the vanished messenger-第10章

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his　master's　rooms。　　Mr。　Fentolin　was　sitting　before　the　open　window；
an　easel　in　front　of　him；　a　palette　in　his　left　hand；　painting　with
deft；　swift　touches。

〃Ah！〃　he　exclaimed；　without　looking　around；　〃it　is　my　friend　the
doctor；　my　friend　Sarson；　M。D。　　of　London；　L。R。C。P。　　and　all　the
rest　of　it。　　He　brings　with　him　the　odour　of　the　sick　room。　　For　a
moment　or　two；　just　for　a　moment；　dear　friend；　do　not　disturb　me。
Do　not　bring　any　alien　thoughts　into　my　brain。　　I　am　absorbed；　you
see　…　absorbed。　　It　is　a　strange　problem　of　colour；　this。〃

He　was　silent　for　several　moments；　glancing　repeatedly　out　of　the
window　and　back　to　his　canvas；　painting　all　the　time　with　swift　and
delicate　precision。

〃Meekins；　who　stands　behind　my　chair；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　continued；　〃even
Meekins　is　entranced。　　He　has　a　soul；　my　friend　Sarson；　although　you
might　not　think　it。　　He；　too；　sees　sometimes　the　colour　in　the　skies；
the　glitter　upon　the　sands；　the　clear；　sweet　purity　of　those　long
stretches　of　virgin　water。　　Meekins；　I　believe；　has　a　soul；　only　he
likes　better　to　see　these　things　grow　under　his　master's　touch　than
to　wander　about　and　solve　their　riddles　for　himself。〃

The　man　remained　perfectly　immovable。　　Not　a　feature　twitched。　　Yet
it　was　a　fact　that；　although　he　stood　where　Mr。　Fentolin　could　not
possibly　observe　him；　he　never　removed　his　gaze　from　the　canvas。

〃You　see；　my　medical　friend；　that　there　has　been　a　great　tide　in　the
night；　following　upon　the　flood？　　Even　our　small　landmarks　are
shifted。　　Soon；　in　my　little　carriage；　I　shall　ride　down　to　the
Tower。　　I　shall　sit　there；　and　I　shall　watch　the　sea。　　I　think　that
this　evening；　with　the　turn　of　the　tide；　the　spray　may　reach　even
to　my　windows　there。　　I　shall　paint　again。　　There　is　always
something　fresh　in　the　sea；　you　know　…　always　something　fresh　in
the　sea。　　Like　a　human　face　…　angry　or　pleased；　sullen　or　joyful。
Some　people　like　to　paint　the　sea　at　its　calmest　and　most　beautiful。
Some　people　like　to　see　happy　faces　around　them。　　It　is　not　every
one　who　appreciates　the　other　things。　　It　is　not　quite　like　that
with　me；　eh；　Sarson？〃

His　hand　fell　to　his　side。　　Momentarily　he　had　finished　his　work。
He　turned　around　and　eyed　the　doctor；　who　stood　in　taciturn　silence。

〃Answer。　　Answer　me；〃　he　insisted。

The　doctor's　gloomy　face　seemed　darker　still。

〃You　have　spoken　the　truth；　Mr。　Fentolin；〃　he　admitted。　　〃You　are
not　one　of　the　vulgar　herd　who　love　to　consort　with　pleasure　and
happiness。　　You　are　one　of　those　who　understand　the　beauty　of
unhappiness　…　in　others；〃　he　added；　with　faint　emphasis。

Mr。　Fentolin　smiled。　　His　face　became　almost　like　the　face　of　one
of　those　angels　of　the　great　Italian　master。

〃How　well　you　know　me！〃　he　murmured。　　〃My　humble　effort；　Doctor
…　how　do　you　like　it？〃

The　doctor　bent　over　the　canvas。

〃I　know　nothing　about　art；〃　he　said；　a　little　roughly。　　〃Your　work
seems　to　me　clever　…　a　little　grotesque；　perhaps；　a　little　straining
after　the　hard；　plain　things　which　threaten。　　Nothing　of　the
idealist　in　your　work；　Mr。　Fentolin。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　studied　the　canvas　himself　for　a　moment。

〃A　clever　man；　Sarson；〃　he　remarked　coolly；　〃but　no　courtier。　　Never
mind；　my　work　pleases　me。　　It　gives　me　a　passing　sensation　of
happiness。　　Now；　what　about　our　patient？〃

〃He　recovers；〃　the　doctor　pronounced。　　〃From　my　short　examination；
I　should　say　that　he　had　the　constitution　of　an　ox。　　I　have　told
him　that　he　will　be　up　in　three　days。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　he　will
be　able；　if　he　wants　to；　to　walk　out　of　the　house　to…morrow。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　shook　his　head。

〃We　cannot　spare　him　quite　so　soon；〃　he　declared。　　〃We　must　avail
ourselves　of　this　wonderful　chance　afforded　us　by　my　brilliant　young
nephew。　　We　must　keep　him　with　us　for　a　little　time。　　What　is　it
that　you　have　in　your　hands；　Doctor？　　Telegrams；　I　think。　　Let　me
look　at　them。〃

The　doctor　held　them　out。　　Mr。　Fentolin　took　them　eagerly　between
his　thin；　delicate　fingers。　　Suddenly　his　face　darkened；　and　became
like　the　face　of　a　spoilt　and　angry　child。

〃Cipher！〃　he　exclaimed　furiously。　　〃A　cipher　which　he　knows　so　well
as　to　remember　it；　too！　　Never　mind；　it　will　be　easy　to　decode。　　It
will　amuse　me　during　the　afternoon。　　Very　good；　Sarson。　　I　will　take
charge　of　these。〃

〃You　do　not　wish　anything　dispatched？〃

〃Nothing　at　present；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　sighed。　　〃It　will　be　well；　I
think；　for　the　poor　man　to　remain　undisturbed　by　any　communications
from　his　friends。　　Is　he　restless　at　all？〃

〃He　wants　to　get　on　with　his　journey。〃

〃We　shall　see；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　remarked。　　〃Now　feel　my　pulse；　Sarson。
How　am　I　this　morning？〃

The　doctor　held　the　thin　wrist　for　a　moment　between　his　fingers；
and　let　it　go。

〃In　perfect　health；　as　usual；〃　he　announced　grimly。

〃Ah；　but　you　cannot　be　sure！〃　Mr。　Fentolin　protested。　　〃My　tongue；
if　you　please。〃

He　put　it　out。

〃Excellent！〃

〃We　must　make　quite　certain；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　continued。　　〃There　are
so　many　people　who　would　miss　me。　　My　place　in　the　world　would　not
be　easily　filed。　　Undo　my　waistcoat；　Sarson。　　Feel　my　heart；　please。
Feel　carefully。　　I　can　see　the　end　of　your　stethoscope　in　your
pocket。　　Don't　scamp　it。　　I　fancied　this　morning；　when　I　was　lying
here　alone；　that　there　was　something　almost　like　a　palpitation　…　a
quicker　beat。　　Be　very　careful；　Sarson。　　Now。〃

The　doctor　made　his　examination　with　impassive　face。　　Then　he
stepped　back。

〃There　is　no　change　in　your　condition；　Mr。　　Fentolin；〃　he　announced。
〃The　palpitation　you　spoke　of　is　a　mistake。　　You　are　in　perfect
health。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　sighed　gently。

〃Then；〃　he　said；　〃I　will　now　amuse　myself　by　a　gentle　ride　down　to
the　Tower。　　You　are　entirely　satisfied；　Sarson？　　You　are　keeping
nothing　back　from　me？〃

The　doctor　looked　at　him　with　grim；　impassive　face。　　〃There　is
nothing　to　keep　back；〃　he　declared。　　〃You　have　the　constitution　of
a　cowboy。　　There　is　no　reason　why　you　should　not　live　for　another
thirty　years。

Mr。　Fentolin　sighed；　as　though　a　weight　bad　been　removed　from　his
heart。

〃I　will　now；〃　he　decided；　reaching　forward　for　the　handle　of　his
carriage；　〃go　down　to　the　Tower。　　It　is　just　possible　that　a　few
days'　seclusion　might　be　good　for　our　guest。〃

The　doctor　turned　silently　away。　　There　was　no　one　there　to　see　his
expression　as　he　walked　towards　the　door。




CHAPTER　VII

The　two　men　who　were　supping　together　in　the　griliroom　at　the　Cafe
Milan　were　talking　with　a　seriousness　which　seemed　a　little　out　of
keeping　with　the　rose…shaded　lamps　and　the　swaying　music　of　the
band　from　the　distant　restaurant。　　Their　conversation　had　started
some　hours　before　in　the　club　smoking…room　and　had　continued
intermittently　throughout　the　evening。　　It　had　received　a　further
stimulus　when　Richard　Hamel；　who　had　bought　an　Evening　Standard　on
their　way　from　the　theatre　a　few　minutes　ago；　came　across　a　certain
paragraph　in　it　which　he　read　aloud。

〃Hanged　if　I　understand　things　over　here；　nowadays；　Reggie！〃　he
declared；　laying　the　paper　down。　　〃Here's　another　Englishman
imprisoned　in　Germany　…　this　time　at　a　place　no　one　ever　heard　of
before。　　I　won't　try　to　pronounce　it。　　What　does　it　all　mean？　　It's
all　very　well　to　shrug　your　shoulders；　but　when　there　are　eighteen
arrests　within　one　week　on　a　charge　of　espionage；　there　must　be
something　up。〃

For　the　first　time　Reginald　Kinsley　seemed　inclined　to　discuss　the
subject　seriously。　　He　drew　the　paper　towards　him　and　read　the
little　paragraph；　word　by　word。　　Then　he　gave　some　further　order　to
an　attentive　maitre　d'hotel　and　glanced　around　to　be　sure　that　they
were　not　overheard。

〃Look　here；　Dick；　old　chap；〃　he　said；　〃you　are　just　back　from　abroad
and　you　are　not　quite　in　the　hang　of　things　yet。　　Let　me　ask　you　a
plain　question。　　What　do　you　think　of　us　all？〃

〃Think　of　you？〃　Hamel　repeated；　a　little　doubtfully。　　〃Do　you　mean
personally？〃

〃Take　it　any　way　you　like；〃　Kinsley　replied。　　Look　at　me。　　　Nine
years　ago　we　played　cricket　in　the　same　eleven。　　I　don't　look　much
like　cricket　now；　do　I？〃

Hamel　looked　at　his　companion　thoughtfully。　　For　a　man　who　was
doubtless　still　young；　Kinsley　had　certainly　an　aged　appe