the vanished messenger-第46章
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that the country is on the brink of war？〃
She looked at him from the depths of her still； lusterless eyes。
〃You must be a very foolish person；〃 she remarked； 〃if you expect
to obtain information in this manner。〃
〃Perhaps I am；〃 he confessed； 〃but my folly has brought me to you；
and you can give me the information if you will。〃
〃Where is Mr。 Fentolin？〃 she asked。
〃Down at the Tower；〃 he replied。 〃I left him there。 He sent me
up to see Miss Fentolin。 I was looking for her when the click of
your typewriter reminded me of other things。〃
She turned composedly back to her work。
〃I think；〃 she said； 〃that you had better go and find Miss Fentolin。〃
〃Don't talk nonsense！ You can't think I have risked giving myself
away to you for nothing？ I mean to search this room； to read the
papers which you are typing。〃
She glanced around her a little contemptuously。
〃You are welcome；〃 she assured him。 〃Pray proceed。〃
They exchanged the glances of duelists。 Her plain black frock was
buttoned up to her throat。 Her colourless face seemed set in exact
and expressionless lines。 Her eyes were like windows of glass。 He
felt only their scrutiny； nothing of the reason for it； or of the
thoughts which stirred behind in her brain。 There was nothing about
her attitude which seemed in any way threatening； yet he had the
feeling that in this interview it was she who possessed the upper
hand。
〃You are a foolish person；〃 she said calmly。 〃You are so foolish
that you are not； in all probability； in the slightest degree
dangerous。 Believe me； ours is an unequal duel。 There is a bell
upon this table which has apparently escaped your notice。 I sit
with my finger upon the button … so。 I have only to press it； and
the servants will be here。 I do not wish to press it。 I do not
desire that you should be； as you certainly would be； banished from
this house。〃
He was immensely puzzled。 She had not resented his strange
intrusion。 She had accepted it； indeed； with curious equanimity。
Her forefinger lingered still over the little ivory knob of the bell
attached to her desk。 He shrugged his shoulders。
〃You have the advantage of me；〃 he admitted； a little curtly。 〃All
the same； I think I could possess myself of those sheets of paper；
you know； before the bell was answered。〃
〃Would it be wise； I wonder； then； to ensure their safety？〃 she
asked coolly。
Her finger pressed the bell。 He took a quick step forward。 She
held out her hand。
〃Stop！〃 she ordered。 〃These sheets will tell you nothing which you
do not know already unless you are a fool。 Never mind the bell。
That is my affair。 I am sending you away。〃
He leaned a little towards her。
〃It wouldn't be possible to bribe you； I suppose？〃
She shook her head。
〃I wonder you haven't tried that before。 No； it would not … not
with money； that is to say。〃
〃You'll tell Mr。 Fentolin； I presume？〃 he asked quickly。
〃I have nothing to tell him；〃 she replied。 〃Nothing has happened。
Richards；〃 she went on； as a servant entered the room； 〃Mr。 Hamel
is looking for Miss Fentolin。 Will you see if you can find her？〃
The man's expression was full of polite regret。
〃Miss Fentolin went over to Legh Woods early this morning； sir；〃
he announced。 〃She is staying to lunch with Lady Saxthorpe。〃
Hamel stood quite still for a moment。 Then he turned to the window。
In the far distance he could catch a glimpse of the Tower。 Mr。
Fentolin's chair had disappeared from the walk。
〃I am sorry；〃 he said。 〃I must have made a mistake。 I will hurry
back。〃
There were more questions which he was longing to ask； but the cold
negativeness of her manner chilled him。 She sat with her fingers
poised over the keys； waiting for his departure。 He turned and
left the room。
CHAPTER XXVIII
Mr。 Fentolin； his carriage drawn up close to the beach； was painting
steadily when Hamel stood once more by his side。 His eyes moved
only from the sea to the canvas。 He never turned his head。
〃So your wooing has not prospered； my young friend；〃 he remarked
gently。 〃I am sorry。 Is there anything I can do？〃
〃Your niece has gone out to lunch；〃 Hamel replied shortly。
Mr。 Fentolin stopped painting。 His face was full of concern as he
looked up at Hamel。
〃My dear sir；〃 he exclaimed； 〃how can I apologise！ Of course she
has gone out to lunch。 She has gone out to Lady Saxthorpe's。 I
remember the subject being discussed。 I myself； in fact； was the
instigator of her going。 I owe you a thousand apologies； Mr。 Hamel。
Let me make what amends are possible for your useless journey。
Dine with us to…night。〃
〃You are very kind。〃
〃A poor amends；〃 Mr。 Fentolin continued。 〃A morning like this was
made for lovers。 Sunshine and blue sky； a salt breeze flavoured
just a little with that lavender； and a stroll through my spring
gardens； where my hyacinths are like a field of purple and gold；
a mantle of jewels upon the brown earth。 Ah； well！ One's thoughts
will wander to the beautiful things of life。 There were once women
who loved me； Mr。 Hamel。〃
Hamel looked doubtfully at the strange little figure in the chair。
Was this genuine； he wondered； a voluntary outburst； or was it some
subtle attempt to incite sympathy？ Mr。 Fentolin seemed almost to
have read his thought。
〃It is not for the sake of your pity that I say this；〃 he continued。
〃Mine is only the passing across the line which age as well as
infirmity makes inevitable。 No one in the world who lives to grow
old； and who has loved and felt the fire of it in his veins； can
pass that line without sorrow； or look back without a pang。 I am
among a great army。 Well； well； I shall paint no more to…day；〃 he
concluded abruptly。
〃Where is your servant？ 〃 Hamel asked。
Mr。 Fentolin glanced around him carelessly。
〃He has wandered away out of sight。 He knows well how necessary
solitude is to me if once I take the brush between my fingers
… solitude natural and entire； I mean。 If any one is within a
dozen yards of me I know it； even though I cannot see them。
Meekins is wandering somewhere the other side of the Tower。〃
〃Shall I call him ？〃
〃On no account；〃 Mr。 Fentolin begged。 〃Presently he will appear；
in plenty of time。 There is the morning to be passed … barely
eleven o'clock； I think； now。 I shall sit in my chair； and sink a
little down； and dream of these beautiful lights； these rolling；
foam…flecked waves； these patches of blue and shifting green。 I
can form them in my brain。 I can make a picture there； even though
my fingers refuse to move。 You are not an aesthete； I think； Mr。
Hamel？ The study of beauty does not mean to you what it did to your
father； and my father； and； in a smaller way to me。〃
〃Perhaps not；〃 Hamel confessed。 〃I believe I feel these things
somewhere； because they bring a queer sense of content with them。
I am afraid； though； that my artistic perceptions are not so keen
as some men's。〃
Mr。 Fentolin looked at him thoughtfully。
〃It is the physical life in your veins … too splendid to permit you
abstract pleasures。 Compensations again； you see … compensations。
I wonder what the law is that governs these things。 I have
forgotten sometimes；〃 he went on； 〃forgotten my own infirmities in
the soft intoxication of a wonderful seascape。 Only；〃 he went on；
his face a little grey； 〃it is the physical in life which triumphs。
There are the hungry hours which nothing will satisfy。〃
His head sank； his chin rested upon his chest。 He had all the
appearance now of a man who talks in bitter earnest。 Yet Hamel
wondered。 He looked towards the Tower； there was no sign of Meekins。
The sea…gulls went screaming above their heads。 Mr。 Fentolin never
moved。 His eyes seemed half closed。 It was only when Hamel rose to
his feet that he looked swiftly up。
〃Stay with me； I beg you； Mr。 Hamel；〃 he said。 〃I am in one of
the moods when solitude； even for a moment； is dangerous。 Do you
know what I have sometimes thought to myself？〃
He pointed to the planked way which led down the steep； pebbly beach
to the sea。
〃I have sometimes thought；〃 he went on； 〃that it would be glorious
to find a frie
