the vanished messenger-第31部分

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I　suppose；〃　he　added；　hesitatingly；　〃that　you　yourself　…〃

〃Please　go　on。　　Please　speak　as　though　I　knew　nothing。〃

〃Well；　then；〃　Hamel　continued；　〃he　told　me　that　your　uncle　was　at
one　time　in　the　Foreign　Office　himself。　　He　seemed　to　have　a　most
brilliant　career　before　him　when　suddenly　there　was　a　terrible
scandal。　　A　political　secret　…　I　don't　know　what　it　was　…　had　leaked
out。　　There　were　rumours　that　it　had　been　acquired　for　a　large　sum
of　money　by　a　foreign　Power。　　Mr。　Fentolin　retired　to　Norfolk；
pending　an　investigation。　　It　was　just　as　that　time　that　he　met　with
his　terrible　accident；　and　the　matter　was　dropped。〃

〃Go　on；　please；〃　she　murmured。

〃My　friend　went　on　to　say　that　during　the　last　few　years　Mr。　Fentolin
has　once　again　become　an　object　of　some　suspicion　to　the　head　of　our
Secret　Service　Department。　　For　a　long　time　they　have　known　that　he
was　employing　agents　abroad；　and　that　he　was　showing　the　liveliest
interest　in　underground　politics。　　They　believed　that　it　was　a　mere
hobby；　born　of　his　useless　condition；　a　taste　ministered　to；　without
doubt；　by　the　occupation　of　his　earlier　life。　　Once　or　twice　lately
they　have　had　reason　to　change　their　minds。　　You　know；　I　dare　say；
in　what　a　terribly　disturbed　state　European　affairs　are　just　now。
Well；　my　friend　had　an　idea　that　Mr。　Fentolin　was　showing　an
extraordinary　amount　of　interest　in　a　certain　conference　which　we
understand　is　to　take　place　at　The　Hague。　　He　begged　me　to　come　down；
and　to　watch　your　uncle　while　I　was　down　here；　and　report　to　him
anything　that　seemed　to　me　noteworthy。　　Since　then　I　have　had　a
message　from　him　concerning　the　American　whom　you　entertained　…　Mr。
John　P。　Dunster。　　It　appears　that　he　was　the　bearer　of　very　important
dispatches　for　the　Continent。〃

〃But　he　has　gone；〃　she　said　quickly。　　〃Nothing　happened　to　him；
after　all。　　He　went　away　without　a　word　of　complaint。　　We　all　saw
him。〃

〃That　is　quite　true；〃　Hamel　admitted。　　〃Mr。　Dunster　has　certainly
gone。　　It　is　rather　a　coincidence；　however；　that　he　should　have
taken　his　departure　just　as　the　enquiries　concerning　his　whereabouts
had　reached　such　a　stage　that　it　had　become　quite　impossible　to　keep
him　concealed　any　longer。〃

She　turned　a　little　in　her　place　and　looked　at　him　steadfastly。

〃Mr。　Hamel；〃　she　said；　〃tell　me　…　what　of　your　mission？　　You　have
had　an　opportunity　of　studying　my　uncle。　　You　have　even　lived　under
his　roof。　　Tell　me　what　you　think。〃

His　face　was　troubled。

〃Miss　Fentolin；〃　he　said；　〃I　will　tell　you　frankly　that　up　to　now
I　have　not　succeeded　in　solving　the　problem　of　your　uncle's
character。　　To　me　personally　he　has　been　most　courteous。　　He　lives
apparently　a　studious　and　an　unselfish　life。　　I　have　heard　him　even
spoken　of　as　a　philanthropist。　　And　yet　you　three　…　you；　your　mother；
and　your　brother；　who　are　nearest　to　him；　who　live　in　his　house　and
under　his　protection；　have　the　air　of　passing　your　days　in　mortal
fear　of　him。〃

〃Mr。　Hamel；〃　she　exclaimed　nervously；　〃you　don't　believe　that！　　He
is　always　very　kind。〃

〃Apparently；〃　Hamel　observed　drily。　　〃And　yet　you　must　remember　that
you；　too；　are　afraid　of　him。　　I　need　not　remind　you　of　our
conversations；　but　there　the　truth　is。　　You　praise　his　virtues　and
his　charities；　you　pity　him；　and　yet　you　go　about　with　a　load　of
fear；　and　…　forgive　me　…　of　secret　terror　in　your　heart；　you　and
Gerald；　too。　　As　for　your　mother　…〃

〃Don't！〃　she　interrupted　suddenly。　　〃Why　do　you　bring　me　here　to
talk　like　this？　　You　cannot　alter　things。　　Nothing　can　be　altered。〃

〃Can't　it！〃　he　replied。　　〃Well；　I　will　tell　you　the　real　reason　of
my　having　brought　you　here　and　of　my　having　made　this　confession。
I　brought　you　here　because　I　could　not　bear　to　go　on　living；　if　not
under　your　roof；　at　any　rate　in　the　neighbourhood；　without　telling
you　the　truth。　　Now　you　know　it。　　I　am　here　to　watch　Mr。　Fentolin。
I　am　going　on　watching　him。　　You　can　put　him　on　his　guard；　if　you
like；　I　shan't　complain。　　Or　you　can　…〃

He　paused　so　long　that　she　looked　at　him。　　He　moved　a　little　closer
to　her；　his　fingers　suddenly　gripped　her　hand。

〃Or　you　can　marry　me　and　come　away　from　it　all；〃　he　concluded
quietly。　　〃Forgive　me；　please　…　I　mean　it。〃

For　a　moment　the　startled　light　in　her　eyes　was　followed　by　a
delicious　softness。　　Her　lips　were　parted；　she　leaned　a　little
towards　him。　　Then　suddenly　she　seemed　to　remember。　　She　rose　with
swift　alertness　to　her　feet。

〃I　think；〃　she　said；　〃that　we　had　better　play　golf。〃

〃But　I　have　asked　you　to　marry　me；〃　he　protested；　as　he　scrambled　up。

〃Your　caddy　has　found　your　ball　a　long　time　ago；〃　she　pointed　out；
walking　swiftly　on　ahead。

He　played　his　shot　and　caught　her　up。

〃Miss　Fentolin　…　Esther；〃　he　pleaded　eagerly；　〃do　you　think　that　I
am　not　in　earnest？　　Because　I　am。　　I　mean　it。　　Even　if　I　have　only
known　you　for　a　few　days；　it　has　been　enough。　　I　think　that　I　knew
it　was　coming　from　the　moment　that　you　stepped　into　my　railway
carriage。〃

〃You　knew　that　what　was　coming？〃　she　asked；　raising　her　eyes
suddenly。

〃That　I　should　care　for　you。〃

〃It's　the　first　time　you've　told　me　she　reminded　him；　with　a　queer
little　smile。　　〃Oh；　forgive　me；　please！　　I　didn't　mean　to　say　that。
I　don't　want　to　have　you　tell　me　so。　　It's　all　too　ridiculous　and
impossible。〃

〃Is　it？　　And　why？〃

〃I　have　only　known　you　for　three　days。〃

〃We　can　make　up　for　that。〃

〃But　I　don't　…　care　about　you。　　I　have　never　thought　of　any　one　in
that　way。　　It　is　absurd；〃　she　went　on。

〃You'll　have　to；　sometime　or　other；〃　he　declared。　　〃I'll　take　you
travelling　with　me；　show　you　the　world；　new　worlds；　unnamed　rivers；
untrodden　mountains。　　Or　do　you　want　to　go　and　see　where　the　little
brown　people　live　among　the　mimosa　and　the　cherry　blossoms？　　I'll
take　you　so　far　away　that　this　place　and　this　life　will　seem　like
a　dream。〃

Her　breath　caught　a　little。

〃Don't；　please；〃　she　begged。　　〃You　know　very　well　…　or　rather　you
don't　know；　perhaps；　but　I　must　tell　you　…　that　I　couldn't。　　I　am
here；　tied　and　bound；　and　I　can't　escape。〃

〃Ah！　dear；　don't　believe　it；〃　he　went　on　earnestly。　　〃There　isn't
any　bond　so　strong　that　I　won't　break　it　for　you；　no　knot　I　won't
untie；　if　you　give　me　the　right。〃

They　were　climbing　slowly　on　to　the　tee。　　He　stepped　forward　and
pulled　her　up。　　Her　hand　was　cold。　　Her　eyes　were　raised　to　his；
very　softly　yet　almost　pleadingly。

〃Please　don't　say　anything　more；〃　she　begged。　　〃I　can't　…　quite　bear
it　just　now。　　You　know；　you　must　remember　…　there　is　my　mother。　　Do
you　think　that　I　could　leave　her　to　struggle　alone？〃

His　caddy；　who　had　teed　the　ball；　and　who　had　regarded　the
proceedings　with　a　moderately　tolerant　air；　felt　called　upon　at　last
to　interfere。

〃We'd　best　get　on；〃　he　remarked；　pointing　to　two　figures　in　the
distance；　〃or　they'll　say　we've　cut　in。〃

Hamel　smote　his　ball　far　and　true。　　On　a　more　moderate　scale　she
followed　his　example。　　They　descended　the　steps　together。

〃Love…making　isn't　going　to　spoil　our　golf；〃　he　whispered；　smiling；
as　he　touched　her　fingers　once　more。

She　looked　at　him　almost　shyly。

〃Is　this　love…making？〃　she　asked。

They　walked　together　from　the　eighteenth　green　towards　the
club…house。　　A　curious　silence　seemed　suddenly　to　have　enveloped
them。　　Hamel　was　conscious　of　a　strange　exhilaration；　a　queer
upheaval　of　ideas；　an　excitement　which　nothing　in　his　previous
life　had　yet　been　able　to　yield　him。　　The　wonder　of　it　amazed　him；
kept　him　silent。　　It　was　not　until　they　reached　the　steps；　indeed；
that　he　spoke。

〃On　our　way　home　…〃　he　began。

She　seemed　suddenly　to　have　stiffened。　　He　looked　at　her；　surprised。
She　was　standing　quite　still；　her　hand　gripping　the　post；　her　eyes
fixed　upon　the　waiting　motor…car。　　The　delicate　softness　had　gone
from　her　face。　　Once　more　that　look　of　partly　veiled　suffering　was
there；　suffering　mingled　with　fear。

〃Look！〃　she　whispered；　under　her　breath。　　〃Look！　　It　is　Mr。　Fentolin！
He　has　come　for　us　himself；　he　is　there　in　the　car。〃

Mr。　Fentolin；　a　strange　little　figure　lying　back　among　the　cushions
of　the　great　Daimler；　raised　his　hat　and　waved　it　to　them。

〃Come　along；　children；〃　he　cried。　　〃You　see；　I　am　here　to　fetch　you
myself。　　The　sunshine　has　tempted　me。　　What　a　heavenly　morning！
Come　and　sit　by　my　side；　Esther；　and　fight　your　battle　all　over
again。　　That　is　one　of　the　joys　of　golf；　isn't　it？〃　he　asked；
turning　to　Hamel。　　〃You　need　not　be　afraid　of　boring　me。　　To…day
is　one　of　my　bright　days。　　I　suppose　that　it　is　the　sunshine　and
the　warm　wind。　　On　the　way　here　we　passed　some　fields。　　I　could
swear　that　I　smelt　violets。　　Where　are　you　going；　Esther？

〃To　take　my　clubs　to　my　locker　and　pay　my　caddy；〃　she　replied。

〃Mr。　Hamel　will　do　that　for　you；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　declared。　　〃Come　and
take　your　seat　by　my　side；　and　let　us　wait　for　him。　　I　am　tired　of
being　alone。〃

She　gave　up　her　clubs　reluctantly。　　All　the　life　seemed　to　have　gone
from　her　face。

〃Why　didn't　mother　come　with　you？〃　she　asked　simply。

〃To　tell　you　the　truth；　dear　Esther；〃　he　answered；　〃when　I　started；
I　had　a　fancy　to　be　alone。　　I　think　…　in　fact　I　am　sure　…　that　your
mother　wanted　to　come。　　The　sunshine；　too；　was　tempting　her。　　Perhaps
it　was　selfish　of　me　not　to　bring　her；　but　then；　there　is　a　great
deal　to　be　forgiven　me；　isn't　there；　Esther？〃

〃A　great　deal；〃　she　echoed；　looking　steadily　ahead　of　her。

〃I　came；〃　he　went　on；　〃because　it　occurred　to　me　that；　after　all；
I　had　my　duties　as　your　guardian；　dear　Esther。　　I　am　not　sure　that
we　can　permit　flirtations；　you　know。　　Let　me　see；　how　old　are　you？〃

〃Twenty…one；〃　she　replied。

〃In　a　magazine　I　was　reading　the　other　day；〃　he　continued；　〃I　was
interested　to　observe　that　the　modern　idea　as　regards　marriage　is
a　changed　one。　　A　woman；　they　say；　should　not　marry　until　she
is　twenty…seven　or　twenty…eight　…　a　very　excellent　idea。　　I　think
we　agree；　do　we　not；　on　that；　Esther？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　she　replied。　　〃I　have　never　thought　about　the
matter。〃

〃Then；〃　he　went　on；　〃we　will　make　up　our　minds　to　agree。
Twenty…seven　or　twenty…eight；　let　us　say。　　A　very　excellent　age！
A　girl　should　know　her　own　mind　by　then。　　And　meanwhile；　dear　E