the vanished messenger-第48章

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〃He　promised　to　play　with　me　to…morrow；〃　Hamel　remarked　thoughtfully。
〃He　said　nothing　about　going　away。〃

〃I　fear　that　like　most　young　men　of　his　age　he　has　little　memory；〃
Mr。　Fentolin　sighed。　　〃However；　he　will　be　back　to…morrow　or　the
next　day。　　I　owe　you　my　apologies；　Mr。　Hamel；　for　our　lack　of　young
people。　　We　must　do　our　best　to　entertain　our　guest；　Florence。　　You
must　be　at　your　best；　dear。　　You　must　tell　him　some　of　those　capital
stories　of　yours。〃

Mrs；　Fentolin　shivered　for　a　moment。　　Hamel；　as　he　handed　her　to　her
place；　was　struck　by　a　strange　look　which　she　threw　upon　him；　half
furtive；　full　of　pain。　　Her　hand　almost　clung　to　his。　　She　slipped　a
little；　and　he　held　her　tightly。　　Then　he　was　suchdenly　conscious
that　something　hard　was　being　pressed　into　his　palm。　　He　drew　his
hand　away　at　once。

〃You　seem　a　little　unsteady　this　evening；　my　dear　Florence；〃　Mr。
Fentolin　remarked；　peering　across　the　round　table。

She　eyed　him　nonchalantly　enough。

〃The　floor　is　slippery；〃　she　said。　　〃I　was　glad；　for　a　moment；　of
Mr。　Hamel's　strong　hand。　　Where　are　those　dear　puppies？　　Chow…Chow；〃
she　went　on；　〃come　and　sit　by　your　mistress　at　once。〃

Hamel's　fingers　inside　his　waistcoat　pocket　were　smoothing　out　the
crumpled　piece　of　paper　which　she　had　passed　to　him。　　Soon　he　had
it　quite　flat。　　Mrs；　Fentolin；　as　though　freed　from　some　anxiety；
chattered　away　gaily。

〃I　don't　know　that　I　shall　apologise　to　Mr。　Hamel　at　all　for　the
young　people　being　away；〃　she　declared。　　〃Just　fancy　what　we　have
saved　him　from　…　a　solitary　meal　served　by　Hannah　Cox！　　Do　you　know
that　they　say　she　is　half…witted；　Mr。　Hamel？〃

〃So　far；　she　has　looked　after　me　very　well；〃　Hamel　observed。

〃Her　intellect　is　defective；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　remarked；　〃on　one　point
only。　　The　good　woman　is　obsessed　by　the　idea　that　her　husband　and
sons　are　still　calling　to　her　from　the　Dagger　Rocks。　　It　is　almost
pitiful　to　meet　her　wandering　about　there　on　a　stormy　night。　　The
seacoasts　are　full　of　these　little　village　tragedies　…　real
tragedies；　too；　however　insignificant　they　may　seem　to　us。〃

Mr。　Fentolin's　tone　was　gently　sympathetic。　　He　changed　the　subject
a　moment　or　two　later；　however。

〃Nero　fiddles　to…night；〃　he　said；　〃while　Rome　burns。　　There　are
hundreds　in　our　position；　yet　it　certainly　seems　queer　that　we
should　be　sitting　here　so　quietly　when　the　whole　country　is　in　such
a　state　of　excitement。　　I　see　the　press　this　morning　is　preaching
an　immediate　declaration　of　war。〃

〃Against　whom？〃　Mrs；　Fentolin　asked。

Mr。　Fentolin　smiled。

〃That　does　seem　to　be　rather　the　trouble；〃　he　admitted。　　〃Russia；
Austria；　Germany；　Italy；　and　France　are　all　assisting　at　a
Conference　to　which　no　English　representative　has　been　bidden。　　In
a　sense；　of　course；　that　is　equivalent　to　an　act　of　hostility　from
all　these　countries　towards　England。　　The　question　is　whether　we
have　or　have　not　a　secret　understanding　with　France；　and　if　so；　how
far　she　will　be　bound　by　it。　　There　is　a　rumour　that　when　Monsieur
Deschelles　was　asked　formally　whom　he　represented；　that　he　replied
…　'France　and　Great　Britain。'　　There　may　be　something　in　it。　　It　is
hard　to　see　how　any　English　statesman　could　have　left　unguarded　the
Mediterranean；　with　all　that　it　means；　trusting　simply　to　the　faith
of　a　country　with　whom　we　have　no　binding　agreement。　　On　the　other
hand；　there　is　the　mobilisation　of　the　fleet。　　If　France　is　really
faithful；　one　wonders　if　there　was　need　for　such　an　extreme　step。〃

〃I　am　out　of　touch　with　political　affairs；〃　Hamel　declared。　　〃I　have
been　away　from　England　for　so　long。〃

〃I；　on　the　other　hand；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　continued；　his　eyes　glittering
a　little；　〃have　made　the　study　of　the　political　situation　in　Europe
my　hobby　for　years。　　I　have　sent　to　me　the　leading　newspapers　of
Berlin；　Rome；　Paris；　St。　　Petersburg；　and　Vienna。　　For　two　hours
every　day　I　read　them；　side　by　side。　　It　is　curious　sometimes　to
note　the　common　understanding　which　seems　to　exist　between　the
Powers　not　bound　by　any　formal　alliance。　　For　years　war　seemed　a
very　unlikely　thing；　and　now；〃　he　added；　leaning　forward　in　his
chair；　〃I　pronounce　it　almost　a　certainty。〃

Hamel　looked　at　his　host　a　little　curiously。　　Mr。　Fentolin's
gentleness　of　expression　seemed　to　have　departed。　　His　face　was
hard；　his　eyes　agleam。　　He　bad　almost　the　look　of　a　bird　of　prey。
For　some　reason；　the　thought　of　war　seemed　to　be　a　joy　to　him。
Perhaps　he　read　something　of　Hamel's　wonder　in　his　expression；　for
with　a　shrug　of　the　shoulders　he　dismissed　the　subject。

〃Well；〃　he　concluded；　〃all　these　things　lie　on　the　knees　of　the　gods。
I　dare　say　you　wonder；　Mr。　Hamel；　why　a　poor　useless　creature　like
myself　should　take　the　slightest　interest　in　passing　events？　　It　is
just　the　fascination　of　the　looker…on。　　I　want　your　opinion　about
that　champagne。　　Florence　dear；　you　must　join　us。　　We　will　drink　to
Mr。　Hamel's　health。　　We　will　perhaps　couple　that　toast　in　our　minds
with　the　sentiment　which　I　am　sure　is　not　very　far　from　your
thoughts；　Florence。〃

Hamel　raised　his　glass　and　bowed　to　his　host　and　hostess。　　He　was
not　wholly　at　his　ease。　　It　seemed　to　him　that　he　was　being　watched
with　a　queer　persistence　by　both　of　them。　　Mrs；　Fentolin　continued
to　talk　and　laugh　with　a　gaiety　which　was　too　obviously　forced。　　Mr。
Fentolin　posed　for　a　while　as　the　benevolent　listener。　　He　mildly
applauded　his　sister…in…law's　stories；　and　encouraged　Hamel　in　the
recital　of　some　of　his　reminiscences。　　Suddenly　the　door　was　opened。
Miss　Price　appeared。　　She　walked　smoothly　across　the　room　and　stood
by　Mr。　Fentolin's　side。　　Stooping　down；　she　whispered　in　his　ear。　　He
pushed　his　chair　back　a　little　from　the　table。　　His　face　was　dark
with　anger。

〃I　said　not　before　ten　to…night；〃　he　muttered。

Again　she　spoke　in　his　ear；　so　softly　that　the　sound　of　her　voice
itself　scarcely　travelled　even　as　far　as　where　Hamel　was　sitting。
Mr。　Fentolin　looked　steadfastly　for　a　moment　at　his　sister…in…law
and　from　her　to　Hamel。　　Then　he　backed　his　chair　away　front　the
table。

〃I　shall　have　to　ask　to　be　excused　for　three　minutes；〃　he　said。
〃I　must　speak　upon　the　telephone。　　It　is　a　call　from　some　one　who
declares　that　they　have　important　news。〃

He　turned　the　steering…wheel　of　his　chair；　and　with　Miss　Price
by　his　side　passed　across　the　dining…room；　out　of　the　Oasis　of
rose…shaded　lights　into　the　shadows；　and　through　the　open　door。
》From　there　he　turned　his　head　before　he　disappeared；　as　though　to
watch　his　guest。　　Mrs；　Fentolin　was　busy　fondling　one　of　her　dogs；
which　she　had　raised　to　her　lap；　and　Hamel　was　watching　her　with　a
tolerant　smile。

〃Koto；　you　little　idiot；　why　can't　you　sit　up　like　your　sister？
Was　its　tail　in　the　way；　then！　　Mr。　Hamel；〃　she　whispered　under　her
breath；　so　softly　that　he　barely　caught　the　words；　although　he　was
only　a　few　feet　away；　〃don't　look　at　me。　　I　feel　as　though　we　were
being　watched　all　the　time。　　You　can　destroy　that　piece　of　paper　in
your　pocket。　　All　that　it　says　is　'Leave　here　immediately　after
dinner》'〃

Hamel　sipped　his　wine　in　a　nonchalant　fashion。　　His　fingers　had
strayed　over　the　silky　coat　of　the　little　dog；　which　she　had　held
out　as　though　for　his　inspection。

〃How　can　I？〃　he　asked。　　〃What　excuse　can　I　make？〃

〃Invent　one；〃　she　insisted　swiftly。　　〃Leave　here　before　ten　o'clock。
Don't　let　anything　keep　you。　　And　destroy　that　piece　of　paper　in
your　pocket；　if　you　can　…　now。〃

〃But；　Mrs；　Fentolin　…〃　he　began。

She　caught　up　one　of　her　absurd　little　pets　and　held　it　to　her　mouth。

〃Meekins　is　in　the　doorway；〃　she　whispered

Don't　argue　with　me；　please。　　You　are　in　danger　you　know　nothing
about。　　Pass　me　the　cigarettes。〃

She　leaned　back　in　her　chair；　smoking　quickly。　　She　held　one　of　the
dogs　on　her　knee　and　talked　rubbish　to　it。　　Hamel　watched　her；
leaning　back　in　his　carved　oak　chair；　and　he　found　it　hard　to　keep
the　pity　from　his　eyes。　　The　woman　was　playing　a　part；　playing　it
with　desperate　and　pitiful　earnestness；　a　part　which　seemed　the　more
tragical　because　of　the　soft　splendour　of　their　surroundings。　　From
the　shadowy　walls；　huge；　dimly…seen　pictures　hung　about　them；　a
strange　and　yet　i