the lodger-第34部分

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to　me　about　that　person　as　thinks　she　saw　The　Avenger。〃

Without　waiting　for　an　answer；　she　went　into　her　bedroom；　lit　the　gas；　and　shut　the　door。　　A　moment　later　she　heard　Bunting　go　out　to　buy　the　paper　they　had　both　forgotten　during　their　dangerous　discussion。

As　she　slowly；　languidly　took　off　her　nice；　warm　coat　and　shawl；　Mrs。　Bunting　found　herself　shivering。　　It　was　dreadfully　cold；　quite　unnaturally　cold　even　for　the　time　of　year。

She　looked　longingly　towards　the　fireplace。　　It　was　now　concealed　by　the　washhand…stand；　but　how　pleasant　it　would　be　to　drag　that　stand　aside　and　light　a　bit　of　fire；　especially　as　Bunting　was　going　to　be　out　to…night。　　He　would　have　to　put　on　his　dress　clothes；　and　she　didn't　like　his　dressing　in　the　sitting…room。　　It　didn't　suit　her　ideas　that　he　should　do　so。　　How　if　she　did　light　the　fire　here；　in　their　bedroom？　　It　would　be　nice　for　her　to　have　bit　of　fire　to　cheer　her　up　after　he　had　gone。

Mrs。　Bunting　knew　only　too　well　that　she　would　have　very　little　sleep　the　coming　night。　　She　looked　over；　with　shuddering　distaste；　at　her　nice；　soft　bed。　　There　she　would　lie；　on　that　couch　of　little　ease；　listening　…　listening。　。　。　。

She　went　down　to　the　kitchen。　　Everything　was　ready　for　Mr。　Sleuth's　supper；　for　she　had　made　all　her　preparations　before　going　out　so　as　not　to　have　to　hurry　back　before　it　suited　her　to　do　so。

Leaning　the　tray　for　a　moment　on　the　top　of　the　banisters；　she　listened。　　Even　in　that　nice　warm　drawing…room；　and　with　a　good　fire；　how　cold　the　lodger　must　feel　sitting　studying　at　the　table！　But　unwonted　sounds　were　coming　through　the　door。　　Mr。　Sleuth　was　moving　restlessly　about　the　room；　not　sitting　reading；　as　was　his　wont　at　this　time　of　the　evening。

She　knocked；　and　then　waited　a　moment。

There　came　the　sound　of　a　sharp　click；　that　of　the　key　turning　in　the　lock　of　the　chiffonnier　cupboard　…　or　so　Mr。　Sleuth's　landlady　could　have　sworn。

There　was　a　pause　…　she　knocked　again。

〃Come　in；〃　said　Mr。　Sleuth　loudly；　and　she　opened　the　door　and　carried　in　the　tray。

〃You　are　a　little　earlier　than　usual；　are　you　not　Mrs。　Bunting？〃　he　said；　with　a　touch　of　irritation　in　his　voice。

〃I　don't　think　so；　sir；　but　I've　been　out。　　Perhaps　I　lost　count　of　the　time。　　I　thought　you'd　like　your　breakfast　early；　as　you　had　dinner　rather　sooner　than　usual。〃

〃Breakfast？　　Did　you　say　breakfast；　Mrs。　Bunting？〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；　I'm　sure！　　I　meant　supper。〃　　He　looked　at　her　fixedly。　　It　seemed　to　Mrs。　Bunting　that　there　was　a　terrible　questioning　look　in　his　dark；　sunken　eyes。

〃Aren't　you　well？〃　he　said　slowly。　　〃You　don't　look　well；　Mrs。　Bunting。〃

〃No；　sir；〃　she　said。　　〃I'm　not　well。　　I　went　over　to　see　a　doctor　this　afternoon；　to　Ealing；　sir。〃

〃I　hope　he　did　you　good；　Mrs。　Bunting〃　…　the　lodger's　voice　had　become　softer；　kinder　in　quality。

〃It　always　does　me　good　to　see　the　doctor；〃　said　Mrs。　Bunting　evasively。

And　then　a　very　odd　smile　lit　up　Mr。　Sleuth's　face。　　〃Doctors　are　a　maligned　body　of　men；〃　he　said。　　〃I'm　glad　to　hear　you　speak　well　of　them。　　They　do　their　best；　Mrs。　Bunting。　　Being　human　they　are　liable　to　err；　but　I　assure　you　they　do　their　best。〃

〃That　I'm　sure　they　do；　sir　〃　…　she　spoke　heartily；　sincerely。　Doctors　had　always　treated　her　most　kindly；　and　even　generously。

And　then；　having　laid　the　cloth；　and　put　the　lodger's　one　hot　dish　upon　it；　she　went　towards　the　door。　　〃Wouldn't　you　like　me　to　bring　up　another　scuttleful　of　coals；　sir？　　it's　bitterly　cold　…　getting　colder　every　minute。　　A　fearful　night　to　have　to　go　out　in　…　〃　she　looked　at　him　deprecatingly。

And　then　Mr。　Sleuth　did　something　which　startled　her　very　much。　Pushing　his　chair　back；　he　jumped　up　and　drew　himself　to　his　full　height。

〃What　d'you　mean？〃　he　stammered。　　〃Why　did　you　say　that；　Mrs。　Bunting？〃

She　stared　at　him；　fascinated；　affrighted。　　Again　there　came　an　awful　questioning　look　over　his　face。

〃I　was　thinking　of　Bunting；　sir。　　He's　got　a　job　to…night。　　He's　going　to　act　as　waiter　at　a　young　lady's　birthday　party。　　I　was　thinking　it's　a　pity　he　has　to　turn　out；　and　in　his　thin　clothes；　too〃　…　she　brought　out　her　words　jerkily。

Mr。　Sleuth　seemed　somewhat　reassured；　and　again　he　sat　down。　　〃Ah！〃　he　said。　　〃Dear　me　…　I'm　sorry　to　hear　that！　　I　hope　your　husband　will　not　catch　cold；　Mrs。　Bunting。〃

And　then　she　shut　the　door；　and　went　downstairs。

******

Without　telling　Bunting　what　she　meant　to　do；　she　dragged　the　heavy　washhand…stand　away　from　the　chimneypiece；　and　lighted　the　fire。

Then　in　some　triumph　she　called　Bunting　in。

〃Time　for　you　to　dress；〃　she　cried　out　cheerfully；　〃and　I've　got　a　little　bit　of　fire　for　you　to　dress　by。〃

As　he　exclaimed　at　her　extravagance；　〃Well；　'twill　be　pleasant　for　me；　too；　keep　me　company…like　while　you're　out；　and　make　the　room　nice　and　warm　when　you　come　in。　　You'll　be　fair　perished；　even　walking　that　short　way；〃　she　said。

And　then；　while　her　husband　was　dressing；　Mrs。　Bunting　went　upstairs　and　cleared　away　Mr。　Sleuth's　supper。

The　lodger　said　no　word　while　she　was　so　engaged　…　no　word　at　all。

He　was　sitting　away　from　the　table；　rather　an　unusual　thing　for　him　to　do；　and　staring　into　the　fire；　his　hands　on　his　knees。

Mr。　Sleuth　looked　lonely；　very；　very　lonely　and　forlorn。　　Somehow；　a　great　rush　of　pity；　as　well　as　of　horror；　came　over　Mrs。　Bunting's　heart。　　He　was　such　a　…　a　…　she　searched　for　a　word　in　her　mind；　but　could　only　find　the　word　〃gentle　〃　…　he　was　such　a　nice；　gentle　gentleman；　was　Mr。　Sleuth。　　Lately　he　had　again　taken　to　leaving　his　money　about；　as　he　had　done　the　first　day　or　two；　and　with　some　concern　his　landlady　had　seen　that　the　store　had　diminished　a　good　deal。　　A　very　simple　calculation　had　made　her　realise　that　almost　the　whole　of　that　missing　money　had　come　her　way；　or；　at　any　rate；　had　passed　through　her　hands。

Mr。　Sleuth　never　stinted　himself　as　to　food；　or　stinted　them；　his　landlord　and　his　landlady；　as　to　what　he　had　said　he　would　pay。　And　Mrs。　Bunting's　conscience　pricked　her　a　little；　for　he　hardly　ever　used　that　room　upstairs　…　that　room　for　which　he　had　paid　extra　so　generously。　　If　Bunting　got　another　job　or　two　through　that　nasty　man　in　Baker　Street；　…　and　now　that　the　ice　had　been　broken　between　them　it　was　very　probable　that　he　would　do　so；　for　he　was　a　very　well…trained；　experienced　waiter　…　then　she　thought　she　would　tell　Mr。　Sleuth　that　she　no　longer　wanted　him　to　pay　as　much　as　he　was　now　doing。

She　looked　anxiously；　deprecatingly；　at　his　long；　bent　back。

〃Good…night；　sir；〃　she　said　at　last。

Mr。　Sleuth　turned　round。　　His　face　looked　sad　and　worn。

〃I　hope　you'll　sleep　well；　sir。〃

〃Yes；　I'm　sure　I　shall　sleep　well。　　But　perhaps　I　shall　take　a　little　turn　first。　Such　is　my　way；　Mrs。　Bunting；　after　I　have　been　studying　all　day　I　require　a　little　exercise。〃

〃Oh；　I　wouldn't　go　out　to…night；〃　she　said　deprecatingly。　　〃'Tisn't　fit　for　anyone　to　be　out　in　the　bitter　cold。〃

〃And　yet　…　and　yet〃　…　he　looked　at　her　attentively　…　　〃there　will　probably　be　many　people　out　in　the　streets　to…night。〃

〃A　many　more　than　usual；　I　fear；　sir。〃

〃Indeed？〃　said　Mr。　Sleuth　quickly。　　〃Is　it　not　a　strange　thing；　Mrs。　Bunting；　that　people　who　have　all　day　in　which　to　amuse　themselves　should　carry　their　revels　far　into　the　night？〃

〃Oh；　I　wasn't　thinking　of　revellers；　sir；　I　was　thinking〃　…　she　hesitated；　then；　with　a　gasping　effort　Mrs。　Bunting　brought　out　the　words；　〃of　the　police。〃

〃The　police？〃　　He　put　up　his　right　hand　and　stroked　his　chin　two　or　three　times　with　a　nervous　gesture。　　〃But　what　is　man　…　what　is　man's　puny　power　or　strength　against　that　of　God；　or　even　of　those　over　whose　feet　God　has　set　a　guard？〃

Mr。　Sleuth　looked　at　his　landlady　with　a　kind　of　triumph　lighting　up　his　face；　and　Mrs。　Bunting　felt　a　shuddering　sense　of　relief。　　Then　she　had　not　offended　her　lodger？　　She　had　not　made　him　angry　by　that；　that　…　was　it　a　hint　she　had　meant　to　convey　to　him？

〃Very　true；　sir；〃　she　said　respectfully。　　〃But　Providence　means　us　to　take　care　o'　ourselves　too。〃　　And　then　she　closed　the　door　behind　her　and　went　downstairs。

But　Mr。　Sleuth's　landlady　did　not　go　on；　down　to　the　kitchen。　　She　came　into　her　sitting…room；　and；　careless　of　what　Bunting　would　think　the　next　morning；　put　the　tray　with　the　remains　of　the　lodger's　meal　on　her　table。　　Having　done　that；　and　having　turned　out　the　gas　in　the　passage　and　the　sitting…room；　she　went　into　her　bedroom　and　closed　the　door。

The　fire　was　burning　brightly　and　clearly。　　She　told　herself　that　she　did　not　need　any　other　light　to　undress　by。

What　was　it　made　the　flames　of　the　fire　shoot　up；　shoot　down；　in　that　queer　way？　　But　watching　it　for　awhile；　she　did　at　last　doze　off　a　bit。

And　then　…　and　then　Mrs。　Bunting　woke　with　a　sudden　thumping　of　her　heart。　　Woke　to　see　that　the　fire　was　almost　out　…　woke　to　hear　a　quarter　to　twelve　chime　out　…　woke　at　last　to　the　sound　she　had　been　listening　for　before　she　fell　asleep　…　the　sound　of　Mr。　Sleuth；　wearing　his　rubber…soled　shoes；　creeping　downstairs；　along　the　passage；　and　so　out；　very；　very　quietly　by　the　front　door。

But　once　she　was　in　bed　Mrs。　Bunting　turned　restless。　　She　tossed　this　way　and　that；　full　of　discomfort　and　unease。　　Perhaps　it　was　the　unaccustomed　firelight　dancing　on　the　walls；　making　queer　shadows　all　round　her；　which　kept　her　so　wide　awake。

She　lay　thinking　and　listening　…　listening　and　thinking。　　It　even　occurred　to　her　to　do　the　one　thing　that　might　have　quieted　her　excited　brain　…　to　get　a　book；　one　of　those　detective　stories　of　which　Bunting　had　a　slender　store　in　the　next　room；　and　then；　lighting　the　gas；　to　sit　up　and　read。

No；　Mrs。　Bunting　had　always　been　told　it　was　very　wrong　to　read　in　bed；　and　she　was　not　in　a　mood　just　now　to　begin　doing　anything　that　she　had　been　told　was　wrong。　。　。　。


CHAPTER　XXI

It　was　a　very　cold　night　…　so　cold；　so　windy；　so　snow…laden　was　the　atmosphere；　that　everyone　who　could　do　so　stayed　indoors。

Bunting；　however；　was　now　on　his　way　home　from　what　had　proved　a　really　pleasant　job。　　A　remarkable　piece　of　luck　had　come　his　way　this　evening；　all　the　more　welcome　because　it　was　quite　unexpected！　The　young　lady　at　whose　birthday　party　he　had　been　present　in　ca