the vanished messenger-第36章

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you　later　in　the　day。〃

Gerald　continued　his　breakfast　in　silence。　　He　bent　over　his　plate
so　that　his　face　was　almost　invisible。　　Mr。　Fentolin　was　peeling　a
peach。　　A　servant　entered　the　room。

〃Lieutenant　Godfrey；　sir；〃　he　announced。

They　all　looked　up。　　A　trim；　clean…shaven；　hard…featured　young　man
in　naval　uniform　was　standing　upon　the　threshold。　　He　bowed　to
Esther。

〃Very　sorry　to　intrude；　sir；　at　this　hour　of　the　morning；〃　he　said
briskly。　　〃Lieutenant　Godfrey；　my　name。　　I　am　flag　lieutenant　of
the　Britannia。　　You　can't　see　her；　but　she's　not　fifty　miles　off　at
this　minute。　　I　landed　at　Sheringham　this　morning；　hired　a　car　and
made　the　best　of　my　way　here。　　Message　from　the　Admiral；　sir。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　smiled　genially。

〃We　are　delighted　to　see　you；　Lieutenant　Godfrey；〃　he　said。　　〃Have
some　breakfast。〃

〃You　are　very　good；　sir；〃　the　officer　answered。　　〃Business　first。
I'll　breakfast　afterwards；　with　pleasure；　if　I　may。　　The　Admiral's
compliments；　and　he　would　take　it　as　a　favour　if　you　would　haul
down　your　wireless　for　a　few　days。〃

〃Had　down　my　wireless；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　repeated　slowly。

〃We　are　doing　a　lot　of　manoeuvring　within　range　of　you；　and　likely
to　do　a　bit　more；〃　the　young　man　explained。　　〃You　are　catching　up
our　messages　all　the　time。　　Of　course；　we　know　they're　quite　safe
with　you；　but　things　get　about。　　As　yours　is　only　a　private
installation；　we'd　like　you；　if　you　don't　mind；　sir；　to　shut　up
shop　for　a　few　days。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　seemed　puzzled。

〃But；　my　dear　sir；〃　he　protested；　〃we　are　not　at　war；　are　we？〃

〃Not　yet；〃　the　young　officer　replied；　〃but　God　knows　when　we　shall
be！　　We　are　under　sealed　or　ders；　anyway；　and　we　don't　want　any
risk　of　our　plans　leaking　out。　　That's　why　we　want　your　wireless
disconnected。〃　

〃You　need　say　no　more；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　assured　him。　　〃The　matter　is
already　arranged。　　Esther；　let　me　present　Lieutenant　Godfrey　…　my
niece；　Miss　Fentolin；　Mr。　Gerald　Fentolin；　my　nephew；　Mr。　Hamel；　a
guest。　　See　that　Lieutenant　Godfrey　has　some　breakfast；　Gerald。　　I
will　go　myself　and　see　my　Marconi　operator。〃

〃Awfully　good　of　you；　sir；〃　the　young　man　declared；　〃and　I　am　sure
we　are　very　sorry　to　trouble　you。　　In　a　week　or　two's　time　you　can
go　into　business　again　as　much　as　you　like。　　It's　only　while　we
are　fiddling　around　here　that　the　Admiral's　jumpy　about　things。
May　my　man　have　a　cup　of　coffee；　sir？　　I'd　like　to　be　on　the　way
back　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　halted　his　chair　by　the　side　of　the　bell；　and　rang　it。

〃Pray　make　use　of　my　house　as　your　own；　sir；〃　he　said　gravely。
〃From　what　you　leave　unsaid；　I　gather　that　things　are　more　serious
than　the　papers　would　have　us　believe。　　Under　those　circumstances；
I　need　not　assure　you　that　any　help　we　can　render　is　entirely　yours。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　left　the　room。　　Lieutenant　Godfrey　was　already
attacking　his　breakfast。　　Gerald　leaned　towards　him　eagerly。

〃Is　there　really　going　to　be　war？〃　he　demanded。

〃Ask　those　chaps　at　The　Hague；〃　Lieutenant　Godfrey　answered。
〃Doing　their　best　to　freeze　us　out；　or　something。　　All　I　know　is；
if　there's　going　to　be　fighting；　we　are　ready　for　them。　　By…the…by；
what　have　you　got　wireless　telegraphy　for　here；　anyway？〃

〃It's　a　fad　of　my　uncle's；〃　Gerald　replied。　　〃Since　his　accident　he
amuses　himself　in　all　sorts　of　queer　ways。〃

Lieutenant　Godfrey　nodded。

〃Poor　fellow！〃　he　said。　　〃I　heard　he　was　a　cripple；　or　something
of　the　sort。　　Forgive　my　asking；　but　…　you　people　are　English；
aren't　you？〃

〃Rather！〃　Gerald　answered。　　〃The　Fentolins　have　lived　here　for
hundreds　of　years。　　Why　do　you　ask　that？〃

Lieutenant　Godfrey　hesitated。　　He　looked；　for　the　moment；　scarcely
at　his　ease。

〃Oh；　I　don't　know；〃　he　replied。　　〃The　old　man　was　very　anxious　I
should　find　out。　　You　see；　a　lot　of　information　seems　to　have　got
over　on　the　other　side；　and　we　couldn't　think　where　it　had　leaked
out；　except　through　your　wireless。　　However；　that　isn't　likely；　of
course；　unless　you've　got　one　of　these　beastly　Germans　in　your
receiving…room。　　Now　if　I　can　borrow　a　cigarette；　a　cigar；　or　a
pipe　of　tobacco　…　any　mortal　thing　to　smoke　…　I'll　be　off；　if　I　may。
The　old　man　turned　me　out　at　an　unearthly　hour　this　morning；　and　in
Sheringham　all　the　shops　were　closed。　　Steady　on；　young　fellow；〃　he
laughed；　as　Gerald　filled　his　pockets　with　cigarettes。　　〃Well；　here's
good　morning　to　you；　Miss　Fentolin。　　Good　morning；　sir。　　How　long
ought　it　to　take　me　to　get　to　Sheringham？〃

〃About　forty　minutes；〃　Gerald　told　him；　〃if　your　car's　any　good　at
all。〃

〃It　isn't　much；〃　was　the　somewhat　dubious　reply。　　〃However；　we'll
shove　along。　　You　in　the　Service？〃　he　enquired；　as　they　walked　down
the　hall　together。

〃Hope　I　shall　be　before　long；〃　Gerald　answered。　　I'm　going　into　the
army；　though。〃

〃Have　to　hurry　up；　won't　you？〃

Gerald　sighed。

〃It's　a　little　difficult　for　me。　　Here's　your　car。　Good　luck　to　you！〃

〃My　excuses　to　Mr。　Fentolin；〃　Lieutenant　Godfrey　shouted；　〃and　many
thanks。〃

He　jumped　into　the　automobile　and　was　soon　on　his　way　back。　　Gerald
watched　him　until　he　was　nearly　out　of　sight。　　On　the　knoll；　two　of
the　wireless　operators　were　already　at　work。　　Mr。　Fentolin　sat　in
his　chair　below；　watching。　　The　blue　sparks　were　flashing。　　A　message
was　just　being　delivered。　　Presently　Mr。　Fentolin　turned　his　chair；
and　with　Meekins　by　his　side；　made　his　way　back　to　the　house。　　He
passed　along　the　ball　and　into　his　study。　　Gerald；　who　was　on　his
way　to　the　dining…room；　heard　the　ring　of　the　telephone　bell　and　the
call　for　the　trunk　special　line。　　He　hesitated　for　a　moment。　　Then
he　made　his　way　slowly　down　towards　the　study　and　stood　outside　the
door；　listening。　　In　a　moment　he　heard　Mr。　Fentolin's　clear　voice；
very　low　yet　very　penetrating。

〃The　Mediterranean　Fleet　will　be　forty…seven　hours　before　it　comes
together；〃　was　the　message　he　heard。　　〃The　Channel　Fleet　will
manoeuvre　off　Sheerness；　waiting　for　it。　　The　North　Sea　Fleet　is
seventeen　units　under　nominal　strength。〃

Gerald　turned　the　handle　of　the　door　slowly　and　entered。　　Mr。
Fentolin　was　just　replacing　the　receiver　on　its　stand。　　He　looked
up　at　his　nephew；　and　his　eyebrows　came　together。

〃What　do　you　mean　by　this？〃　he　demanded。　　〃Don't　you　know　that　I
allow　no　one　in　here　when　I　am　telephoning　on　the　private　wire？〃

Gerald　closed　the　door　behind　him　and　summoned　up　all　his　courage。

〃It　is　because　I　have　heard　what　you　were　saying　over　the　telephone
that　I　am　here；〃　he　declared。　　〃I　want　to　know　to　whom　you　were
sending　that　message　which　you　have　intercepted　outside。〃




CHAPTER　XXII

Mr。　Fentolin　sat　for　a　moment　in　his　chair　with　immovable　face。
Then　he　pointed　to　the　door；　which　Gerald　had　left　open　behind　him。

〃Close　that　door；　Gerald。〃

The　boy　obeyed。　　Mr。　Fentolin　waited　until　he　had　turned　around
again。

〃Come　and　stand　over　here　by　the　side　of　the　table；〃　he　directed。

Gerald　came　without　hesitation。　　He　stood　before　his　uncle　with
folded　arms。　　There　was　something　else　besides　sullenness　in　his
face　this　morning；　something　which　Mr。　Fentolin　was　quick　to
recognise。

〃I　do　not　quite　understand　the　nature　of　your　question；　Gerald；〃
Mr。　Fentolin　began。　　〃It　is　unlike　you。　　You　do　not　seem　yourself。
Is　there　anything　in　particular　the　matter？〃

〃Only　this；〃　Gerald　answered　firmly。　　〃I　don't　understand　why　this
naval　fellow　should　come　here　and　ask　you　to　close　up　your　wireless
because　secrets　have　been　leaking　out；　and　a　few　moments　afterwards
you　should　be　picking　up　a　message　and　telephoning　to　London
information　which　was　surely　meant　to　be　private。　　That's　all。
I've　come　to　ask　you　about　it。〃

〃You　heard　the　message；　then？〃

〃I　did。〃

〃You　listened　…　at　the　keyhole？〃

〃I　listened　outside；〃　Gerald　assented　doggedly。　　〃I　am　glad　I
listened。　　Do　you　mind　answering　my　question？

〃Do　I　mind！〃　Mr。　Fentolin　repeated　softly。　　〃Really；　Gerald；　your
politeness；　your　consideration；　your　good　manners；　astound　me。　　I
am　positively　deprived　of　the　power　of　speech。〃

〃I'll　wait　here　till　it　comes　to　you　again；　then；〃　the　boy　declared
bluntly。　　〃I've　waited　on　you　hand　and　foot；　done　dirty　work　for
you；