the vanished messenger-第54章

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and　saw　Hamel。

〃Most　ingenious　and；　I　must　confess；　most　successful；　my　young
friend！〃　he　exclaimed　pleasantly。　　〃When　you　have　made　the　ladder
quite　secure；　perhaps　you　will　be　so　good　as　to　discuss　this　little
matter　with　us？〃

There　was　no　immediate　reply。　　The　eyes　of　all　four　men　were　turned
now　upon　that　empty　space　through　which　the　ladder　had　finally
disappeared。　　Mr。　Fentolin's　fingers　disappeared　within　the　pocket
of　his　coat。　　Something　very　bright　was　glistening　in　his　hand　when
he　withdrew　it。

〃Come　and　parley　with　us；　Mr。　Hamel；〃　he　begged。　　〃You　will　not　find
us　unreasonable。〃

Hamel's　voice　came　back　in　reply；　but　Hamel　himself　kept　well　away
from　the　opening。

〃The　conditions；〃　he　said；　〃are　unpropitious。　　A　little　time　for
reflection　will　do　you　no　harm。〃

The　trap…doors　were　suddenly　closed。　　Mr。　Fentolin's　face；　as　he
looked　up；　became　diabolic。

〃We　are　trapped！〃　he　muttered；　〃caught　like　rats　in　a　hole！〃




CHAPTER　XXXIII

A　gleam　of　day　was　in　the　sky　as　Hamel；　with　Mrs。　　Fentolin　by　his
side；　passed　along　the　path　which　led　from　the　Tower　to　St。　David's
Hall。　　Lights　were　still　burning　from　its　windows；　the　outline　of
the　building　itself　was　faintly　defined　against　the　sky。　　Behind
him；　across　the　sea；　was　that　one　straight　line　of　grey　merging
into　silver。　　　The　rain　had　ceased　and　the　wind　had　dropped。　　On
either　side　of　them　stretched　the　brimming　creeks。

〃Can　we　get　into　the　house　without　waking　any　one？〃　he　asked。

〃Quite　easily；〃　she　assured　him。　　〃The　front　door　is　never　barred。〃

She　walked　by　his　side；　swiftly　and　with　surprising　vigour。　　In　the
still；　grey　light；　her　face　was　more　ghastly　than　ever；　but　there
was　a　new　firmness　about　her　mouth；　a　new　decision　in　her　tone。
They　reached　the　Hall　without　further　speech；　and　she　led　the　way
to　a　small　door　on　the　eastern　side；　through　which　they　entered
noiselessly　and　passed　along　a　little　passage　out　into　the　hall。
A　couple　of　lights　were　still　burning。　　The　place　seemed　full　of
shadows。

〃What　are　you　going　to　do　now？〃　she　whispered。

〃I　want　to　ring　up　London　on　the　telephone；〃　he　replied。　　〃I　know
that　there　is　a　detective　either　in　the　neighbourhood　or　on　his
way　here；　but　I　shall　tell　my　friend　that　he　had　better　come　down
himself。〃

She　nodded。

〃I　am　going　to　release　Esther；〃　she　said。　　〃She　is　locked　in　her
room。　　The　telephone　is　in　the　study。　　I　will　come　down　there　to
you。〃

She　passed　silently　up　the　broad　staircase。　　Hamel　groped　his　way
across　the　hail　into　the　library。　　He　turned　on　the　small　electric
reading…lamp　and　drew　up　a　chair　to　the　side　of　the　telephone。　　Even
as　he　lifted　the　receiver　to　his　ear；　he　looked　around　him　half
apprehensively。　　It　seemed　as　though　every　moment　he　would　hear　the
click　of　Mr。　Fentolin's　chair。

He　got　the　exchange　at　Norwich　without　difficulty；　and　a　few　minutes
later　a　sleepy　reply　came　from　the　number　he　had　rung　up　in　London。
It　was　Kinsley's　servant　who　answered。

〃I　want　to　speak　to　Mr。　Kinsley　at　once　upon　most　important
business；〃　Hamel　announced。

〃Very　sorry；　sir；〃　the　man　replled。　　〃Mr。　Kinsley　left　town　last
night　for　the　country。〃

〃Where　has　he　gone？〃　Hamel　demanded　quickly。　　〃You　can　tell　me。
You　know　who　I　am；　I　am　Mr。　Hamel。〃

〃Into　Norfolk　somewhere；　sir。　　He　went　with　several　other　gentlemen。〃

〃Is　that　Bullen？〃　Hamel　asked。

The　man　admitted　the　fact。

〃Can　you　tell　me　if　any　of　the　people　with　whom　Mr。　Kinsley　left
London　were　connected　with　the　police？〃　he　inquired。

The　man　hesitated。

〃I　believe　so；　sir；〃　he　admitted。　　〃The　gentlemen　started　in　a
motor…car　and　were　going　to　drive　all　night。〃

Hamel　laid　down　the　receiver。　　At　any　rate；　he　would　not　be　left
long　with　this　responsibility　upon　him。　　He　walked　out　into　the　hall。
The　house　was　still　wrapped　in　deep　silence。　　Then；　from　somewhere
above　him；　coming　down　the　stairs；　he　heard　the　rustle　of　a　woman's
gown。　　He　looked　up；　and　saw　Miss　Price；　fully　dressed；　coming
slowly　towards　him。　　She　held　up　her　finger　and　led　the　way　back
into　the　library。　　She　was　dressed　as　neatly　as　ever；　but　there
was　a　queer　light　in　her　eyes。

〃I　have　seen　Mrs。　Seymour　Fentolin；〃　she　said。　　〃She　tells　me　that
you　have　left　Mr。　　Fentolin　and　the　others　in　the　subterranean　room
of　the　Tower。〃

Hamel　nodded。

〃They　have　Dunster　down　there；〃　he　told　her。　　〃I　followed　them　in；
it　seemed　the　best　thing　to　do。　　I　have　a　friend　from　London　who　is
on　his　way　down　here　now　with　some　detective　officers；　to　enquire
into　the　matter　of　Dunster's　disappearance。〃

〃Are　you　going　to　leave　them　where　they　are　until　these　people
arrive？〃　she　asked。

〃I　think　so；〃　he　replied；　after　a　moment's　hesitation。　　〃I　don't
seem　to　have　had　time　to　consider　even　what　to　do。　　The　opportunity
came；　and　I　embraced　it。　　There　they　are；　and　they　won't　dare　to
do　any　further　harm　to　Dunster　now。　　Mrs。　Fentolin　was　down　in　my
room；　and　I　thought　it　best　to　bring　her　back　first　before　I　even
parleyed　with　them　again。

〃　You　must　be　careful；〃　she　advised　slowly。　　The　man　Dunster　has
been　drugged；　he　has　lost　some　of　his　will；　he　may　have　lost　some
of　his　mental　balance。　　Mr。　Fentolin　is　clever。　　He　will　find　a
dozen　ways　to　wriggle　out　of　any　charge　that　can　be　brought　against
him。　　You　know　what　he　has　really　done？〃

〃I　can　guess。〃

〃He　has　kept　back　a　document　signed　by　the　twelve　men　in　America
who　control　the　whole　of　Wall　Street；　who　control　practically　the
money　markets　of　the　world。　　That　document　is　a　warning　to　Germany
that　they　will　have　no　war　against　England。　　Owing　to　Mr。　Fentolin；
it　has　not　been　delivered；　and　the　Conference　is　sitting　now。　　War
may　be　declared　at　any　moment。〃

〃But　as　a　matter　of　common　sense；〃　Hamel　asked；　〃why　does　Mr。
Fentolin　desire　war？〃

〃You　do　not　understand　Mr。　　Fentolin；〃　she　told　him　quietly。　　〃He
is　not　like　other　men。　　There　are　some　who　live　almost　entirely　for
the　sake　of　making　others　happy；　who　find　joy　in　seeing　people
content　and　satisfied。　　Mr。　　Fentolin　is　the　reverse　of　this。　　He
has　but　one　craving　in　life：　to　see　pain　in　others。　　To　see　a　human
being　suffer　is　to　him　a　debauch　of　happiness。　　A　war　which　laid
this　country　waste　would　fill　him　with　a　delight　which　you　could
never　understand。　　There　are　no　normal　human　beings　like　this。　　It
is　a　disease　in　the　man；　a　disease　which　came　upon　him　after　his
accident。〃

〃Yet　you　have　all　been　his　slaves；〃　Hamel　said　curiously。

〃We　have　all　been　his　slaves；〃　she　admitted；　〃for　different　reasons。
Before　his　accident　came；　Mr。　Fentolin　was　my　master　and　the　only
man　in　the　world　for　me。　　After　his　accident；　I　think　my　feelings
for　him；　if　anything；　grew　stronger。　　I　became　his　slave。　　I　sold
my　conscience；　my　self…respect；　everything　in　life　worth　having；　to
bring　a　smile　to　his　lips；　to　help　him　through　a　single　moment　of
his　misery。　　And　just　lately　the　reaction　has　come。　　He　has　played
with　me　just　as　he　would　sit　and　pull　the　legs　out　of　a　spider　to
watch　its　agony。　　I　have　been　one　of　his　favourite　amusements。　　And
even　now；　if　he　came　into　this　room　I　think　that　I　should　be
helpless。　　I　should　probably　fall　at　his　feet　and　pray　for
forgiveness。〃

Hamel　looked　at　her　wonderingly。

〃I　have　come　down　to　warn　you；〃　she　went　on。　　〃It　is　possible　that
this　is　the　beginning　of　the　end；　that　his　wonderful　fortune　will
desert　him；　that　his　star　has　gone　down。　　But　remember　that　he　has
the　brains　and　courage　of　genius。　　You　think　that　you　have　him　in
a　trap。　　Don't　be　surprised；　when　you　go　back；　to　find　that　he　has
turned　the　tables　upon　you。〃

〃Impossible！〃　Hamel　declared。　　〃I　looked　all　round　the　place。　　There
isn't　a　window　or　opening　anywhere。　　The　trap…door　is　in　the　middle
of　the　ceiling　and　it　is　fifteen　feet　from　the　floor。　　It　shuts
with　a　spring。〃

〃It　may　be　as　you　say；〃　she　observed。　　〃It　may　be　that　he　is　safe。
Remember；　though；　if　you　go　near　him；　that　he　is　desperate。〃

〃Do　you　know　where　Miss　Fentolin　is？〃　he　interrupted。

〃She　is　with　her　mother；〃　the　woman　replied；　impatiently。　　〃She　is
coming　down。　　Tell　me；　what　are　you　going　to　do　with　Mr。　Fentolin？
Nothing　else　matters。〃