malvina of brittany-第15章

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believed　it。　　But　to　most　of　his　flock　it　sounded　an　impossible
rigmarole；　told　for　the　purpose　of　disguising　the　truth。


So　ends　my　storyor　rather　the　story　I　have　pieced　together　from
information　of　a　contradictory　nature　received。　　Whatever　you　make
of　it；　whether　with　the　Doctor　you　explain　it　away；　or　whether　with
Professor　Littlecherry；　LL。D。；　F。R。S。；　you　believe　the　world　not
altogether　explored　and　mapped；　the　fact　remains　that　Malvina　of
Brittany　has　passed　away。　　To　the　younger　Mrs。　Raffleton；　listening
on　the　Sussex　Downs　to　dull；　distant　sounds　that　make　her　heart
beat；　and　very　nervous　of　telegraph　boys；　has　come　already　some　of
the　disadvantages　attendant　on　her　new　rank　of　womanhood。　　And　yet
one　gathers；　looking　down　into　those　strange　deep　eyes；　that　she
would　not　change　anything　about　her；　even　if　now　she　could。




THE　STREET　OF　THE　BLANK　WALL。




I　had　turned　off　from　the　Edgware　Road　into　a　street　leading　west；
the　atmosphere　of　which　had　appealed　to　me。　　It　was　a　place　of　quiet
houses　standing　behind　little　gardens。　　They　had　the　usual　names
printed　on　the　stuccoed　gateposts。　　The　fading　twilight　was　just
sufficient　to　enable　one　to　read　them。　　There　was　a　Laburnum　Villa；
and　The　Cedars；　and　a　Cairngorm；　rising　to　the　height　of　three
storeys；　with　a　curious　little　turret　that　branched　out　at　the　top；
and　was　crowned　with　a　conical　roof；　so　that　it　looked　as　if　wearing
a　witch's　hat。　　Especially　when　two　small　windows　just　below　the
eaves　sprang　suddenly　into　light；　and　gave　one　the　feeling　of　a　pair
of　wicked　eyes　suddenly　flashed　upon　one。

The　street　curved　to　the　right；　ending　in　an　open　space　through
which　passed　a　canal　beneath　a　low　arched　bridge。　　There　were　still
the　same　quiet　houses　behind　their　small　gardens；　and　I　watched　for
a　while　the　lamplighter　picking　out　the　shape　of　the　canal；　that
widened　just　above　the　bridge　into　a　lake　with　an　island　in　the
middle。　　After　that　I　must　have　wandered　in　a　circle；　for　later　on　I
found　myself　back　in　the　same　spot；　though　I　do　not　suppose　I　had
passed　a　dozen　people　on　my　way；　and　then　I　set　to　work　to　find　my
way　back　to　Paddington。

I　thought　I　had　taken　the　road　by　which　I　had　come；　but　the　half
light　must　have　deceived　me。　　Not　that　it　mattered。　　They　had　a
lurking　mystery　about　them；　these　silent　streets　with　their
suggestion　of　hushed　movement　behind　drawn　curtains；　of　whispered
voices　behind　the　flimsy　walls。　　Occasionally　there　would　escape　the
sound　of　laughter；　suddenly　stifled　as　it　seemed；　and　once　the
sudden　cry　of　a　child。

It　was　in　a　short　street　of　semi…detached　villas　facing　a　high　blank
wall　that；　as　I　passed；　I　saw　a　blind　move　half…way　up；　revealing　a
woman's　face。　　A　gas　lamp；　the　only　one　the　street　possessed；　was
nearly　opposite。　　I　thought　at　first　it　was　the　face　of　a　girl；　and
then；　as　I　looked　again；　it　might　have　been　the　face　of　an　old
woman。　　One　could　not　distinguish　the　colouring。　　In　any　case；　the
cold；　blue　gaslight　would　have　made　it　seem　pallid。

The　remarkable　feature　was　the　eyes。　　It　might　have　been；　of　course；
that　they　alone　caught　the　light　and　held　it；　rendering　them
uncannily　large　and　brilliant。　　Or　it　might　have　been　that　the　rest
of　the　face　was　small　and　delicate；　out　of　all　proportion　to　them。
She　may　have　seen　me；　for　the　blind　was　drawn　down　again；　and　I
passed　on。

There　was　no　particular　reason　why；　but　the　incident　lingered　with
me。　　The　sudden　raising　of　the　blind；　as　of　the　curtain　of　some
small　theatre；　the　barely　furnished　room　coming　dimly　into　view；　and
the　woman　standing　there；　close　to　the　footlights；　as　to　my　fancy　it
seemed。　　And　then　the　sudden　ringing　down　of　the　curtain　before　the
play　had　begun。　　I　turned　at　the　corner　of　the　street。　　The　blind
had　been　drawn　up　again；　and　I　saw　again　the　slight；　girlish　figure
silhouetted　against　the　side　panes　of　the　bow　window。

At　the　same　moment　a　man　knocked　up　against　me。　　It　was　not　his
fault。　　I　had　stopped　abruptly；　not　giving　him　time　to　avoid　me。　　We
both　apologised；　blaming　the　darkness。　　It　may　have　been　my　fancy；
but　I　had　the　feeling　that；　instead　of　going　on　his　way；　he　had
turned　and　was　following　me。　　I　waited　till　the　next　corner；　and
then　swung　round　on　my　heel。　　But　there　was　no　sign　of　him；　and
after　a　while　I　found　myself　back　in　the　Edgware　Road。

Once　or　twice；　in　idle　mood；　I　sought　the　street　again；　but　without
success；　and　the　thing　would；　I　expect；　have　faded　from　my　memory；
but　that　one　evening；　on　my　way　home　from　Paddington；　I　came　across
the　woman　in　the　Harrow　Road。　　There　was　no　mistaking　her。　　She
almost　touched　me　as　she　came　out　of　a　fishmonger's　shop；　and
unconsciously；　at　the　beginning；　I　found　myself　following　her。　　This
time　I　noticed　the　turnings；　and　five　minutes'　walking　brought　us　to
the　street。　　Half　a　dozen　times　I　must　have　been　within　a　hundred
yards　of　it。　　I　lingered　at　the　corner。　　She　had　not　noticed　me；　and
just　as　she　reached　the　house　a　man　came　out　of　the　shadows　beyond
the　lamp…post　and　joined　her。

I　was　due　at　a　bachelor　gathering　that　evening；　and　after　dinner；
the　affair　being　fresh　in　my　mind；　I　talked　about　it。　　I　am　not
sure；　but　I　think　it　was　in　connection　with　a　discussion　on
Maeterlinck。　　It　was　that　sudden　lifting　of　the　blind　that　had
caught　hold　of　me。　　As　if；　blundering　into　an　empty　theatre；　I　had
caught　a　glimpse　of　some　drama　being　played　in　secret。　　We　passed　to
other　topics；　and　when　I　was　leaving　a　fellow　guest　asked　me　which
way　I　was　going。　　I　told　him；　and；　it　being　a　fine　night；　he
proposed　that　we　should　walk　together。　　And　in　the　quiet　of　Harley
Street　he　confessed　that　his　desire　had　not　been　entirely　the
pleasure　of　my　company。

〃It　is　rather　curious；〃　he　said；　〃but　today　there　suddenly　came　to
my　remembrance　a　case　that　for　nearly　eleven　years　I　have　never
given　a　thought　to。　　And　now；　on　top　of　it；　comes　your　description
of　that　woman's　face。　　I　am　wondering　if　it　can　be　the　same。〃

〃It　was　the　eyes；〃　I　said；　〃that　struck　me　as　so　remarkable。〃

〃It　was　the　eyes　that　I　chiefly　remember　her　by；〃　he　replied。
〃Would　you　know　the　street　again？〃

We　walked　a　little　while　in　silence。

〃It　may　seem；　perhaps；　odd　to　you；〃　I　answered；　〃but　it　would
trouble　me；　the　idea　of　any　harm　coming　to　her　through　me。　　What　was
the　case？〃

〃You　can　feel　quite　safe　on　that　point；〃　he　assured　me。　　〃I　was　her
counselthat　is；　if　it　is　the　same　woman。　　How　was　she　dressed？〃

I　could　not　see　the　reason　for　his　question。　　He　could　hardly　expect
her　to　be　wearing　the　clothes　of　eleven　years　ago。

〃I　don't　think　I　noticed；〃　I　answered。　　〃Some　sort　of　a　blouse；　I
suppose。〃　　And　then　I　recollected。　　〃Ah；　yes；　there　was　something
uncommon；〃　I　added。　　〃An　unusually　broad　band　of　velvet；　it　looked
like；　round　her　neck。〃

〃I　thought　so；〃　he　said。　　〃Yes。　　It　must　be　the　same。〃

We　had　reached　Marylebone　Road；　where　our　ways　parted。

〃I　will　look　you　up　to…morrow　afternoon；　if　I　may；〃　he　said。　　〃We
might　take　a　stroll　round　together。〃

He　called　on　me　about　half…past　five；　and　we　reached　the　street　just
as　the　one　solitary　gas…lamp　had　been　lighted。　　I　pointed　out　the
house　to　him；　and　he　crossed　over　and　looked　at　the　number。

〃Quite　right；〃　he　said；　on　returning。　　〃I　made　inquiries　this
morning。　　She　was　released　six　weeks　ago　on　ticket…of…leave。〃

He　took　my　arm。

〃Not　much　use　hanging　about；〃　he　said。　　〃The　blind　won't　go　up
to…night。　　Rather　a　clever　idea；　selecting　a　house　just　opposite　a
lamp…post。〃

He　had　an　engagement　that　evening；　but　later　on　he　told　me　the
storythat　is；　so　far　as　he　then　knew　it。

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It　was　in　the　early　days　of　the　garden　suburb　movement。　　One　of　the
first　sites　chosen　was　off　the　Finchley　Road。　　The　place　was　in　the
building；　and　one　of　the　streetsLaleham　Gardenshad　only　some
half　a　dozen　houses　in　it；　all　unoccupied　save　one。　　It　was　a
lonely；　loose　end　of　the　suburb；　terminating　suddenly　in　open
fields。　　From　the　unfinished　end　of　the　road　the　ground　sloped　down
somewhat　steeply　to　a　pond；　and　beyond　that　began　a　small　wood。　　The
one　house　occupied　had　been　bought　by