the lodger-第10章

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Mrs。　Bunting　frowned。　　No　doubt　the　ring　betokened　one　of　those　tiresome　people　who　come　round　for　old；　bottles　and　such…like　fal…lals。

She　went　slowly；　reluctantly　to　the　door。　　And　then　her　face　cleared；　for　it　was　that　good　young　chap；　Joe　Chandler；　who　stood　waiting　outside。

He　was　breathing　a　little　hard；　as　if　he　had　walked　over…quickly　through　the　moist；　foggy　air。

〃Why；　Joe？〃　said　Mrs。　Bunting　wonderingly。　　〃Come　in　…　do！　　Bunting's　out；　but　he　won't　be　very　long　now。　　You've　been　quite　a　stranger　these　last　few　days。〃

〃Well；　you　know　why；　Mrs。　Bunting　…　〃

She　stared　at　him　for　a　moment；　wondering　what　he　could　mean。　　Then；　suddenly　she　remembered。　　Why；　of　course；　Joe　was　on　a　big　job　just　now　…　the　job　of　trying　to　catch　The　Avenger！　　Her　husband　had　alluded　to　the　fact　again　and　again　when　reading　out　to　her　little　bits　from　the　halfpenny　evening　paper　he　was　taking　again。

She　led　the　way　to　the　sitting…room。　　It　was　a　good　thing　Bunting　had　insisted　on　lighting　the　fire　before　he　went　out；　for　now　the　room　was　nice　and　warm　…　and　it　was　just　horrible　outside。　　She　had　felt　a　chill　go　right　through　her　as　she　had　stood；　even　for　that　second；　at　the　front　door。

And　she　hadn't　been　alone　to　feel　it；　for；　〃I　say；　it　is　jolly　to　be　in　here；　out　of　that　awful　cold！〃　exclaimed　Chandler；　sitting　down　heavily　in　Bunting's　easy　chair。

And　then　Mrs。　Bunting　bethought　herself　that　the　young　man　was　tired；　as　well　as　cold。　　He　was　pale；　almost　pallid　under　his　usual　healthy；　tanned　complexion　…　the　complexion　of　the　man　who　lives　much　out　of　doors。

〃Wouldn't　you　like　me　just　to　make　you　a　cup　of　tea？〃　she　said　solicitously。

〃Well；　to　tell　truth；　I　should　be　right　down　thankful　for　one；　Mrs。　Bunting！〃　　Then　he　looked　round；　and　again　he　said　her　name；　〃Mrs。　Bunting　…　？〃　　

He　spoke　in　so　odd；　so　thick　a　tone　that　she　turned　quickly。　　〃Yes；　what　is　it；　Joe？〃　she　asked。　　And　then；　in　sudden　terror；　〃You've　never　come　to　tell　me　that　anything's　happened　to　Bunting？　　He's　not　had　an　accident？〃

〃Goodness；　no！　　Whatever　made　you　think　that？　　But　…　but；　Mrs。　Bunting；　there's　been　another　of　them！〃

His　voice　dropped　almost　to　a　whisper。　　He　was　staring　at　her　with　unhappy；　it　seemed　to　her　terror…filled；　eyes。

〃Another　of　them？〃　　She　looked　at　him；　bewildered　　…　at　a　loss。　And　then　what　he　meant　flashed　across　her　…　〃　another　of　them〃　meant　another　of　these　strange；　mysterious；　awful　murders。

But　her　relief　for　the　moment　was　so　great　…　for　she　really　had　thought　for　a　second　that　he　had　come　to　give　her　ill　news　of　Bunting　…　that　the；　feeling　that　she　did　experience　on　hearing　this　piece　of　news　was　actually　pleasurable；　though　she　would　have　been　much　shocked　had　that　fact　been　brought　to　her　notice。

Almost　in　spite　of　herself；　Mrs。　Bunting　had　become　keenly　interested　in　the　amazing　series　of　crimes　which　was　occupying　the　imagination　of　the　whole　of　London's　nether…world。　　Even　her　refined　mind　had　busied　itself　for　the　last　two　or　three　days　with　the　strange　problem　so　frequently　presented　to　it　by　Bunting　…　for　Bunting；　now　that　they　were　no　longer　worried；　took　an　open；　unashamed；　intense　interest　in　〃The　Avenger〃　and　his　doings。

She　took　the　kettle　off　the　gas…ring。　　〃It's　a　pity　Bunting　isn't　here；〃　she　said；　drawing　in　her　breath。　　〃He'd　a…liked　so　much　to　hear　you　tell　　all　about　it；　Joe。〃

As　she　spoke　she　was　pouring　boiling　water　into　a　little　teapot。

But　Chandler　said　nothing；　and　she　turned　and　glanced　at　him。　　〃Why；　you　do　look　bad！〃　she　exclaimed。

And；　indeed；　the　young　fellow　did　look　bad　…　very　bad　indeed。

〃I　can't　help　it；〃　he　said；　with　a　kind　of　gasp。　　〃It　was　your　saying　that　about　my　telling　you　all　about　it　that　made　me　turn　queer。　　You　see；　this　time　I　was　one　of　the　first　there；　and　it　fairly　turned　me　sick　…　that　it　did。　　Oh；　it　was　too　awful；　Mrs。　Bunting！　　Don't　talk　of　it。〃

He　began　gulping　down　the　hot　tea　before　it　was　well　made。

She　looked　at　him　with　sympathetic　interest。　〃Why；　Joe；〃　she　said；　〃I　never　would　have　thought；　with　all　the　horrible　sights　you　see；　that　anything　could　upset　you　like　that。〃

〃This　isn't　like　anything　there's　ever　been　before；〃　he　said。　　〃And　then　…　then　…　oh；　Mrs。　Bunting；　'twas　I　that　discovered　the　piece　of　paper　this　time。〃

〃Then　it　is　true；〃　she　cried　eagerly。　　〃It　is　The　Avenger's　bit　of　paper！　　Bunting　always　said　it　was。　　He　never　believed　in　that　practical　joker。〃

〃I　did；〃　said　Chandler　reluctantly。　　〃You　see；　there　are　some　queer　fellows　even　…　even　…　〃　（he　lowered　his　voice；　and　looked　round　him　as　if　the　walls　had　ears）　…　〃even　in　the　Force；　Mrs。　Bunting；　and　these　murders　have　fair　got　on　our　nerves。〃

〃No；　never！〃　she　said。　　〃D'you　think　that　a　Bobby　might　do　a　thing　like　that？〃

He　nodded　impatiently；　as　if　the　question　wasn't　worth　answering。　Then；　〃It　was　all　along　of　that　bit　of　paper　and　my　finding　it　while　the　poor　soul　was　still　warm　he　shuddered　…　〃　that　brought　me　out　West　this　morning。　　One　of　our　bosses　lives　close　by；　in　Prince　Albert　Terrace；　and　I　had　to　go　and　tell　him　all　about　it。　　They　never　offered　me　a　bit　or　a　sup　…　I　think　they　might　have　done　that；　don't　you；　Mrs。　Bunting？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said　absently。　　〃Yes；　I　do　think　so。〃

〃But；　there；　I　don't　know　that　I　ought　to　say　that；〃　went　on　Chandler。　〃He　had　me　up　in　his　dressing…room；　and　was　very　considerate…like　to　me　while　I　was　telling　him。〃

〃Have　a　bit　of　something　now？〃　she　said　suddenly。

〃Oh；　no；　I　couldn't　eat　anything；〃　he　said　hastily。　　〃I　don't　feel　as　if　I　could　ever　eat　anything　any　more。〃

〃That'll　only　make　you　ill。〃　　Mrs。　Bunting　spoke　rather　crossly；　for　she　was　a　sensible　woman。　　And　to　please　her　he　took　a　bite　out　of　the　slice　of　bread…and…butter　she　had　cut　for　him。

〃I　expect　you're　right；〃　he　said。　　〃And　I've　a　goodish　heavy　day　in　front　of　me。　　Been　up　since　four；　too　…　〃

〃Four？〃　she　said。　　〃Was　it　then　they　found　…　〃　she　hesitated　a　moment；　and　then　said；　〃it？〃

He　nodded。　　〃It　was　just　a　chance　I　was　near　by。　　If　I'd　been　half　a　minute　sooner　either　I　or　the　officer　who　found　her　must　have　knocked　up　against　that　…　　that　monster。　　But　two　or　three　people　do　think　they　saw　him　slinking　away。〃

〃What　was　he　like？〃　she　asked　curiously。

〃Well；　that's　hard　to　answer。　　You　see；　there　was　such　an　awful　fog。　　But　there's　one　thing　they　all　agree　about。　　He　was　carrying　a　bag　…　〃

〃A　bag？〃　repeated　Mrs。　Bunting；　in　a　low　voice。　　〃Whatever　sort　of　bag　might　it　have　been；　Joe？〃

There　had　come　across　her…just　right　in　her　middle；　like　…　such　a　strange　sensation；　a　curious　kind　of　tremor；　or　fluttering。

　She　was　at　a　loss　to　account　for　it；

〃Just　a　hand…bag；〃　said　Joe　Chandler　vaguely。　　〃A　woman　I　spoke　to　　…　cross…examining　her；　like　…　who　was　positive　she　had　seen　him；　said；　'Just　a　tall；　thin　shadow　…　that's　what　he　was；　a　tall；　thin　shadow　of　a　man　…　with　a　bag。〃'

〃With　a　bag？〃　repeated　Mrs。　Bunting　absently。　　〃How　very　strange　and　peculiar　…　〃

〃Why；　no；　not　strange　at　all。　　He　has　to　carry　the　thing　he　does　the　deed　with　in　something；　Mrs。　Bunting。　　We've　always　wondered　how　he　hid　it。　　They　generally　throws　the　knife　or　fire…arms　away；　you　know。〃

〃Do　they；　indeed？〃　Mrs。　Bunting　still　spoke　in　that　absent；　wondering　way。　　She　was　thinking　that　she　really　must　try　and　see　what　the　lodger　had　done　with　his　bag。　　It　was　possible　…　in　fact；　when　one　came　to　think　of　it；　it　was　very　probable　…　that　he　had　just　lost　it；　being　so　forgetful　a　gentleman；　on　one　of　the　days　he　had　gone　out；　as　she　knew　he　was　fond　of　doing；　into　the　Regent's　Park。

〃There'll　be　a　description　circulated　in　an　hour　or　two；〃　went　on　Chandler。　　〃Perhaps　that'll　help　catch　him。　　There　isn't　a　London　man　or　woman；　I　don't　suppose；　who　wouldn't　give　a　good　bit　to　lay　that　chap　by　the　heels。　　Well；　I　suppose　I　must　be　going　now。〃

〃Won't　you　wait　a　bit　longer　for　Bunting？〃　she　said　hesitatingly。

〃No；　I　can't　do　that。　　But　I'll　come　in；　maybe；　either　this　evening　or　to…morrow；　and　tell　you　any　more　that's　happened。　　Thanks　kindly　for　the　tea。　　It's　made　a　man　of　me；　Mrs。　Bunting。〃

〃Well；　you've　had　enough　to　unman　you；　Joe。〃

〃Aye；　that　I　have；〃　he　said　heavily。

A　few　minutes　later　B