the vanished messenger-第15章
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darkened。
〃Sometimes；〃 he murmured softly； 〃I think that if I had strong
fingers … really strong fingers； you know； Lucy … I should want to
take you by the throat and hold you tighter and tighter； until your
breath came fast； and your eyes came out from their shadows。〃
She turned over a few pages of her notebook。 To all appearance
she had not heard a word。
〃To…day；〃 she announced； 〃is the fourth of April。 Shall I send out
the various checks to those men in Paris； New York； Frankfort； St。
Petersburg； and Tokio？〃
〃You can send the checks；〃 he told her。 〃Be sure that you draw
them； as usual； upon the Credit Lyonaise and in the name you know
of。 Say to Lebonaitre of Paris that you consider his last reports
faulty。 No mention was made of Monsieur C's visit to the Russian
Embassy； or of the supper party given to the Baron von Erlstein by
a certain Russian gentleman。 Warn him； if you please； that reports
with such omissions are useless to me。〃
She wrote a few words in her book。
〃You made a note of that？〃
She raised her head。
〃I do not make mistakes；〃 she said。
His eyebrows were drawn together。 This was his work； he told
himself； this magnificent physical subjection。 Yet his
inability to stir her sometimes maddened him。
〃You know who is in this house？〃 he asked。 〃You know the name of
my unknown guest？〃
〃I know nothing；〃 she replied。 〃His presence does not interest me。〃
〃Supposing I desire you to know？〃 he persisted； leaning a little
forward。 〃Supposing I tell you that it is your duty to know？〃
〃Then；〃 she said； 〃I should tell you that I believe him to be the
special envoy from New York to The Hague； or whatever place on the
Continent this coming conference is to be held at。〃
〃Right； woman！〃 Mr。 Fentolin answered sharply。 〃Right！ It is the
special envoy。 He has his mandate with him。 I have them both … the
man and his mandate。 Can you guess what I am going to do with them？〃
〃It is not difficult；〃 she replied。 〃Your methods are scarcely
original。 His mandate to the flames； and his body to the sea！〃
She raised her eyes as she spoke and looked over Mr。 Fentolin's
shoulder； across the marshland to the grey stretch of ocean。 Her
eyes became fixed。 It was not possible to say that they held any
expression； and yet one felt that she saw beneath the grey waves；
even to the rocks and caverns below。
〃It does not terrify you； then；〃 he asked curiously； 〃to think that
a man under this roof is about to die？〃
〃Why should it？〃 she retorted。 〃Death does not frighten me … my
own or anybody else's。 Does it frighten you？〃
His face was suddenly livid； his eyes full of fierce anger。 His
lips twitched。 He struck the table before him。
〃Beast of a woman！〃 he shouted。 〃You ghoul！ How dare you！ How
dare you …〃
He stopped short。 He passed his hand across his forehead。 All the
time the woman remained unmoved。
〃Do you know；〃 he muttered； his voice still shaking a little； 〃that
I believe sometimes I am afraid of you？ How would you like to see
me there； eh； down at the bottom of that hungry sea？ You watch
sometimes so fixedly。 You'd miss me； wouldn't you？ I am a good
master； you know。 I pay well。 You've been with me a good many
years。 You were a different sort of woman when you first came。〃
〃Yes；〃 she admitted； 〃I was a different sort of woman。〃
〃You don't remember those days； I suppose；〃 he went on； 〃the days
when you had brown hair； when you used to carry roses about and
sing to yourself while you beat your work out of that wretched
typewriter？〃
〃No；〃 she answered； 〃I do not remember those days。 They do not
belong to me。 It is some other woman you are thinking of。〃
Their eyes met。 Mr。 Fentolin turned away first。 He struck the
bell at his elbow。 She rose at once。
〃Be off！〃 he ordered。 〃When you look at me like that； you send
shivers through me！ You'll have to go； I can see you'll have to go。
I can't keep you any longer。 You are the only person on the face
of the earth who dares to say things to me which make me think； the
only person who doesn't shrink at the sound of my voice。 You'll
have to go。 Send Sarson to me at once。 You've upset me！〃
She listened to his words in expressionless silence。 When he had
finished； carrying her book in her hand； she very quietly moved
towards the door。 He watched her； leaning a little forward in his
chair； his lips parted； his eyes threatening。 She walked with
steady； even footsteps。 She carried herself with almost machine…like
erectness； her skirts were noiseless。 She had the trick of turning
the handle of the door in perfect silence。 He heard her calm voice
in the hall。
〃Doctor Sarson is to go to Mr。 Fentolin。〃
Mr。 Fentolin sat quite still； feeling his own pulse。
〃That woman；〃 he muttered to himself； 〃that …woman … some day I
shouldn't be surprised if she really …〃
He paused。 The doctor had entered the room。
〃I am upset； Sarson；〃 he declared。 〃Come and feel my pulse quickly。
That woman has upset me。〃
〃Miss Price？〃
〃Miss Price； d…n it！ Lucy … yes！〃
〃It seems unlike her；〃 the doctor remarked。 〃I have never heard her
utter a useless syllable in my life。〃
Mr。 Fentolin held out his wrist。
〃It's what she doesn't say；〃 he muttered。
The doctor produced his watch。 In less than a minute he put it
away。
〃This is quite unnecessary；〃 he pronounced。 〃Your pulse is
wonderful。〃
〃Not hurried？ No signs of palpitation？〃
〃You have seven or eight footmen； all young men；〃 Doctor Sarson
replied drily。 〃I will wager that there isn't one of them has a
pulse so vigorous as yours。〃
Mr。 Fentolin leaned a little back in his chair。 An expression of
satisfaction crept over his face。
〃You reassure me； my dear Sarson。 That is excellent。 What of our
patient？〃
〃There is no change。〃
〃I am afraid；〃 Mr。 Fentolin sighed； 〃that we shall have trouble
with him。 These strong people always give trouble。〃
〃It will be just the same in the long run；〃 the doctor remarked；
shrugging his shoulders。
Mr。 Fentolin held up his finger。
〃Listen！ A motor…car； I believe？〃
〃It is Miss Fentolin who is just arriving；〃 the doctor announced。
〃I saw the car coming as I crossed the hall。〃
Mr。 Fentolin nodded gently。
〃Indeed？〃 he replied。 〃Indeed？ So my dear niece has returned。
Open the door； friend Sarson。 Open the door； if you please。 She
will be anxious to see me。 We must summon her。〃
CHAPTER X
Mr。 Fentolin raised to his lips the little gold whistle which hung
from his neck and blew it。 He seemed to devote very little effort
to the operation； yet the strength of the note was wonderful。 As
the echoes died away； he let it fall by his side and waited with
a pleased smile upon his lips。 In a few seconds there was the
hurried flutter of skirts and the sound of footsteps。 The girl who
had just completed her railway journey entered； followed by her
brother。 They were both a little out of breath； they both
approached the chair without a smile； the girl in advance； with a
certain expression of apprehension in her eyes。 Mr。 Fentolin sighed。
He appeared to notice these things and regret them。
〃My child；〃 he said； holding out his hands； 〃my dear Esther； welcome
home again！ I heard the car outside。 I am grieved that you did not
at once hurry to my side。〃
〃I have not been in the house two minutes；〃 Esther replied； 〃and I
haven't seen mother yet。 Forgive me。〃
She had come to a standstill a few yards away。 She moved now very
slowly towards the chair； with the air of one fulfilling a hateful
task。 The fingers which accepted his hands were extended almost
hesitatingly。 He drew her closer to him and held her there。
〃Your mother； my dear Esther； is； I regret to say； suffering from
a slight indisposition；〃 he remarked。 〃She has been confined to
her room for the last few days。 Just a trifling affair of the
nerves； nothing more； Doctor Sarson assures me。 But my dear child；〃
he went on； 〃your fingers are as cold as ice。 You look at me so
strangely； too。 Alas！ you have not the affectionate disposition
of your dear mother。 One would scarcely believe that we have been
parted f
