the vanished messenger-第17章
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The man pointed to the white gates of the crossing。
〃You can take any of those paths you like； sir；〃 he said。 〃If you
want to get to Salthouse； though； you should have got out at the
next station。〃
〃This will do for me；〃 Hamel replied cheerfully。
〃Be careful of the dikes；〃 the station…master advised him。 〃Some
of them are pretty deep。〃
Hamel nodded； and passing through the white gates； made his way by
a raised cattle track towards the sea。 On either side of him flowed
a narrow dike filled with salt…water。 Beyond stretched the flat
marshland； its mossy turf leavened with cracks and creeks of all
widths； filled also with sea…slime and sea…water。 A slight grey
mist rested upon the more distant parts of the wilderness which he
was crossing； a mist which seemed to be blown in from the sea in
little puffs； resting for a time upon the earth； and then drifting
up and fading away like soap bubbles。
More than once where the dikes had overflown he was compelled to
change his course； but he arrived at last at the little ridge of
pebbled beach bordering the sea。 Straight ahead of him now was
that strange…looking building towards which he had all the time
been directing his footsteps。 As he approached it； his forehead
slightly contracted。 There was ample confirmation before him of
the truth of his fellow…passenger's words。 The place； left to
itself for so many years； without any attention from its actual
owner； was neither deserted nor in ruins。 Its solid grey stone
walls were sea…stained and a trifle worn； but the arched wooden
doors leading into the lifeboat shelter； which occupied one side
of the building； had been newly painted； and in the front the window
was hung with a curtain； now closely drawn； of some dark red
material。 The lock from the door had been removed altogether； and
in its place was the aperture for a Yale latch…key。 The last note
of modernity was supplied by the telephone wire attached to the
roof of the lifeboat shelter。 He walked all round the building；
seeking in vain for some other means of ingress。 Then he stood for
a few moments in front of the curtained window。 He was a man of
somewhat determined disposition； and he found himself vaguely
irritated by the liberties which had been taken with his property。
He hammered gently upon the framework with his fist； and the
windows opened readily inwards； pushing back the curtain with them。
He drew himself up on to the sill； and； squeezing himself through
the opening； landed on his feet and looked around him； a little
breathless。
He found himself in a simply furnished man's sitting…room。 An easel
was standing close to the window。 There were reams of drawing paper
and several unfinished sketches leaning against the wall。 There
was a small oak table in the middle of the room； against the wall
stood an exquisite chiffonier； on which were resting some cut…glass
decanters and goblets。 There was a Turkey carpet upon the floor
which matched the curtains； but to his surprise there was not a
single chair of any sort to be seen。 The walls had been distempered
and were hung with one or two engravings which； although he was no
judge； he was quite sure were good。 He wandered into the back room；
where he found a stove； a tea…service upon a deal table； and several
other cooking utensils； all spotlessly clean and of the most
expensive description。 The walls here were plainly whitewashed；
and the floor was of hard stone。 He then tried the door on the
left； which led into the larger portion of the building … the shed
in which the lifeboat had once been kept。 Not only was the door
locked； but he saw at once that the lock was modern； and the door
itself was secured with heavy iron clamps。 He returned to the
sitting…room。
〃The girl with the grey eyes was right enough；〃 he remarked to
himself。 〃Mr。 Fentolin has been making himself very much at home
with my property。〃
He withdrew the curtains； noticing； to his surprise； the heavy
shutters which their folds had partly concealed。 Then he made his
way out along the passage to the front door； which from the inside
he was able to open easily enough。 Leaving it carefully ajar； he
〃went out with the intention of making an examination of the outside
of the place。 Instead； however； he paused at the corner of the
building with his face turned landwards。 Exactly fronting him now；
about three…quarters of a mile away； on the summit of that strange
hill which stood out like a gigantic rock in the wilderness； was St。
David's Hall。 He looked at it steadily and with increasing
admiration。 Its long； red brick front with its masses of clustering
chimneys； a little bare and weather…beaten； impressed him with a
sense of dignity due as much to the purity of its architecture as
the singularity of its situation。 Behind … a wonderfully effective
background … were the steep gardens from which； even in this
uncertain light； he caught faint glimpses of colouring subdued from
brilliancy by the twilight。 These were encircled by a brick wall
of great height； the whole of the southern portion of which was
enclosed with glass。 From the fragment of rock upon which he had
seated himself； to the raised stone terrace in front of the house；
was an absolutely straight path； beautifully kept like an avenue；
with white posts on either side； and built up to a considerable
height above the broad tidal way which ran for some distance by its
side。 It had almost the appearance of a racing track； and its
state of preservation in the midst of the wilderness was little
short of remarkable。
〃This；〃 Hamel said to himself； as he slowly produced a pipe from
his pocket and began to fill it with tobacco from a battered silver
box； 〃is a queer fix。 Looks rather like the inn for me！〃
〃And who might you be； gentleman？〃
He turned abruptly around towards his unseen questioner。 A woman
was standing by the side of the rock upon which he was sitting； a
woman from the village； apparently； who must have come with
noiseless footsteps along the sandy way。 She was dressed in rusty
black； and in place of a hat she wore a black woolen scarf tied
around her head and underneath her chin。 Her face was lined； her
hair of a deep brown plentifully besprinkled with grey。 She had a
curious habit of moving her lips； even when she was not speaking。
She stood there smiling at him； but there was something about that
smile and about her look which puzzled him。
〃I am just a visitor；〃 he replied。 〃Who are you？〃
She shook her head。
〃I saw you come out of the Tower；〃 she said； speaking with a strong
local accent and yet with a certain unusual correctness； 〃in at the
window and out of the door。 You're a brave man。〃
〃Why brave？〃 he asked。
She turned her head very slowly towards St。 David's Hall。 A gleam
of sunshine had caught one of the windows； which shone like fire。
She pointed toward it with her head。
〃He's looking at you；〃 she muttered。 〃He don't like strangers
poking around here； that I can tell you。〃
〃And who is he？〃 Hamel enquired。
〃Squire Fentolin；〃 she answered； dropping her voice a little。 〃He's
a very kind…hearted gentleman； Squire Fentolin； but he don't like
strangers hanging around。〃
〃Well； I am not exactly a stranger； you see；〃 Hamel remarked。 〃My
father used to stay for months at a time in that little shanty there
and paint pictures。 It's a good many years ago。〃
〃I mind him；〃 the woman said slowly。 〃His name was Hamel。〃
〃I am his son；〃 Hamel announced。
She pointed to the Hall。 〃Does he know that you are here？〃
Hamel shook his head。 〃Not yet。 I have been abroad for so long。〃
She suddenly relapsed into her curious habit。 Her lips moved； but
no words came。 She had turned her head a little and was facing
the sea。
〃Tell me；〃 Hamel asked gently； 〃why do you come out here alone； so
far from the village？〃
She pointed with her finger to where the waves were breaking in a
thin line of white； about fifty yards from the beach。
〃It's the cemetery；。 that；〃 she said； 〃the village cemetery； you
know。 I have three buried there： George； the eldest； James； the
middle one； and David； the youngest。 Thre
