the vanished messenger-第19章
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alone； and paint。 I watch the sea … such a sea sometimes； such
storms； such colour！ You notice that ridge of sand out yonder？ It
forms a sort of natural breakwater。 Even on the calmest day you
can trace that white line of foam。〃
〃It is a strange coast；〃 Hamel admitted。
Mr。 Fentolin pointed with his forefinger northwards。
〃Somewhere about there；〃 he indicated； 〃is the entrance to the
tidal river which flows up to the village of St。 David's yonder。
You see？〃
His finger traced its course until it came to a certain point near
the beach； where a tall black pillar stood； surmounted by a globe。
〃I have had a light fixed there for the benefit or the fishermen；〃
he said； 〃a light which I work from my own dynamo。 Between where
we are sitting now and there … only a little way out to sea … is a
jagged cluster of cruel rocks。 You can see them if you care to swim
out in calm weather。 Fishermen who tried to come in by night were
often trapped there and； in a rough sea； drowned。 That is why I
had that pillar of light built。 On stormy nights it shows the exact
entrance to the water causeway。〃
〃Very kind of you indeed；〃 Hamel remarked； 〃very benevolent。〃
Mr。 Fentolin sighed。
〃So few people have any real feeling for sailors；〃 he continued。
〃The fishermen around here are certainly rather a casual class。 Do
you know that there is scarcely one of them who can swim？ There
isn't one of them who isn't too lazy to learn even the simplest
stroke。 My brother used to say … dear Gerald … that it served them
right if they were drowned。 I have never been able to feel like
that； Mr。 Hamel。 Life is such a wonderful thing。 One night；〃 he
went on； dropping his voice and leaning a little forward in his
carriage …〃 it was just before； or was it just after I had fixed
that light … I was down here one dark winter night。 There was a
great north wind and a huge sea running。 It was as black as pitch；
but I heard a boat making for St。 David's causeway strike on those
rocks just hidden in front there。 I heard those fishermen shriek
as they went under。 I heard their shouts for help； I heard their
death cries。 Very terrible； Mr。 Hamel！ Very terrible！〃
Hamel looked at the speaker curiously。 Mr。 Fentolin seemed
absorbed in his subject。 He had spoken with relish； as one who
loves the things he speaks about。 Quite unaccountably； Hamel
found himself shivering。
〃It was their mother；〃 Mr。 Fentolin continued； leaning again a
little forward in his chair； 〃their mother whom I saw pass along
the beach just now … a widow； too； poor thing。 She comes here
often … a morbid taste。 She spoke to you； I think？〃
〃She spoke to me strangely；〃 Hamel admitted。 〃She gave me the
impression of a woman whose brain had been turned with grief。〃
〃Too true；〃 Mr。 Fentolin sighed。 〃The poor creature！ I offered her
a small pension； but she would have none of it。 A superior woman
in her way once； filled now with queer fancies；〃 he went on； eyeing
Hamel steadily；…〃 the very strangest fancies。 She spends her life
prowling about here。 No one in the village even knows how she lives。
Did she speak of me； by…the…by？〃
〃She spoke of you as being a very kind…hearted man。〃
Mr。 Fentolin sighed。
〃The poor creature！ Well； well； let us revert to the object of
your coming here。 Do you really wish to occupy this little shanty；
Mr。 Hamel？〃
〃That was my idea；〃 Hamel confessed。 〃I only came back from Mexico
last month； and I very soon got fed up with life in town。 I am
going abroad again next year。 Till then； I am rather at a loose
end。 My father was always very keen indeed about this place； and
very anxious that I should come and stay here for a little time； so
I made up my mind to run down。 I've got some things waiting at
Norwich。 I thought I might hire a woman to look after me and spend
a few weeks here。 They tell me that the early spring is almost the
best time for this coast。〃
Mr。 Fentolin nodded slowly。 He moistened his lips for a moment。
One might have imagined that he was anxious。
〃Mr。 Hamel；〃 he said softly； 〃you are quite right。 It is the best
time to visit this coast。 But why make a hermit of yourself？ You
are a family friend。 Come and stay with us at the Hall for as long
as you like。 It will give me the utmost pleasure to welcome you
there；〃 he went on earnestly； 〃and as for this little place； of what
use is it to you？ Let me buy it from you。 You are a man of the
world； I can see。 You may be rich； yet money has a definite value。
To me it has none。 That little place； as it stands； is probably
worth … say a hundred pounds。 Your father gave； if I remember
rightly； a five pound note for it。 I will give you a thousand for
it sooner than be disturbed。〃
Hamel frowned slightly。
〃I could not possibly think；〃 he said； 〃of selling what was
practically a gift to my father。 You are welcome to occupy the
place during my absence in any way you wish。 On the other hand； I
do not think that I care to part with it altogether； and I should
really like to spend just a day or so here。 I am used to roughing
it under all sorts of conditions … much more used to roughing it
than I am to staying at country houses。〃
Mr。 Fentolin leaned a little out of his carriage。 He reached the
younger man's shoulder with his hand。
〃Ah！ Mr。 Hamel；〃 he pleaded； 〃don't make up your mind too suddenly。
Am I a little spoilt； I wonder？ Well； you see what sort of a
creature I am。 I have to go through life as best I may； and people
are kind to me。 It is very seldom I am crossed。 It is quite
astonishing how often people let me have my own way。 Do not make
up your mind too suddenly。 I have a niece and a nephew whom you
must meet。 There are some treasures； too； at St。 David's Hall。
Look at it。 There isn't another house quite like it in England。
It is worth looking over。〃
〃It is most impressive；〃 Hamel agreed； 〃and wonderfully beautiful。
It seems odd；〃 he added； with a laugh；〃 that you should care about
this little shanty here； with all the beautiful rooms you must have
of your own。〃
〃It's Naboth's vineyard；〃 Mr。 Fentolin groaned。 〃Now； Mr。 Hamel；
you are going to be gracious； aren't you？ Let us leave the question
of your little habitation here alone for the present。 Come back
with me。 My niece shall give you some tea； and you shall choose
your room from forty。 You can sleep in a haunted chamber； or a
historical chamber； in Queen Elizabeth's room； a Victorian chamber；
or a Louis Quinze room。 All my people have spent their substance
in furniture。 Don't look at your bag。 Clothes are unnecessary。 I
can supply you with everything。 Or； if you prefer it； I can send a
fast car into Norwich for your own things。 Come and be my guest；
please。〃
Hamel hesitated。 He had not the slightest desire to go to St。
David's Hall； and though he strove to ignore it； he was conscious
of an aversion of which he was heartily ashamed for this strange
fragment of humanity。 On the other hand； his mission； the actual
mission which had brought him down to these parts； could certainly
best be served by an entree into the Hall itself … and there was
the girl； whom he felt sure belonged there。 He had never for a
moment been able to dismiss her from his thoughts。 Her still； cold
face； the delicate perfection of her clothes and figure； the grey
eyes which had rested upon his so curiously； haunted him。 He was
desperately anxious to see her again。 If he refused this invitation；
if he rejected Mr。 Fentolin's proffered friendship； it would be all
the more difficult。
〃You are really very kind；〃 he began hesitatingly …
〃It is settled；〃 Mr。 Fentolin interrupted； 〃settled。 Meekins； you
can ride back again。 I shall not paint to…day。 Mr。 Hamel； you
will walk by my side； will you not？ I can run my little machine
quite slowly。 You see； I have an electric battery。 It needs
charging often； but I have a dynamo of my own。 You never saw a
vehicle like this in all your travellings； did you？〃
Hamel shook his head。
〃An electrical bath…chair；〃 Mr。 Fentolin continued。 〃Practice has
made me remarkably skilful in its manipulation。 You see； I can
steer to a
