her　hand　on　his　shoulder。

He　smiled　faintly。

〃Is　it　the　money〃　she　asked　anxiously。

For　a　moment　he　was　tempted　to　tell　her　of　the　letter。　　He　stifled　the　temptation　realizing　that　she　would　not　consent　to　his　going　out　if　she　knew　the　truth。

〃It　is　nothing　very　much；〃　he　said。　　〃I　have　to　go　down　to　Beston　Tracey　to　meet　the　last　train。　　I　am　expecting　some　proofs　down。〃

He　hated　lying　to　her；　and　even　an　innocuous　lie　of　this　character　was　repugnant　to　him。

〃I'm　afraid　you　have　had　a　dull　evening；〃　he　said；　〃Kara　was　not　very　amusing。〃

She　looked　at　him　thoughtfully。

〃He　has　not　changed　very　much；〃　she　said　slowly。

〃He's　a　wonderfully　handsome　chap；　isn't　he？〃　he　asked　in　a　tone　of　admiration。　　〃I　can't　understand　what　you　ever　saw　in　a　fellow　like　me；　when　you　had　a　man　who　was　not　only　rich；　but　possibly　the　best…looking　man　in　the　world。〃

She　shivered　a　little。

〃I　have　seen　a　side　of　Mr。　Kara　that　is　not　particularly　beautiful；〃　she　said。　　〃Oh；　John；　I　am　afraid　of　that　man！〃

He　looked　at　her　in　astonishment。

〃Afraid？〃　he　asked。　　〃Good　heavens；　Grace；　what　a　thing　to　say！　Why　I　believe　he'd　do　anything　for　you。〃

〃That　is　exactly　what　I　am　afraid　of；〃　she　said　in　a　low　voice。

She　had　a　reason　which　she　did　not　reveal。　　She　had　first　met　Remington　Kara　in　Salonika　two　years　before。　　She　had　been　doing　a　tour　through　the　Balkans　with　her　father　…　it　was　the　last　tour　the　famous　archeologist　made　…　and　had　met　the　man　who　was　fated　to　have　such　an　influence　upon　her　life　at　a　dinner　given　by　the　American　Consul。

Many　were　the　stories　which　were　told　about　this　Greek　with　his　Jove…like　face；　his　handsome　carriage　and　his　limitless　wealth。　It　was　said　that　his　mother　was　an　American　lady　who　had　been　captured　by　Albanian　brigands　and　was　sold　to　one　of　the　Albanian　chiefs　who　fell　in　love　with　her；　and　for　her　sake　became　a　Protestant。　　He　had　been　educated　at　Yale　and　at　Oxford；　and　was　known　to　be　the　possessor　of　vast　wealth；　and　was　virtually　king　of　a　hill　district　forty　miles　out　of　Durazzo。　　Here　he　reigned　supreme；　occupying　a　beautiful　house　which　he　had　built　by　an　Italian　architect；　and　the　fittings　and　appointments　of　which　had　been　imported　from　the　luxurious　centres　of　the　world。

In　Albania　they　called　him　〃Kara　Rumo；〃　which　meant　〃The　Black　Roman；〃　for　no　particular　reason　so　far　as　any　one　could　judge；　for　his　skin　was　as　fair　as　a　Saxon's；　and　his　close…cropped　curls　were　almost　golden。

He　had　fallen　in　love　with　Grace　Terrell。　　At　first　his　attentions　had　amused　her；　and　then　there　came　a　time　when　they　frightened　her；　for　the　man's　fire　and　passion　had　been　unmistakable。　　She　had　made　it　plain　to　him　that　he　could　base　no　hopes　upon　her　returning　his　love；　and；　in　a　scene　which　she　even　now　shuddered　to　recall；　he　had　revealed　something　of　his　wild　and　reckless　nature。　　On　the　following　day　she　did　not　see　him；　but　two　days　later；　when　returning　through　the　Bazaar　from　a　dance　which　had　been　given　by　the　Governor　General；　her　carriage　was　stopped；　she　was　forcibly　dragged　from　its　interior；　and　her　cries　were　stifled　with　a　cloth　impregnated　with　a　scent　of　a　peculiar　aromatic　sweetness。　　Her　assailants　were　about　to　thrust　her　into　another　carriage；　when　a　party　of　British　bluejackets　who　had　been　on　leave　came　upon　the　scene；　and；　without　knowing　anything　of　the　nationality　of　the　girl；　had　rescued　her。

In　her　heart　of　hearts　she　did　not　doubt　Kara's　complicity　in　this　medieval　attempt　to　gain　a　wife；　but　of　this　adventure　she　had　told　her　husband　nothing。　　Until　her　marriage　she　was　constantly　receiving　valuable　presents　which　she　as　constantly　returned　to　the　only　address　she　knew　…　Kara's　estate　at　Lemazo。　　A　few　months　after　her　marriage　she　had　learned　through　the　newspapers　that　this　〃leader　of　Greek　society〃　had　purchased　a　big　house　near　Cadogan　Square；　and　then；　to　her　amazement　and　to　her　dismay；　Kara　had　scraped　an　acquaintance　with　her　husband　even　before　the　honeymoon　was　over。

His　visits　had　been　happily　few；　but　the　growing　intimacy　between　John　and　this　strange　undisciplined　man　had　been　a　source　of　constant　distress　to　her。

Should　she；　at　this；　the　eleventh　hour；　tell　her　husband　all　her　fears　and　her　suspicions？

She　debated　the　point　for　some　time。　　And　never　was　she　nearer　taking　him　into　her　complete　confidence　than　she　was　as　he　sat　in　the　big　armchair　by　the　side　of　the　piano；　a　little　drawn　of　face；　more　than　a　little　absorbed　in　his　own　meditations。　　Had　he　been　less　worried　she　might　have　spoken。　　As　it　was；　she　turned　the　conversation　to　his　last　work；　the　big　mystery　story　which；　if　it　would　n