the lodger-第14章

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Mr。　Sleuth's　voice　answered　her　from　the　bedroom。　　〃I'm　not　well；〃　he　called　out　querulously；　〃I　think　I've　caught　a　chill。　　I　should　be　obliged　if　you　would　kindly　bring　me　up　a　cup　of　tea；　and　put　it　outside　my　door；　Mrs。　Bunting。〃

〃Very　well；　sir。〃

Mrs。　Bunting　turned　and　went　downstairs。　　She　still　felt　queer　and　giddy；　so　instead　of　going　into　the　kitchen；　she　made　the　lodger　his　cup　of　tea　over　her　sitting…room　gas…ring。

During　their　midday　dinner　the　husband　and　wile　had　a　little　discussion　as　to　where　Daisy　should　sleep。　　It　had　been　settled　that　a　bed　should　be　made　up　for　her　in　the　top　back　room；　but　Mrs。　Bunting　saw　reason　to　change　this　plan。　　〃I　think　'twould　be　better　if　Daisy　were　to　sleep　with　me；　Bunting；　and　you　was　to　sleep　upstairs。〃

Bunting　felt　and　looked　rather　surprised；　but　he　acquiesced。　　Ellen　was　probably　right；　the　girl　would　be　rather　lonely　up　there；　and；　after　all；　they　didn't　know　much　about　the　lodger；　though　he　seemed　a　respectable　gentleman　enough。

Daisy　was　a　good…natured　girl；　she　liked　London；　and　wanted　to　make　herself　useful　to　her　stepmother。　　〃I'll　wash　up；　don't　you　bother　to　come　downstairs；〃　she　said　cheerfully。

Bunting　began　to　walk　up　and　down　the　room。　　His　wife　gave　him　a　furtive　glance；　she　wondered　what　he　was　thinking　about。

〃Didn't　you　get　a　paper？〃　she　said　at　last。

〃Yes；　of　course　I　did；〃　he　answered　hastily。　　〃But　I've　put　it　away。　I　thought　you'd　rather　not　look　at　it；　as　you're　that　nervous。〃

Again　she　glanced　at　him　quickly；　furtively；　but　he　seemed　just　as　usual　…　he　evidently　meant　just　what　he　said　and　no　more。

〃I　thought　they　was　shouting　something　in　the　street　…　I　mean　just　before　I　was　took　bad。〃

It　was　now　Bunting's　turn　to　stare　at　his　wife　quickly　and　rather　furtively。　　He　had　felt　sure　that　her　sudden　attack　of　queerness；　　of　hysterics　…　call　it　what　you　might　…　had　been　due　to　the　shouting　outside。　　She　was　not　the　only　woman　in　London　who　had　got　the　Avenger　murders　on　her　nerves。　　His　morning　paper　said　quite　a　lot　of　women　were　afraid　to　go　out　alone。　　Was　it　possible　that　the　curious　way　she　had　been　taken　just　now　had　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　shouts　and　excitement　outside？

〃Don't　you　know　what　it　was　they　were　calling　out？〃　he　asked　slowly。

Mrs。　Bunting　looked　across　at　him。　　She　would　have　given　a　very　great　deal　to　be　able　to　lie；　to　pretend　that　she　did　not　know　what　those　dreadful　cries　had　portended。　　But　when　it　came　to　the　point　she　found　she　could　not　do　so。

〃Yes；〃　she　said　dully。　　〃I　heard　a　word　here　and　there。　　There's　been　another　murder；　hasn't　there？〃

〃Two　other　murders；〃　he　said　soberly。　　

〃Two？　　That's　worse　news！〃　　She　turned　so　pale　…　a　sallow　greenish…white　…　that　Bunting　thought　she　was　again　going　queer。

〃Ellen？〃　he　said　warningly；　〃Ellen；　now　do　have　a　care！　　I　can't　think　what's　come　over；　you　about　these　murders。　　Turn　your　mind　away　from　them；　do！　　We　needn't　talk　about　them　…　not　so　much；　that　is　〃

〃But　I　wants　to　talk　about　them；〃　cried　Mrs。　Bunting　hysterically。

The　husband　and　wife　were　standing；　one　each　side　of　the　table；　the　man　with　his　back　to　the　fire；　the　woman　with　her　back　to　the　door。

Bunting；　staring　across　at　his　wife；　felt　sadly　perplexed　and　disturbed。　　She　really　did　seem　ill；　even　her　slight；　spare　figure　looked　shrunk。　　For　the　first　time；　so　he　told　himself　ruefully；　Ellen　was　beginning　to　look　her　full　age。　　Her　slender　hands　…　she　had　kept　the　pretty；　soft　white　hands　of　the　woman　who　has　never　done　rough　work　…　grasped　the　edge　of　the　table　with　a　convulsive　movement。

Bunting　didn't　at　all　like　the　look　of　her。　　〃Oh；　dear；〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃I　do　hope　Ellen　isn't　going　to　be　ill！　　That　would　be　a　to…do　just　now。〃

〃Tell　me　about　it；〃　she　commanded；　in　a　low　voice。　　〃　Can't　you　see　I'm　waiting　to　hear？　　Be　quick　now；　Bunting！〃

〃There　isn't　very　much　to　tell；〃　he　said　reluctantly。　　〃There's　precious　little　in　this　paper；　anyway。　　But　the　cabman　what　brought　Daisy　told　me　…　〃

〃Well？〃

〃What　I　said　just　now。　　There's　two　of　'em　this　time；　and　they'd　both　been　drinking　heavily；　poor　creatures。〃

〃Was　it　where　the　others　was　done？〃　she　asked　looking　at　her　husband　fearfully。

〃No；〃　he　said　awkwardly。　　〃No；　it　wasn't；　Ellen。　　It　was　a　good　bit　farther　West　…　in　fact；　not　so　very　far　from　here。　　Near　King's　Cross　　…　that's　how　the　cabman　knew　about　it；　you　see。　　They　seems　to　have　been　done　in　a　passage　which　isn't　used　no　more。〃　　And　then；　as　he　thought　his　wife's　eyes　were　beginning　to　look　rather　funny；　he　added　hastily。　　〃There；　that's　enough　for　the　present！　　We　shall　soon　be　hearing　a　lot　more　about　it　from　Joe　Chandler。　　He's　pretty　sure　to　come　in　some　time　to…day。〃

〃Then　the　five　thousand　constables　weren't　no　use？〃　said　Mrs。　Bunting　slowly。

She　had　relaxed　her　grip　of　the　table；　and　was　standing　more　upright。

〃No　use　at　all；〃　said　Bunting　briefly。　　〃He　is　artful　and　no　mistake　about　it。　　But　wait　a　minute　…　〃　he　turned　and　took　up　the　paper　which　he　had　laid　aside；　on　a　chair。　　〃Yes　they　says　here　that　they　has　a　clue。〃

〃A　clue；　Bunting？〃　　Mrs。　Bunting　spoke　in　a　soft；　weak；　die…away　voice；　and　again；　stooping　somewhat；　she　grasped　the　edge　of　the　table。

But　her　husband　was　not　noticing　her　now。　　He　was　holding　the　paper　close　up　to　his　eyes；　and　he　read　from　it；　in　a　tone　of　considerable　satisfaction：

〃'It　is　gratifying　to　be　able　to　state　that　the　police　at　last　believe　they　are　in　possession　of　a　clue　which　will　lead　to　the　arrest　of　the　…　'〃　and　then　Bunting　dropped　the　paper　and　rushed　round　the　table。

His　wife；　with　a　curious　sighing　moan；　had　slipped　down　on　to　the　floor；　taking　with　her　the　tablecloth　as　she　went。　　She　lay　there　in　what　appeared　to　be　a　dead　faint。　　And　Bunting；　scared　out　of　his　wits；　opened　the　door　and　screamed　out；　〃Daisy！　　Daisy！　　Come　up；　child。　　Ellen's　took　bad　again。〃

And　Daisy；　hurrying　in；　showed　an　amount　of　sense　and　resource　which　even　at　this　anxious　moment　roused　her　fond　father's　admiration。

〃Get　a　wet　sponge；　Dad　…　quick！〃　she　cried；　〃a　sponge；　…　and；　if　you've　got　such　a　thing；　a　drop　o'　brandy。　　I'll　see　after　her！〃　And　then；　after　he　had　got　the　little　medicine　flask；　〃I　can't　think　what's　wrong　with　Ellen；〃　said　Daisy　wonderingly。　　〃She　seemed　quite　all　right　when　I　first　came　in。　　She　was　listening；　interested…like；　to　what　I　was　telling　her；　and　then；　suddenly　…　well；　you　saw　how　she　was　took；　father？　　'Taint　like　Ellen　this；　is　now？〃

〃No；〃　he　whispered。　　〃No；　'taint。　　But　you　see；　child；　we've　been　going　through　a　pretty　bad　time　…　worse　nor　I　should　ever　have　let　you　know　of；　my　dear。　　Ellen's　just　feeling　it　now　…　that's　what　it　is。　　She　didn't　say　nothing；　for　Ellen's　a　good　plucked　one；　but　it's　told　on　her　…　it's　told　on　her！〃

And　then　Mrs。　Bunting；　sitting　up；　slowly　opened　her　eyes；　and　instinctively　put　her　hand　up　to　her　head　to　see　if　her　hair　was　all　right。

She　hadn't　really　been　quite　〃off。〃　　It　would　have　been　better　for　her　if　she　had。　　She　had　simply　had　an　awful　feeling　that　she　couldn't　stand　　up　…　more；　that　she　must　fall　down。　　Bunting's　words　touched　a　most　unwonted　chord　in　the　poor　woman's　heart；　and　the　eyes　which　she　opened　were　full　of　tears。　　She　had　not　thought　her　husband　knew　how　she　had　suffered　during　those　weeks　of　starving　and　waiting。

But　she　had　a　morbid　dislike　of　any　betrayal　of　sentiment。　　To　her　such　betrayal　betokened　〃foolishness；〃　and　so　all　she　said　was；　〃There's　no　need　to　make　a　fuss！　　I　only　turned　over　a　little　queer。　I　never　was　right　off；　Daisy。〃

Pettishly　she　pushed　away　the　glass　in　which　Bunting　had　hurriedly　poured　a　little　brandy。　　〃I　wouldn't　touch　such　stuff　…　no；　not　if　I　was　dying！〃　she　exclaimed。

Putting　out　a　languid　hand；　she　pulled　herself　up；　with　the　help　of　the　table；　on　to　her　feet。　　〃Go　down　again　to　the　kitchen；　child〃；　but　there　was　a　sob；　a　kind　of　tremor　in　her　voice。

〃You　haven't　been　eating　properly；　Ellen　…　that's　what's　the　matter　with　you；〃　said　Bunting　suddenly。　　〃Now　I　come　to　think　of　it；　you　haven't　eat　half　enough　these　last　two　days。　　I　always　did　say　…　in　old　days　many　a　time　I　telled　you　…　that　a　woman　couldn't　live　on　air。　　But　there；　you　never