the vanished messenger-第35章

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

〃My　boy；〃　he　said；　〃there　are　worse　things　in　the　world　than
breaking　a　promise。　　When　you　gave　it；　the　conditions　which　were
existing　at　the　time　made　it；　perhaps；　a　right　and　reasonable
undertaking；　but　sometimes　the　whole　of　the　conditions　under　which
a　promise　was　given；　change。　　Then　one　must　have　courage　enough　to
be　false　even　to　one's　word。〃

〃Have　you　talked　to　my　sister　like　that？〃　Gerald　asked　eagerly。

〃I　have　and　I　will　again；〃　Hamel　declared。　　〃To…morrow　morning　I
leave　this　house；　but　before　I　go　I　mean　to　have　the　affair　of　this
man　Dunster　cleared　up。　　Your　uncle　will　be　very　angry　with　me；
without　a　doubt。　　I　don't　care。　　But　I　do　want　you　to　trust　me；　if
you　will；　and　your　sister。　　I　should　like　to　be　your　friend。〃

〃God　knows　we　need　one！〃　the　boy　said　simply。　　〃Good　night！〃

Once　more　the　house　was　quiet。　　Hamel　pushed　his　window　wide　open
and　looked　out　into　the　night。　　The　air　was　absolutely　still；　there
was　no　wind。　　The　only　sound　was　the　falling　of　the　low　waves　upon
the　stony　beach　and　the　faint　scrunching　of　the　pebbles　drawn　back
by　the　ebb。　　He　looked　along　the　row　of　windows；　all　dark　and　silent
now。　　A　rush　of　pleasant　fancies　suddenly　chased　away　the　grim
depression　of　the　last　few　minutes。　　Out　of　all　this　sordidness　and
mystery　there　remained　at　least　something　in　life　for　him　to　do。　　A
certain　aimlessnessn　of　purpose　which　had　troubled　him　during　the
last　few　months　had　disappeared。　　He　had　found　an　object　in　life。




CHAPTER　XXI

〃To…day；〃　Hamel　declared；　as　he　stood　at　the　sideboard　the　following
morning　at　breakfast…time　and　helped　himself　to　bacon　and　eggs；　〃I
am　positively　going　to　begin　reading。　　I　have　a　case　full　of　books
down　at　the　Tower　which　I　haven't　unpacked　yet。〃

Esther　made　a　little　grimace。

〃Look　at　the　sunshine；〃　she　said。　　〃There　isn't　a　breath　of　wind；
either。　　I　think　to…day　that　I　could　play　from　the　men's　tees。〃

Hamel　sighed　as　he　returned　to　his　place。

〃My　good　intentions　are　already　half　dissipated；〃　he　admitted。

She　laughed。

〃How　can　we　attack　the　other　half？〃　she　asked。

Gerald；　who　was　also　on　his　way　to　the　sideboard；　suddenly　stopped。

〃Hullo！〃　he　exclaimed；　looking　out　of　the　window。　　〃Who's　going
away　this　morning；　I　wonder？　　　There's　the　Rolls…Royce　at　the　door。〃

Hamel；　too；　rose　once　more　to　his　feet。　　The　two　exchanged　swift
glances。　　Moved　by　a　common　thought；　they　both　started　for　the　door；
only　to　find　it　suddenly　opened　before　them。　　Mr。　Fentolin　glided
into　the　room。

〃Uncle！〃　Gerald　exclaimed。

Mr。　Fentolin　glanced　keenly　around　the　room。

〃Good　morning；　everybody；〃　he　said。　　〃My　appearance　at　this　hour　of
the　morning　naturally　surprises　you。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　have
been　up　for　quite　a　long　time。　　Esther　dear；　give　me　some　coffee；
will　you；　and　be　sure　that　it　is　hot。　　If　any　of　you　want　to　say
good…by　to　Mr。　John　P。　Dunster；　you'd　better　hurry　out。〃

〃You　mean　that　he　is　going？〃　Hamel　asked　incredulously。

〃He　is　going；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　admitted。　　〃I　wash　my　hands　of　the　man。
He　has　given　us　an　infinite　amount　of　trouble；　has　monopolised
Doctor　Sarson　when　he　ought　to　have　been　attending　upon　me　…　a
little　more　hot　milk；　if　you　please；　Esther　…　and　now；　although　he
really　is　not　fit　to　leave　his　room；　he　insists　upon　hurrying　off
to　keep　an　appointment　somewhere　on　the　Continent。　　The　little
operation　we　spoke　of　last　night　was　successful；　as　Doctor　Sarson
prophesied；　and　Mr。　Dunster　was　quite　conscious　and　able　to　sit　up
early　this　morning。　　We　telephoned　at　six　o'clock　to　Norwich　for　a
surgeon；　who　is　now　on　his　way　over　here；　but　he　will　not　wait　even
to　see　him。　　What　can　you　do　with　a　man　so　obstinate！〃

Neither　Hamel　nor　Gerald　had　resumed　their　places。　　The　former；
after　a　moment's　hesitation；　turned　towards　the　door。

〃I　think；〃　he　said；　〃that　I　should　like　to　see　the　last　of　Mr。
Dunster。〃

〃Pray　do；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　begged。　　〃I　have　said　good…by　to　him　myself；
and　all　that　I　hope　is　that　next　time　you　offer　a　wayfarer　the
hospitality　of　St。　David's　Hall；　Gerald；　he　may　be　a　more　tractable
person。　　This　morning　I　shall　give　myself　a　treat。　　I　shall　eat　an
old…fashioned　English　breakfast。　　Close　the　door　after　you；　if　you
please；　Gerald。〃

Hamel；　with　Gerald　by　his　side；　hurried　out　into　the　hall。　　Just
as　they　crossed　the　threshold　they　saw　Mr。　Dunster；　wrapped　from
head　to　foot　in　his　long　ulster；　a　soft　hat　upon　his　head　and　one
of　Mr。　Fentolin's　cigars　in　his　mouth；　step　from　the　bottom
stair　into　the　hall　and　make　his　way　with　somewhat　uncertain
footsteps　towards　the　front　door。　　Doctor　Sarson　walked　on　one
side；　and　Meekins　held　him　by　the　arm。　　He　glanced　towards　Gerald
and　his　companion　and　waved　the　hand　which　held　his　cigar。

〃So　long；　my　young　friend！〃　he　exclaimed。　　You　see；　I've　got　them
to　let　me　make　a　start。　　Next　time　we　go　about　the　country　in　a
saloon　car　together；　I　hope　we'll　have　better　luck。　　Say；　but　I'm
groggy　about　the　knees！〃

〃You'd　better　save　your　breath；〃　Doctor　Sarson　advised　him　grimly。
〃You　haven't　any　to　spare　now；　and　you'll　want　more　than　you　have
before　you　get　to　the　end　of　your　journey。　　Carefully　down　the
steps；　mind。〃

They　helped　him　into　the　car。　　Hamel　and　Gerald　stood　under　the
great　stone　portico；　watching。

〃Well；　I'm　jiggered！〃　the　boy　exclaimed；　under　his　breath。

Hamel　was　watching　the　proceedings　with　a　puzzled　frown。　　To　his
surprise；　neither　Doctor　Sarson　nor　Meekins　were　accompanying　the
departing　man。

〃He's　off；　right　enough；〃　Hamel　declared；　as　the　car　glided　away。
〃Do　you　understand　it？　　I　don't。〃

Gerald　did　not　speak　for　several　moments。　　His　eyes　were　still　fixed
upon　the　back　of　the　disappearing　car。　　Then　he　turned　towards　Hamel。

〃There　isn't　much；〃　he　said　softly；　〃that　Mr。　Fentolin　doesn't　know。
If　that　detective　was　really　on　his　way　here；　there　wasn't　any
chance　of　keeping　Mr。　Dunster　to　himself。　　You　see；　the　whole　story
is　common　property。　　And　yet；　there's　something　about　the　affair
that　bothers　me。〃

〃And　me；〃　Hamel　admitted；　watching　the　car　until　it　became　a　speck
in　the　distance。

〃He　was　fairly　well　cornered；〃　Gerald　concluded；　as　they　made　their
way　back　to　the　dining…room；　〃but　it　isn't　like　him　to　let　go　of
anything　so　easily。〃

〃So　you've　seen　the　last　of　our　guest；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　remarked；　as　
amel　and　Gerald　re…entered　the　dining…room。　　〃A　queer　fellow　…　almost
a　new　type　to　me。　　Dogged　and　industrious；　I　should　think。　　He　hadn't
the　least　right　to　travel；　you　know；　and　I　think　so　long　as　we　had
taken　the　trouble　to　telephone　to　Norwich；　he　might　have　waited　to
see　the　physician。　　Sarson　was　very　angry　about　it；　but　what　can　you
do　with　these　fellows　who　are　never　ill？　　They　scarcely　know　what
physical　disability　means。　　Well；　Mr。　Hamel；　and　how　are　you　goin
to　amuse　yourself　to…day？〃

〃I　had　thought　of　commencing　some　reading　I　brought　with　me；〃　Hamel
replied；　〃but　Miss　Esther　has　challenged　me　to　another　game　of　golf。〃

〃Excellent！〃　Mr。　Fentolin　declared。　　〃It　is　very　kind　of　you　indeed；
Mr。　Hamel。　　It　is　always　a　matter　of　regret　for　me　that　society　in
these　parts　is　so　restricted。　　My　nephew　and　niece　have　little
opportunity　for　enjoying　themselves。　　Play　golf　with　Mr。　Hamel；　by
all　means；　my　dear　child；〃　he　continued；　turning　to　his　niece。　　〃Make
the　most　of　this　glorious　spring　weather。　　And　what　about　you；　Gerald？
What　are　you　doing　to…day？〃

〃I　haven't　made　up　my　mind　yet；　sir；〃　the　boy　replied。

Mr。　Fentolin　sighed。

〃Always　that　lack　of　initiative；〃　he　remarked。　　〃A　lack　of　initiative
is　one　of　your　worst　faults；　I　am　afraid；　dear　Gerald。〃

The　boy　looked　up　quickly。　　For　a　moment　it　seemed　as　though　he　were
about　to　make　a　fierce　reply。　　He　met　Mr。　Fentolin's　steady　gaze；
however；　and　the　words　died　away　upon　his　lips。

〃I　rather　thought；〃　he　said；　〃of　going　into　Norwich；　if　you　could
spare　me。　　Captain　Holt　has　asked　me　to　lunch　at　the　Barracks。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　shook　his　head　gently。

〃It　is　most　unfortunate；〃　he　declared。　　〃I　have　a　commission　for
you　later　in　the　day。〃

Gerald　continued　hi