the vanished messenger-第24章

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second's　delay。　　I　tell　you　that　if　I　don't　get　there；　if　the　message
I　convey　doesn't　reach　its　destination；　you　may　find　an　agreement
signed　between　certain　Powers　which　will　mean　the　greatest　diplomatic
humiliation　which　Great　Britain　has　ever　known。　　Aye；　and　more　than
that！〃　　Mr。　Dunster　continued。　　〃It　may　be　that　the　bogey　you've　been
setting　before　yourself　for　all　these　years　may　trot　out　into　life；
and　you　may　find　St。　David's　Hall　a　barrack　for　German　soldiers
before　many　months　have　passed。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　shook　his　head　in　gentle　disbelief。

〃You　are　speaking　to　one；〃　he　declared；　〃who　knows　more　of　the
political　situation　than　you　imagine。　　In　my　younger　days　I　was　in
the　Foreign　Office。　　Since　my　unfortunate　accident　I　have　preserved
the　keenest　interest　in　politics。　　I　tell　you　frankly　that　I　do　not
believe　you。　　As　the　Powers　are　grouped　at　present；　I　do　not　believe
in　the　possibility　of　a　successful　invasion　of　this　country。〃

〃Perhaps　not；〃　Mr。　Dunster　replied　eagerly；　〃but　the　grouping　of
the　Powers　as　it　has　existed　during　the　last　few　years　is　on　the
eve　of　a　great　change。　　I　cannot　take　you　wholly　into　my　confidence。
I　can　only　give　you　my　word　of　honour　as　a　friend　to　your　country
that　the　message　I　carry　is　her　only　salvation。　　Having　told　you　as
much　as　that；　I　do　not　think　I　am　asking　too　much　if　I　ask　you　for
my　clothes　and　dressing…case；　and　for　the　fastest　motor…car　you　can
furnish　me　with。　　I　guess　I　can　get　from　here　to　Yarmouth；　and　from
there　I　can　charter　something　which　will　take　me　to　the　other　side。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　raised　the　little　gold　whistle　to　his　lips　and　blew　it
very　softly。　　Meekins　at　once　entered；　closing　the　door　behind　him。
He　moved　silently　to　the　side　of　the　man　who　bad　risen　now　from　the
bed；　and　who　was　standing　with　his　hand　grasping　the　post　and　his
eyes　fixed　upon　Mr。　Fentolin；　as　though　awaiting　his　answer。

〃Our　conversation；〃　the　latter　said　calmly；　〃has　reached　a　point；
Mr。　Dunster；　at　which　I　think　we　may　leave　it　for　the　moment。　　You
have　told　me　some　very　surprising　things。　　I　perceive　that　you　are
a　more　interesting　visitor　even　than　I　had　thought。〃

He　raised　his　left　hand；　and　Meekins；　who　seemed　to　have　been
waiting　for　some　signal　of　the　sort；　suddenly；　with　a　movement　of
his　knee　and　right　arm；　flung　Dunster　hack　upon　the　bed。　　The　man
opened　his　mouth　to　shout；　but　already；　with　lightning…like
dexterity；　his　assailant　had　inserted　a　gag　between　his　teeth。
Treating　his　struggles　as　the　struggles　of　a　baby；　Meekins　next
proceeded　to　secure　his　wrists　with　handcuffs。　　He　then　held　his
feet　together　while　he　quietly　wound　a　coil　of　cord　around　them。
Mr。　Fentolin　watched　the　proceedings　from　his　chair　with　an　air　of
pleased　and　critical　interest。

〃Very　well　done；　Meekins　…　very　neatly　done；　indeed！〃　he　exclaimed。
〃As　I　was　saying；　Mr。　Dunster；〃　he　continued；　turning　his　chair；
〃our　conversation　has　reached　a　point　at　which　I　think　we　may
safely　leave　it　for　a　time。　　We　will　discuss　these　matters　again。
Your　pretext　of　a　political　mission　is；　of　course；　an　absurd　one；
but　fortunately　you　have　fallen　into　good　hands。　　Take　good　care　of
Mr。　Dunster；　Meekins。　　I　can　see　that　he　is　a　very　important
personage。　　We　must　be　careful　not　to　lose　sight　of　him。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　steered　his　chair　to　the　door；　opened　it；　and　passed
out。　　On　the　landing　he　blew　his　whistle；　the　lift　almost　immediately
ascended。　　A　moment　or　two　later　he　glided　into　the　dining…room。　　The
three　men　were　still　seated　around　the　table。　　A　decanter　of　wine；
almost　empty；　was　before　Doctor　Sarson；　whose　pallid　cheeks；　however；
were　as　yet　unflushed。

〃At　last；　my　dear　guest；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　exclaimed；　turning　to　Hamel；
〃I　am　able　to　return　to　you。　　If　you　will　drink　no　more　wine；　let
us　have　our　coffee　in　the　library；　you　and　I。　　I　want　to　talk　to
you　about　the　Tower。〃




CHAPTER　XV

Mr。　Fentolin　led　the　way　to　a　delightful　little　corner　of　his
library；　where　before　the　open　grate；　recently　piled　with　hissing
logs；　an　easy　chair　had　been　drawn。　　He　wheeled　himself　up　to　the
other　side　of　the　hearthrug　and　leaned　back　with　a　little　air　of
exhaustion。　　The　butler；　who　seemed　to　have　appeared　unsummoned
from　somewhere　among　the　shadows；　served　coffee　and　poured　some
old　brandy　into　large　and　wonderfully　thin　glasses。

〃Why　my　house　should　be　turned　into　an　asylum　to　gratify　the
hospitable　instincts　of　my　young　nephew；　I　cannot　imagine；〃　Mr。
Fentolin　grumbled。　　〃A　most　extraordinary　person；　our　visitor；
I　can　assure　you。　　Quite　violent；　too；　he　was　at　first。〃

〃Have　you　had　any　outside　advice　about　his　condition？〃　Hamel
inquired。

Mr。　Fentolin　glanced　across　those　few　feet　of　space　and　looked　at
Hamel　with　swift　suspicion。

〃Why　should　I？〃　he　asked。　　〃Doctor　Sarson　is　fully　qualified；　and
the　case　seems　to　present　no　unusual　characteristics。〃

Hamel　sipped　his　brandy　thoughtfully。

〃I　don't　know　why　I　suggested　it；〃　he　admitted。　　〃I　only　thought
that　an　outside　doctor　might　help　you　to　get　rid　of　the　fellow。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃After　all；〃　he　said；　〃the　matter　is　of　no　real　consequence。　　Doctor
Sarson　assures　me　that　we　shall　be　able　to　send　him　on　his　way　very
shortly。　　In　the　meantime；　Mr。　Hamel；　what　about　the　Tower？〃

〃What　about　it？〃　Hamel　asked；　selecting　a　cigar　from　the　box　which
had　been　pushed　to　his　side。　　〃I　am　sure　I　haven't　any　wish　to
inconvenience　you。〃

〃I　will　be　quite　frank；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　declared。　　〃I　do　not　dispute
your　right　for　a　moment。　　On　the　other　hand；　my　few　hours　daily　down
there　have　become　a　habit　with　me。　　I　do　not　wish　to　give　them　up。
Stay　here　with　us；　Mr。　Hamel。　　You　will　be　doing　us　a　great　kindness。
My　nephew　and　niece　have　too　little　congenial　society。　　Make　up　your
mind　to　give　us　a　fortnight　of　your　time；　and　I　can　assure　you　that
we　will　do　our　best　to　make　yours　a　pleasant　stay。〃

Hamel　was　a　little　taken　aback。

〃Mr。　Fentolin；〃　he　said；　〃I　couldn't　think　of　accepting　your
hospitality　to　such　an　extent。　　My　idea　in　coming　here　was　simply
to　fulfil　an　old　promise　to　my　father　and　to　rough　it　at　the　Tower
for　a　week　or　so；　and　when　that　was　over；　I　don't　suppose　I　should
ever　be　likely　to　come　back　again。　　You　had　better　let　me　carry　out
that　plan；　and　afterwards　the　place　shall　be　entirely　at　your
disposal。〃

〃You　don't　quite　understand；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　persisted；　a　little
irritably。　　〃I　sit　there　every　morning。　　I　want；　for　instance；　to
be　there　to…morrow　morning；　and　the　next　morning；　and　the　morning
afterwards；　to　finish　a　little　seascape　I　have　commenced。　　Nowhere
else　will　do。　　Call　it　a　whim　or　what　you　will　I　have　begun　the
picture；　and　I　want　to　finish　it。〃

〃Well；　you　can　sit　there　all　right；〃　Hamel　assured　him。　　〃I　shall
be　out　playing　golf　or　fishing。　　I　shall　do　nothing　but　sleep　there。〃

〃And　very　uncomfortable　you　will　be；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　pointed　out。
〃You　have　no　servant；　I　understand；　and　there　is　no　one　in　the
village　fit　to　look　after　you。　　Think　of　my　thirty…nine　empty　rooms；
my　books　here；　my　gardens；　my　motor…cars；　my　young　people；　entirely
at　your　service。　　You　can　have　a　suite　to　yourself。　　You　can
disappear　when　you　like。　　To　all　effects　and　purposes　you　will　be
the　master　of　St。　David's　Hall。　　Be　reasonable。　　Don't　you　think；
now；　that　you　can　spend　a　fortnight　more　pleasantly　under　such
circumstances　than　by　playing　the　misanthrope　down　at　the　Tower？〃

〃Please　don't　think；〃　Hamel　begged；　〃that　I　don't　appreciate　your
hospitality。　　I　should　feel　uncomfortable；　however；　if　I　paid　you
a　visit　of　the　length　you　have　suggested。　　Come；　I　don't　see；〃　he
added；　〃why　my　occupation　of　the　Tower　should　interfere　with　you。
I　should　be　away　from　it　by　about　nine　or　ten　o'clock　every　morning。
I　should　probably　only　sleep　there。　　Can't　you　accept　the　use　of
it　all　the　rest　of　the　time？　　I　can　assure　you　that　you　will　be
welcome　to　come　and　go　as　though　it　were　entirely　your　own。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　had　lit　a　cigarette　and　was　watching　the　blue　smoke
curl　upwards　to　the　ceiling。

〃You're　an　obstinate　man；　Mr。　Hamel；〃　he　sighed；　〃but　I　suppose
you　must　have　your　own　way。　　By…the…by；　you　woul