the vanished messenger-第9章
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sealing wax； there was no particular impression upon it。
〃We can match this envelope； I think；〃 Mr。 Fentolin said softly。
〃The seal we can copy。 I think that； for the sake of others； we
must discover the cause for this hurried journey on the part of Mr。
John P。 Dunster。〃
With his long； delicate forefinger Mr。 Fentolin slit the envelope
and withdrew the single sheet of paper which it contained。 There
were a dozen lines of written matter； and what appeared to be a
dozen signatures appended。 Mr。 Fentolin read it； at first with
ordinary interest。 Then a change came。 The look of a man drawn
out of himself； drawn out of all knowledge of his surroundings or
his present state； stole into his face。 Literally he became
transfixed。 The delicate fingers of his； left hand gripped the
sides of his little carriage。 His eyes shone as though those few
written lines upon which they were riveted were indeed some message
from an unknown； an unimagined world。 Yet no word ever passed his
lips。 There came a time when the tension seemed a little relaxed。
With fingers which still trembled； he folded up the sheet and
replaced it in the envelope。 He guarded it with both his hands and
sat quite still。 Neither Gerald nor his servant moved。 Somehow；
the sense of Mr。 Fentolin's suppressed excitement seemed to have
become communicated to them。 It was a little tableau； broken at
last by Mr。 Fentolin himself。
〃I should like；〃 he said； turning to Gerald； 〃to be alone。 It may
interest you to know that this docu which Mr。 Dunster has brought
across the seas； and which I hold in my hands； is the most amazing
message of modern times。〃
Gerald rose to his feet。
〃What are you going to do about it？〃 he asked abruptly。 〃Do you
want any one in from the telegraph room？〃
Mr。 Fentolin shook his head slowly。
〃At present；〃 he announced； 〃I am going to reflect。 Meekins； my
chair to the north window … so。 I am going to sit here；〃 he went
on； 〃 and I am going to look across the sea_and reflect。 A very
fortunate storm； after all； I think； which kept Mr。 John P。 Dunster
from the Harwich boat last night。 Leave me； Gerald； for a time。
Stand behind my chair； Meekins； and see that no one enters。〃
Mr。 Fentolin sat in his chair； his hands still gripping the wonderful
document； his eyes travelling over the ocean now flecked with
sunlight。 His eyes were fixed upon the horizon。 He looked steadily
eastward。
CHAPTER VI
Mr。 John P。 Dunster opened his eyes upon strange surroundings。 He
found himself lying upon a bed deliciously soft； with lace…edged
sheets and lavender…perfumed bed hangings。 Through the discreetly
opened upper window came a pleasant and ozone…laden breeze。 The
furniture in the room was mostly of an old…fashioned type； some of
it of oak； curiously carved； and most of it surmounted with a coat
of arms。 The apartment was lofty and of almost palatial proportions。
The whole atmosphere of the place breathed comfort and refinement。
The only thing of which he did not wholly approve was the face of
the nurse who rose silently to her feet at his murmured question：
〃Where am I？〃
She felt his forehead； altered a bandage for a moment； and took his
wrist between her fingers。
〃You have been ill；〃 she said。 〃There was a railway accident。 You
are to lie quite still and not say a word。 I am going to fetch the
doctor now。 He wished to see you directly you spoke。〃
Mr。 Dunster dozed again for several moments。 When he reopened his
eyes； a man was standing by his bedside； a short man with a black
beard and gold…rimmed glasses。 Mr。 Dunster； in this first stage of
his convalescence； was perhaps difficult to please； for he did not
like the look of the doctor； either。
〃Please tell me where I am？〃 he begged。
〃You have been in a railway accident；〃 the doctor told him； 〃and
you were brought here afterwards。〃
〃In a railway accident；〃 Mr。 Dunster repeated。 〃Ah； yes； I remember！
I took a special to Harwich … I remember now。 Where is my
dressing…bag？〃
〃It is here by the side of your bed。〃
〃And my pocket…book？〃
〃It is on your dressing…table。〃
〃Have any of my things been looked at？〃
〃Only so far as was necessary to discover your identity；〃 the doctor
assured him。 〃Don't talk too much。 The nurse is bringing you some
beef tea。〃
〃When；〃 Mr。 Dunster enquired； 〃 shall I be able to continue my
journey？〃
〃That depends upon many things；〃 the doctor replied。
Mr。 Dunster drank his beef tea and felt considerably stronger。 His
head still ached； but his memory was returning。
〃There was a young man in the carriage with me；〃 he asked presently。
〃Mr。 Gerald something or other I think he said his name was？〃
〃Fentolin；〃 the doctor said。 〃He is unhurt。 This is his relative's
house to which you have been brought。〃
Mr。 Dunster lay for a time with knitted brows。 Once more the name
of Fentolin seemed somehow familiar to him； seemed somehow to bring
with it to his memory a note of warning。 He looked around the room
fretfully。 He looked into the nurse's face； which he disliked
exceedingly； and he looked at the doctor； whom he was beginning to
detest。
〃Whose house exactly is this？〃 he demanded。
〃This is St。 David's Hall … the home of Mr。 Miles Fentolin；〃 the
doctor told him。 〃The young gentleman with whom you were travelling
is his nephew。〃
〃Can I send a telegram？〃 Mr。 Dunster asked； a little abruptly。
〃Without a doubt；〃 the doctor replied。 〃Mr。 Fentolin desired me to
ask you if there was any one whom you would like to apprise of your
safety。〃
Again the man upon the bed lay quite still； with knitted brows。
There was surely something familiar about that name。 Was it his
fevered fancy or was there also something a little sinister？
The nurse； who had glided from the room； came back presently with
some telegraph forms。 Mr。 Dunster held out his hand for them and
then hesitated。
〃Can you tell me any date； Doctor； upon which I can rely upon
leaving here？〃
〃You will probably be well enough to travel on the third day from
now；〃 the doctor assured him。
〃The third day；〃 Mr。 Dunster muttered。 〃Very well。〃
He wrote out three telegrams and passed them over。
〃One；〃 he said； 〃is to New York； one to The Hague； and one to London。
There was plenty of money in my pocket。 Perhaps you will find it
and pay for these。〃
〃Is there anything more；〃 the doctor asked； 〃that can be done for
your comfort？〃
〃Nothing at present；〃 Mr。 Dunster replied。 〃My head aches now； but
I think that I shall want to leave before three days are up。 Are
you the doctor in the neighbourhood？〃
Sarson shook his head。
〃I am physician to Mr。 Fentolin's household；〃 he answered quietly。
〃I live here。 Mr。 Fentolin is himself somewhat of an invalid and
requires constant medical attention。〃
Mr。 Dunster contemplated the speaker steadfastly。
〃You will forgive me；〃 he said。 〃I am an American and I am used to
plain speech。 I am quite unused to being attended by strange
doctors。 I understand that you are not in general practice now。
Might I ask if you are fully qualified？〃
〃I am an M。D。 of London；〃 the doctor replied。 〃You can make
yourself quite easy as to my qualifications。 It would not suit
Mr。 Fentolin's purpose to entrust himself to the care of any one
without a reputation。〃
He left the room； and Mr。 Dunster closed his eyes。 His slumbers；
however； were not altogether peaceful ones。 All the time there
seemed to be a hammering inside his head； and from somewhere back
in his obscured memory the name of Fentolin seemed to be continually
asserting itself。 From somewhere or other； the amazing sense which
sometimes gives warning of danger to men of adventure； seemed to
have opened its feelers。 He rested because he was exhausted； but
even in his sleep he was ill at ease。
The doctor； with the telegrams in his hand； made his way down a
splendid staircase； past the long picture gallery where masterpieces
of Van Dyck and Rubens frowned and leered down upon him； descended
the final stretch of broad oak stairs； crossed the hail； and entered
his master's rooms。 Mr。 Fentolin was sitting before the open window；
an easel i
