the vanished messenger-第44章
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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？〃 she asked； very
quietly。
Hamel shook his head。
〃We don't need the place； do we？〃
〃He did not give you the key？〃 she persisted。
〃Mr。 Fentolin said that he had some things in there which he wished
to keep locked up；〃 he explained。
She remained thoughtful for several moments。 Then she turned away。
〃No；〃 she said； 〃it was not likely he would not give you that key！〃
Hamel dined simply but comfortably。 Mrs。 Cox cleared away the
things； brought him his coffee； and appeared a few minutes later；
her shawl wrapped around her； ready for departure。
〃I shall be here at seven o'clock in the morning； sir；〃 she
announced。
Hamel was a little startled。 He withdrew the pip from his mouth
and looked at her。
〃Why； of course；〃 he remarked。 〃I'd forgotten。 There is no place
for you to stay here。〃
〃I shall go back to my brother's。〃 she said。
Hamel put some money upon the table。
〃Please get anything that is necessary；〃 he directed。 〃I shall
leave you to do the housekeeping for a few days。〃
〃Shall you be staying here long； sir？〃 she asked。
〃I am not sure；〃 he replied。
〃I do not suppose；〃 she said； 〃that you will stay for very long。
I shall get only the things that you require from day to day。 Good
night； sir。
She left the room。 Hamel looked after her for a moment with a frown。
In some indescribable way； the woman half impressed； half irritated
him。 She had always the air of keeping something in the background。
He followed her out on to the little ridge of beach； a few minutes
after she had left。 The mist was still drifting about。 Only a few
yards away the sea rolled in； filling the air with dull thunder。
The marshland was half obscured。 St。 David's Hall was invisible；
but like strangely…hung lanterns in an empty space he saw the line
of lights from the great house gleam through the obscurity。 There
was no sound save the sound of the sea。 He shivered slightly。 It
was like an empty land； this。
Then； moved by some instinct of curiosity； he made his way round to
the closed door of the boat…house； only to find it； as he had
expected； locked。 He shook Lt slightly； without result。 Then he
strolled round to the back； entered his own little abode by the
kitchen； and tried the other door which led into the boat…house。
It was not only locked； but a staple had been put in； and it was
fastened with a padlock of curious design which he did not remember
to have seen there before。 Again； half unconsciously； he listened；
and again he found the silence oppressive。 He went back to his
room； brought out some of the books which it had been his intention
to study； and sat and read over the fire。
At ten o'clock he went to bed。 As he threw open his window before
undressing； it seemed to him that he could catch the sound of voices
from the sea。 He listened intently。 A grey pall hung everywhere。
To the left； with strange indistinctness； almost like something
human struggling to assert itself； came the fitful flash from the
light at the entrance to the tidal way。 Once more he strained his
ears。 This time there was no doubt about it。 He heard the sound
of fishermen's voices。 He heard one of them say distinctly：
〃Hard aport； Dave lad！ That's Fentolin's light。 Keep her out a bit。
Steady； lad！〃
Through a rift in the mist； he caught a glimpse of the brown sail
of a fishing…boat； dangerously near the land。 He watched it alter
its course slightly and pass on。 Then again there was silence。 He
undressed slowly and went to bed。
Later on he woke with a start and sat up in bed； listening intently；
listening for he knew not what。 Except for the backward scream of
the pebbles； dragged down every few seconds by the receding waves；
an unbroken silence seemed to prevail。 He struck a match and looked
at his watch。 It was exactly three o'clock。 He got out of bed。 He
was a man in perfect health； ignorant of the meaning of nerves； a
man of proved courage。 Yet he was conscious that his pulses were
beating with absurd rapidity。 A new feeling seemed to possess him。
He could almost have declared that he was afraid。 What sound had
awakened him？ He had no idea； yet he seemed to have a distinct and
absolute conviction that it had been a real sound and no dream。
He drew aside the curtains and looked out of the window。 The mist
now seemed to have become almost a fog； to have closed in upon sea
and land。 There was nothing whatever to be seen。 As he stood there
for a moment； listening； his face became moist with the drifting
vapour。 Suddenly upon the beach he saw what at first he imagined
must be an optical illusion … a long shaft of light； invisible in
itself except that it seemed to slightly change the density of the
mist。 He threw on an overcoat over his pyjamas； thrust on his
slippers； and taking up his own electric torch； hastily descended
the stairs。 He opened the front door and stepped out on to the
beach。 He stood in the very place where the light had seemed to
be； and looked inland。 There was no sign of any human person； not
a sound except the falling of the sea upon the pebbly beach。 He
raised his voice and called out。 Somehow or other； speech seemed
to be a relief。
〃Hullo！〃
There was no response。 He tried again。
〃Is any one there？〃
Still no answer。 He watched the veiled light from the harbour
appear and disappear。 It threw no shadow of illumination upon the
spot to which he had gazed from his window。 One window at St。
David's Hall was illuminated。 The rest of the place was wrapped
now in darkness。 He walked up to the boat…house。 The door was
still locked。 There was no sign that any one had been there。
Reluctantly at last he re…entered the Tower and made his way
up…stairs。
〃Confound that fellow Kinsley！〃 he muttered； as he threw off his
overcoat。 〃All his silly suggestions and melodramatic ideas have
given me a fit of nerves。 I am going to bed； and I am going to
sleep。 That couldn't have been a light I saw at all。 I couldn't
have heard anything。 I am going to sleep。〃
CHAPTER XXVII
Hamel awoke to find his room filled with sunshine and a soft wind
blowing in through the open window。 There was a pleasant odour of
coffee floating up from the kitchen。 He looked at his watch … it
was past eight o'clock。 The sea was glittering and bespangled with
sunlight。 He found among his scanty belongings a bathing suit； and；
wrapped in his overcoat； hurried down…stairs。
〃Breakfast in half an hour； Mrs。 Cox；〃 he called out。
She stood at the door； watching him as he stepped across the pebbles
and plunged in。 For a few moments he swam。 Then he turned over on
his back。 The sunlight was gleaming from every window of St。 David's
Hall。 He even fancied that upon the terrace he could see a
white…clad figure looking towards him。 He turned over and swam once
more。 From her place in the doorway Mrs。 Cox called out to him。
〃Mind the Dagger Rocks； sir！〃
He waved his hand。 The splendid exhilaration of the salt water
seemed to give him unlimited courage。 He dived； but the woman's
cry of fear soon recalled him。 Presently he swam to shore and
hurried up the beach。 Mrs。 Cox； with a sigh of relief； disappeared
into the kitchen。
〃Those rocks on your nerves again； Mrs。 Cox？〃 he asked；
good…humouredly； as he took his place at the breakfast table a
quarter of an hour later。
〃It's only us who live here； sir；〃 she answered； 〃who know how
terrible they are。 There s one … it comes up like my hand … a long
spike。 A boat once struck upon that； and it's as though it'd been
sawn through the middle。〃
〃I must have a look at them some day；〃 he declared。 〃I am going to
work this morning； Mrs。 Cox。 Lunch at one o'clock。〃
He took rugs and established himself with a pile of books at the
back of a grassy knoll； sheltered from the wind； with the sea almost
at his feet。 He sharpened his pencil and numbered the page of his
notebook。 Then he looked up towards the Hall garden and found
himself dreaming。 The sunshine was delicious； and a gent
