the lodger-第24部分

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as　he　not　an　almost　perfect　lodger？　　If　they　did　anything　to　upset　him；　where　could　they　ever　hope　to　get　another　like　him？

Three　o'clock　struck　before　Mrs。　Bunting　heard　slow；　heavy　steps　creaking　up　the　kitchen　stairs。　　But　Mr。　Sleuth　did　not　go　straight　up　to　his　own　quarters；　as　she　had　expected　him　to　do。　　Instead；　he　went　to　the　front　door；　and；　opening　it；　put　on　the　chain。　　Then　he　came　past　her　door；　and　she　thought　…　but　could　not　be　sure　…　　that　he　sat　down　on　the　stairs。

At　the　end　of　ten　minutes　or　so　she　heard　him　go　down　the　passage　again。　　Very　softly　he　closed　the　front　door。　　By　then　she　had　divined　why　the　lodger　had　behaved　in　this　funny　fashion。　　He　wanted　to　get　the　strong；　acrid　smell　of　burning　…　was　it　of　burning　wool？　　…　out　of　the　house。

But　Mrs。　Bunting；　lying　there　in　the　darkness；　listening　to　the　lodger　creeping　upstairs；　felt　as　if　she　herself　would　never　get　rid　of　the　horrible　odour。

Mrs。　Bunting　felt　herself　to　be　all　smell。

At　last　the　unhappy　woman　fell　into　a　deep；　troubled　sleep；　and　then　she　dreamed　a　most　terrible　and　unnatural　dream。　　Hoarse　voices　seemed　to　be　shouting　in　her　ear：　〃The　Avenger　close　here！　The　Avenger　close　here！〃　〃'Orrible　murder　off　the　Edgware　Road！〃　〃The　Avenger　at　his　work　again〃'

And　even　in　her　dream　Mrs。　Bunting　felt　angered　…　　angered　and　impatient。　　She　knew　so　well　why　she　was　being　disturbed　by　this　horrid　nightmare！　　It　was　because　of　Bunting　…　Bunting；　who　could　think　and　talk　of　nothing　else　than　those　frightful　murders；　in　which　only　morbid　and　vulgar…minded　people　took　any　interest。

Why；　even　now；　in　her　dream；　she　could　hear　her　husband　speaking　to　her　about　it：

〃Ellen　〃　…　so　she　heard　Bunting　murmur　in　her　ear　…　〃Ellen；　my　dear；　I'm　just　going　to　get　up　to　get　a　paper。　　It's　after　seven　o'clock。〃

The　shouting　…　nay；　worse；　the　sound　of　tramping；　hurrying　feet　smote　on　her　shrinking　ears。　　Pushing　back　her　hair　off　her　forehead　with　both　hands；　she　sat　up　and　listened。

It　had　been　no　nightmare；　then；　but　something　infinitely　worse　…　　reality。

Why　couldn't　Bunting　have　lain　quiet　abed　for　awhile　longer；　and　let　his　poor　wife　go　on　dreaming？　　The　most　awful　dream　would　have　been　easier　to　bear　than　this　awakening。

She　heard　her　husband　go　to　the　front　door；　and；　as　he　bought　the　paper；　exchange　a　few　excited　words　with　the　newspaper…seller。　　Then　he　came　back。　　There　was　a　pause；　and　she　heard　him　lighting　the　gas…ring　in　the　sitting…room。

Bunting　always　made　his　wife　a　cup　of　tea　in　the　morning。　　He　had　promised　to　do　this　when　they　first　married；　and　he　had　never　yet　broken　his　word。　　It　was　a　very　little　thing　and　a　very　usual　thing；　no　doubt；　for　a　kind　husband　to　do；　but　this　morning　the　knowledge　that　he　was　doing　it　brought　tears　to　Mrs。　Bunting's　pale　blue　eyes。　This　morning　he　seemed　to　be　rather　longer　than　usual　over　the　job。

When；　at　last；　he　came　in　with　the　little　tray；　Bunting　found　his　wife　lying　with　her　face　to　the　wall。

〃Here's　your　tea；　Ellen；〃　he　said；　and　there　was　a　thrill　of　eager；　nay　happy；　excitement　in　his　voice。

She　turned　herself　round　and　sat　up。　　〃Well？〃　she　asked。　　〃Well？　Why　don't　you　tell　me　about　it？〃

〃I　thought　you　was　asleep；〃　he　stammered　out。　　〃I　thought；　Ellen；　you　never　heard　nothing。〃

〃How　could　I　have　slept　through　all　that　din？　　Of　course　I　heard。　Why　don't　you　tell　me？〃

〃I've　hardly　had　time　to　glance　at　the　paper　myself；〃　he　said　slowly。

〃You　was　reading　it　just　now；〃　she　said　severely；　〃for　I　heard　the　rustling。　　You　begun　reading　it　before　you　lit　the　gas…ring。　　Don't　tell　me！　　What　was　that　they　was　shouting　about　the　Edgware　Road？〃

〃Well；〃　said　Bunting；　〃as　you　do　know；　I　may　as　well　tell　you。　　The　Avenger's　moving　West　…　that's　what　he's　doing。　　Last　time　'twas　King's　Cross　…　now　'tis　the　Edgware　Road。　　I　said　he'd　come　our　way；　and　he　has　come　our　way！〃

〃You　just　go　and　get　me　that　paper；〃　she　commanded。　　〃I　wants　to　see　for　myself。〃

Bunting　went　into　the　next　room；　then　he　came　back　and　handed　her　silently　the　odd…looking；　thin　little　sheet。

〃Why；　whatever's　this？〃　she　asked。　　〃This　ain't　our　paper！〃

〃'Course　not；〃　he　answered；　a　trifle　crossly。　　〃It's　a　special　early　edition　of　the　Sun；　just　because　of　The　Avenger。　　Here's　the　bit　about　it〃　…　he　showed　her　the　exact　spot。　　But　she　would　have　found　it；　even　by　the　comparatively　bad　light　of　the　gas…jet　now　flaring　over　the　dressing…table；　for　the　news　was　printed　in　large；　clear　characters：　…　

〃Once　more　the　murder　fiend　who　chooses　to　call　himself　The　Avenger　has　escaped　detection。　　While　the　whole　attention　of　the　police；　and　of　the　great　army　of　amateur　detectives　who　are　taking　an　interest　in　this　strange　series　of　atrocious　crimes；　were　concentrating　their　attention　round　the　East　End　and　King's　Cross；　he　moved　swift1y　and　silently　Westward。　　And；　choosing　a　time　when　the　Edgware　Road　is　at　its　busiest　and　most　thronged；　did　another　human　being　to　death　with　lightning…like　quickness　and　savagery。

〃Within　fifty　yards　of　the　deserted　warehouse　yard　where　he　had　lured　his　victim　to　destruction　were　passing　up　and　down　scores　of　happy；　busy　people；　intent　on　their　Christmas　shopping。　　Into　that　cheerful　throng　he　must　have　plunged　within　a　moment　of　committing　his　atrocious　crime。　　And　it　was　only　owing　to　the　merest　accident　that　the　body　was　discovered　as　soon　as　it　was　…　that　is；　just　after　midnight

〃Dr。　Dowtray；　who　was　called　to　the　spot　at　once；　is　of　opinion　that　the　woman　had　been　dead　at　least　three　hours；　if　not　four。　　It　was　at　first　thought　…　we　were　going　to　say；　hoped　…　that　this　murder　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　series　which　is　now　puzzling　and　horrifying　the　whole　of　the　civilised　world。　　But　no　…　pinned　on　the　edge　of　the　dead　woman's　dress　was　the　usual　now　familiar　triangular　piece　of　grey　paper　…　the　grimmest　visiting　card　ever　designed　by　the　wit　of　man！　　And　this　time　The　Avenger　has　surpassed　himself　as　regards　his　audacity　and　daring　…　so　cold　in　its　maniacal　fanaticism　and　abhorrent　wickedness。〃

All　the　time　that　Mrs。　Bunting　was　reading　with　slow；　painful　intentness；　her　husband　was　looking　at　her；　longing；　yet　afraid；　to　burst　out　with　a　new　idea　which　he　was　burning　to　confide　even　to　his　Ellen's　unsympathetic　ears。

At　last；　when　she　had　quite　finished；　she　looked　up　defiantly。

〃Haven't　you　anything　better　to　do　than　to　stare　at　me　like　that？〃　she　said　irritably。　　〃Murder　or　no　murder；　I've　got　to　get　up！　　Go　away　…　do！〃

And　Bunting　went　off　into　the　next　room。

After　he　had　gone；　his　wife　lay　back　and　closed　her　eyes。　　She　tried　to　think　of　nothing。　　Nay；　more　…　so　strong；　so　determined　was　her　will　that　for　a　few　moments　she　actually　did　think　of　nothing。　　She　felt　terribly　tired　and　weak；　brain　and　body　both　quiescent；　as　does　a　person　who　is　recovering　from　a　long；　wearing　illness。

Presently　detached；　puerile　thoughts　drifted　across　the　surface　of　her　mind　like　little　clouds　across　a　summer　sky。　　She　wondered　if　those　horrid　newspaper　men　were　allowed　to　shout　in　Belgrave　Square；　she　wondered　if；　in　that　case；　Margaret；　who　was　so　unlike　her　brother…in…law；　would　get　up　and　buy　a　paper。　　But　no。　　Margaret　was　not　one　to　leave　her　nice　warm　bed　for　such　a　silly　reason　as　that。

Was　it　to…morrow　Daisy　was　coming　back？　　Yes　…　to…morrow；　not　to…day。　　Well；　that　was　a　comfort；　at　any　rate。　　What　amusing　things　Daisy　would　be　able　to　tell　about　her　visit　to　Margaret！　　The　girl　had　an　excellent　gift　of　mimicry。　　And　Margaret；　with　her　precise；　funny　ways；　her　perpetual　talk　about　〃the　family；〃　lent　herself　to　the　cruel　gift。

And　then　Mrs。　Bunting's　mind　…　her　poor；　weak；　tired　mind　…　wandered　off　to　young　Chandler。　　A　funny　thing　love　was；　when　you　came　to　think　of　it　…　which　she；　Ellen　Bunting；　didn't　often　do。　　There　was　Joe；　a　likely　young　fellow；　seeing　a　lot　of　young　women；　and　pretty　young　women；　too；　…　quite　as　pretty　as　Daisy；　and　ten　times　more　artful　…　and　yet　there！　　He　passed　them　all　by；　had　done　so　ever　since　last　summer；　though　you　might　be　sure　that　they；　artful　minxes；　by　no　manner　of　means　passed　him　by；　…　without　giving　them　a　thought！　As　Daisy　wasn't　here；　he　would　probably　keep　away　to…day。　　There　was　comfort　in　that　thought；　too。

And　then　Mrs。　Bunting　sat　up；　and　memory　returned　in　a　dreadful　turgid　flood。　　If　Joe　did　come　in；　she　must　nerve　herself　to　hear　all　that　…　that　talk　there'd　be　about　The　Avenger　between　him　and　Bunting。

Slowly　she　dragged　herself　out　of　bed；　feeling　exactly　as　if　she　had　just　recovered　from　an　illness　which　had　left　her　very　weak；　very；　very　tired　in　body　and　soul。

She　stood　for　a　moment　listening　…　listening；　and　shivering；　for　it　was　very　cold。　　Considering　how　early　it　still　was；　there　seemed　a　lot　of　coming　and　going　in　the　Marylebone　Road。　　She　could　hear　the　unaccustomed　sounds　through　her　closed　door　and　the　tightly　fastened　windows　of　the　sitting…room。　　There　must　be　a　regular　crowd　of　men　and　women；　on　foot　and　in　cabs；　hurrying　to　the　scene　of　The　Avenger's　last　extraordinary　crime。

She　heard　the　sudden　thud　made　by　their　usual　morning　paper　falling　from　the　letter…box　on　to　the　floor　of　the　hall；　and　a　moment　later　came　the　sound　of　Bunting　quickly；　quietly　going　out　and　getting　it。　She　visualised　him　coming　back；　and　sitting　down　with　a　sigh　of　satisfaction　by　the　newly…lit　fire。

Languidly　she　began　dressing　herself　to　the　accompaniment　of　distant　tramping　and　of　noise　of　passing　traffic；　which　increased　in　volume　and　in　sound　as　the　moments　slipped　by。

******

When　Mrs。　Bunting　went　down　into　her　kitchen　everything　looked　just　as　she　had　left　it；　and　there　was　no　trace　of　the　acrid　smell　she　had　expected　to　find　there。　　Instead；　the　cavernous；　whitewashed　room　was　full　of　fog；　but　she　noticed　that；　though　the　shutters　were　bolted　and　barred　as　she　had　left　them；　the　windows　behind　them　had　been　widely　opened　to　the　air。　　She　had　left　them　shut。

Making　a　〃spill〃　out　of　a　twist　of　newspaper　…　she　had　been　taught　the　art　as　a　girl　by　one　of　her　old　mistresses　…　she　stooped　and　flung　open　the　oven…door　of　her　gas…stove。　　Yes；　it　was　as　she　had　expected　a　fierce　heat　had　been　generated　there　since　she　had　last　used　the　oven；　and　through　to　the　stone　floor　b