the vanished messenger-第28章

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say　the　name　of　this　poor　fellow　was　who　is　lying　ill　up…stairs？〃

Gerald　hesitated　for　a　moment。　　Then　he　answered　as　though　a　species
of　recklessness　had　seized　him。

〃He　called　himself　Mr。　John　P。　Dunster。〃




CHAPTER　XVII

Mr。　Fentolin；　having　succeeded　in　getting　rid　of　his　niece　and　his
somewhat　embarrassing　guest　for　at　least　two　hours；　was　seated　in
his　study；　planning　out　a　somewhat　strenuous　morning；　when　his
privacy　was　invaded　by　Doctor　Sarson。

〃Our　guest；〃　the　latter　announced；　in　his　usual　cold　and　measured
tones；　〃has　sent　me　to　request　that　you　will　favour　him　with　an
interview。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　laid　his　pen　deliberately　down。

〃So　soon；〃　he　murmured。　　〃Very　well；　Sarson；　I　am　at　his　service。
　Say　that　I　will　come　at　once。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　lost　no　time　in　paying　this　suggested　visit。　　Mr。　John
P。　Dunster；　shaved　and　clothed；　was　seated　in　an　easy…chair　drawn
up　to　the　window　of　his　room；　smoking　what　he　was　forced　to　confess
was　a　very　excellent　cigar。　　He　turned　his　head　as　the　door　opened；
and　Mr。　Fentolin　waved　his　hand　pleasantly。

〃Really；〃　he　declared；　〃this　is　most　agreeable。　　I　had　an　idea；　Mr。
Dunster；　that　I　should　find　you　a　reasonable　person。　　Men　of　your
eminence　in　their　profession　usually　are。〃

Mr。　Dunster　looked　at　the　speaker　curiously。

〃And　what　might　my　profession　be；　Mr。　Fentolin？〃　he　asked。　　〃You
seem　to　know　a　great　deal　about　me。〃

〃It　is　true；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　admitted。　　〃I　do　know　a　great　deal。〃

Mr。　Dunster　knocked　the　ash　from　his　cigar。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　been　the　hearer　of　several　important
communications　from　my　side　of　the　Atlantic　to　England　and　to　the
Continent；　and　I　have　always　known　that　there　was　a　certain　amount
of　risk　in　the　business。　　Once　I　had　an　exceedingly　narrow　shave；〃
he　continued　reminiscently；　〃but　this　is　the　first　time　I　have　ever
been　dead　up　against　it；　and　I　don't　mind　confessing　that　you've
fairly　got　me　puzzled。　　Who　the　mischief　are　you；　Mr。　Fentolin；
and　what　are　you　interfering　about？〃

Mr。　Fentolinn　smiled　queerly。

〃I　am　what　you　see；〃　he　replied。　　〃I　am　one　of　those　unfortunate
human　beings　who；　by　reason　of　their　physical　misfortunes；　are　cut
off　from　the　world　of　actual　life。　　I　have　been　compelled　to　seek
distraction　in　strange　quarters。　　I　have　wealth　…　great　wealth　I
suppose　I　should　say；　an　inordinate　curiosity；　a　talent　for　intrigue。
As　to　the　direction　in　which　I　carry　on　my　intrigues；　or　even　as　to
the　direct　interests　which　I　study；　that　is　a　matter；　Mr。　Dunster；
upon　which　I　shall　not　gratify　your　curiosity　nor　anybody　else's。
But；　you　see；　I　am　admitting　freely　that　it　does　interest　me　to
interfere　in　great　affairs。〃

〃But　how　on　earth　did　you　get　to　know　about　me；〃　Mr。　Dunster　asked；
〃and　my　errand？　　You　couldn't　possibly　have　got　me　here　in　an
ordinary　way。　　It　was　an　entire　fluke。〃

〃There；　you　speak　with　some　show　of　reason。　　I　have　a　nephew　whom
you　have　met；　who　is　devoted　to　me。〃

〃Mr。　　Gerald　Fentolin；〃　Mr。　Dunster　remarked　drily。

〃Precisely；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　declared。　　〃Well；　I　admit　frankly　the
truth　of　what　you　say。　　Your　…　shall　we　say　capture；　was　by　way　of
being　a　gigantic　fluke。　　My　nephew's　instructions　simply　were　to
travel　down　by　the　train　to　Harwich　with　you；　to　endeavour　to　make
your　acquaintance；　to　follow　you　on　to　your　destination；　and；　if
any　chance　to　do　so　occurred；　to　relieve　you　of　your　pocket…book。
That；　however；　I　never　ventured　to　expect。　　What　really　happened
was；　as　you　have　yourself　suggested；　almost　in　the　nature　of　a
miracle。　　My　nephew　showed　himself　to　be　possessed　of　gifts　which
were　a　revelation　to　me。　　He　not　only　succeeded　in　travelling　with
you　by　the　special　train；　but　after　its　wreck　he　was　clever　enough
to　bring　you　here；　instead　of　delivering　you　over　to　the　mercies
of　a　village　doctor。　　I　really　cannot　find　words　to　express　my
appreciation　of　my　nephew's　conduct。〃

〃I　could；〃　Mr。　Dunster　muttered；　〃very　easily！〃

Mr。　Fentolin　sighed　gently。

〃Perhaps　our　points　of　view　might　differ。〃

〃We　have　spent　a　very　agreeable　few　minutes　in　explanations；〃　Mr。
Dunster　continued。　　〃Would　it　be　asking　too　much　if　I　now　suggest
that　we　remove　the　buttons　from　our　foils？〃

〃Why　not？〃　Mr。　Fentolin　assented　smoothly。　　〃Your　first　question
to　yourself；　under　these　circumstances；　would　naturally　be：　'What
does　Mr。　Fentolin　want　with　me？'　　I　will　answer　that　question　for
you。　　All　that　I　ask　…　it　is　really　very　little　…　is　the　word
agreed　upon。〃

Mr。　Dunster　held　his　cigar　a　little　way　off　and　looked　steadfastly
at　his　host　for　a　moment。　　So　you　have　interpreted　my　cipher？〃

Mr。　Fentolin　spread　out　the　palms　of　his　hands　in　a　delicate　gesture。

〃My　dear　Mr。　Dunster；〃　he　said；　〃one　of　the　simplest；　I　think；　that
was　ever　strung　together。　　I　am　somewhat　of　an　authority　upon
ciphers。〃

〃I　gather；〃　Mr。　Dunster　went　on；　although　his　cigar　was　burning
itself　out；　〃that　you　have　broken　the　seal　of　my　dispatches？〃

Mr。　Fentolin　closed　his　eyes　as　though　he　had　heard　a　discord。

〃Nothing　so　clumsy　as　that；　I　hope；〃　he　murmured　gently。　　〃I　will
not　insult　a　person　of　your　experience　and　intelligence　by
enumerating　the　various　ways　in　which　the　seal　of　a　dispatch　may
be　liquefied。　　It　is　quite　true　that　I　have　read　with　much　pleasure
the　letter　which　you　are　carrying　from　a　certain　group　of　very
distinguished　men　to　a　certain　person　now　in　The　Hague。　　The　letter；
however；　is　replaced　in　its　envelope；　the　seal　is　still　there。　　You
need　have　no　fears　whatever　concerning　it。　　All　that　I　require　is
that　one　word　from　you。〃

〃And　if　I　give　you　that　one　word？〃　Mr。　Dunster　asked。

〃If　you　give　it　me；　as　I　think　you　will；〃　Mr。　　Fentolin　replied
suavely；　〃I　shall　then　telegraph　to　my　agent；　or　rather　I　should
say　to　a　dear　friend　of　mine　who　lives　at　The　Hague；　and　that
single　word　will　be　cabled　by　him　from　The　Hague　to　New　York。〃

〃And　in　that　case；〃　Mr。　Dunster　enquired；　〃what　would　become　of　me？〃

〃You　would　give　us　the　great　pleasure　of　your　company　here　for　a
very　brief　visit；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　answered。　　〃We　should；　I　can　assure
you；　do　our　very　best　to　entertain　you。〃

〃And　the　dispatch　which　I　am　carrying　to　The　Hague？〃

〃Would　remain　here　with　you。〃

Mr。　Dunster　knocked　the　ash　from　his　cigar。　　Without　being　a　man
of　great　parts；　he　was　a　shrewd　person；　possessed　of　an　abundant
stock　of　common　sense。　　He　applied　himself；　for　a　few　moments；　to
a　consideration　of　this　affair；　without　arriving　at　any　satisfactory
conclusion。

〃Come；　Mr。　Fentolin；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃you　must　really　forgive　me；
but　I　can't　see　what　you're　driving　at。　　You　are　an　Englishman；　are
you　not？〃

〃I　am　an　Englishman；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　confessed　〃or　rather；〃　he　added；
with　ghastly　humour；　〃I　am　half　an　Englishman。〃

〃You　are；　I　am　sure；〃　Mr。　Dunster　continued；　〃a　person　of
intelligence；　a　well…read　person；　a　person　of　perceptions。　　Surely
you　can　see　and　appreciate　the　danger　with　which　your　country　is
threatened？〃

〃With　regard　to　political　affairs；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　admitted；　〃I
consider　myself　unusually　well　posted　…　in　fact；　the　study　of　the
diplomatic　methods　of　the　various　great　Powers　is　rather　a　hobby
of　mine。〃

〃Yet；〃　Mr。　Dunster　persisted；　〃you　do　not　wish　this　letter　delivered
to　that　little　conference　in　The　Hague；　which　you　must　be　aware　is
now　sitting　practically　to　determine　the　fate　of　your　nation？〃

〃I　do　not　wish；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　replied；　〃I　do　not　intend；　that　that
letter　shall　be　delivered。　　Why　do　you　worry　about　my　point　of　view？
I　may　have　a　dozen　reasons。　　I　may　believe　that　it　will　be　good　for
my　country　to　suffer　a　little　chastisement。〃

〃Or　you　may；〃　Mr。　Dunster　suggested；　glancing　keenly　at　his　host；
〃be　the　paid　agent　of　some　foreign　Power。〃

Mr。　Fentolin　shook　his　head。

〃My　means；〃　he　pointed　out；　〃should　place　me　above　such　suspicion。
My　income；　I　really　believe；　is　rather　more　than　fifty　thousand
pounds　a　year。　　I　should　not　enter　into　these　adventures；　which
naturally　are　not　entirely　dissociated　from　a　certain　amount　of　risk；
for　the　purposes　of　financial　gain。〃

Mr。　Dunster　was　still　mystified。

〃Granted　that　you　do　so　from　pure　love　of　adventu