the vanished messenger-第34章

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there；　fully　dressed；　his　dark；　heavy　face　full　of　somber　warning。
He　started　a　little　as　he　saw　the　two　whispering　together。　　Gerald
addressed　him　almost　apologetically。　

〃We　both　heard　the　same　sound；　Meekins。　　Is　any　one　ill？　　　It　sounded
like　some　one　in　pain。〃

The　man　hesitated。　　Then　from　behind　his　shoulder　came　Mr。
Fentolin's　still；　soft　voice。　　There　was　a　little　click；　and　Meekins；
as　though　obeying　an　unseen　gesture；　stepped　back。　　Mr。　Fentolin
glided　on　to　the　threshold。　　He　was　still　dressed。　　He　propelled　his
chair　a　few　yards　down　the　corridor　and　beckoned　them　to　approach。

〃I　am　so　sorry；〃　he　said　softly；　〃that　you　should　have　been
disturbed；　Mr。　Hamel。　　We　have　been　a　little　anxious　about　our
mysterious　guest。　　Doctor　Sarson　fetched　me　an　hour　ago。　　He
discovered　that　it　was　necessary　to　perform　a　very　slight　operation；
merely　the　extraction　of　a　splinter　of　wood。　　It　is　all　over　now；
and　I　think　that　he　will　do　very　well。〃

Notwithstanding　this　very　plausible　explanation；　Hamel　was　conscious
of　the　remains　of　an　uneasiness　which　he　scarcely　knew　how　to　put
into　words。

〃It　was　a　most　distressing　cry；〃　he　observed　doubtfully；　〃a　cry　of
fear　as　well　as　of　pain。〃

〃Poor　fellow！〃　Mr。　Fentolin　remarked　compassionately。　　〃I　am　afraid
that　for　a　moment　or　two　he　must　have　suffered　acutely。　　Doctor
Sarson　is　very　clever；　however；　and　there　is　no　doubt　that　what
he　did　was　for　the　best。　　His　opinion　is　that　by　to…morrow　morning
there　will　be　a　marvellous　change。　　Good　night；　Mr。　Hamel。　　I　am
quite　sure　that　you　will　not　be　disturbed　again。〃

Hamel　neither　felt　nor　showed　any　disposition　to　depart。

〃Mr。　Fentolin；〃　he　said；　〃I　hope　that　you　will　not　think　that　I　am
officious　or　in　any　way　abusing　your　hospitality；　but　I　cannot　help
suggesting　that　as　Dr。　Sarson　is　purely　your　household　physician；
the　relatives　of　this　man　Dunster　might　be　better　satisfied　if　some
second　opinion　were　called　in。　　Might　I　suggest　that　you　telephone
to　Norwich　for　a　surgeon？〃

Mr。　Fentolin　showed　no　signs　of　displeasure。　　He　was　silent　for　a
moment；　as　though　considering　the　matter。

〃I　am　not　at　all　sure；　Mr。　Hamel；　that　you　are　not　right；〃　he
admitted　frankly。　　〃I　believe　that　the　case　is　quite　a　simple　one；
but　on　the　other　hand　it　would　perhaps　be　more　satisfactory　to　have
an　outside　opinion。　　If　Mr。　Dunster　is　not　conscious　in　the　morning；
we　will　telephone　to　the　Norwich　Infirmary。〃

〃I　think　it　would　be　advisable；〃　Hamel　agreed。

〃Good　night！〃　Mr。　Fentolin　said　once　more。　　I　am　sorry　that　your　
rest　has　been　disturbed。〃

Hamel；　however；　still　refused　to　take　the　hint。　　His　eyes　were　fixed
upon　that　closed　door。

〃Mr。　Fentolin；〃　he　asked；　〃have　you　any　objection　to　my　seeing　Mr。
Dunster？〃

There　was　a　moment's　intense　silence。　　A　sudden　light　had　burned　in
Mr。　Fentolin's　eyes。　　His　fingers　gripped　the　side　of　his　chair。
Yet　when　he　spoke　there　were　no　signs　of　anger　in　his　tone。　　It　was
a　marvellous　effort　of　self…control。

〃There　is　no　reason；　Mr。　Hamel；〃　he　said；　〃why　your　curiosity　should
not　be　gratified。　　Knock　softly　at　the　door；　Gerald。〃

The　boy　obeyed。　　In　a　moment　or　two　Doctor　Sarson　appeared　on　the
threshold。

〃Our　guest；　Mr。　Hamel；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　explained　in　a　whisper；　〃has
been　awakened　by　this　poor　fellow's　cry。　　He　would　like　to　see　him
for　a　moment。〃

Doctor　Sarson　opened　the　door。　　They　all　passed　in　on　tiptoe。　　The
doctor　led　the　way　towards　the　bed　upon　which　Mr。　Dunster　was　lying；
quite　still。　　His　head　was　bandaged；　and　his　eyes　closed。　　His　face
was　ghastly。　　Gerald　gave　vent　to　a　little　muttered　exclamation。
Mr。　Fentolin　turned　to　him。　quickly。

〃Gerald！〃

The　boy　stood　still；　trembling；　speechless。　　Mr。　Fentolin's　eyes
were　riveted　upon　him。　　The　doctor　was　standing；　still　and　dark；　a
motionless　image。

〃Is　he　asleep？〃　Hamel　asked。

〃He　is　under　the　influence　of　a　mild　anaesthetic；〃　Doctor　Sarson
explained。　　〃He　is　doing　very　well。　　His　case　is　quite　simple。　　By
to…morrow　morning　he　will　be　able　to　sit　up　and　walk　about　if　he
wishes　to。〃

Hamel　looked　steadily　at　the　figure　upon　the　bed。　　Mr。　Dunster's
breathing　was　regular；　and　his　eyes　were　closed；　but　his　colour　was
ghastly。

〃He　doesn't　look　like　getting　up　for　a　good　many　days　to　come；〃
Hamel　observed。

The　doctor　led　the　way　towards　the　door。

〃The　man　has　a　fine　constitution；〃　he　said。　　〃I　feel　sure　that　if
you　wish　you　will　be　able　to　talk　to　him　to…morrow。〃

They　separated　outside　in　the　passage。　　Mr。　Fentolin　bade　his　guest
a　somewhat　restrained　good　night；　and　Gerald　mounted　the　staircase
to　his　room。　　Hamel；　however；　had　scarcely　reached　his　door　before
Gerald　reappeared。　　He　had　descended　the　stair…case　at　the　other
end　of　the　corridor。　　He　stood　for　a　moment　looking　down　the　passage。
The　doors　were　all　closed。　　Even　the　light　had　been　extinguished。

〃May　I　come　in　for　a　moment；　please？〃　he　whispered。

Hamel　nodded。

〃With　pleasure！　　Come　in　and　have　a　cigarette　if　you　will。　　I　shan't
feel　like　sleep　for　some　time。〃

They　entered　the　room；　and　Gerald　threw　himself　into　an　easy…chair
near　the　window。　　Hamel　wheeled　up　another　chair　and　produced　a　box
of　cigarettes。

〃Queer　thing　your　dropping　across　that　fellow　in　the　way　you　did；〃
he　remarked。　　〃Just　shows　how　one　may　disappear　from　the　world
altogether；　and　no　one　be　a　bit　the　wiser。〃

The　boy　was　sitting　with　folded　arms。　　His　expression　was　one　of
deep　gloom。

〃I　only　wish　I'd　never　brought　him　here；〃　he　muttered。　　〃I　ought
to　have　known　better。〃

Hamel　raised　his　eyebrows。　　〃Isn't　he　as　well　off　here　as　anywhere
else？〃

〃Do　you　think　that　he　is？〃　Gerald　demanded；　looking　across　at　Hamel。

There　was　a　brief　silence。

〃We　can　scarcely　do　your　uncle　the　injustice；〃　Hamel　remarked；　〃of
imagining　that　he　can　possibly　have　any　reason　or　any　desire　to　deal
with　that　man　except　as　a　guest。〃

〃Do　you　really　believe　that？〃　Gerald　asked。

Hamel　rose　to　his　feet。

〃Look　here；　young　man；〃　he　said；　〃this　is　getting　serious。　　You　and
I　are　at　cross…purposes。　　If　you　like；　you　shall　have　the　truth
from　me。〃

〃Go　on。〃

〃I　was　warned　about　your　uncle　before　I　came　down　into　this　part　of
the　world；〃　Hamel　continued　quietly。　　〃I　was　told　that　he　is　a
dangerous　conspirator；　a　man　who　sticks　at　nothing　to　gain　his　ends；
a　person　altogether　out　of　place　in　these　days。　　It　sounds
melodramatic；　but　I　had　it　straight　from　a　friend。　　Since　I　have
been　here；　I　have　had　a　telegram　…　you　brought　it　to　me　yourself
…　asking　for　information　about　this　man　Dunster。　　It　was　I　who　wired
to　London　that　he　was　here。　　It　was　through　me　that　Scotland　Yard
communicated　with　the　police　station　at　Wells；　through　me　that　a
man　is　to　be　sent　down　from　London。　　I　didn't　come　here　as　a　spy
…　don't　think　that；　I　was　coming　here；　anyhow。　　On　the　other　hand；
I　believe　that　your　uncle　is　playing　a　dangerous　game。　　I　am　going
to　have　Mr。　John　P。　Dunster　put　in　charge　of　a　Norwich　physician
to…morrow。〃

〃Thank　God！〃　the　boy　murmured。

〃Look　here；〃　Hamel　continued；　〃what　are　you　doing　in　this　business；
anyway？　　You　are　old　enough　to　know　your　own　mind　and　to　go　your
own　way。〃

〃You　say　that　because　you　don't　know；〃　Gerald　declared　bitterly。

〃In　a　sense　I　don't；〃　Hamel　admitted；　〃and　yet　your　sister　hinted
to　me　only　this　afternoon　that　you　and　she　…〃

〃Oh；　I　know　what　she　told　you！〃　the　boy　interrupted。　　〃We've　worn
the　chains　for　the　last　eight　years。　　They　are　breaking　her。
They've　broken　my　mother。　　Sometimes　I　think　they　are　breaking　me。
But；　you　know；　there　comes　a　time　…　there　comes　a　time　when　one
can't　go　on。　　I've　seen　some　strange　things　here；　some　that　I've
half　understood；　some　that　I　haven't　understood　at　all。　　I've　closed
my　eyes。　　I've　kept　my　promise。　　I've　done　his　bidding；　where　ever
it　has　led　me。　　But　you　know　there　is　a　time　…　there　is　a　limit　to
all　things。　　I　can't　go　on。　　I　spied　on　this　man　Dunster。　　I　brought
him　here。　　It　is　I　who　am　responsible　for　anything　that　may　happen　to
him。　　It's　the　last　time！〃

Gerald's　face　was　white　with　pain。　　Hamel　laid　his　hand　upon　his
shoulder。

〃My　boy；〃　he　said；　〃there　are　worse　things　in　the