the vanished messenger-第11章

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Hamel　looked　at　his　companion　thoughtfully。　　For　a　man　who　was
doubtless　still　young；　Kinsley　had　certainly　an　aged　appearance。
The　hair　about　his　temples　was　grey；　there　were　lines　about　his
mouth　and　forehead。　　He　had　the　air　of　one　who　lived　in　an
atmosphere　of　anxiety。

〃To　me；〃　Hamel　declared　frankly；　〃you　look　worried。　　If　I　hadn't
heard　so　much　of　the　success　of　your　political　career　and　all　the
rest　of　it；　I　should　have　thought　that　things　were　going　badly
with　you。〃

〃They've　gone　well　enough　with　me　personally；〃　Kinsley　admitted；
〃but　I'm　only　one　of　many。　　Politics　isn't　the　game　it　was。　　The
Foreign　Office　especially　is　ageing　its　men　fast　these　few　years。
We've　been　going　through　hell；　Hamel；　and　we　are　up　against　it　now；
hard　up　against　it。〃

The　slight　smile　passed　from　the　lips　of　Hamel's　sunburnt；
good…natured　face。　　He　himself　seemed　to　become　infected　with
something　of　his　companion's　anxiety。

〃There's　nothing　seriously　wrong；　is　there；　Reggie？〃　he　asked。

〃Dick；〃　said　Kinsley；　with　a　sigh；　〃I　am　afraid　there　is。　　It's
very　seldom　I　talk　as　plainly　as　this　to　any；　one　but　you　are　just
the　person　one　can　unburden　oneself　to　a　little；　and　to　tell　you
the　truth；　it's　rather　a　relief。　　As　you　say；　these　eighteen　arrests
in　one　week　do　mean　something。　　Half　of　the　Englishmen　who　have　been
arrested　are；　to　my　certain　knowledge；　connected　with　our　Secret
Service；　and　they　have　been　arrested；　in　many　cases；　where　there　are
no　fortifications　worth　speaking　of　within　fifty　miles；　on　one
pretext　or　another。　　The　fact　of　the　matter　is　that　things　are　going
on　in　Germany；　just　at　the　present　moment；　the　knowledge　of　which　is
of　vital　interest　to　us。〃

〃Then　these　arrests；〃　Hamel　remarked；〃　are　really　bona　fide？〃

〃Without　a　doubt；〃　his　companion　agreed。　　〃I　only　wonder　there　have
not　been　more。　　I　am　telling　you　what　is　a　pretty　open　secret　when
I　tell　you　that　there　is　a　conference　due　to　be　held　this　week　at
some　place　or　another　on　the　continent…I　don't　know　where；　myself
…　which　will　have　a　very　important　bearing　upon　our　future。　　We　know
just　as　much　as　that　and　not　much　more。〃

〃A　conference　between　whom？　　〃　Hamel　asked。

Kinsley　dropped　his　voice　almost　to　a　whisper。

〃We　know；〃　he　replied；　〃that　a　very　great　man　from　Russia；　a　greater
still　from　France；　a　minister　from　Austria；　a　statesman　from　Italy；
and　an　envoy　from　Japan；　have　been　invited　to　meet　a　German　minister
whose　name　I　will　not　mention；　even　to　you。　　The　subject　of　their
proposed　discussion　has　never　been　breathed。　　One　can　only　suspect。
When　I　tell　you　that　no　one　from　this　country　was　invited　to　the
conference；　I　think　you　will　be　able；　broadly　speaking；　to　divine
its　purpose。　　The　clouds　have　been　gathering　for　a　good　many　years；
and　we　have　only　buried　our　heads　a　little　deeper　in　the　sands。　　We
have　had　our　chances　and　wilfully　chucked　them　away。　　National
Service　or　three　more　army　corps　four　years　ago　would　have　brought
us　an　alliance　which　would　have　meant　absolute　safety　for　twenty…one
years。　　You　know　what　happened。　　We　have　lived　through　many　rumours
and　escaped；　more　narrowly　than　most　people　realise；　a　great　many
dangers；　but　there　is　every　indication　this　time　that　the　end　is
really　coming。〃

〃And　what　will　the　end　be？〃　Hamel　enquired　eagerly。

Kinsley　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　paused　while　their　glasses　were
filled　with　wine。

〃It　will　be　in　the　nature　of　a　diplomatic　coup；〃　he　said　presently。
〃Of　that　much　I　feel　sure。　　England　will　be　forced　into　such　a
position　that　she　will　have　no　alternative　left　but　to　declare　war。
That；　of　course；　will　be　the　end　of　us。　　With　our　ridiculously
small　army　and　absolutely　no　sane　scheme　for　home　defence；　we　shall
lose　all　that　we　have　worth　fighting　for　…　our　colonies　…　without
being　able　to　strike　a　blow。　　The　thing　is　so　ridiculously　obvious。
It　has　been　admitted　time　after　time　by　every　sea　lord　and　every
commander…in…chief。　　We　have　listened　to　it；　and　that's　all。　　Our
fleet　is　needed　under　present　conditions　to　protect　our　own　shores。
There　isn't　a　single　battleship　which　could　be　safely　spared。　　Canada；
Australia；　New　Zealand；　Egypt；　India；　must　take　care　of　themselves。
I　wonder　when　a　nation　of　the　world　ever　played　fast　and　loose　with
great　possessions　as　we　have　done！〃

〃This　is　a　nice　sort　of　thing　to　hear　almost　one's　first　night　in
England；〃　Hamel　remarked　a　little　gloomily。　　〃Tell　me　some　more
about　this　conference。　　Are　you　sure　that　your　information　is
reliable？〃

〃Our　information　is　miserably　scanty；〃　Kinsley　admitted。　　〃Curiously
enough；　the　man　who　must　know　most　about　the　whole　thing　is　an
Englishman；　one　of　the　most　curious　mortals　in　the　British　Empire。
A　spy　of　his　succeeded　in　learning　more　than　any　of　our　people；　and
without　being　arrested；　too。〃

〃And　who　is　this　singular　person？〃　Hamel　asked。

〃A　man　of　whom　you；　I　suppose；　never　heard；〃　Kinsley　replied。　　〃His
name　is　Fentolin　…　Miles　Fentolin　…　and　he　lives　somewhere　down　in
Norfolk。　　He　is　one　of　the　strangest　characters　that　ever　lived；
stranger　than　any　effort　of　fiction　I　ever　met　with。　　He　was　in　the
Foreign　Office　once；　and　every　one　was　predicting　for　him　a　brilliant
career。　　Then　there　was　an　accident　…　let　me　see；　it　must　have　been
some　six　or　seven　years　ago　…　and　he　had　to　have　both　his　legs
amputated。　　No　one　knows　exactly　how　the　accident　happened；　and　there
was　always　a　certain　amount　of　mystery　connected　with　it。　　Since　then
he　has　buried　himself　in　the　country。　　I　don't　think；　in　fact；　that　he
ever　moves　outside　his　place；　but　somehow　or　other　he　has　managed　to
keep　in　touch　with　all　the　political　movements　of　the　day。〃

〃Fentolin；〃　Hamel　repeated　softly　to　himself。　　〃Tell　me；　whereabouts
does　he　live？〃

〃Quite　a　wonderful　place　in　Norfolk；　I　believe；　somewhere　near　the
sea。　　I've　forgotten　the　name；　for　the　moment。　　He　has　had　wireless
telegraphy　installed；　he　has　a　telegraph　office　in　the　house；
half…a…dozen　private　wires；　and　they　say　that　he　spends　an　immense
amount　of　money　keeping　in　touch　with　foreign　politics。　　His　excuse
is　that　he　speculates　largely；　as　I　dare　say　he　does；　but　just
lately；〃　Kinsley　went　on　more　slowly；　〃he　has　been　an　object　of
anxiety　to　all　of　us。　　It　was　he　who　sent　the　first　agent　out　to
Germany；　to　try　and　discover　at　least　where　this　conference　was　to
be　held。　　His　man　returned　in　safety；　and　he　has　one　over　there　now
who　has　not　been　arrested。　　We　seem　to　have　lost　nearly　all　of　ours。〃

〃Do　you　mean　to　say　that　this　man　Fentolin　actually　possesses
information　which　the　Government　hasn't　as　to　the　intentions　of
foreign　Powers？〃　Hamel　asked。

Kinsley　nodded。　　There　was　a　slight　flush　upon　his　pallid　cheeks。

〃He　not　only　has　it；　but　he　doesn't　mean　to　part　with　it。　　A　few
hundred　years　ago；　when　the　rulers　of　this　country　were　men　with
blood　in　their　veins；　he'd　have　been　given　just　one　chance　to　tell
all　he　knew；　and　hung　as　a　traitor　if　he　hesitated。　　We　don't　do
that　sort　of　thing　nowadays。　　We　rather　go　in　for　preserving
traitors。　　We　permit　them　even　in　our　own　House　of　Commons。　　However；
I　don't　want　to　depress　you　and　play　the　alarmist　so　soon　after　your
return　to　London。　　I　dare　say　the　old　country'll　muddle　along　through
our　time。〃

〃Don't　be　foolish；〃　Hamel　begged。　　〃There's　no　other　subject　of
conversation　could　interest　me　half　as　much。　　Have　you　formed　any
idea　yourself　as　to　the　nature　of　this　conference？〃

〃We　all　have　an　idea；〃　Kinsley　replied　grimly；　〃India　for　Russia；　a
large　slice　of　China　for　Japan；　with　probably　Australia　thrown　in；
Alsace…Lorraine　for　France's　neutrality。　　There's　bribery　for　you。
What's　to　become　of　poor　England　then？　　　Our　friends　are　only　human；
after　all；　and　it's　merely　a　question　of　handing　over　to　them
sufficient　spoil。　　They　must　consider　themselves　first：　that's　the
first　duty　of　their　politicians　towards　their　country。〃

〃You　mean　to　say；〃　Hamel　asked；　〃that　you　seriously　believe　that　a
conference　is　on　the　point　of　being　held　at　which　France　and　Russia
are　to　be　invited　to　consider　suggestions　like　this？〃

〃I　am　afraid　there's　no　doubt　about　it；〃　Kinsley　declared。　　〃Their
a