the vanished messenger-第43章

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watched　him　from　over　the　top　of　a　newspaper。

〃So　that　is　one　of　Mr。　Fentolin's　creatures；　too；〃　he　remarked。
〃Keeping　his　eye　on　you　in　Norwich；　eh？　　Tell　me；　Dick；　by…the…by；
how　do　you　get　on　with　the　rest　of　Mr。　Fentolin's　household；　and
exactly　of　whom　does　it　consist？〃

〃There　is　his　sister…in…law；〃　Hamel　replied；　〃Mrs。　Seymour　Fentolin。
She　is　a　strange；　tired…looking　woman　who　seems　to　stand　in　mortal
fear　of　Mr。　Fentolin。　　She　is　always　overdressed　and　never　natural；
but　it　seems　to　me　that　nearly　everything　she　does　is　done　to　suit
his　whims；　or　at　his　instigation。〃

Kinsley　nodded　thoughtfully。

〃I　remember　Seymour　Fentolin　he　said；　〃a　really　fine　fellow　he　was。
Well；　who　else？〃

〃Just　the　nephew　and　niece。　　The　boy　is　half　sullen；　half
discontented；　yet　he；　too；　seems　to　obey　his　uncle　blindly。　　The
three　of　them　seem　to　be　his　slaves。　　It's　a　thing　you　can't　live
in　the　house　without　noticing。〃

〃It　seems　to　be　a　cheerful　sort　of　household；〃　Kinsley　observed。
〃You　read　the　papers；　I　suppose；　Dick？〃　he　asked；　after　a　moment's
pause。

〃On　and　off；　the　last　few　days。　　I　seem　to　have　been　busy　doing　all
sorts　of　things。〃

〃Well；　I'll　tell　you　something；〃　Kinsley　continued。　　〃The　whole　of
our　available　fleet　is　engaged　in　carrying　out　what　they　call　a
demonstration　in　the　North　Sea。　　They　have　patrol　boats　out　in　every
direction；　and　only　the　short　distance　wireless　signals　are　being
used。　　Everything；　of　course；　is　in　code；　yet　we　know　this　for　a
fact：　a　good　deal　of　private　information　passing　between　the　Admiral
and　his　commanders　was　known　in　Germany　three　hours　after　the　signals
themselves　had　been　given。　　It　is　suspected　…　more　than　suspected；
in　fact　…　that　these　messages　were　picked　up　by　Mr。　Fentolin's
wireless　installation。〃

〃I　don't　suppose　he　could　help　receiving　them；〃　Hamel　remarked。

〃He　could　help　decoding　them　and　sending　them　through　to　Germany；
though；〃　Kinsley　retorted　grimly。　　〃The　worst　of　it　is；　he　has　a
private　telephone　wire　in　his　house　to　London。　　If　he　isn't　up
to　mischief；　what　does　he　need　all　these　things　for　…　private
telegraph　line；　private　telephone；　private　wireless？　　We　have　given
the　postmaster　a　hint　to　have　the　telegraph　office　moved　down　into
the　village；　but　I　don't　know　that　that　will　help　us　much。〃

〃So　far　as　regards　the　wireless；〃　Hamel　said；　〃I　rather　believe
that　it　is　temporarily　dismantled。　　We　had　a　sailor…man　over；　the
morning　before　yesterday；　to　complain　of　his　messages　having　been
picked　up。　　Mr。　Fentolin　promised　at　once　to　put　his　installation
out　of　work　for　a　time。〃

〃He　has　done　plenty　of　mischief　with　it　already；〃　Kinsley　groaned。
〃However；　it　was　Dunster　I　came　down　to　make　enquiries　about。　　I
couldn't　help　hoping　that　you　might　have　been　able　to　put　us　on　the
right　track。〃

Hamel　sighed。

〃I　know　nothing　beyond　what　I　have　told　you。〃

〃How　did　he　look　when　he　went　away？〃

〃Very　ill　indeed；〃　Hamel　declared。　　〃I　afterwards　saw　the　nurse　who
had　been　attending　him；　and　she　admitted　that　he　was　not　fit　to
travel。　　I　should　say　the　probabilities　are　that　he　is　laid　up　again
somewhere。〃

〃Did　you　actually　speak　to　him？〃

〃Just　a　word　or　two。〃

〃And　you　saw　him　go　off　in　the　car？〃

〃Gerald　Fentolin　and　I　both　saw　him　and　wished　him　good…by。〃

Kinsley　glanced　at　the　clock　and　rose　to　his　feet。　　〃Walk　down　to
the　station　with　me；〃　he　suggested。　　〃I　needn't　tell　you；　I　am　sure；〃
he　went　on；　as　they　left　the　hotel　a　few　minutes　later；　〃that　if
anything　does　turn　up；　or　if　you　get　the　glimmering　of　an　idea；
you'll　let　me　know？　　We've　a　small　army　looking　for　the　fellow；　but
it　does　seem　as　though　he　had　disappeared　off　the　face　of　the　earth。
If　he　doesn't　turn　up　before　the　end　of　the　Conference；　we　are　done。〃

〃Tell　me；〃　Hamel　asked；　after　they　had　walked　for　some　distance　in
silence；　〃exactly　why　is　our　fleet　demonstrating　to　such　an　extent？〃

〃That　Conference　I　have　spoken　of；〃　Kinsley　replied；　〃which　is　being
held　at　The　Hague；　is　being　held；　we　know；　purposely　to　discuss
certain　matters　in　which　we　are　interested。　　It　is　meeting　for　their
discussion　without　any　invitation　having　been　sent　to　this　country。
There　is　only　one　reply　possible　to　such　a　course。　　It　is　there　in
the　North　Sea。　But　unfortunately　…〃

Kinsley　paused。　　His　tone　and　his　expression　had　alike　become
gloomier。

〃Go　on；〃　Hamel　begged。

〃Our　reply；　after　all；　is　a　miserable　affair；〃　Kinsley　concluded。
〃You　remember　the　outcry　over　the　withdrawal　of　our　Mediterranean
Fleet？　　Now　you　see　its　sequel。　　We　haven't　a　ship　worth　a　snap　of
the　fingers　from　Gibraltar　to　Suez。　　If　France　deserts　us；　it's
good…by　to　Malta；　good…by　to　Egypt；　good…by　to　India。　　It's　the
disruption　of　the　British　Empire。　　And　all　this；〃　he　wound　up；　as
he　paused　before　taking　his　seat　in　the　railway　carriage；　〃all　this
might　even　now　be　avoided　if　only　we　could　lay　our　hands　upon　the
message　which　that　man　Dunster　was　bringing　from　New　York！〃




CHAPTER　XXVI

Once　more　Hamel　descended　from　the　little　train；　and；　turning　away
from　St。　David's　Hall；　made　his　way　across　the　marshes；　seawards。
The　sunshine　of　the　last　few　days　had　departed。　　The　twilight　was
made　gloomy　by　a　floating　veil　of　white　mist；　which　hung　about　in
wet　patches。　　Hamel　turned　up　his　coat　collar　as　he　walked　and
shivered　a　little。　　The　thought　of　his　solitary　night　and
uncomfortable　surroundings；　after　all　the　luxury　of　St。　David's
Hall；　was　scarcely　inspiring。　　Yet；　on　the　whole；　he　was　splendidly
cheerful。　　The　glamour　of　a　host　of　new　sensations　was　upon　him。
There　was　a　new　love　of　living　in　his　heart。　　He　forgot　the　cold
east　wind　which　blew　in　his　face；　bringing　with　it　little　puffs
of　damp　grey　mist。　　He　forgot　the　cheerlessness　which　he　was　about
to　face；　the　lonely　night　before　him。　　For　the　first　time　in　his
life　a　woman　reigned　in　his　thoughts。

It　was　not　until　he　actually　reached　the　very　side　of　the　Tower
that　he　came　back　to　earth。　　As　he　opened　the　door；　he　found　a
surprise　in　store　for　him。　　A　fire　was　burning　in　the　sitting…room；
smoke　was　ascending　from　the　kitchen　chimney。　　The　little　round
table　was　laid　with　a　white　cloth。　　There　was　a　faint　odour　of
cooking　from　the　back　premises。　　His　lamp　was　lit；　there　were　logs
hissing　and　crackling　upon　the　fire。　　As　he　stood　there　looking
wonderingly　about　him；　the　door　from　the　back　was　opened。　　Hannah
Cox　came　quietly　into　the　room。

〃What　time　would　you　like　your　dinner；　sir　？〃　she　enquired。

Hamel　stared　at　her。

〃Why；　are　you　going　to　keep　house　for　me；　Mrs。　Cox？〃　he　asked。

〃If　you　please；　sir。　　I　heard　that　you　had　been　in　the　village；
looking　for　some　one。　　I　am　sorry　that　I　was　away。　　There　is　no　one
else　who　would　come　to　you。〃

〃So　I　discovered；〃　he　remarked；　a　little　grimly。

〃No　one　else；〃　she　went　on；　〃would　come　to　you　because　of　Mr。
Fentolin。　　He　does　not　wish　to　have　you　here。　　They　love　him　so
much　in　the　village　that　he　had　only　to　breathe　the　word。　　It　was
enough。〃

〃Yet　you　are　here；〃　he　reminded　her。

〃I　do　not　count；〃　she　answered。　　〃I　am　outside　all　these　things。〃

Hamel　gave　a　little　sigh　of　satisfaction。

〃Well；　I　am　glad　you　could　come；　anyhow。　　If　you　have　something　for
dinner；　I　should　like　it　in　about　half　an　hour。〃

He　climbed　the　narrow　stairs　which　led　to　his　bedroom。　　To　his
surprise；　there　were　many　things　there　for　his　comfort　which　he　had
forgotten　to　order　…　clean　bed…linen；　towels；　even　a　curtain　upon
the　window。

〃Where　did　you　get　all　the　linen　up…stairs　from；　Mrs。　Cox？〃　he
asked　her；　when　he　descended。　　〃The　room　was　almost　empty　yesterday；
and　I　forgot　nearly　all　the　things　I　meant　to　bring　home　from
Norwich。〃

〃Mrs。　Seymore　Fentolin　sent　down　a　hamper　for　you；〃　the　woman
replied；　〃with　a　message　from　Mr。　Fentolin。　　He　said　that　nothing
among　the　oddments　left　by　your　father　had　been　preserved；　but
that　you　were　welcome　to　anything　you　desired；　if　you　would　let
them　know　at　the　Hall。〃

〃It　is　very　kind　of　both　of　them；〃　Hamel　said　thoughtfully。

The　woman　stood　still　for　a　moment；　looking　at　him。　　Then　she　drew
a　step　nearer。

〃Has　Mr。　Fentolin　given　you　the　key　of　the　shed？