the vanished messenger-第57章

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be　increasing。　　The　door　was　suddenly　thrown　open。　　Hannah　Cox　stood
outside　in　her　plain　black　dress；　her　hair　wind…tossed；　her　eyes
aflame。　　She　held　the　key　in　her　fingers；　and　she　looked　in　upon
them。　　Her　lips　seemed　to　move；　but　she　said　nothing。

〃My　good　woman；〃　Mr。　　Fentolin　exclaimed；　frowning；　〃are　you　the
person　who　removed　that　key？〃

She　laid　her　hand　upon　his　chair。　　She　took　no　no　tice　of　the　other
two。

〃Come；〃　she　said；　〃there　is　something　here　I　want　you　to　listen　to。
Come！〃




CHAPTER　XXXV


Mr。　　Fentolin；　arrived　outside　on　the　stone　front　of　the　boat…house；
pointed　the　wheel　of　his　chair　towards　the　Hall。　　Hannah　Cox；　who
kept　by　his　side；　however；　drew　it　gently　towards　the　beach。

〃Down　here；〃　she　directed　softly。　　〃Bring　your　chair　down　the
plank…way；　close　to　the　water's　edge。〃

〃My　good　woman；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　exclaimed　furiously；　〃I　am　not　in　the
humour　for　this　sort　of　thing！　　Lock　up；　Sarson；　at　once；　I　am　in
a　hurry　to　get　back。〃

〃But　you　will　come　just　this　little　way；〃　she　continued；　speaking
without　any　change　of　tone。　　〃You　see；　the　others　are　waiting；　too。
I　have　been　down　to　the　village　and　fetched　them　up。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　followed　her　outstretched　finger　and　gave　a　sudden
start。　　Standing　at　the　edge　of　the　sea　were　a　dozen　or　twenty
fishermen。　　They　were　all　muttering　together　and　looking　at　the　top
of　the　boat…house。　　As　he　realised　the　direction　of　their　gaze；　Mr。
Fentolin's　face　underwent　a　strange　transformation。　　He　seemed　to
shrink　in　his　chair。　　He　was　ghastly　pale　even　to　the　lips。　　Slowly
he　turned　his　head。　　From　a　place　in　the　roof　of　the　boat…house
a　tall　support　had　appeared。　　On　the　top　was　a　swinging　globe。

〃What　have　you　to　do　with　that？〃　he　asked　in　a　low　tone。

〃I　found　it；〃　she　answered。　　〃I　felt　that　it　was　there。　　I　have
brought　them　up　with　me　to　see　it。　　I　think　that　they　want　to　ask
you　some　questions。　　But　first；　come　and　listen。〃

Mr。　　Fentolin　shook　her　off。　　He　looked　around　for　Meekins。

〃Meekins；　stand　by　my　chair；〃　he　ordered　sharply。　　〃Turn　round；　I
wish　to　go　to　the　Hall。　　Drive　this　woman　away。〃

Meekins　came　hurrying　up；　but　almost　at　the　same　moment　half　a　dozen
of　the　brown　jerseyed　fishermen　detached　themselves　from　the　others。
They　formed　a　little　bodyguard　around　the　bath…chair。

〃What　is　the　meaning　of　this？〃　Mr。　　Fentolin　demanded；　his　voice
shrill　with　anger。　　〃Didn't　you　hear　what　I　said？　　This　woman　annoys
me。　　Send　her　away。〃

Not　one　of　the　fishermen　answered　a　word　or　made　the　slightest
movement　to　obey　him。　　One　of　them；　a　grey…bearded　veteran；　drew
the　chair　a　little　further　down　the　planked　way　across　the　pebbles。
Hannah　Cox　kept　close　to　its　side。　　They　came　to　a　standstill　only
a　few　yards　from　where　the　waves　were　breaking。　　She　lifted　her　hand。

〃Listen！〃　she　cried。　　〃Listen！〃

Mr。　Fentolin　turned　helplessly　around。　　The　little　group　of
fishermen　had　closed　in　upon　Sarson　and　Meekins。　　The　woman's　hand
was　upon　his　shoulder；　she　pointed　seaward　to　where　a　hissing　line
of　white　foam　marked　the　spot　where　the　topmost　of　the　rocks　were
visible。

〃You　wondered　why　I　have　spent　so　much　of　my　time　out　here；〃　she
said　quietly。　　〃Now　you　will　know。　　If　you　listen　as　I　am　listening；
as　I　have　listened　for　so　many　weary　hours；　so　many　weary　years；
you　will　hear　them　calling　to　me；　David　and　John　and　Stephen。
'The　light！'　　Do　you　hear　what　they　are　crying？　　'The　light！
Fentolin's　light！'　　Look！〃

She　forced　him　to　look　once　more　at　the　top　of　the　boat…house。

〃They　were　right！〃　she　proclaimed；　her　voice　gaining　in　strength
and　intensity。　　〃They　were　neither　drunk　nor　reckless。　　They
steered　as　straight　as　human　hand　could　guide　a　tiller；　for
Fentolin's　light！　And　there　they　are；　calling　and　calling　at　the
bottom　of　the　sea　…　my　three　boys　and　my　man。　　Do　you　know　for　whom
they　call？〃

Mr。　Fentolin　shrank　back　in　his　chair。

〃Take　this　woman　away！〃　he　ordered　the　fishermen。　　〃Do　you　hear？
Take　her　away；　she　is　mad！〃

They　looked　towards　him；　but　not　one　of　them　moved。　　Mr。　Fentolin
raised　his　whistle　to　his　lips；　and　blew　it。

〃Meekins！〃　he　cried。　　〃Where　are　you；　Meekins？〃

He　turned　his　head　and　saw　at　once　that　Meekins　was　powerless。
Five　or　six　of　the　fishermen　had　gathered　around　him。　　There　were
at　least　thirty　of　them　about；　sinewy；　powerful　men。　　The　only
person　who　moved　towards　Mr。　　Fentolin's　carriage　was　Jacob；　the
coast　guardsman。

〃Mr。　　Fentolin；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃the　lads　have　got　your　bully　safe。
It's　a　year　and　more　that　Hannah　Cox　has　been　about　the　village　with
some　story　about　two　lights　on　a　stormy　night。　　It's　true　what　she
says　…　that　her　man　and　boys　lie　drowned。　　There's　William　Green；
besides；　and　a　nephew　of　my　own　…　John　Kallender。　　And　Philip　Green
…　he　was　saved。　　He　swore　by　all　that　was　holy　that　he　steered
straight　for　the　light　when　his　boat　struck；　and　that　as　he　swam
for　shore；　five　minutes　later；　he　saw　the　light　reappear　in　another
place。　　It's　a　strange　story。　　What　have　you　to　say；　sir；　about
that？〃

He　pointed　straight　to　the　wire…encircled　globe　which　towered　on
its　slender　support　above　the　boat…house。　　Mr。　Fentolin　looked　at
it　and　looked　back　at　the　coast　guardsman。　　The　brain　of　a
Machiavelli　could　scarcely　have　invented　a　plausible　reply。

〃The　light　was　never　lit　there；〃　he　said。　　〃It　was　simply　to　help
me　in　some　electrical　experiments。〃

Then；　for　the　first　time　in　their　lives；　those　who　were　looking　on
saw　Mr。　Fentolin　apart　from　his　carriage。　　Without　any　haste　but
with　amazing　strength；　Hannah　Cox　leaned　over；　and；　with　her　arms
around　his　middle；　lifted　him　sheer　up　into　the　air。　　She　carried
him；　clasped　in　her　arms；　a　weird；　struggling　object；　to　the　clumsy
boat　that　lay　always　at　the　top　of　the　beach。　　She　dropped　him　into
the　bottom；　took　her　seat；　and　unshipped　the　oars。　　For　one　moment
the　coast　guardsman　hesitated；　then　he　obeyed　her　look。　　He　gave
the　boat　a　push　which　sent　it　grinding　down　the　pebbles　into　the
sea。　　The　woman　began　to　work　at　the　oars。　　Every　now　and　then　she
looked　over　her　shoulder　at　that　thin　line　of　white　surf　which　they
were　all　the　time　approaching。

〃What　are　you　doing；　woman？〃　Mr。　Fentolin　demanded　hoarsely。
〃Listen！　　It　was　an　accident　that　your　people　were　drowned。　　I'll
give　you　an　annuity。　　I'll　make　you　rich　for　life　…　rich！　　Do　you
understand　what　that　means？〃

〃Aye！〃　she　answered；　looking　down　upon　him　as　he　lay　doubled　up　at
the　bottom　of　the　boat。　　〃I　know　what　it　means　to　be　rich　…　better
than　you；　maybe。　　Not　to　let　the　gold　and　silver　pieces　fall　through
your　fingers；　or　to　live　in　a　great　house　and　be　waited　upon　by
servants　who　desert　you　in　the　hour　of　need。　　That　isn't　being　rich。
It's　rich　to　feel　the　touch　of　the　one　you　love；　to　see　the　faces
around　of　those　you've　given　birth　to；　to　move　on　through　the　days
and　nights　towards　the　end；　with　them　around；　not　to　know　the　chill
loneliness　of　an　empty　life。　　I　am　a　poor　woman；　Mr。　　Fentolin；　and
it's　your　hand　that　made　me　so；　and　not　all　the　miracles　that　the
Bible　ever　told　of　can　make　me　rich　again。〃

〃You　are　a　fool！〃　he　shrieked。　　〃You　can　buy　forgetfulness！　　The
memory　of　everything　passes。〃

〃I　may　be　a　fool；〃　she　retorted　grimly；　〃and　you　the　wise　man；　but
this　day　we'll　both　know　the　truth。〃

There　was　a　little　murmur　from　the　shore；　where　the　fishermen　stood
in　a　long　line。

〃Bring　him　back；　missus；〃　Jacob　called　out。　　〃You've　scared　him
enough。　　Bring　him　back。　　We'll　leave　him　to　the　law。〃

They　were　close　to　the　line　of　surf　now；　they　had　passed　it；　indeed；
a　little　on　the　left；　and　the　boat　was　drifting。　　She　stood　up；
straight　and　stern；　and　her　face；　as　she　looked　towards　the　land；
was　lit　with　the　fire　of　the　prophetess。

〃Aye；〃　she　cried；　〃we'll　leave　him　to　the　law　…　to　the　law　of　God！〃

Then　they　saw　her　stoop　down；　and　once　more　with　that　almost
superhuman　strength　which　seemed　to　belong　to　her　for　those　few
moments；　she　lifted　the　strange　object　who　lay　cowering　there；
high　above　her　head。　　From　the　shore　they　realised　what　was　going
to　happen；　and　a　great　shout　arose。　　She　stood　on　the　side　of　the
boat　a