the vanished messenger-第32章

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seemed　suddenly　to　have　aged；　her　forced　vivacity　to　have　departed。
Her　little　Pomeranian　rubbed　against　her　feet　in　vain。　　Yet　at　the
sound　of　Mr。　Fentolin's　voice；　she　seemed　to　come　back　to　herself
as　though　by　magic。

〃I　was　looking　where　you　were　looking；〃　she　dedared　lightly；
〃just　trying　to　see　a　little　way　beyond。　　So　silly；　isn't　it？
Chow…Chow；　you　bad　little　dog；　come　and　you　shall　have　your　dinner。〃

She　strolled　off；　humming　a　tune　to　herself。　　Lord　Saxthorpe　watched
her　with　a　shadow　upon　his　plain；　good…humoured　face。

〃Somehow　or　other；〃　he　remarked　quietly；　〃Mrs。　Fentolin　never　seems
to　have　got　over　the　loss　of　her　husband；　does　she？　　How　long　is　it
since　he　died？〃

〃Eight　years；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　replied。　　〃It　was　just　six　months　after
my　own　accident。〃

〃I　am　losing　a　great　deal　of　sympathy　for　you；　Mr。　Fentolin；〃　Lady
Saxthorpe　confessed；　coming　over　to　his　side。　　〃You　have　so　many
resources；　there　is　so　much　in　life　which　you　can　do。　　You　paint；
as　we　all　know；　exquisitely。　　They　tell　me　that　you　play　the　violin
like　a　master。　　You　have　unlimited　time　for　reading；　and　they　say
that　you　are　one　of　the　greatest　living　authorities　upon　the
politics　of　Europe。　　Your　morning　paper　must　bring　you　so　much　that
is　interesting。〃

〃It　is　true；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　admitted；　〃that　I　have　compensations
which　no　one　can　guess　at；　compensations　which　appeal　to　me　more　as
time　steals　on。　　And　yet　…〃

He　stopped　short。

〃And　yet？〃　Lady　Saxthorpe　repeated　interrogatively。

Mr。。　　Fentolin　was　watching　Gerald　drive　golf　balls　from　the　lawn
beneath。　　He　pointed　downwards。

〃I　was　like　that　when　I　was　his　age；〃　he　said　quietly。




CHAPTER　XIX

Mr。　Fentolin　remained　upon　the　terrace　long　after　the　departure　of
his　guests。　　He　had　found　a　sunny　corner　out　of　the　wind；　and　he　sat
there　with　a　telescope　by　his　side　and　a　budget　of　newspapers　upon
his　knee。　　On　some　pretext　or　another　he　had　detained　all　the　others
of　the　household　so　that　they　formed　a　little　court　around　him。
Even　Hamel；　who　had　said　something　about　a　walk；　had　been　induced
to　stop　by　an　appealing　glance　from　Esther。　　Mr。　Fentolin　was　in　one
of　his　most　loquacious　moods。　　For　some　reason　or　other；　the　visit
of　the　Saxthorpes　seemed　to　have　excited　him。　　He　talked　continually；
with　the　briefest　pauses。　　Every　now　and　then　he　gazed　steadily
across　the　marshes　through　his　telescope。

〃Lord　Saxthorpe；〃　he　remarked；　〃has；　I　must　confess；　greatly
excited　my　curiosity　as　to　the　identity　of　our　visitor。　　Such　a
harmless…looking　person；　he　seems；　to　be　causing　such　a　commotion。
Gerald；　don't　you　feel　your　responsibility　in　the　matter？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　I　do！〃　Gerald　replied；　with　unexpected　grimness。　　〃I
feel　my　responsibility　deeply。〃

Mr。　Fentolin；　who　was　holding　the　telescope　to　his　eye；　touched
Hamel　on　the　shoulder。

〃My　young　friend；〃　he　said；　〃your　eyes　are　better　than　mine。　　You
see　the　road　there？　Look　along　it；　between　the　white　posts；　as　far
as　you　can。　　What　do　you　make　of　that　black　speck？〃

Hamel　held　the　telescope　to　his　eye　and　steadied　it　upon　the　little
tripod　stand。　　

〃It　looks　like　a　horse　and　trap；〃　he　announced。　　〃Good！〃　Mr。
Fentolin　declared。　　〃It　seemed　so　to　me；　but　I　was　not　sure。　　My　eyes
are　weak　this　afternoon。　　How　many　people　are　in　the　trap？〃

〃Two；〃　Hamel　answered。　　〃I　can　see　them　distinctly　now。　　One　man　is
driving；　another　is　sitting　by　his　side。　　They　are　coming　this　way。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　blew　his　whistle。　　Meekins　appeared　almost　directly。
His　master　whispered　a　word　in　his　ear。　　The　man　at　once　departed。

〃Let　me　make　use　of　your　eyes　once　more；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　begged。
〃About　these　two　men　in　the　trap；　Mr。　Hamel。　　Is　one　of　them；　by　any
chance；　wearing　a　uniform？〃

〃They　both　are；〃　Hamel　replied。　　〃The　man　who　is　driving　is　wearing
a　peaked　hat。　　He　looks　like　a　police　inspector。　　The　man　by　his　side
is　an　ordinary　policeman。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　sighed　gently。

〃It　is　very　interesting；〃　he　said。　　〃Let　us　hope　that　we　shall　not
see　an　arrest　under　my　roof。　　I　should　feel　it　a　reflection　upon　my
hospitality。　　I　trust；　I　sincerely　trust；　that　this　visit　does　not
bode　any　harm　to　Mr。　John　P。　Dunster。〃

Gerald　rose　impatiently　to　his　feet　and　swung　across　the　terrace。
Mr。　Fentolin；　however；　called　him　back。

〃Gerald；〃　he　advised；　〃better　not　go　away。　　The　inspector　may　desire
to　ask　you　questions。　　You　will　have　nothing　to　conceal。　　It　was　a
natural　and　delightful　impulse　of　yours　to　bring　the　man　who　had
befriended　you；　and　who　was　your　companion　in　that　disaster；　straight
to　your　own　home　for　treatment　and　care。　　It　was　an　admirable　impulse；
my　boy。　　You　have　nothing　to　be　ashamed　of。〃

〃Shall　I　tell　him；　too　…〃　Gerald　began。

〃Be　careful；　Gerald。〃

Mr。　Fentolin's　words　seemed　to　be　charged　with　a　swift；　rapier…like
note。　　The　boy　broke　off　in　his　speech。　　He　looked　at　Hamel　and　was
silent。

〃Dear　me；〃　Mrs。　　Fentolin　mumured；　〃I　am　sure　there　is　no　need　for
us　to　talk　about　this　poor　man　as　though　anybody　had　done　anything
wrong　in　having　him　here。　　This；　I　suppose；　must　be　the　Inspector
Yardley　whom　Lord　Saxthorpe　spoke　of。〃

〃A　very　intelligent…looking　officer；　I　am　sure；〃　Mr。　Fentolin
remarked。　　〃Gerald；　go　and　meet　him；　if　you　please。　　I　should　like
to　speak　to　him　out　here。〃

The　dog…cart　had　drawn　up　at　the　front　door；　and　the　inspector　had
already　alighted。　　Gerald　intervened　as　he　was　in　the　act　of
questioning　the　butler。

〃Mr。　Fentolin　would　like　to　speak　to　you；　inspector；〃　he　said；　〃if
you　will　come　this　way。〃

The　inspector　followed　Gerald　and　saluted　the　little　group　solemnly。
Mr。　Fentolin　held　out　his　hand。

〃You　got　my　telephone　message；　inspector？〃　he　asked。

〃We　have　not　received　any　message　that　I　know　of；　sir；〃　the　inspector
replied。　　〃I　have　come　over　here　in　accordance　with　instructions
received　from　headquarters　…　in　fact　from　Scotland　Yard。〃

〃Quite　so；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　assented。　　〃You've　come　over；　I　presume；
to　make　enquiries　concerning　Mr。　John　P。　Dunster？〃

〃That　is　the　name　of　the　gentleman；　sir。〃

〃I　only　understood　to…day　from　my　friena　Lord　Saxthorpe；〃　Mr。
Fentolin　continued；　〃that　Mr。　Dunster　was　being　enquired　about　as
though　he　had　disappeared。　　My　nephew　brought　him　here　after　the
railway　accident　at　Wymondham；　since　when　he　has　been　under　the
care　of　my　own　physician。　　I　trust　that　you　have　nothing　serious
against　him？〃

〃My　first　duty；　sir；〃　the　inspector　pronounced；　〃is　to　see　the
gentleman　in　question。〃

〃By　all　means；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　agreed。　　〃Gerald；　will　you　take　the
inspector　up　to　Mr。　Dunster's　rooms？　　Or　stop；　I　will　go　myself。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　started　his　chair　and　beckoned　the　inspector　to　follow
him。　　Meekins；　who　was　waiting　inside　the　hall；　escorted　them　by
means　of　the　lift　to　the　second　floor。　　They　made　their　way　to　Mr。
Dunster's　room。　　Mr。　Fentolin　knocked　softly　at　the　door。　　It　was
opened　by　the　nurse。

〃How　is　the　patient？〃　Mr。　Fentolin　enquired。

Doctor　Sarson　appeared　from　the　interior　of　the　room。

〃Still　unconscious；〃　he　reported。　　〃Otherwise；　the　symptoms　are
favourable。　　He　is　quite　unfit；〃　the　doctor　added；　looking　steadily
at　the　inspector；　〃to　be　removed　or　questioned。〃

〃There　is　no　idea　of　anything　of　the　sort；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　explained。
〃It　is　Inspector　Yardley's　duty　to　satisfy　himself　that　Mr。　Dunster
is　here。　　It　is　necessary　for　the　inspector　to　see　your　patient；　so
that　he　can　make　his　report　at　headquarters。〃

Doctor　Sarson　bowed。

〃That　is　quite　simple；　sir；〃　he　said。　　〃Please　step　in。〃

They　all　entered　the　room；　which　was　large　and　handsomely　furnished。
Through　the　open　windows　came　a　gentle　current　of　fresh　air。　　Mr。
Dunster　lay　in　the　midst　of　all　the　luxury　of　fine　linen　sheets　and
embroidered　pillow…cases。　　The　inspector　looked　at　him　stolidly。

〃Is　he　asleep？〃　he　asked。

The　doctor　shook　his　head。

〃It　is　the　third　day　of　his　concussion；〃　he　whispered。　　〃He　is　still
unconscious。　　He　will　remain　in　the　same　condition　for　another　two
days。　　After　that　he　will　begin　to　recover。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　touched　the　inspector　on　the　arm。

〃You　see　his　clothing　at　the　foot　of　the　bed；〃　he　pointed　out。
〃His　linen