the vanished messenger-第42章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
one tiny shop。
CHAPTER XXV
Hamel met Kinsley shortly before one o'clock the following afternoon；
in the lounge of the Royal Hotel at Norwich。
〃You got my wire； then？〃 the latter asked； as he held out his hand。
〃I had it sent by special messenger from Wells。〃
〃It arrived directly after breakfast；〃 Hamel replied。 〃It wasn't
the easiest matter to get here； even then； for there are only about
two trains a day； and I didn't want to borrow a car from Mr。
Fentolin。〃
〃Quite right；〃 Kinsley agreed。 〃I wanted you to come absolutely on
your own。 Let's get into the coffee…room and have some lunch now。
I want to catch the afternoon train hack to town。〃
〃Do you mean to say that you've come all the way down here to talk
to me for half an hour or so？〃 Hamel demanded； as they took their
places at a table。
〃All the way from town；〃 Kinsley assented； 〃and up to the eyes in
work we are； too。 Dick； what do you think of Miles Fentolin？〃
〃Hanged if I know！〃 Hamel answered； with a sigh。
〃Nothing definite to tell us； then？〃 Nothing！〃
〃What about Mr。 John P。 Dunster？〃
〃He left yesterday morning；〃 Hamel said。 〃I saw him go。 He looked
very shaky。 I understood that Mr。 Fentolin sent him to Yarmouth。〃
〃Did Mr。 Fentolin know that there was an enquiry on foot about this
man's disappearance？〃 Kinsley asked。
〃Certainly。 I heard Lord Saxthorpe tell him that the police had
received orders to scour the country for him； and that they were
coming to St。 David's Hall。〃
Kinsley； for a moment； was singularly and eloquently profane。
〃That's why Mr。 Fentolin let him go； then。 If Saxthorpe had only
held his tongue； or if those infernal police hadn't got chattering
with the magistrates； we might have made a coup。 As it is； the
game's up。 Mr。 Dunster left for Yarmouth； you say； yesterday
morning？〃
〃I saw him go myself。 He looked very shaky and ill； but he was
able to smoke a big cigar and walk down…stairs leaning on the
doctor's arm。〃
〃I don't doubt；〃 Kinsley remarked； 〃but that you saw what you say
you saw。 At the same time； you may be surprised to hear that Mr。
Dunster has disappeared again。〃
〃Disappeared again？〃 Hamel muttered。
〃It looks very much；〃 Kinsley continued； 〃as though your friend
Miles Fentolin has been playing with him like a cat with a mouse。
He has been obliged to turn him out of one hiding…place； and he has
simply transferred him to another。〃
Hamel looked doubtful。
〃Mr。 Dunster left quite alone in the car；〃 he said。 〃He was on his
guard too； for Mr。 Fentolin and he had had words。 1 really can't
see how it was possible for him to have got into any more trouble。〃
〃Where is he； then？〃 Kinsley demanded。 〃Come； I will let you a
little further into our confidence。 We have reason to believe that
he carries with him a written message which is practically the only
chance we have of avoiding disaster during the next few days。 That
written message is addressed to the delegates at The Hague； who are
now sitting。 Nothing had been heard of Dunster or the document he
carries。 No word has come from him of any sort since he left St。
David's Hall。〃
〃Have you tried to trace him from there？〃 Hamel asked。
〃Trace him？〃 Kinsley repeated。 〃By heavens； you don't seem to
understand； Dick； the immense； the extraordinary importance of this
man to us！ The cleverest detective in England spent yesterday
under your nose at St。 David's Hall。 There are a dozen others
working upon the job as hard as they can。 All the reports confirm
what you say … that Dunster left St。 David's Hall at half…past nine
yesterday morning； and he certainly arrived in Yarmouth at a little
before twelve。 From there he seems； however； to have completely
disappeared。 The car went back to St。 David's Hall empty； the man
only stayed long enough in Yarmouth； in fact； to have his dinner。
We cannot find a single smack owner who was approached in any way
for the hire of a boat。 Yarmouth has been ransacked in vain。 He
certainly has not arrived at The Hague or we should have heard news
at once。 As a last resource； I ran down here to see you on the
chance of your having picked up any information。〃
Hamel shook his head。
〃You seem to know a good deal more than I do； already；〃 he said。
〃What do you think of Mr。 Fentolin？ You have stayed in his house。
You have had an opportunity of studying him。〃
〃So far as my impressions go；〃 Hamel replied； 〃everything which you
have suggested might very well be true。 I think that either out of
sheer love of mischief； or from some subtler motive； he is capable
of anything。 Every one in the place； except one poor woman； seems
to look upon him as a sort of supernatural being。 He gives money
away to worthless people with both hands。 Yet I share your opinion
of him。 I believe that he is a creature without conscience or morals。
I have sat at his table and shivered when he has smiled。〃
〃Are you staying at St。 David's Hall now？〃
〃I left yesterday。〃
〃Where are you now； then？〃
〃I am at St。 David's Tower … the little place I told you of that
belonged to my father … but I don't know whether I shall be able to
stop there。 Mr。 Fentolin； for some reason or other； very much
resented my leaving the Hall and was very annoyed at my insisting
upon claiming the Tower。 When I went down to the village to get
some one to come up and look after me； there wasn't a woman there
who would come。 It didn't matter what I offered； they were all the
same。 They all muttered some excuse or other； and seemed only
anxious to show me out。 At the village shop they seemed to hate
to serve me with anything。 It was all I could do to get a packet
of tobacco yesterday afternoon。 You would really think that I was
the most unpopular person who ever lived； and it can only be because
of Mr。 Fentolin's influence。〃
〃Mr。 Fentolin evidently doesn't like to have you in the locality；〃
Kinsley remarked thoughtfully。
〃He was all right so long as I was at St。 David's Hall；〃 Hamel
observed。
〃What's this little place like … St。 David's Tower； you call it？〃
Kinsley asked。
〃Just a little stone building actually on the beach；〃 Hamel
explained。 〃There is a large shed which Mr。 Fentolin keeps locked
up； and the habitable portion consists just of a bedroom and
sitting…room。 From what I can see； Mr。 Fentolin has been making
a sort of hobby of the place。 There is telephonic communication
with the house； and he seems to have used the sitting…room as a
sort of studio。 He paints sea pictures and really paints them
ery well。〃
A man came into the coffee…room； made some enquiry of the waiter
and went out again。 Hamel stared at him in a puzzled manner。 For
the moment he could only remember that the face was familiar。 Then
he suddenly gave vent to a little exclamation。
〃Any one would think that I had been followed；〃 he remarked。 〃The
man who has just looked into the room is one of Mr。 Fentolin's
parasites or bodyguards； or whatever you call them。〃
〃You probably have；〃 Kinsley agreed。 〃What post does he hold in
the household？〃
〃I have no idea；〃 Hamel replied。 〃I saw him the first day I arrived
and not since。 Sort of secretary； I should think。〃
〃He is a queer…looking fellow； anyway；〃 Kinsley muttered。 〃Look
out； Dick。 Here he comes back again。〃
Mr。 Ryan approached the table a little diffidently。
〃I hope you will forgive the liberty； sir；〃 he said to Hamel。 〃You
remember me； I trust … Mr。 Ryan。 I am the librarian at St。 David's
Hall。〃
Hamel nodded。
〃I thought I'd seen you there。〃
〃I was wondering；〃 the man continued； 〃whether you had a car of Mr。
Fentolin's in Norwich to…day； and if so； whether I might beg a seat
back in case you were returning before the five o'clock train？ I
came in early this morning to go through some manuscripts at a
second…hand bookseller's here； and I have unfortunately missed the
train back。〃
Hamel shook his head。
〃I came in by train myself； or I would have given you a lift back；
with pleasure；〃 he said。
Mr。 Ryan expressed his thanks briefly and left the room。 Kinsley
watched him from over the top of a newspaper。
〃So that is one of Mr。 Fentolin's c
