the vanished messenger-第38章

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eloquent　of　her　state　of　mind。　　She　did　not　move　on。　　She　seemed；
indeed；　to　have　the　air　of　one　anxious　to　say　more。　　In　that
ruthless　light；　the　advantages　of　her　elegant　clothes　and
graceful　carriage　were　suddenly　stripped　away　from　her。　　She　was
the　abject　wreck　of　a　beautiful　woman；　wizened；　prematurely　aged。
Nothing　remained　but　the　eyes；　which　seemed　somehow　to　have　their
message　for　him。

〃Mr。　Fentolin　is　a　little　peculiar；　you　know；〃　she　went　on；　her
voice　shaking　slightly　with　the　effort　she　was　making　to　keep　it
low。　　〃He　allows　Esther　so　little　liberty；　she　sees　so　few　young
people　of　her　own　age。　　I　do　not　know　why　he　allows　you　to　be　with
her　so　much。　　Be　careful；　Mr。　Hamel。〃

Her　voice　seemed　suddenly　to　vibrate　with　a　curious　note　of
suppressed　fear。　　Almost　as　she　finished　her　speech；　she　passed　on。
Her　little　gesture　bade　him　remain　silent。　　As　she　went　up　the
stairs；　she　began　to　hum　scraps　of　a　little　French　air。




CHAPTER　XXIII

Hamel　sliced　his　ball　at　the　ninth；　and　after　waiting　for　a　few
minutes　patiently；　Esther　came　to　help　him　look　for　it。　　He　was
standing　down　on　the　sands；　a　little　apart　from　the　two　caddies
who　were　beating　out　various　tufts　of　long　grass。

〃Where　did　it　go？〃　she　asked。

〃I　have　no　idea；〃　he　admitted。

〃Why　don't　you　help　look　for　it？〃

〃Searching　for　balls；〃　he　insisted；　〃is　a　caddy's　occupation。　　Both
the　caddies　are　now　busy。　　Let　us　sit　down　here。　　These　sand　hummocks
are　delightful。　　It　is　perfectly　sheltered；　and　the　sun　is　in　our
faces。　　Golf　is　an　overrated　pastime。　　Let　us　sit　and　watch　that
little　streak　of　blue　find　its　way　up　between　the　white　posts。〃

She　hesitated　for　a　moment。

〃We　shall　lose　our　place。〃

〃There　is　no　one　behind。〃

She　sank　on　to　the　little　knoll　of　sand　to　which　he　had　pointed；
with　a　resigned　sigh。

〃You　really　are　a　queer　person；〃　she　declared。　　〃You　have　been
playing　golf　this　morning　as　though　your　very　life　depended　upon　it。
You　have　scarcely　missed　a　shot　or　spoken　a　word。　　And　now；　all　of
a　sudden；　you　want　to　sit　on　a　sand　hummock　and　watch　the　tide。〃

〃I　have　been　silent；〃　he　told　her；　〃because　I　have　been　thinking。〃

〃That　may　be　truthful；〃　she　remarked；　〃but　you　wouldn't　call　it
polite；　would　you？〃

〃The　subject　of　my　thoughts　is　my　excuse。　　I　have　been　thinking　of
you。〃

For　a　single　moment　her　eyes　seemed　to　have　caught　something　of　that
sympathetic　light　with　which　he　was　regarding　her。　　Then　she　looked
away。

〃Was　it　my　mashie　shots　you　were　worrying　about？〃　she　asked。

〃It　was　not；〃　he　replied　simply。　　〃It　was　you　…　you　yourself。〃

She　laughed；　not　altogether　naturally。

〃How　flattering！〃　she　murmured。　　〃By…the…by；　you　are　rather　a
downright　person；　aren't　you；　Mr。　Hamel？〃

〃So　much　so；〃　he　admitted；　〃that　I　am　going　to　tell　you　one　or　two
things　now。　　I　am　going　to　be　very　frank　indeed。〃

She　sat　suddenly　quite　still。　　Her　face　was　turned　from　him；　but
for　the　first　time　since　he　had　known　her　there　was　a　slight
undertone　of　colour　in　her　cheeks。

〃A　week　ago；〃　he　said；　〃I　hadn't　the　faintest　idea　of　coming　into
Norfolk。　　I　knew　about　this　little　shanty　of　my　father's；　but　I
had　forgotten　all　about　it。　　I　came　as　the　result　of　a　conversation
I　had　with　a　friend　who　is　in　the　Foreign　Office。〃

She　looked　at　him　with　startled　eyes。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　she　asked　quickly。　　〃You　are　Mr。　Hamel；　aren't
you？〃

〃Certainly；〃　he　replied。　　〃Not　only　am　I　Richard　Hamel；　mining
engineer；　but　I　really　have　all　that　reading　to　do　I　have　spoken
about；　and　I　really　was　looking　for　a　quiet　spot　to　do　it　in。　　It
is　true　that　I　had　this　part　of　the　world　in　my　mind；　but　I　do　not
think　that　I　should　ever　have　really　decided　to　come　here　if　it
had　not　been　for　my　friend　in　London。　　He　was　very　interested
indeed　directly　I　mentioned　St。　David's　Tower。　　Would　you　like　to
know　what　he　told　me？〃

〃Yes！　　Go　on；　please。〃

〃He　told　me　a　little　of　the　history　of　your　uncle；　Mr。　Fentolin；
and　what　he　did　not　tell　me　at　the　time；　he　has　since　supplemented。
I　suppose；〃　he　added；　hesitatingly；　〃that　you　yourself　…〃

〃Please　go　on。　　Please　speak　as　though　I　knew　nothing。〃

〃Well；　then；〃　Hamel　continued；　〃he　told　me　that　your　uncle　was　at
one　time　in　the　Foreign　Office　himself。　　He　seemed　to　have　a　most
brilliant　career　before　him　when　suddenly　there　was　a　terrible
scandal。　　A　political　secret　…　I　don't　know　what　it　was　…　had　leaked
out。　　There　were　rumours　that　it　had　been　acquired　for　a　large　sum
of　money　by　a　foreign　Power。　　Mr。　Fentolin　retired　to　Norfolk；
pending　an　investigation。　　It　was　just　as　that　time　that　he　met　with
his　terrible　accident；　and　the　matter　was　dropped。〃

〃Go　on；　please；〃　she　murmured。

〃My　friend　went　on　to　say　that　during　the　last　few　years　Mr。　Fentolin
has　once　again　become　an　object　of　some　suspicion　to　the　head　of　our
Secret　Service　Department。　　For　a　long　time　they　have　known　that　he
was　employing　agents　abroad；　and　that　he　was　showing　the　liveliest
interest　in　underground　politics。　　They　believed　that　it　was　a　mere
hobby；　born　of　his　useless　condition；　a　taste　ministered　to；　without
doubt；　by　the　occupation　of　his　earlier　life。　　Once　or　twice　lately
they　have　had　reason　to　change　their　minds。　　You　know；　I　dare　say；
in　what　a　terribly　disturbed　state　European　affairs　are　just　now。
Well；　my　friend　had　an　idea　that　Mr。　Fentolin　was　showing　an
extraordinary　amount　of　interest　in　a　certain　conference　which　we
understand　is　to　take　place　at　The　Hague。　　He　begged　me　to　come　down；
and　to　watch　your　uncle　while　I　was　down　here；　and　report　to　him
anything　that　seemed　to　me　noteworthy。　　Since　then　I　have　had　a
message　from　him　concerning　the　American　whom　you　entertained　…　Mr。
John　P。　Dunster。　　It　appears　that　he　was　the　bearer　of　very　important
dispatches　for　the　Continent。〃

〃But　he　has　gone；〃　she　said　quickly。　　〃Nothing　happened　to　him；
after　all。　　He　went　away　without　a　word　of　complaint。　　We　all　saw
him。〃

〃That　is　quite　true；〃　Hamel　admitted。　　〃Mr。　Dunster　has　certainly
gone。　　It　is　rather　a　coincidence；　however；　that　he　should　have
taken　his　departure　just　as　the　enquiries　concerning　his　whereabouts
had　reached　such　a　stage　that　it　had　become　quite　impossible　to　keep
him　concealed　any　longer。〃

She　turned　a　little　in　her　place　and　looked　at　him　steadfastly。

〃Mr。　Hamel；〃　she　said；　〃tell　me　…　what　of　your　mission？　　You　have
had　an　opportunity　of　studying　my　uncle。　　You　have　even　lived　under
his　roof。　　Tell　me　what　you　think。〃

His　face　was　troubled。

〃Miss　Fentolin；〃　he　said；　〃I　will　tell　you　frankly　that　up　to　now
I　have　not　succeeded　in　solving　the　problem　of　your　uncle's
character。　　To　me　personally　he　has　been　most　courteous。　　He　lives
apparently　a　studious　and　an　unselfish　life。　　I　have　heard　him　even
spoken　of　as　a　philanthropist。　　And　yet　you　three　…　you；　your　mother；
and　your　brother；　who　are　nearest　to　him；　who　live　in　his　house　and
under　his　protection；　have　the　air　of　passing　your　days　in　mortal
fear　of　him。〃

〃Mr。　Hamel；〃　she　exclaimed　nervously；　〃you　don't　believe　that！　　He
is　always　very　kind。〃

〃Apparently；〃　Hamel　observed　drily。　　〃And　yet　you　must　remember　that
you；　too；　are　afraid　of　him。　　I　need　not　remind　you　of　our
conversations；　but　there　the　truth　is。　　You　praise　his　virtues　and
his　charities；　you　pity　him；　and　yet　you　go　about　with　a　load　of
fear；　and　…　forgive　me　…　of　secret　terror　in　your　heart；　you　and
Gerald；　too。　　As　for　your　mother　…〃

〃Don't！〃　she　interrupted　suddenly。　　〃Why　do　you　bring　me　here　to
talk　like　this？　　You　cannot　alter　things。　　Nothing　can　be　altered。〃

〃Can't　it！〃　he　replied。　　〃Well；　I　will　tell　you　the　real　reason　of
my　having　brought　you　here　and　of　my　having　made　this　confession。
I　brought　you　here　because　I　could　not　bear　to　go　on　living；　if　not
under　your　roof；　at　any　rate　in　the　neighbourhood；　without　telling
you　the　truth。　　Now　you　know　it。　　I　am　here　to　watch　Mr。　Fentolin。
I　am　going　on　watching　him。　　You　can　put　him　on　his　guard；　if　you
like；　I　shan't　complain。　　Or　you　can　…〃

He　paused　so　long　that　she　looked　at　him。　　He　moved　a　little　closer
to　her；　his　fingers　suddenly　gripped　her　hand。

〃Or　you　can　marr