the lodger-第21章

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er　poor；　ailing　body　that　often　she　felt　as　if　she　could　not　force　herself　to　accomplish　　her　simple　round　of　daily　work。

After　they　had　finished　supper　Bunting　went　out　and　bought　a　penny　evening　paper；　but　as　he　came　in　he　announced；　with　a　rather'　rueful　smile；　that　he　had　read　so　much　of　that　nasty　little　print　this　last　week　or　two　that　his　eyes　hurt　him。

〃Let　me　read　aloud　a　bit　to　you；　father；〃　said　Daisy　eagerly；　and　he　handed　her　the　paper。

Scarcely　had　Daisy　opened　her　lips　when　a　loud　ring　and　a　knock　echoed　through　the　house。

CHAPTER　XI

It　was　only　Joe。　　Somehow；　even　Bunting　called　him　〃Joe〃　now；　and　no　longer　〃Chandler；〃　as　he　had　mostly　used　to　do。

Mrs。　　Bunting　had　opened　the　front　door　only　a　very　little　way。　She　wasn't　going　to　have　any　strangers　pushing　in　past　her。

To　her　sharpened；　suffering　senses　her　house　had　become　a　citadel　which　must　be　defended；　aye；　even　if　the　besiegers　were　a　mighty　horde　with　right　on　their　side。　　And　she　was　always　expecting　that　first　single　spy　who　would　herald　the　battalion　against　whom　her　only　weapon　would　be　her　woman's　wit　and　cunning。

But　when　she　saw　who　stood　there　smiling　at　her；　the　muscles　of　her　face　relaxed；　and　it　lost　the　tense；　anxious；　almost　agonised　look　it　assumed　the　moment　she　turned　her　back　on　her　husband　and　stepdaughter。

〃Why；　Joe；〃　she　whispered；　for　she　had　left　the　door　open　behind　her；　and　Daisy　had　already　begun　to　read　aloud；　as　her　father　had　bidden　her。　　〃Come　in；　do！　　It's　fairly　cold　to…night。〃

A　glance　at　his　face　had　shown　her　that　there　was　no　fresh　news。

Joe　Chandler　walked　in；　past　her；　into　the　little　hall。　　Cold？　Well；　he　didn't　feel　cold；　for　he　had　walked　quickly　to　be　the　sooner　where　he　was　now。

Nine　days　had　gone　by　since　that　last　terrible　occurrence；　the　double　murder　which　had　been　committed　early　in　the　morning　of　the　day　Daisy　had　arrived　in　London。　　And　though　the　thousands　of　men　belonging　to　the　Metropolitan　Police　…　to　say　nothing　of　the　smaller；　more　alert　body　of　detectives　attached　to　the　Force　…　were　keenly　on　the　alert；　not　one　but　had　begun　to　feel　that　there　was　nothing　to　be　alert　about。　　Familiarity；　even　with　horror；　breeds　contempt。

But　with　the　public　it　was　far　otherwise。　　Each　day　something　happened　to　revive　and　keep　alive　the　mingled　horror　and　interest　this　strange；　enigmatic　series　of　crimes　had　evoked。　　Even　the　more　sober　organs　of　the　Press　went　on　attacking；　with　gathering　severity　and　indignation；　the　Commissioner　of　Police；　and　at　the　huge　demonstration　held　in　Victoria　Park　two　days　before　violent　speeches　had　also　been　made　against　the　Home　Secretary。

But　just　now　Joe　Chandler　wanted　to　forget　all　that。　　The　little　house　in　the　Marylebone　Road　had　become　to　him　an　enchanted　isle　of　dreams；　to　which　his　thoughts　were　ever　turning　when　he　had　a　moment　to　spare　from　what　had　grown　to　be　a　wearisome；　because　an　unsatisfactory；　job。　　He　secretly　agreed　with　one　of　his　pals　who　had　exclaimed；　and　that　within　twenty…four　hours　of　the　last　double　crime；　〃Why；　'twould　be　easier　to　find　a　needle　in　a　rick　o'　hay　than　this　　…　　bloke！〃

And　if　that　had　been　true　then；　how　much　truer　it　was　now　…　after　nine　long；　empty　days　had　gone　by？

Quickly　he　divested　himself　of　his　great…coat；　muffler；　and　low　hat。　Then　he　put　his　finger　on　his　lip；　and　motioned　smilingly　to　Mrs。　Bunting　to　wait　a　moment。　　From　where　he　stood　in　the　hall　the　father　and　daughter　made　a　pleasant　little　picture　of　contented　domesticity。　　Joe　Chandler's　honest　heart　swelled　at　the　sight。

Daisy；　wearing　the　blue…and…white　check　silk　dress　about　which　her　stepmother　and　she　had　had　words；　sat　on　a　low　stool　on　the　left　side　of　the　fire；　while　Bunting；　leaning　back　in　his　own　comfortable　arm…chair；　was　listening；　his　hand　to　his　ear；　in　an　attitude　…　as　it　was　the　first　time　she　had　caught　him　doing　it；　the　fact　brought　a　pang　to　Mrs。　Bunting　…　which　showed　that　age　was　beginning　to　creep　over　the　listener。

One　of　Daisy's　duties　as　companion　to　her　great…aunt　was　that　of　reading　the　newspaper　aloud；　and　she　prided　herself　on　her　accomplishment。

Just　as　Joe　had　put　his　finger　on　his　lip　Daisy　bad　been　asking；　〃Shall　I　read　this；　father？〃　　And　Bunting　had　answered　quickly；　〃Aye；　do；　my　dear。〃

He　was　absorbed　in　what　he　was　hearing；　and；　on　seeing　Joe　at　the　door；　he　had　only　just　nodded　his　head。　　The　young　man　was　becoming　so　frequent　a　visitor　as　to　be　almost　one　of　themselves。

Daisy　read　out：'

〃The　Avenger：　A　…　〃

And　then　she　stopped　short；　for　the　next　word　puzzled　her　greatly。　Bravely；　however；　she　went　on。　　〃A　the…o…ry。〃

〃Go　in　…　do！〃　whispered　Mrs。　Bunting　to　her　visitor。　　〃Why　should　we　stay　out　here　in　the　cold？　　It's　ridiculous。〃

〃I　don't　want　to　interrupt　Miss　Daisy；〃　whispered　Chandler　back；　rather　hoarsely。

〃Well；　you'll　hear　it　all　the　better　in　the　room。　　Don't　think　she'll　stop　because　of　you；　　bless　you！　　There's　nothing　shy　about　our　Daisy！〃

The　young　man　resented　the　tart；　short　tone。　　〃Poor　little　girl！〃　he　said　to　himself　tenderly。　　〃That's　what　it　is　having　a　stepmother；　instead　of　a　proper　mother。〃　　But　he　obeyed　Mrs。　Bunting；　and　then　he　was　pleased　he　had　done　so；　for　Daisy　looked　up；　and　a　bright　blush　came　over　her　pretty　face。

〃Joe　begs　you　won't　stop　yet　awhile。　　Go　on　with　your　reading；〃　commanded　Mrs。　Bunting　quickly。　　〃Now；　Joe；　you　can　go　and　sit　over　there；　close　to　Daisy；　and　then　you　won't　miss　a　word。〃

There　was　a　sarcastic　inflection　in　her　voice；　even　Chandler　noticed　that；　but　he　obeyed　her　with　alacrity；　and　crossing　the　room　he　went　and　sat　on　a　chair　just　behind　Daisy。　　From　there　he　could　note　with　reverent　delight　the　charming　way　her　fair　hair　grew　upwards　from　the　nape　of　her　slender　neck。

〃The　AVENGER：　A　THE…O…RY〃

began　Daisy　again；　clearing　her　throat。　　

〃DEAR　Sir　…　I　have　a　suggestion　to　put　forward　for　which　I　think　there　is　a　great　deal　to　be　said。　　It　seems　to　me　very　probable　that　The　Avenger　…　to　give　him　the　name　by　which　he　apparently　　wishes　to　be　known　…　comprises　in　his　own　person　the　peculiarities　of　Jekyll　and　Hyde；　Mr。　Louis　Stevenson's　now　famous　hero。

〃The　culprit；　according　to　my　point　of　view；　is　a　quiet；　pleasant…looking　gentleman　who　lives　somewhere　in　the　West　End　of　London。　　He　has；　however；　a　tragedy　in　his　past　life。　　He　is　the　husband　of　a　dipsomaniac　wife。　　She　is；　of　course；　under　care；　and　is　never　mentioned　in　the　house　where　he　lives；　maybe　with　his　widowed　mother　and　perhaps　a　maiden　sister。　　They　notice　that　he　has　become　gloomy　and　brooding　of　late；　but　he　lives　his　usual　life；　occupying　himself　each　day　with　some　harmless　hobby。　　On　foggy　nights；　once　the　quiet　household　is　plunged　in　sleep；　he　creeps　out　of　the　house；　maybe　between　one　and　two　o'clock；　and　swiftly　makes　his　way　straight　to　what　has　become　The　Avenger's　murder　area。　Picking　out　a　likely　victim；　he　approaches　her　with　Judas…like　gentleness；　and　having　committed　his　awful　crime；　goes　quietly　home　again。　　After　a　good　bath　and　breakfast；　he　turns　up　happy；　once　more　the　quiet　individual　who　is　an　excellent　son；　a　kind　brother；　esteemed　and　even　beloved　by　a　large　circle　of　friends　and　acquaintances。　　Meantime；　the　police　are　searching　about　the　scene　of　the　tragedy　for　what　they　regard　as　the　usual　type　of　criminal　lunatic。

〃I　give　this　theory；　Sir；　for　what　it　is　worth；　but　I　confess　that　I　am　amazed　the　police　have　so　wholly　confined　their　inquiries　to　the　part　of　London　where　these　murders　have　been　actually　committed。　I　am　quite　sure　from　all　that　has　come　out　…　and　we　must　remember　that　full　information　is　never　given　to　the　newspapers　…　The　Avenger　should　be　sought　for　in　the　West　and　not　in　the　East　End　of　London　　…　Believe　me　to　remain；　Sir；　yours　very　truly　…　〃

Again　Daisy　hesitated；　and　then　with　an　effort　she　brought　out　the　word　〃Gab…o…ri…you；〃　said　she。

〃What　a　funny　name！〃　said　Bunting　wonderingly。

And　then　Joe　broke　in：　〃That's　the　name　of　a　French　chap　what　wrote　detective　stories；〃　he　said。　　〃Pretty　good；　some　of　them　are；　too！〃

〃Then　this　Gaboriyou　has　come　over　to　study　these　Avenger　murders；　I　take　it？〃　said　Bunting。

〃Oh；　no；〃　Joe　spoke　with　confidence。　　〃Whoever's　written