malvina of brittany-第16章

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somewhat　steeply　to　a　pond；　and　beyond　that　began　a　small　wood。　　The
one　house　occupied　had　been　bought　by　a　young　married　couple　named
Hepworth。

The　husband　was　a　good…looking；　pleasant　young　fellow。　　Being
clean…shaven；　his　exact　age　was　difficult　to　judge。　　The　wife；　it
was　quite　evident；　was　little　more　than　a　girl。　　About　the　man　there
was　a　suggestion　of　weakness。　　At　least；　that　was　the　impression
left　on　the　mind　of　the　house…agent。　　To…day　he　would　decide；　and
to…morrow　he　changed　his　mind。　　Jetson；　the　agent；　had　almost　given
up　hope　of　bringing　off　a　deal。　　In　the　end　it　was　Mrs。　Hepworth
who；　taking　the　matter　into　her　own　hands；　fixed　upon　the　house　in
Laleham　Gardens。　　Young　Hepworth　found　fault　with　it　on　the　ground
of　its　isolation。　　He　himself　was　often　away　for　days　at　a　time；
travelling　on　business；　and　was　afraid　she　would　be　nervous。　　He　had
been　very　persistent　on　this　point；　but　in　whispered　conversations
she　had　persuaded　him　out　of　his　objection。　　It　was　one　of　those
pretty；　fussy　little　houses；　and　it　seemed　to　have　taken　her　fancy。
Added　to　which；　according　to　her　argument；　it　was　just　within　their
means；　which　none　of　the　others　were。　　Young　Hepworth　may　have　given
the　usual　references；　but　if　so　they　were　never　taken　up。　　The　house
was　sold　on　the　company's　usual　terms。　　The　deposit　was　paid　by　a
cheque；　which　was　duly　cleared；　and　the　house　itself　was　security
for　the　rest。　　The　company's　solicitor；　with　Hepworth's　consent；
acted　for　both　parties。

It　was　early　in　June　when　the　Hepworths　moved　in。　　They　furnished
only　one　bedroom；　and　kept　no　servant；　a　charwoman　coming　in　every
morning　and　going　away　about　six　in　the　evening。　　Jetson　was　their
nearest　neighbour。　　His　wife　and　daughters　called　on　them；　and
confess　to　have　taken　a　liking　to　them　both。　　Indeed；　between　one　of
the　Jetson　girls；　the　youngest；　and　Mrs。　Hepworth　there　seems　to
have　sprung　up　a　close　friendship。　　Young　Hepworth；　the　husband；　was
always　charming；　and　evidently　took　great　pains　to　make　himself
agreeable。　　But　with　regard　to　him　they　had　the　feeling　that　he　was
never　altogether　at　his　ease。　　They　described　himthough　that；　of
course；　was　after　the　eventas　having　left　upon　them　the　impression
of　a　haunted　man。

There　was　one　occasion　in　particular。　　It　was　about　ten　o'clock。
The　Jetsons　had　been　spending　the　evening　with　the　Hepworths；　and
were　just　on　the　point　of　leaving；　when　there　came　a　sudden；　clear
knock　at　the　door。　　It　turned　out　to　be　Jetson's　foreman；　who　had　to
leave　by　an　early　train　in　the　morning；　and　had　found　that　he　needed
some　further　instructions。　　But　the　terror　in　Hepworth's　face　was
unmistakable。　　He　had　turned　a　look　towards　his　wife　that　was　almost
of　despair；　and　it　had　seemed　to　the　Jetsonsor；　talking　it　over
afterwards；　they　may　have　suggested　the　idea　to　each　otherthat
there　came　a　flash　of　contempt　into　her　eyes；　though　it　yielded　the
next　instant　to　an　expression　of　pity。　　She　had　risen；　and　already
moved　some　steps　towards　the　door；　when　young　Hepworth　had　stopped
her；　and　gone　out　himself。　　But　the　curious　thing　was　that；
according　to　the　foreman's　account；　Hepworth　never　opened　the　front
door；　but　came　upon　him　stealthily　from　behind。　　He　must　have
slipped　out　by　the　back　and　crept　round　the　house。

The　incident　had　puzzled　the　Jetsons；　especially　that　involuntary
flash　of　contempt　that　had　come　into　Mrs。　Hepworth's　eyes。　　She　had
always　appeared　to　adore　her　husband；　and　of　the　two；　if　possible；
to　be　the　one　most　in　love　with　the　other。　　They　had　no　friends　or
acquaintances　except　the　Jetsons。　　No　one　else　among　their
neighbours　had　taken　the　trouble　to　call　on　them；　and　no　stranger　to
the　suburb　had；　so　far　as　was　known；　ever　been　seen　in　Laleham
Gardens。

Until　one　evening　a　little　before　Christmas。

Jetson　was　on　his　way　home　from　his　office　in　the　Finchley　Road。
There　had　been　a　mist　hanging　about　all　day；　and　with　nightfall　it
had　settled　down　into　a　whitish　fog。　　Soon　after　leaving　the
Finchley　Road；　Jetson　noticed　in　front　of　him　a　man　wearing　a　long；
yellow　mackintosh；　and　some　sort　of　soft　felt　hat。　　He　gave　Jetson
the　idea　of　being　a　sailor；　it　may　have　been　merely　the　stiff；
serviceable　mackintosh。　　At　the　corner　of　Laleham　Gardens　the　man
turned；　and　glanced　up　at　the　name　upon　the　lamp…post；　so　that
Jetson　had　a　full　view　of　him。　　Evidently　it　was　the　street　for
which　he　was　looking。　　Jetson；　somewhat　curious；　the　Hepworths'
house　being　still　the　only　one　occupied；　paused　at　the　corner；　and
watched。　　The　Hepworths'　house　was；　of　course；　the　only　one　in　the
road　that　showed　any　light。　　The　man；　when　he　came　to　the　gate；
struck　a　match　for　the　purpose　of　reading　the　number。　　Satisfied　it
was　the　house　he　wanted；　he　pushed　open　the　gate　and　went　up　the
path。

But；　instead　of　using　the　bell　or　knocker；　Jetson　was　surprised　to
hear　him　give　three　raps　on　the　door　with　his　stick。　　There　was　no
answer；　and　Jetson；　whose　interest　was　now　thoroughly　aroused；
crossed　to　the　other　corner；　from　where　he　could　command　a　better
view。　　Twice　the　man　repeated　his　three　raps　on　the　door；　each　time
a　little　louder；　and　the　third　time　the　door　was　opened。　　Jetson
could　not　tell　by　whom；　for　whoever　it　was　kept　behind　it。

He　could　just　see　one　wall　of　the　passage；　with　a　pair　of　old　naval
cutlasses　crossed　above　the　picture　of　a　three…masted　schooner　that
he　knew　hung　there。　　The　door　was　opened　just　sufficient；　and　the
man　slipped　in；　and　the　door　was　closed　behind　him。　　Jetson　had
turned　to　continue　his　way；　when　the　fancy　seized　him　to　give　one
glance　back。　　The　house　was　in　complete　darkness；　though　a　moment
before　Jetson　was　positive　there　had　been　a　light　in　the　ground
floor　window。

It　all　sounded　very　important　afterwards；　but　at　the　time　there　was
nothing　to　suggest　to　Jetson　anything　very　much　out　of　the　common。
Because　for　six　months　no　friend　or　relation　had　called　to　see　them；
that　was　no　reason　why　one　never　should。　　In　the　fog；　a　stranger　may
have　thought　it　simpler　to　knock　at　the　door　with　his　stick　than　to
fumble　in　search　of　a　bell。　　The　Hepworths　lived　chiefly　in　the　room
at　the　back。　　The　light　in　the　drawing…room　may　have　been　switched
off　for　economy's　sake。　　Jetson　recounted　the　incident　on　reaching
home；　not　as　anything　remarkable；　but　just　as　one　mentions　an　item
of　gossip。　　The　only　one　who　appears　to　have　attached　any　meaning　to
the　affair　was　Jetson's　youngest　daughter；　then　a　girl　of　eighteen。
She　asked　one　or　two　questions　about　the　man；　and；　during　the
evening；　slipped　out　by　herself　and　ran　round　to　the　Hepworths。　　She
found　the　house　empty。　　At　all　events；　she　could　obtain　no　answer；
and　the　place；　back　and　front；　seemed　to　her　to　be　uncannily　silent。

Jetson　called　the　next　morning；　something　of　his　daughter's
uneasiness　having　communicated　itself　to　him。　　Mrs。　Hepworth　herself
opened　the　door　to　him。　　In　his　evidence　at　the　trial；　Jetson
admitted　that　her　appearance　had　startled　him。　　She　seems　to　have
anticipated　his　questions　by　at　once　explaining　that　she　had　had
news　of　an　unpleasant　nature；　and　had　been　worrying　over　it　all
night。　　Her　husband　had　been　called　away　suddenly　to　America；　where
it　would　be　necessary　for　her　to　join　him　as　soon　as　possible。　　She
would　come　round　to　Jetson's　office　later　in　the　day　to　make
arrangements　about　getting　rid　of　the　house　and　furniture。

The　story　seemed　to　reasonably　account　for　the　stranger's　visit；　and
Jetson；　expressing　his　sympathy　and　promising　all　help　in　his　power；
continued　his　way　to　the　office。　　She　called　in　the　afternoon　and
handed　him　over　the　keys；　retaining　one　for　herself。　　She　wished　the
furniture　to　be　sold　by　auction；　and　he　was　to　accept　almost　any
offer　for　the　house。　　She　would　try　and　see　him　again　before
sailing；　if　not；　she　would　write　him　with　her　address。　　She　was
perfectly　cool　and　collected。　　She　had　called　on　his　wife　and
daughters　in　the　afternoon；　and　had　wished　them　good…bye。

Outside　Jetson's　office　she　hailed　a　cab；　and　returned　in　it　to
Laleham　Gardens　to　collect　her　boxes。　　The　next　time　Jetson　saw　her
she　was　in　the　dock；　charged　with　being　an　accom