the lodger-第20部分

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bone　Road。　And　yet　hypocrite　that　she　was；　she　had　reproved　Bunting　when　he　had　expressed；　not　disappointment　exactly　…　but；　well；　surprise；　that　nothing　had　happened　last　night。

Now　her　mind　switched　off　to　Joe　Chandler。　　Strange　to　think　how　afraid　she　had　been　of　that　young　man！　　She　was　no　longer　afraid　of　him；　or　hardly　at　all。　　He　was　dotty　…　that's　what　was　the　matter　with　him；　dotty　with　love　for　rosy…checked；　blue…eyed　little　Daisy。　Anything　might　now　go　on；　right　under　Joe　Chandler's　very　nose　…　but；　bless　you；　he'd　never　see　it！　　Last　summer；　when　this　affair；　this　nonsense　of　young　Chandler　and　Daisy　bad　begun；　she　had　had　very　little　patience　with　it　all。　　In　fact；　the　memory　of　the　way　Joe　had　gone　on　then；　the　tiresome　way　he　would　be　always　dropping　in；　had　been　one　reason　（though　not　the　most　important　reason　of　all）　why　she　had　felt　so　terribly　put　about　at　the　idea　of　the　girl　coming　again。　　But　now？　　Well；　now　she　had　become　quite　tolerant；　quite　kindly　…　at　any　rate　as　far　as　Joe　Chandler　was　concerned。

She　wondered　why。

Still；　'twouldn't　do　Joe　a　bit　of　harm　not　to　see　the　girl　for　a　couple　of　days。　　In　fact　'twould　be　a　very　good　thing；　for　then　he'd　think　of　Daisy　…　think　of　her　to　the　exclusion　of　all　else。　　Absence　does　make　the　heart　grow　fonder　…　at　first；　at　any　rate。　　Mrs。　Bunting　was　well　aware　of　that。　　During　the　long　course　of　hers　and　Bunting's　mild　courting；　they'd　been　separated　for　about　three　months；　and　it　was　that　three　months　which　had　made　up　her　mind　for　her。　　She　had　got　so　used　to　Bunting　that　she　couldn't　do　without　him；　and　she　had　felt　…　oddest　fact　of　all　…　acutely；　miserably　jealous。　　But　she　hadn't　let　him　know　that　…　no　fear！

Of　course；　Joe　mustn't　neglect　his　job　…　that　would　never　do；　But　what　a　good　thing　it　was；　after　all；　that　he　wasn't　like　some　of　those　detective　chaps　that　are　written　about　in　stories　…　the　sort　of　chaps　that　know　everything；　see　everything；　guess　everything　　…　even　where　there　isn't　anything　to　see；　or　know；　or　guess！

Why；　to　take　only　one　little　fact　…　Joe　Chandler　had　never　shown　the　slightest　curiosity　about　their　lodger。　。　。。

Mrs。　Bunting　pulled　herself　together　with　a　start；　and　hurried　quickly　on。　　Bunting　would　begin　to　wonder　what　had　happened　to　her。

She　went　into　the　Post　Office　and　handed　the　form　to　the　young　woman　without　a　word。　　Margaret；　a　sensible　woman；　who　was　accustomed　to　manage　other　people's　affairs；　had　even　written　out　the　words：　〃Will　be　with　you　to　tea。　…　DAISY。〃

It　was　a　comfort　to　have　the　thing　settled　once　for　all。　　If　anything　horrible　was　going　to　happen　in　the　next　two　or　three　days　…　it　was　just　as　well　Daisy　shouldn't　be　at　home。　　Not　that　there　was　any　real　danger　that　anything　would　happen；　…　Mrs。　Bunting　felt　sure　of　that。

By　this　time　she　was　out　in　the　street　again；　and　she　began　mentally　counting　up　the　number　of　murders　The　Avenger　had　committed。　　Nine；　or　was　it　ten？　　Surely　by　now　The　Avenger　must　be　avenged？　　Surely　by　now；　if　…　as　that　writer　in　the　newspaper　had　suggested　…　he　was　a　quiet；　blameless　gentleman　living　in　the　West　End；　whatever　vengeance　he　had　to　wreak；　must　be　satisfied？

She　began　hurrying　homewards；　it　wouldn't　do　for　the　lodger　to　ring　before　she　had　got　back。　　Bunting　would　never　know　how　to　manage　Mr。　Sleuth；　especially　if　Mr。　Sleuth　was　in　one　of　his　queer　moods。

******

Mrs。　Bunting　put　the　key　into　the　front　door　lock　and　passed　into　the　house。　　Then　her　heart　stood　still　with　fear　and　terror。　　There　came　the　sound　of　voices　…　of　voices　she　thought　she　did　not　know　…　　in　the　sitting…room。

She　opened　the　door；　and'　then　drew　a　long　breath。　　It　was　only　Joe　Chandler　…　Joe；　Daisy；　and　Bunting；　talking　together。　　They　stopped　rather　guiltily　as　she　came　in；　but　not　before　she　had　heard　Chandler　utter　the　words：　〃That　don't　mean　nothing！　　I'll　just　run　out　and　send　another　saying　you　won't　come；　Miss　Daisy。〃

And　then　the　strangest　smile　came　over　Mrs。　Bunting's　face。　　There　had　fallen　on　her　ear　the　still　distant；　but　unmistakable；　shouts　which　betokened　that　something　had　happened　last　night　…　something　which　made　it　worth　while　for　the　newspaper…sellers　to　come　crying　down　the　Maryleb6ne　Road。

〃Well？〃　she　said　a　little　breathlessly。　　〃Well；　Joe？　　I　suppose　you've　brought　us　news？　　I　suppose　there's　been　another？〃

He　looked　at　her；　surprised。　　〃No；　that　there　hasn't；　Mrs。　Bunting　　…　not　as　far　as　I　know；　that　is。　　Oh；　you're　thinking　of　those　newspaper　chaps？　　They've　got　to　cry　out　something；〃　he　grinned。　〃You　wouldn't　'a　thought　folk　was　so　bloodthirsty。　　They're　just　shouting　out　that　there's　been　an　arrest；　but　we　don't　take　no　stock　of　that。　　It's　a　Scotchman　what　gave　himself　up　last　night　at　Dorking。　　He'd　been　drinking；　and　was　apitying　of　himself。　Why；　since　this　business　began；　there's　been　about　twenty　arrests；　but　they've　all　come　to　nothing。〃

〃Why；　Ellen；　you　looks　quite　sad；　quite　disappointed；〃　said　Bunting　jokingly。　　〃Come　to　think　of　it；　it's　high　time　The　Avenger　was　at　work　again。〃　　He　laughed　as　he　made　his　grim　joke。　　Then　turned　to　young　Chandler：　　〃Well；　you'll　be　glad　when　its　all　over；　my　lad。〃

〃Glad　in　a　way；〃　said　Chandler　unwillingly。　　〃But　one　'ud　have　liked　to　have　caught　him。　　One　doesn't　like　to　know　such　a　creature's　at　large；　now；　does　one？〃

Mrs。　Bunting　had　taken　off　her　bonnet　and　jacket。　　〃I　must　just　go　and　see　about　Mr。　Sleuth's　breakfast；〃　she　said　in　a　weary；　dispirited　voice；　and　left　them　there。

She　felt　disappointed；　and　very；　very　depressed。　　As　to　the　plot　which　had　been　hatching　when　she　came　in；　that　had　no　chance　of　success；　Bunting　would　never　dare　let　Daisy　send　out　another　telegram　contradicting　the　first。　　Besides；　Daisy's　stepmother　shrewdly　suspected　that　by　now　the　girl　herself　wouldn't　care　to　do　such　a　thing。　　Daisy　had　plenty　of　sense　tucked　away　somewhere　in　her　pretty　little　head。　　If　it　ever　became　her　fate　to　live　as　a　married　woman　in　London；　it　would　be　best　to　stay　on　the　right　side　of　Aunt　Margaret。

And　when　she　came　into　her　kitchen　the　stepmother's　heart　became　very　soft；　for　Daisy　had　got　everything　beautifully　ready。　　In　fact；　there　was　nothing　to　do　but　to　boil　Mr。　Sleuth's　two　eggs。　　Feeling　suddenly　more　cheerful　than　she　had　felt　of　late；　Mrs。　Bunting　took　the　tray　upstairs。

〃As　it　was　rather　late；　I　didn't　wait　for　you　to　ring；　sir；〃　she　said。

And　the　lodger　looked　up　from　the　table　where；　as　usual；　he　was　studying　with　painful；　almost　agonising　intentness；　the　Book。　〃Quite　right；　Mrs。　Bunting　…　quite　right！　　I　have　been　pondering　over　the　command；　'Work　while　it　is　yet　light。'〃

〃Yes；　sir？〃　she　said；　and　a　queer；　cold　feeling　stole　over　her　heart。　　〃Yes；　sir？〃

〃'The　spirit　is　willing；　but　the　flesh　…　the　flesh　is　weak；'〃　said　Mr。　Sleuth；　with　a　heavy；　sigh。

〃You　studies　too　hard；　and　too　long　…　that's　what's　ailing　you；　sir；〃　said　Mr。　Sleuth's　landlady　suddenly。

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When　Mrs。　Bunting　went　down　again　she　found　that　a　great　deal　had　been　settled　in　her　absence；　among　other　things；　that　Joe　Chandler　was　going　to　escort　Miss　Daisy　across　to　Belgrave　Square。　　He　could　carry　Daisy's　modest　bag；　and　if　they　wanted　to　ride　instead　of　walk；　why；　they　could　take　the　bus　from　Baker　Street　Station　to　Victoria　…　that　would　land　them　very　near　Belgrave　Square。

But　Daisy　seemed　quite　willing　to　walk；　she　hadn't　had　a　walk；　she　declared；　for　a　long；　long　time　…　and　then　she　blushed　rosy　red；　and　even　her　stepmother　had　to　admit　to　herself　that　Daisy　was　very　nice　looking；　not　at　all　the　sort　of　girl　who　ought　to　be　allowed　to　go　about　the　London　streets　by　herself。


CHAPTER　XIII

Daisy's　father　and　stepmother　stood　side　by　side　at　the　front　door；　watching　the　girl　and　young　Chandler　walk　off　into　the　darkness。

A　yellow　pall　of　fog　had　suddenly　descended　on　London；　and　Joe　had　come　a　full　half…hour　before　they　expected　him；　explaining；　rather　lamely；　that　it　was　the　fog　which　had　brought　him　so　soon。

〃If　we　was　to　have　waited　much　longer；　perhaps；　'twouldn't　have　been　possible　to　walk　a　yard；〃　he　explained；　and　they　had　accepted；　silently；　his　explanation。

〃I　hope　it's　quite　safe　sending　her　off　like　that？〃　　Bunting　looked　deprecatingly　at　his　wife。　　She　had　already　told　him　more　than　once　that　he　was　too　fussy　about　Daisy；　that　about　his　daughter　he　was　like　an　old　hen　with　her　last　chicken。

〃She's　safer　than　she　would　be；　with　you　or　me。　　She　couldn't　have　a　smarter　young　fellow　to　look　after　her。〃

〃It'll　be　awful　thick　at　Hyde　Park　Corner；〃　said　Bunting。　　〃It's　always　worse　there　than　anywhere　else。　　If　I　was　Joe　I'd　'a　taken　her　by　the　Underground　Railway　to　Victoria　…　that　'ud　been　the　best　way；　considering　the　weather　'tis。〃

〃They　don't　think　anything　of　the　weather；　bless　you！〃　said　his　wife。　　〃They'll　walk　and　walk　as　long　as　there's　a　glimmer　left　for　'em　to　steer　by。　　Daisy's　just　been　pining　to　have　a　walk　with　that　young　chap。　　I　wonder　you　didn't　notice　how　disappointed　they　both　were　when　you　was　so　set　on　going　along　with　them　to　that　horrid　place。〃

〃D'you　really　mean　that；　Ellen？〃　Bunting　looked　upset。　　〃I　understood　Joe　to　say　he　liked　my　company。〃

〃Oh；　did　you？〃　said　Mrs。　Bunting　dryly。　　〃I　expect　he　liked　it　just　about　as　much　as　we　liked　the　company　of　that　old　cook　who　would　go　out　with　us　when　we　was　courting。　　It　always　was　a　wonder　to　me　how　the　woman　could　force　herself　upon　two　people　who　didn't　want　her。〃

〃But　I'm　Daisy's　father；　and　an　old　friend　of　Chandler；〃　said　Bunting　remonstratingly。　　〃I'm　quite　different　from　that　cook。　　She　was　nothing　to　us；　and　we　was　nothing　to　her。〃

〃She'd　have　liked　to　be　something　to　you；　I　make　no　doubt；〃　observed　his　Ellen；　shaking　her　head；　and　her　husband　smiled；　a　little　foolishly。

By　this　time　they　were　back　in　their　nice；　cosy　sitting…room；　and　　a　feeling　of　not　altogether　unpleasant　lassitude　stole　over　Mrs。　Bunting。　　It　was　a　comfort　to　have　Daisy　out　of　her　way　for　a　bit。　The　girl；　in　some　ways；　was　very　wide　awake　and　inquisitive；　and　she　had　early　betrayed　what　her　stepmother　thought　to　be　a　very　unseemly　and　silly　curiosity　concerning　the　lodger。　　〃You　might　just　let　me　have　one　peep　at　him；　Ellen？〃　she　had　pleaded；　only　that　morning。　　But　Ellen