the vanished messenger-第31章

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Hospitals；　on　the　other　hand；　provide　for　the　poor　what　they　ought
to　be　able　to　provide　for　themselves。　　The　one　thing　to　avoid　in
the　giving　away　of　money　is　pauperisation。　　What　do　you　think；
Florence？〃

His　sister…in…law；　who　was　seated　at　the　other　end　of　the　table；
looked　across　at　him　with　a　bright　but　stereotyped　smile。

〃I　agree　with　you；　of　course；　Miles。　　I　always　agree　with　you。　　Mr。
Fentolin　has　the　knack　of　being　right　about　most　things；〃　she
continued；　turning　to　Lord　Saxthorpe。　　〃His　judgment　is　really
wonderful。〃

〃Wish　we　could　get　him　to　come　and　sit　on　the　bench　sometimes；　then；〃
Lord　Saxthorpe　remarked　heartily。　　〃Our　neighbours　in　this　part　of
the　world　are　not　overburdened　with　brains。　　By…the…by；〃　he　went　on；
〃that　reminds　me。　　You　haven't　got　such　a　thing　as　a　mysterious
invalid　in　the　house；　have　you？〃

There　was　a　moment's　rather　curious　silence。　　Mr。　Fentolin　was
sitting　like　a　carved　figure；　with　a　glass　of　wine　half　raised　to
his　lips。　　Gerald　had　broken　off　in　the　middle　of　a　sentence　and
was　staring　at　Lord　Saxthorpe。　　Esther　was　sitting　perfectly　still；
her　face　grave　and　calm；　her　eyes　alone　full　of　fear。　　Lord
Saxthorpe　was　not　an　observant　man　and　he　continued；　quite
unconscious　of　the　sensation　which　his　question　had　aroused。

〃Sounds　a　silly　thing　to　ask　you；　doesn't　it？　　They're　all　full　of
it　at　Wells；　though。　　I　sat　on　the　bench　this　morning　and　went　into
the　police…station　for　a　moment　first。　　Seems　they've　got　a　long
dispatch　from　Scotland　Yard　about　a　missing　man　who　is　supposed　to
be　in　this　part　of　the　world。　　He　came　down　in　a　special　train　on
Tuesday　night　…　the　night　of　the　great　flood　…　and　his　train　was
wrecked　at　Wymondham。　　After　that　he　was　taken　on　by　some　one　in　a
motor…car。　　Colonel　Renshaw　wanted　me　to　allude　to　the　matter　from
the　bench；　but　it　seemed　to　me　that　it　was　an　affair　entirely　for
the　police。〃

As　though　suddenly　realising　the　unexpected　interest　which　his
words　had　caused；　Lord　Saxthorpe　brought　his　sentence　to　a
conclusion　and　glanced　enquiringly　around　the　table。

〃A　man　could　scarcely　disappear　in　a　civilised　neighbourhood　like
this；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　remarked　quietly；　〃but　there　is　a　certain
amount　of　coincidence　about　your　question。　　May　I　ask　whether　it
was　altogether　a　haphazard　one？〃

〃Absolutely；〃　Lord　Saxthorpe　declared。　　〃The　idea　seems　to　be　that
the　fellow　was　brought　to　one　of　the　houses　in　the　neighbourhood；
and　we　were　all　rather　chaffing　one　another　this　morning　about　it。
Inspector　Yardley　…　the　stout　fellow　with　the　beard；　you　know　…　was
just　starting　off　in　his　dogcart　to　make　enquiries　round　the
neighbourhood。　　If　any　one　in　fiction　wants　a　type　of　the　ridiculous
detective；　there　he　is；　ready…made。〃

〃The　coincidence　of　your　question；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　said　smoothly；　〃is
certainly　a　strange　one。　　The　mysterious　stranger　is　within　our
gates。〃

Lady　Saxthorpe；　who　had　been　out　of　the　conversation　for　far　too
long；　laid　down　her　knife　and　fork。

〃My　dear　Mr。　Fentolin！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃My　dear　Mrs。　Fentolin！
This　is　really　most　exciting！　　Do　tell　us　all　about　it　at　once。　　I
thought　that　the　man　was　supposed　to　have　been　decoyed　away　in　a
motor…car。　　Do　you　know　his　name　and　all　about　him？〃

〃There　are　a　few　minor　points；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　murmured；　〃such　as
his　religious　convictions　and　his　size　in　boots；　which　I　could
not　swear　about；　but　so　far　as　regards　his　name　and　his　occupation；
I　think　I　can　gratify　your　curiosity。　　He　is　a　Mr。　John　P。　Dunster；
and　he　appears　to　be　the　representative　of　an　American　firm　of
bankers；　on　his　way　to　Germany　to　conclude　a　loan。〃

〃God　bless　my　soul！〃　Lord　Saxthorpe　exclaimed　wonderingly。　　〃The
fellow　is　actually　here　under　this　roof！　　But　who　brought　him？
How　did　he　find　his　way？〃

〃Better　ask　Gerald；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　replied。　　〃He　is　the　abductor。
It　seems　that　they　both　missed　the　train　from　Liverpool　Street；
and　Mr。　Dunster　invited　Gerald　to　travel　down　in　his　special　train。
Very　kind　of　him；　but　might　have　been　very　unlucky　for　Gerald。
As　you　know；　they　got　smashed　up　at　Wymondham；　and　Gerald；　feeling
in　a　way　responsible　for　him；　brought　him　on　here；　quite　properly；
I　think。　　Sarson　has　been　looking　after　him；　but　I　am　afraid　he　has
slight　concussion　of　the　brain。〃

〃I　shall　remember　this　all　my　life；〃　Lord　Saxthorpe　declared
solemnly；　〃as　one　of　the　most　singular　coincidences　which　has　ever
come　within　my　personal　knowledge。　　Perhaps　after　lunch；　Mr。
Fentolin；　you　will　let　some　of　your　people　telephone　to　the
police…station　at　Wells？　　There　really　is　an　important　enquiry
respecting　this　man。　　I　should　not　be　surprised；〃　he　added；
dropping　his　voice　a　little　for　the　benefit　of　the　servants；
〃to　find　that　Scotland　Yard　needed　him　on　their　own　account。〃

〃In　that　case；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　remarked；　〃he　is　quite　safe；　for　Sarson
tells　me　there　is　no　chance　of　his　being　able　to　travel；　at　any　rate
for　twenty…four　hours。〃

Lady　Saxthorpe　shivered。

〃Aren't　you　afraid　to　have　him　in　the　house？〃　she　asked；　〃a　man　who
is　really　and　actually　wanted　by　Scotland　Yard？　　When　one　considers
that　nothing　ever　happens　here　except　an　occasional　shipwreck　in
the　winter　and　a　flower…show　in　the　summer；　it　does　sound　positively
thrilling。　　I　wonder　what　he　has　done。〃

They　discussed　the　subject　of　Mr。　Dunster's　possible　iniquities。
Meanwhile；　a　young　man　carrying　his　hat　in　his　hand　had　slipped　in
past　the　servants　and　was　leaning　over　Mr。　Fentolin's　chair。　　He
laid　two　or　three　sheets　of　paper　upon　the　table　and　waited　while
his　employer　glanced　them　through　and　dismissed　him　with　a　little
nod。

〃My　wireless　has　been　busy　this　morning；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　remarked。
〃We　seem　to　have　collected　about　forty　messages　from　different
battleships　and　cruisers。　　There　must　be　a　whole　squadron　barely
thirty　miles　out。〃

〃You　don't　really　think；〃　Lady　Saxthorpe　asked；　〃that　there　is　any
fear　of　war；　do　you；　Mr。　　Fentolin？

He　answered　her　with　a　certain　amount　of　gravity。　　〃Who　can　tell？
The　papers　this　morning　were　bad。　　This　conference　at　The　Hague　is
still　unexplained。　　France's　attitude　in　the　matter　is　especially
mysterious。〃

〃I　am　a　strong　supporter　of　Lord　Roberts；〃　Lord　Saxthorpe　said；
〃and　I　believe　in　the　vital　necessity　of　some　scheme　for　national
service。　　At　the　same　time；　I　find　it　hard　to　believe　that　a
successful　invasion　of　this　country　is　within　the　bounds　of
possibility。〃

〃I　quite　agree　with　you；　Lord　Saxthorpe；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　declared
smoothly。　　〃All　the　same；　this　Hague　Conference　is　a　most　mysterious
affair。　　The　papers　this　morning　are　ominously　silent　about　the
fleet。　　From　the　tangle　of　messages　we　have　picked　up；　I　should　say；
without　a　doubt；　that　some　form　of　mobilisation　is　going　on　in　the
North　Sea。　　If　Lady　Saxthorpe　thinks　it　warm　enough；　shall　we　take
our　coffee　upon　the　terrace？〃

〃The　terrace；　by　all　means；〃　her　ladyship　assented；　rising　from　her
place。　　〃What　a　wonderful　man　you　are；　Mr。　Fentolin；　with　your
wireless　telegraphy；　and　your　telegraph　office　in　the　house；　and
telephones。　　Does　it　really　amuse　you　to　be　so　modern？〃

〃To　a　certain　extent；　yes；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　sighed；　as　he　guided　his
chair　along　the　hall。　　〃When　my　misfortune　first　came；　I　used　to
speculate　a　good　deal　upon　the　Stock　Exchange。　　That　was　really　the
reason　I　went　in　for　all　these　modern　appliances。〃

〃And　now？〃　she　asked。　　〃What　use　do　you　make　of　them　now？〃

Mr。　Fentolin　smiled　quietly。　　He　looked　out　sea…ward；　beyond　the
sky…line；　from　whence　had　come　to　him；　through　the　clouds；　that
tangle　of　messages。

〃I　like　to　feel；〃　he　said；　〃that　the　turning　wheel　of　life　is　not
altogether　out　of　earshot。　　I　like　to　dabble　just　a　little　in　the
knowledge　of　these　things。〃

Lord　Saxthorpe　came　strolling　up　to　them。

〃You　won't　forget　to　telephone　about　this　guest　of　yours？〃　he
asked　fussily。

〃It　is　already　done；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　assured　him。　　〃My　dear　sister；
why　so　silent？〃

Mrs。　Fentolin　turned　slowly　towards　him。　　She；　too；　had　been
standing　with　her　eyes　fixed　upon　the　distant　sea…line。　　Her　face
seemed　suddenly　to　have　aged；　her　forced　vivacity　to　have　departed。
Her　little　Pomeranian　rubbed