the lodger-第15章

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　never　believed　me！〃

Daisy　stood　looking　from　one　to　the　other；　a　shadow　over　her　bright；　pretty　face。　　〃I'd　no　idea　you'd　had　such　a　bad　time；　father；〃　she　said　feelingly。　　〃Why　didn't　you　let　me　know　about　it？　　I　might　have　got　something　out　of　Old　Aunt。〃

〃We　didn't　want　anything　of　that　sort；〃　said　her　stepmother　hastily。　〃But　of　course　…　well；　I　expect　I'm　still　feeling　the　worry　now。　　I　don't　seem　able　to　forget　it。　　Those　days　of　waiting；　of　…　of　…　〃　she　restrained　herself；　another　moment　and　the　word　〃starving〃　would　have　left　her　lips。

〃But　everything's　all　right　now；〃　said　Bunting　eagerly；　all　right；　thanks　to　Mr。　Sleuth；　that　is。〃

〃Yes；〃　repeated　his　wife；　in　a　low；　strange　tone　of　voice。　　〃Yes；　we're　all　right　now；　and　as　you　say；　Bunting；　it's　all　along　of　Mr。　Sleuth。〃

She　walked　across　to　a　chair　and　sat　down　on　it。　　〃I'm　just　a　little　tottery　still；〃　she　muttered。

And　Daisy；　looking　at　her；　turned　to　her　father　and　said　in　a　whisper；　but　not　so　low　but　that　Mrs。　Bunting　heard　her；　〃Don't　you　think　Ellen　ought　to　see　a　doctor；　father？　　He　might　give　her　something　that　would　pull　her　round。〃

〃I　won't　see　no　doctor！〃　said　Mrs。　Bunting　with　sudden　emphasis。　　〃I　saw　enough　of　doctors　in　my　last　place。　　Thirty…eight　doctors　in　ten　months　did　my　poor　missis　have。　　Just　determined　on　having　'em　she　was！　　Did　they　save　her？　　No！　　She　died　just　the　same！　　Maybe　a　bit　sooner。〃

〃She　was　a　freak；　was　your　last　mistress；　Ellen；〃　began　Bunting　aggressively。

Ellen　had　insisted　on　staying　on　in　that　place　till　her　poor　mistress　died。　　They　might　have　been　married　some　months　before　they　were　married　but　for　that　fact。　　Bunting　had　always　resented　it。

His　wife　smile　wanly。　　〃We　won't　have　no　words　about　that；〃　she　said；　and　again　she　spoke　in　a　softer；　kindlier　tone　than　usual。　　〃Daisy？　If　you　won't　go　down　to　the　kitchen　again；　then　I　must〃　…　she　turned　to　her　stepdaughter；　and　the　girl　flew　out　of　the　room。

〃I　think　the　child　grows　prettier　every　minute；〃　said　Bunting　fondly。

〃Folks　are　too　apt　to　forget　that　beauty　is　but　skin　deep；〃　said　his　wife。　　She　was　beginning　to　feel　better。　　〃But　still；　I　do　agree；　Bunting；　that　Daisy's　well　enough。　　And　she　seems　more　willing；　too。〃

〃I　say；　we　mustn't　forget　the　lodger's　dinner；〃　Bunting　spoke　uneasily。　　〃It's　a　bit　of　fish　to…day；　isn't　it？　　Hadn't　I　better　just　tell　Daisy　to　see　to　it；　and　then　I　can　take　it　up　to　him；　as　you're　not　feeling　quite　the　thing；　Ellen？〃

〃I'm　quite　well　enough　to　take　up　Mr。　Sleuth's　luncheon；〃　she　said　quickly。　　It　irritated　her　to　hear　her　husband　speak　of　the　lodger's　dinner。　　They　had　dinner　in　the　middle　of　the　day；　but　Mr。　Sleuth　had　luncheon。　　However　odd　he　might　be；　Mrs。　Bunting　never　forgot　her　lodger　was　a　gentleman。

〃After　all；　he　likes　me　to　wait　on　him；　doesn't　he？　　I　can　manage　all　right。　　Don't　you　worry；〃　she　added　after　a　long　pause。


CHAPTER　VIII

Perhaps　because　his　luncheon　was　served　to　him　a　good　deal　later　than　usual；　Mr。　Sleuth　ate　his　nice　piece　of　steamed　sole　upstairs　with　far　heartier　an　appetite　than　his　landlady　had　eaten　her　nice　slice　of　roast　pork　downstairs。

〃I　hope　you're　feeling　a　little　better；　sir；〃　Mrs。　Bunting　had　forced　herself　to　say　when　she　first　took　in　his　tray。

And　he　had　answered　plaintively；　querulously；　〃No；　I　can't　say　I　feel　well　to…day；　Mrs。　Bunting。　　I　am　tired　…　very　tired。　　And　as　I　lay　in　bed　I　seemed　to　hear　so　many　sounds　…　so　much　crying　and　shouting。　　I　trust　the　Marylebone　Road　is　not　going　to　become　a　noisy　thoroughfare；　Mrs。　Bunting？〃

〃Oh；　no；　sir；　I　don't　think　that。　　We're　generally　reckoned　very　quiet　indeed；　sir。〃

She　waited　a　moment　…　try　as　she　would；　she　could　not　allude　to　what　those　unwonted　shouts　and　noises　had　betokened。　　〃I　expect　you've　got　a　chill；　sir；〃　she　said　suddenly。　　〃If　I　was　you；　I　shouldn't　go　out　this　afternoon；　I'd　just　stay　quietly　indoors。　　There's　a　lot　of　rough　people　about　…　〃　　Perhaps　there　was　an　undercurrent　of　warning；　of　painful　pleading；　in　her　toneless　voice　which　penetrated　in　some　way　to　the　brain　of　the　lodger；　for　Mr。　Sleuth　looked　up；　and　an　uneasy；　watchful　look　came　into　his　luminous　grey　eyes。

〃I'm　sorry　to　hear　that；　Mrs。　Bunting。　　But　I　think　I'll　take　your　advice。　　That　is；　I　will　stay　quietly　at　home；　I　am　never　at　a　loss　to　know　what　to　do　with　myself　so　long　as　I　can　study　the　Book　of　Books。〃

〃Then　you're　not　afraid　about　your　eyes；　sir？〃　said　Mrs。　Bunting　curiously。　　Somehow　she　was　beginning　to　feel　better。　　It　comforted　her　to　be　up　here；　talking　to　Mr。　Sleuth；　instead　of　thinking　about　him　downstairs。　　It　seemed　to　banish　the　terror　which　filled　her　soul　…　aye；　and　her　body；　too　…　at　other　times。　　When　she　was　with　him　Mr。　Sleuth　was　so　gentle；　so　reasonable；　so　…　so　grateful。

Poor　kindly；　solitary　Mr。　Sleuth！　　This　kind　of　gentleman　surely　wouldn't　hurt　a　fly；　let　alone　a　human　being。　　Eccentric　…　so　much　must　be　admitted。　　But　Mrs。　Bunting　had　seen　a　good　deal　of　eccentric　folk；　eccentric　women　rather　than　eccentric　men；　in　her　long　career　as　useful　maid。

Being　at　ordinary　times　an　exceptionally　sensible；　well…balanced　woman；　she　had　never；　in　old　days；　allowed　her　mind　to　dwell　on　certain　things　she　had　learnt　as　to　the　aberrations　of　which　human　nature　is　capable　…　even　well…born；　well…nurtured；　gentle　human　nature　…　as　exemplified　in　some　of　the　households　where　she　had　served。　　It　would；　indeed；　be　unfortunate　if　she　now　became　morbid　or　…　or　hysterical。

So　it　was　in　a　sharp；　cheerful　voice；　almost　the　voice　in　which　she　had　talked　during　the　first　few　days　of　Mr。　Sleuth's　stay　in　her　house；　that　she　exclaimed；　〃Well；　sir；　I'll　be　up　again　to　clear　away　in　about　half　an　hour。　　And　if　you'll　forgive　me　for　saying　so；　I　hope　you　will　stay　in　and　have　a　rest　to…day。　　Nasty；　muggy　weather　　…　that's　what　it　is！　　If　there's　any　little　thing　you　want；　me　or　Bunting　can　go　out　and　get　it。〃

******

It　must　have　been　about　four　o'clock　when　there　came　a　ring　at　the　front　door。

The　three　were　sitting　chatting　together；　for　Daisy　had　washed　up　　…　she　really　was　saving　her　stepmother　a　good　bit　of　trouble　…　and　the　girl　was　now　amusing　her　elders　by　a　funny　account　of　Old　Aunt's　pernickety　ways。

〃Whoever　can　that　be？〃　said　Bunting；　looking　up。　　〃It's　too　early　for　Joe　Chandler；　surely。〃

〃I'll　go；〃　said　his　wife；　hurriedly　jumping　up　from　her　chair。　〃I'll　go！　　We　don't　want　no　strangers　in　here。〃

And　as　she　stepped　down　the　short　bit　of　passage　she　said　to　herself；　〃A　clue？　　What　clue？〃

But　when　she　opened　the　front　door　a　glad　sigh　of　relief　broke　from　her。　　〃Why；　Joe？　　We　never　thought　'twas　you！　　But　you're　very　welcome；　I'm　sure。　　Come　in。〃

And　Chandler　came　in；　a　rather　sheepish　look　on　his　good…looking；　fair　young　face。　　　　〃I　thought　maybe　that　Mr。　Bunting　would　like　to　know　…　〃　he　began；　in　a　loud；　cheerful　voice；　and　Mrs。　Bunting　hurriedly　checked　him。　She　didn't　want　the　lodger　upstairs　to　hear　what　young　Chandler　might　be　going　to　say。

〃Don't　talk　so　loud；〃　she　said　a　little　sharply。　　〃The　lodger　is　not　very　well　to…day。　　He's　had　a　cold；〃　she　added　hastily；　〃and　during　the　last　two　or　three　days　he　hasn't　been　able　to　go　out。〃

She　wondered　at　her　temerity；　her　…　her　hypocrisy；　and　that　moment；　those　few　words；　marked　an　epoch　in　Ellen　Bunting's　life。　　It　was　the　first　time　she　had　told　a　bold　and　deliberate　lie。　　She　was　one　of　those　women　…　there　are　many；　many　such　…　to　whom　there　is　a　whole　world　of　difference　between　the　suppression　of　the　truth　and　the　utterance　of　an　untruth。

But　Chandler　paid　no　heed　to　her　remarks。　　〃Has　Miss　Daisy　arrived？〃　he　asked；　in　a　lower　voice。

She　nodded。　　And　then　he　went　through　into　the　room　where　the　father　and　daughter　were　sitting。

〃Well？〃　said　Bunting；　starting　up。　　〃Well；　Joe？　　Now　you　can　tell　us　all　about　that　mysterious　clue　I　suppose　it'd　be　too　good　news　to　expect　you　to　tell　us　they've　caught　him？〃

〃No　fear　of　such　good　news　as　that　yet　awhile。　　If　they'd　caught　him；〃　said　Joe　ruefully；　〃well；　I　don't　suppose　I　should　be　here；　Mr。　Bunting。　　But　the　Yard　are　circulating　a　description　at　last。　And　…　well；　they've　found　his　weapon！〃

〃No？〃　cried　Bunting　excitedly。　　〃You　don't　s