the lodger-第21部分

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　〃You　might　just　let　me　have　one　peep　at　him；　Ellen？〃　she　had　pleaded；　only　that　morning。　　But　Ellen　had　shaken　her　head。　　〃No；　that　I　won't！　He's　a　very　quiet　gentleman；　but　he　knows　exactly　what　he　likes；　and　he　don't　like　anyone　but　me　waiting　on　him。　　Why；　even　your　father's　hardly　seen　him。〃

But　that；　naturally；　had　only　increased　Daisy's　desire　to　view　Mr。　Sleuth。

There　was　another　reason　why　Mrs。　Bunting　was　glad　that　her　stepdaughter　had　gone　away　for　two　days。　　During　her　absence　young　Chandler　was　far　less　likely　to　haunt　them　in　the　way　he　had　taken　to　doing　lately；　the　more　so　that；　in　spite　of　what　she　had　said　to　her　husband；　Mrs。　Bunting　felt　sure　that　Daisy　would　ask　Joe　Chandler　to　call　at　Belgrave　Square。　　'Twouldn't　be　human　nature　　…　at　any　rate；　not　girlish　human　nature　…　not　to　do　so；　even　if　Joe's　coming　did　anger　Aunt　Margaret。

Yes；　it　was　pretty　safe　that　with　Daisy　away　they；　the　Buntings；　would　be　rid　of　that　young　chap　for　a　bit；　and　that　would　be　a　good　thing。

When　Daisy　wasn't　there　to　occupy　the　whole　of　his　attention；　Mrs。　Bunting　felt　queerly　afraid　of　Chandler。　　After　all；　he　was　a　detective　…　it　was　his　job　to　be　always　nosing　about；　trying　to　find　out　things。　　And；　though　she　couldn't　fairly　say　to　herself　that　he　had　done　much　of　that　sort　of　thing　in　her　house；　he　might　start　doing　it　any　minute。　　And　then　…　then　…　where　would　she；　and　　…　and　Mr。　Sleuth；　be？

She　thought　of　the　bottle　of　red　ink　…　of　the　leather　bag　which　must　be　hidden　somewhere　…　and　her　heart　almost　stopped　beating。　Those　were　the　sort　of　things　which；　in　the　stories　Bunting　was　so　fond　of　reading；　always　led　to　the　detection　of　famous　　criminals。　。　。　。

Mr。　Sleuth's　bell　for　tea　rang　that　afternoon　far　earlier　than　usual。　　The　fog　had　probably　misled　him；　and　made　him　think　it　later　than　it　was。

When　she　went　up；　〃I　would　like　a　cup　of　tea　now；　and　just　one　piece　of　bread…and…butter；〃　the　lodger　said　wearily。　　〃I　don't　feel　like　having　anything　else　this　afternoon。〃

〃It's　a　horrible　day；〃　Mrs。　Bunting　observed；　in　a　cheerier　voice　than　usual。　　〃No　wonder　you　don't　feel　hungry；　sir。　　And　then　it　isn't　so　very　long　since　you　had　your　dinner；　is　it？〃

〃No；〃　he　said　absently。　　〃No；　it　isn't；　Mrs。　Bunting。〃

She　went　down；　made　the　tea；　and　brought　it　up　again。　　And　then；　as　she　came　into　the　room；　she　uttered　an　exclamation　of　sharp　dismay。

Mr。　Sleuth　was　dressed　for　going　out。　　He　was　wearing　his　long　Inverness　cloak；　and　his　queer　old　high　hat　lay　on　the　table；　ready　for　him　to　put　on。

〃You're　never　going　out　this　afternoon；　sir？〃　she　asked　falteringly。　〃Why；　the　fog's　awful；　you　can't　see　a　yard　ahead　of　you！〃

Unknown　to　herself；　Mrs。　Bunting's　voice　had　risen　almost　to　a　scream。　　She　moved　back；　still　holding　the　tray；　and　stood　between　the　door　and　her　lodger；　as　if　she　meant　to　bar　his　way　…　to　erect　between　Mr。　Sleuth　and　the　dark；　foggy　world　outside　a　living　barrier。

〃The　weather　never　affects　me　at　all；〃　he　said　sullenly；　and　he　looked　at　her　with　so　wild　and　pleading　a　look　in　his　eyes　that；　slowly；　reluctantly；　she　moved　aside。　　As　she　did　so　she　noticed　for　the　first　time　that　Mr。　Sleuth　held　something　in　his　right　hand。　　It　was　the　key　of　the　chiffonnier　cupboard。　　He　had　been　on　his　way　there　when　her　coming　in　had　disturbed　him。

It's　very　kind　of　you　to　be　so　concerned　about　me；〃　he　stammered；　〃but　…　but；　Mrs。　Bunting；　you　must　excuse　me　if　I　say　that　I　do　not　welcome　such　solicitude。　　I　prefer　to　be　left　alone。　　I　…　I　cannot　stay　in　your　house　if　I　feel　that　my　comings　and　goings　are　watched　…　spied　upon。〃

She　pulled　herself　together。　　〃No　one　spies　upon　you；　sir；〃　she　said；　with　considerable　dignity。　　〃I've　done　my　best　to　satisfy　you　…　〃

〃You　have　…　you　have！〃　he　spoke　in　a　distressed；　apologetic　tone。　〃But　you　spoke　just　now　as　if　you　were　trying　to　prevent　my　doing　what　I　wish　to　do　…　indeed；　what　I　have　to　do。　　For　years　I　have　been　misunderstood　…　persecuted〃　…　he　waited　a　moment；　then　in　a　hollow　voice　added　the　one　word；　〃tortured！　　Do　not　tell　me　that　you　are　going　to　add　yourself　to　the　number　of　my　tormentors；　Mrs。　Bunting？〃

She　stared　at　him　helplessly。　　〃Don't　you　be　afraid　I'll　ever　be　that；　sir。　　I　only　spoke　as　I　did　because　…　well；　sir；　because　I　thought　it　really　wasn't　safe　for　a　gentleman　to　go　out　this　afternoon。　　Why；　there's　hardly　anyone　about；　though　we're　so　near　Christmas。〃

He　walked　across　to　the　window　and　looked　out。　　〃The　fog　is　clearing　somewhat；　Mrs。　Bunting；〃　but　there　was　no　relief　in　his　voice；　rather　was　there　disappointment　and　dread。

Plucking　up　courage；　she　followed　him。　　Yes；　Mr。　Sleuth　was　right。　The　fog　was　lifting　…　rolling　off　in　that　sudden；　mysterious　way　in　which　local　fogs　sometimes　do　lift　in　London。

He　turned　sharply　from　the　window。　　〃Our　conversation　has　made　me　forget　an　important　thing；　Mrs。　Bunting。　　I　should　be　glad　if　you　would　just　leave　out　a　glass　of　milk　and　some　bread…and…butter　for　me　this　evening。　　I　shall　not　require　supper　when　I　come　in；　for　after　my　walk　I　shall　probably　go　straight　upstairs　to　carry　through　a　very　difficult　experiment。〃

〃Very　good；　sir。〃　　And　then　Mrs。　Bunting　left　the　lodger。

But　when　she　found　herself　downstairs　in　the　fog…laden　hall；　for　it　had　drifted　in　as　she　and　her　husband　had　stood　at　the　door　seeing　Daisy　off；　instead　of　going　in　to　Bunting　she　did　a　very　odd　thing　　…　a　thing　she　had　never　thought　of　doing　in　her　life　before。　　She　pressed　her　hot　forehead　against　the　cool　bit　of　looking…glass　let　into　the　hat…and…umbrella　stand。　　〃I　don't　know　what　to　do！〃　she　moaned　to　herself；　and　then；　〃I　can't　bear　it！　　I　can't　bear　it！〃

But　though　she　felt　that　her　secret　suspense　and　trouble　was　becoming　intolerable；　the　one　way　in　which　she　could　have　ended　her　misery　never　occurred　to　Mrs。　Bunting。

In　the　long　history　of　crime　it　has　very；　very　seldom　happened　that　a　woman　has　betrayed　one　who　has　taken　refuge　with　her。　　The　timorous　and　cautious　woman　has　not　infrequently　hunted　a　human　being　fleeing　from　his　pursuer　from　her　door；　but　she　has　not　revealed　the　fact　that　he　was　ever　there。　　In　fact；　it　may　almost　be　said　that　such　betrayal　has　never　taken　place　unless　the　betrayer　has　been　actuated　by　love　of　gain；　or　by　a　longing　for　revenge。　　So　far；　perhaps　because　she　is　subject　rather　than　citizen；　her　duty　as　a　component　part　of　civilised　society　weighs　but　lightly　on　woman's　shoulders。

And　then　…　and　then；　in　a　sort　of　way；　Mrs。　Bunting　had　become　attached　to　Mr。　Sleuth。　　A　wan　smile　would　sometimes　light　up　his　sad　face　when　he　saw　her　come　in　with　one　of　his　meals；　and　when　this　happened　Mrs。　Bunting　felt　pleased　…　pleased　and　vaguely　touched。　　In　between　those　…　those　dreadful　events　outside；　which　filled　her　with　such　suspicion；　such　anguish　and　such　suspense；　she　never　felt　any　fear；　only　pity；　for　Mr。　Sleuth。

Often　and　often；　when　lying　wide　awake　at　night；　she　turned　over　the　strange　problem　in　her　mind。　　After　all；　the　lodger　must　have　lived　somewhere　during　his　forty…odd　years　of　life。　　She　did　not　even　know　if　Mr。　Sleuth　had　any　brothers　or　sisters；　friends　she　knew　he　had　none。　　But；　however　odd　and　eccentric　he　was；　he　had　evidently；　or　so　she　supposed；　led　a　quiet；　undistinguished　kind　of　life；　till　…　till　now。

What　had　made　him　alter　all　of　a　sudden　…　if；　that　is；　he　had　altered？　　That　was　what　Mrs。　Bunting　was　always　debating　fitfully　with　herself；　and；　what　was　more；　and　very　terribly；　to　the　point；　having　altered；　why　should　he　not　in　time　go　back　to　what　he　evidently　had　been　…　that　is；　a　blameless；　quiet　gentleman？

If　only　he　would！　　If　only　he　would！

As　she　stood　in　the　hall；　cooling　her　hot　forehead；　all　these　thoughts；　these　hopes　and　fears；　jostled　at　lightning　speed　through　her　brain。

She　remembered　what　young　Chandler　had　said　the　other　day　…　that　there　had　never　been；　in　the　history　of　the　world；　so　strange　a　murderer　as　The　Avenger　had　proved　himself　to　be。

She　and　Bunting；　aye；　and　little　Daisy　too；　had　hung；　fascinated；　on　Joe's　words；　as　he　had　told　them　of　other　famous　series　of　murders　which　had　taken　place　in　the　past；　not　only　in　England　but　abroad　…　especially　abroad。

One　woman；　whom　all　the　people　round　her　believed　to　be　a　kind；　respectable　soul；　had　poisoned　no　fewer　than　fifteen　people　in　order　to　get　their　insurance　money。　　Then　there　had　been　the　terrible　tale　of　an　apparently　respectable；　contented　innkeeper　and　his　wife；　who；　living　at　the　entrance　to　a　wood；　killed　all　those　humble　travellers　who　took　shelter　under　their　roof；　simply　for　their　clothes；　and　any　valuables　they　possessed。　　But　in　all　those　stories　the　murderer　or　murderers　always　had　a　very　strong　motive；　the　motive　being；　in　almost　every　case；　a　wicked　lust　for　gold。

At　last；　after　having　passed　her　handkerchief　over　her　forehead；　she　went　into　the　room　where　Bunting　was　sitting　smoking　his　pipe。

〃The　fog's　lifting　a　bit；〃　she　said　in　an　ill…assured　voice。　　I　hope　that　by　this　time　Daisy　and　that　Joe　Chandler　are　right　out　of　it。〃

But　the　other　shook　his　head　silently。　　〃No　such　luck！〃　he　said　briefly。　　〃You　don't　know　what　it's　like　in　Hyde　Park；　Ellen。　　I　expect　'twill　soon　be　just　as　heavy　here　as　'twas　half　an　hour　ago！〃

She　wandered　over　to　the　window；　and　pulled　the　curtain　back。　〃Quite　a　lot　of　people　have　come　out；　anyway；〃　she　observed。

〃There's　a　fine　Christmas　show　in　the　Edgware　Road。　　I　was　thinking　of　asking　if　you　wouldn't　like　to　go　along　there　with　me。〃

〃No；〃　she　said　dully。　　〃I'm　quite　content　to　stay　at　home。〃

She　was　listening　…　listening　for　the　sounds　which　would　betoken　that　the　lodger　was　coming　downstairs。

At　last　she　heard　the　cautious；　stuffless　tread　of　his　rubber…soled　shoes　shuffling　along　the　hall。　　But　Bunting　only　woke　to　the　fact　when　the　front　door　shut　to。

〃That's　never　Mr。　Sleuth　going　out？〃　　He　turned　on　his　wife；　startled。　　〃Why；　the　poor　gentleman'll　come　to　harm　…　that　he　will！　One　has　to　be　wide　awake　on　an　evening　like　this。　　I　hope　he　hasn't　taken　any　of　his　money　out　with　him。〃

〃'Tisn't　the　first　time　Mr。　Sleuth's　been　out　in　a　fog；〃　said　Mrs。　Bunting　sombrely。

Somehow　she　couldn't　help　uttering　these　over…true　words。　　And　then　she　turned；　eager　and