the vanished messenger-第30部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


&　Dunn；　Throgmorton　Court。　　Mr。　　Bayliss　is　a　man　of　keen
perceptions。　　He　understands　exactly　the　effect　of　certain　classes
of　news　upon　the　market。　　The　message　which　I　have　just　sent　to　him
is　practically　common　property。　　It　will　be　in　the　Daily　Mail
to…morrow　morning。　　The　only　thing　is　that　I　have　sent　it　to　him
just　a　few　minutes　sooner　than　any　one　else　can　get　it。　　There　is　a
good　deal　of　value　in　that；　Gerald。　　I　do　not　mind　telling　you　that
I　have　made　a　large　fortune　through　studying　the　political　situation
and　securing　advance　information　upon　matters　of　this　sort。　　That
fortune　some　day　will　probably　be　yours。　　It　will　be　you　who　will
benefit。　　Meanwhile；　I　am　enriching　myself　and　doing　no　one　any　harm。〃

〃But　how　do　you　know；〃　Gerald　persisted；　〃that　this　message　would
ever　have　found　its　way　to　the　Press？　　It　was　simply　a　message　from
one　battleship　to　another。　　It　was　not　intended　to　be　picked　up　on
land。　　There　is　no　other　installation　but　ours　that　could　have　picked
it　up。　　Besides；　it　was　in　code。　　I　know　that　you　have　the　code；　but
the　others　haven't。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　yawned　slightly。

〃Ingenious；　my　dear　Gerald；　but　inaccurate。　　You　do　not　know　that
the　message　was　in　code；　and　in　any　case　it　was　liable　to　be　picked
up　by　any　steamer　within　the　circle。　　You　really　do　treat　me；　my　boy；
rather　as　though　I　were　a　weird；　mischief…making　person　with　a
talent　for　intrigue　and　crime　of　every　sort。　　Look　at　your　suspicions
last　night。　　I　believe　that　you　and　Mr。　Hamel　had　quite　made　up　your
minds　that　I　meant　evil　things　for　Mr。　John　P。　Dunster。　　Well；　I　had
my　chance。　　You　saw　him　depart。〃

〃What　about　his　papers？〃

〃I　will　admit；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　replied；　〃that　I　read　his　papers。　　They
were　of　no　great　consequence；　however；　and　he　has　taken　them　away
with　him。　　Mr。　Dunster。　　as　a　matter　of　fact；　turned　out　to　be
rather　a　mare's…nest。　　Now；　come；　since　you　are　here；　finish
everything　you　have　to　say　to　me。　　I　am　not　angry。　　I　am　willing　to
listen　quite　reasonably。〃

Gerald　shook　his　head。

〃Oh；　I　can't！〃　he　declared　bitterly。　　〃You　always　get　the　best　of　it。
I'll　only　ask　you　one　more　question。　　Are　you　having　the　wireless
hauled　down？〃

Mr。　Fentolin　pointed　out　of　the　window。　　Gerald　followed　his　finger。
Three　men　were　at　work　upon　the　towering　spars。

〃You　see；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　continued　tolerantly；　〃that　I　am　keeping　my
word　to　Lieutenant　Godfrey。　　You　are　suffering　from　a　little　too
much　imagination；　I　am　afraid。　　It　is　really　quite　a　good　fault。
By…the…by；　how　do　you　get　on　with　our　friend　Mr。　Hamel？〃

〃Very　well；〃　the　boy　replied。　　〃I　haven't　seen　much　of　him。〃

〃He　and　Esther　are　together　a　great　deal；　eh？〃　Mr。　Fentolin　asked
quickly。

〃They　seem　to　be　quite　friendly。〃

〃It　isn't　Mr。　Hamel；　by　any　chance；　who　has　been　putting　these
ideas　into　your　head？〃

〃No　one　has　been　putting　any　ideas　into　my　head；〃　Gerald　answered
hotly。　　〃It's　simply　what　I've　seen　and　overheard。　　It's　simply
what　I　feel　around；　the　whole　atmosphere　of　the　place；　the　whole
atmosphere　you　seem　to　create　around　you　with　these　brutes　Sarson
and　Meekins；　and　those　white…faced；　smooth…tongued　Marconi　men　of
yours；　who　can't　talk　decent　English；　and　the　post…office　man；　who
can't　look　you　in　the　face；　and　Miss　Price；　who　looks　as　though
she　were　one　of　the　creatures；　too；　of　your　torture　chamber。
That's　all。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　waited　until　he　had　finished。　　Then　be　waved　him　away。

〃Go　and　take　a　long　walk；　Gerald；〃　he　advised。　　〃Fresh　air　is　what
you　need；　fresh　air　and　a　little　vigorous　exercise。　　Run　along　now
and　send　Miss　Price　to　me。〃

Gerald　overtook　Hamel　upon　the　stairs。

〃By　this　time；〃　the　latter　remarked；　〃I　suppose　that　our　friend
Mr。　Dunster　is　upon　the　sea。〃

Gerald　nodded　silently。　　They　passed　along　the　corridor。　　The　door
of　the　room　which　Mr。　Dunster　had　occupied　was　ajar。　　As　though　by
common　consent；　they　both　stopped　and　looked　in。　　The　windows　were
all　wide　open；　the　bed　freshly　made。　　The　nurse　was　busy　collecting
some　medicine　bottles　and　fragments　of　lint。　　She　looked　at　them　in
surprise。

〃Mr。　Dunster　has　left；　sir；〃　she　told　them。

〃We　saw　him　go；〃　Gerald　replied。

〃Rather　a　quick　recovery；　wasn't　it；　nurse？〃　Hamel　asked。

〃It　wasn't　a　recovery　at　all；　sir；〃　the　woman　declared　sharply。
〃He'd　no　right　to　have　been　taken　away。　　It's　my　opinion　Doctor
Sarson　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　himself　to　have　permitted　it。〃

〃They　couldn't　exactly　make　a　prison　of　the　place；　could　they？〃
Hamel　pointed　out。　　〃The　man；　after　all；　was　only　a　guest。〃

〃That's　as　it　may　be；　sir；〃　the　nurse　replied。　　〃All　the　same；　those
that　won't　obey　their　doctors　aren't　fit　to　be　allowed　about　alone。
That's　the　way　I　look　at　it。〃

Mrs。　Fentolin　was　passing　along　the　corridor　as　they　issued　from
the　room。　　She　started　a　little　as　she　saw　them。

〃What　have　you　two　been　doing　in　there？〃　she　asked　quickly。

〃We　were　just　passing；〃　Hamel　explained。　　〃We　stopped　for　a　moment
to　speak　to　the　nurse。〃

〃Mr。　Dunster　has　gone；〃　she　said。　　〃You　saw　him　go；　Gerald。　　You
saw　him；　too；　didn't　you；　Mr。　Hamel？〃

〃I　certainly　did；〃　Hamel　admitted。

Mrs。　　Fentolin　pointed　to　the　great　north　window　near　which　they
were　standing；　through　which　the　clear　sunlight　streamed　a　little
pitilessly　upon　her　worn　face　and　mass　of　dyed　hair。

〃You　ought　neither　of　you　to　be　indoors　for　a　minute　on　a　morning
like　this；〃　she　declared。　　〃Esther　is　waiting　for　you　in　the　car；
I　think；　Mr。　Hamel。〃

Gerald　passed　on　up　the　stairs　to　his　room；　but　Hamel　lingered。
A　curious　impulse　of　pity　towards　his　hostess　stirred　him。　　The
morning　sunlight　seemed　to　have　suddenly　revealed　the　tragedy　of
her　life。　　She　stood　there；　a　tired；　worn　woman；　with　the　burden
heavy　upon　her　shoulders。

〃Why　not　come　out　with　Miss　Fentolin　and　me？　he　suggested。　　〃We
could　lunch　at　the　Golf　Club；　out　on　the　balcony。　　I　wish　you
would。　　Can't　you　manage　it？〃

She　shook　her　head。

〃Thank　you　very　much；〃　she　said。　　〃Mr。　Fentolin　does　not　like
to　be　left。〃

Something　in　the　finality　of　her　words　seemed　to　him　curiously
eloquent　of　her　state　of　mind。　　She　did　not　move　on。　　She　seemed；
indeed；　to　have　the　air　of　one　anxious　to　say　more。　　In　that
ruthless　light；　the　advantages　of　her　elegant　clothes　and
graceful　carriage　were　suddenly　stripped　away　from　her。　　She　was
the　abject　wreck　of　a　beautiful　woman；　wizened；　prematurely　aged。
Nothing　remained　but　the　eyes；　which　seemed　somehow　to　have　their
message　for　him。

〃Mr。　Fentolin　is　a　little　peculiar；　you　know；〃　she　went　on；　her
voice　shaking　slightly　with　the　effort　she　was　making　to　keep　it
low。　　〃He　allows　Esther　so　little　liberty；　she　sees　so　few　young
people　of　her　own　age。　　I　do　not　know　why　he　allows　you　to　be　with
her　so　much。　　Be　careful；　Mr。　Hamel。〃

Her　voice　seemed　suddenly　to　vibrate　with　a　curious　note　of
suppressed　fear。　　Almost　as　she　finished　her　speech；　she　passed　on。
Her　little　gesture　bade　him　remain　silent。　　As　she　went　up　the
stairs；　she　began　to　hum　scraps　of　a　little　French　air。




CHAPTER　XXIII

Hamel　sliced　his　ball　at　the　ninth；　and　after　waiting　for　a　few
minutes　patiently；　Esther　came　to　help　him　look　for　it。　　He　was
standing　down　on　the　sands；　a　little　apart　from　the　two　caddies
who　were　beating　out　various　tufts　of　long　grass。

〃Where　did　it　go？〃　she　asked。

〃I　have　no　idea；〃　he　admitted。

〃Why　don't　you　help　look　for　it？〃

〃Searching　for　balls；〃　he　insisted；　〃is　a　caddy's　occupation。　　Both
the　caddies　are　now　busy。　　Let　us　sit　down　here。　　These　sand　hummocks
are　delightful。　　It　is　perfectly　sheltered；　and　the　sun　is　in　our
faces。　　Golf　is　an　overrated　pastime。　　Let　us　sit　and　watch　that
little　streak　of　blue　find　its　way　up　between　the　white　posts。〃

She　hesitated　for　a　moment。

〃We　shall　lose　our　place。〃

〃There　is　no　one　behind。〃

She　sank　on　to　the　little　knoll　of　sand　to　which　he　had　pointed；
with　a　resigned　sigh。

〃You　really　are　a　queer　person；〃　she　declared。　　〃You　have　been
playing　golf　this　morning　as　though　your　very　life　depended　upon　it。
You　have　scarcely　missed　a　shot　or　spoken　a　word。　　And　now；　all　of
a　sudden；　you　want　to　sit　on　a　sand　hummock　and　watch　the　tide。〃

〃I　have　been　silent；〃　he　told　her；　〃because　I　have　been　thinking。〃

〃That　may　be　truthful；〃　she　remarked；　〃but　you　wouldn't　call　it
polite；　would　you？〃

〃The　subject　of　my　thoughts　is　my　excuse。　　I　have　been　thinking　of
you。〃

For　a　single　moment　her　eyes　seemed　to　have　caught　something　of　that
sympathetic　light　with　which　he　was　regarding　her。　　Then　she　looked
away。

〃Was　it　my　mashie　shots　you　were　worrying　about？〃　she　asked。

〃It　was　not；〃　he　replied　simply。　　〃It　was　you　…　you　yourself。〃

She　laughed；　not　altogether　naturally。

〃How　flattering！〃　she　murmured。　　〃By…the…by；　you　are　rather　a
downright　person；　aren't　you；　Mr。　Hamel？〃

〃So　much　so；〃　he　admitted；　〃that　I　am　going　to　tell　you　one　or　two
things　now。　　I　am　going　to　be　very　frank　indeed。〃

She　sat　suddenly　quite　still。　　Her　face　was　turned　from　him；　but
for　the　first　time　since　he　had　known　her　there　was　a　slight
undertone　of　colour　in　her　cheeks。

〃A　week　ago；〃　he　said；　〃I　hadn't　the　faintest　idea　of　coming　into
Norfolk。　　I　knew　about　this　little　shanty　of　my　father's；　but　I
had　forgotten　all　about　it。　　I　came　as　the　result　of　a　conversation
I　had　with　a　friend　who　is　in　the　Foreign　Office。〃

She　looked　at　him　with　startled　eyes。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　she　asked　quickly。　　〃You　are　Mr。　Hamel；　aren't
you？〃

〃Certainly；〃　he　replied。　　〃Not　only　am　I　Richard　Hamel；　mining
engineer；　but　I　really　have　all　that　reading　to　do　I　have　spoken
about；　and　I　really　was　looking　for　a　quiet　spot　to　do　it　in。　　It
is　true　that　I　had　this　part　of　the　world　in　my　mind；　but　I　do　not
think　that　I　should　ever　have　really　decided　to　come　here　if　it
had　not　been　for　my　friend　in　London。　　He　was　very　interested
indeed　directly　I　mentioned　St。　David's　Tower。　　Would　you　like　to
know　what　he　told　me？〃

〃Yes！　　Go　on；　please。〃

〃He　told　me　a　little　of　the　history　of　your　uncle；　Mr。　Fentolin；
and　what　he　did　not　tell　me　at　the　time；　he　has　since　supplemented。
I　suppose；〃　he　added；　hesitatingly；　〃that　you　yourself