the vanished messenger-第25章

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you　must　have　your　own　way。　　By…the…by；　you　would　only　need　to　use
the　up…stairs　room　and　the　sitting…room。　　You　will　not　need　the
outhouse　…　rather　more　than　an　outhouse；　though　isn't　it？　　I　mean
the　shed　which　leads　out　from　the　kitchen；　where　the　lifeboat　used
to　be　kept？〃

〃I　don't　think　I　shall　need　that；〃　Hamel　admitted；　a　little
hesitatingly。

〃To　tell　you　the　truth；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　continued；　〃among　my　other
hobbies　I　have　done　a　little　inventing。　　I　work　sometimes　at　a
model　there。　　It　is　foolish；　perhaps；　but　I　wish　no　one　to　see　it。
Do　you　mind　if　I　keep　the　keys　of　the　place？〃

〃Not　in　the　least；〃　Hamel　replied。　　〃Tell　me；　what　direction　do　your
inventions　take；　Mr。　　Fentolin？

〃Before　you　go；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　promised；　〃I　will　show　you　my　little
model　at　work。　　Until　then　we　will　not　talk　of　it。　　Now　come；　be
frank　with　me。　　Shall　we　exchange　ideas　for　a　little　time？　　Will　you
talk　of　books？　　They　are　my　daily　friends。　　I　have　thousands　of　them；
beloved　companions　on　every　side。　　Or　will　you　talk　of　politics　or
travel？　　Or　would　you　rather　be　frivolous　with　my　niece　and　nephew？
That；　I　think；　is　Esther　playing。〃

〃To　be　quite　frank；〃　Hamel　declared　bluntly；　〃I　should　like　to　talk
to　your　niece。

Mr。　Fentolin　smiled　as　though　amused。　　His　amusement；　however；
was　perfectly　good…natured。

〃If　you　will　open　this　door；〃　he　said；　〃you　will　see　another　one
exactly　opposite　to　you。　　That　is　the　drawing…room。　　You　will　find
Esther　there。　　Before　you　go；　will　you　pass　me　the　Quarterly　Review？
Thank　you。〃

Hamel　crossed　the　hail；　opened　the　door　of　the　room　to　which　he
had　been　directed；　and　made　his　way　towards　the　piano。　　Esther　was
there；　playing　softly　to　herself　with　eyes　half　closed。　　He　came
and　stood　by　her　side；　and　she　stopped　abruptly。　　Her　eyes
questioned　him。　　Then　her　fingers　stole　once　more　over　the　keys；
more　softly　still。

〃I　have　just　left　your　uncle；〃　Hamel　said。　　〃He　told　me　that　I　might
come　in　here。〃

〃Yes？〃　she　murmured。

〃He　was　very　hospitable；〃　Hamel　continued。　　〃He　wanted　me　to　remain
here　as　a　guest　and　not　go　to　the　Tower　at　all。〃

〃And　you？〃

〃I　am　going　to　the　Tower；〃　he　said。　　〃I　am　going　there　to…morrow
or　the　day　after。〃

The　music　swelled　beneath　her　fingers。

〃For　how　long？〃

〃For　a　week　or　so。　　I　am　just　giving　your　uncle　time　to　clear　out
his　belongings。　　I　am　leaving　him　the　outhouse。〃

〃He　asked　you　to　leave　him　that？〃　she　whispered。

〃Yes！　　

〃You　are　not　going　in　there　at　all？〃

〃Not　at　all。〃

Again　she　played　a　little　more　loudly　for　a　few　moments。　　Then　the
music　died　away　once　more。

〃What　reason　did　he　give　for　keeping　possession　of　that？〃

〃Another　bobby；〃　Hamel　replied。　　〃He　is　an　inventor；　it　seems。　　He
has　the　model　of　something　there；　he　would　not　tell　me　what。〃

She　shivered　a　little；　and　her　music　drifted　away。　　She　bent　over
the　keys；　her　face　hidden　from　him。

〃You　will　not　go　away　just　yet？　〃she　asked　softly。　〃You　are　going
to　stay　for　a　few　days；　at　any　rate？〃

〃Without　a　doubt；〃　he　assured　her。　　〃I　am　altogether　my　own　master。〃

〃Thank　God；〃　she　murmured。

He　leaned　with　his　elbow　against　the　top　of　the　piano；　looking　down
at　her。　　Since　dinnertime　she　had　fastened　a　large　red　rose　in　the
front　of　her　gown。

〃Do　you　know　that　this　is　all　rather　mysterious？〃　he　said　calmly。

〃'What　is　mysterious？〃　she　demanded。

〃The　atmosphere　of　the　place：　your　uncle's　queer　aversion　to　my
having　the　Tower；　your　visitor　upstairs；　who　fights　with　the
servants　while　we　are　at　dinner；　your　uncle　himself；　whose　will
seems　to　be　law　not　only　to　you　but　to　your　brother；　who　must　be
of　age；　I　should　think；　and　who　seems　to　have　plenty　of　spirit。〃

〃We　live　here；　both　of　us；〃　she　told　him。　　〃He　is　our　guardian。〃

〃Naturally；〃　Hamel　replied；　〃and　yet；　it　may　have　been　my　fancy；　of
course；　but　at　dinnertime　I　seemed　to　get　a　queer　impression。

〃Tell　it　me？〃　she　insisted；　her　fingers　breaking　suddenly　into　a
livelier　melody。　　〃Tell　it　me　at　once？　　You　were　there　all　the　time。
I　could　see　you　watch…ng。　　Tell　me　what　you　thought？〃

She　had　turned　her　head　now；　and　her　eyes　were　fixed　upon　his。　　They
were　large　and　soft；　capable；　he　knew；　of　infinite　expression。　　Yet
at　that　moment　the　light　that　shone　from　them　was　simply　one　of　fear；
half　curious；　half　shrinking。

〃My　impression；〃　he　said；　〃was　that　both　of　you　disliked　and　feared
Mr。　Fentolin；　yet　for　some　reason　or　other　that　you　were　his　abject
slaves。〃

Her　fingers　seemed　suddenly　inspired　with　diabolical　strength　and
energy。　　Strange　chords　crashed　and　broke　beneath　them。　　She　played
some　unfamiliar　music　with　tense　and　fierce　energy。　　Suddenly　she
paused　and　rose　to　her　feet。

〃Come　out　on　to　the　terrace；〃　she　invited。　　〃You　are　not　afraid　of
cold？〃

He　followed　her　without　a　word。　　She　opened　the　French　windows；　and
they　stepped　out　on　to　the　long；　broad　stone　promenade。　　The　night
was　dark；　and　there　was　little　to　be　seen。　　The　light　was　burning
at　the　entrance　to　the　waterway；　a　few　lights　were　twinkling　from
the　village。　　The　soft　moaning　of　the　sea　was　distinctly　audible。
She　moved　to　the　edge　of　the　palisading。　　He　followed　her　closely。

〃You　are　right；　Mr。　Hamel；〃　she　said。　　〃I　think　that　I　am　more
afraid　of　him　than　any　woman　ever　was　of　any　man　in　this　world。〃

〃Then　why　do　you　live　here？〃　he　protested。　　〃You　must　have　other
relations　to　whom　you　could　go。　　And　your　brother　…　why　doesn't
he　do　something　…　go　into　one　of　the　professions？　　He　could　surely
leave　easily　enough？〃

〃I　will　tell　you　a　secret；〃　she　answered　calmly。　　〃Perhaps　it　will
help　you　to　understand。　　You　know　my　uncle's　condition。　　You　know
that　it　was　the　result　of　an　accident？〃

〃I　have　heard　so；〃　he　replied　gravely。

She　clutched　at　his　arm。

〃Come；〃　she　said。

Side　by　side　they　walked　the　entire　length　of　the　terrace。　　When
they　reached　the　corner；　they　were　met　with　a　fierce　gust　of　wind。
She　battled　along；　and　he　followed　her。　　They　were　looking　inland
now。　　There　were　no　lights　visible　…　nothing　but　dark；　chaotic
emptiness。　　From　somewhere　below　him　he　could　hear　the　wind　in　the
tree…tops。

〃This　way；〃　she　directed。　　〃Be　careful。〃

They　walked　to　the　very　edge　of　the　palisading。　　It　was　scarcely
more　than　a　couple　of　feet　high。　　She　pointed　downwards。

〃Can　you　see？　〃　she　whispered。

By　degrees　his　eyes　faintly　penetrated　the　darkness。　　It　was　as
though　they　were　looking　down　a　precipice。　　The　descent　was　perfectly
sheer　for　nearly　a　hundred　feet。　　At　the　bottom　were　the　pine　trees。

〃Come　here　again　in　the　morning；〃　she　whispered。　　〃You　will　see　then。
I　brought　you　here　to　show　you　the　place。　　It　was　here　that　the
accident　happened。〃

〃What　accident？〃

〃Mr。　Fentolln's；〃　she　continued。　　〃It　was　here　that　he　went　over。
He　was　picked　up　with　both　his　legs　broken。　　They　never　thought　that
he　would　live。〃

Hamel　shivered　a　little。　　As　his　eyes　grew　accustomed　to　the
darkness；　he　saw　more　distinctly　than　ever　the　sheer　fall；　the　tops
of　the　bending　trees　below。

〃What　a　horrible　thing！　　〃he　exclaimed。

〃It　was　more　horrible　than　you　know；〃　she　continued；　dropping　her
voice　a　little；　almost　whispering　in　his　ear。　　〃I　do　not　know　why
I　tell　you　this　…　you；　a　stranger　…　but　if　I　do　not　tell　some　one；
I　think　that　the　memory　of　it　will　drive　me　mad。　　It　was　no　accident
at　all。　　Mr。　Fentolin　was　thrown　over！〃

〃By　whom？〃　he　asked。

She　clung　to　his　arm　for　a　moment。

〃Ah；　don't　ask　me！〃　she　begged。　　〃No　one　knows。　　My　uncle　gave　out；
as　soon　as　he　was　conscious；　that　it　was　an　accident。〃

〃That；　at　any　rate；　was　fine　of　him；〃　Hamel　dedared。

She　shivered。

〃He　was　proud；　at　least；　of　our　family　name。　　Whatever　credit　he
deserves　for　it；　he　must　have。　　It　was　owing　to　that　accident　that
we　became　his　slaves：　nothing　but　that　…　his　absolute　slaves；　to
wait　upon　him；　if　he　would；　hand　and　foot。　　You　see；　he　has　never
been　able　to　marry。　　His　life　was；　of　course；　ruined。　　So　the　burden
came　to　us。　　We　took　it　up；　little　thinking　what　was　in　store　for　us。
Five　years　ago　we　came　here　to　live。　　Gerald　wanted　to　go　into　the
army；　I　wanted　to　travel　with　my　mother。　　Gerald　has　done