the lodger-第22章

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〃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　that　silly　letter　just　signed　that　name　for　fun。〃

〃It　is　a　silly　letter；〃　Mrs。　Bunting　had　broken　in　resentfully。　　〃I　wonder　a　respectable　paper　prints　such　rubbish。〃

〃Fancy　if　The　Avenger　did　turn　out　to　be　a　gentleman　cried　Daisy；　in　an　　awe…struck　voice。　　〃There'd　be　a　how…to…do！〃

〃There　may　be　something　in　the　notion；〃　said　her　father　thoughtfully。　〃After　all；　the　monster　must　be　somewhere。　　This　very　minute　he　must　be　somewhere　a…hiding　of　himself。〃

〃Of　course　he's　somewhere；〃　said　Mrs。　Bunting　scornfully。

She　had　just　heard　Mr。　Sleuth　moving　overhead。　　'Twould　soon　be　time　for　the　lodger's　supper。

She　hurried　on：　〃But　what　I　do　say　is　that　…　that　…　he　has　nothing　to　do　with　the　West　End。　　Why；　they　say　it's　a　sailor　from　the　Docks　　…　that's　a　good　bit　more　likely；　I　take　it。　　But　there；　I'm　fair　sick　of　the　whole　subject！　　We　talk　of　nothing　else　in　this　house。　The　Avenger　this　…　　The　Avenger　that　…　〃

〃I　expect　Joe　has　something　to　tell　us　new　to…night；〃　said　Bunting　cheerfully。　　〃Well；　Joe；　is　there　anything　new？〃

〃I　say；　father；　just　listen　to　this！〃　Daisy　broke　in　excitedly。　She　read　out：


〃BLOODHOUNDS　TO　BE　SERIOUSLY　CONSIDERED〃


〃Bloodhounds？〃　repeated　Mrs。　Bunting；　and　there　was　terror　in　her　tone。　　〃Why　bloodhounds？　　That　do　seem　to　me　a　most　horrible　idea！〃

Bunting　looked　across　at　her；　mildly　astonished。　　〃Why；　'twould　be　a　very　good　idea；　if　'twas　possible　to　have　bloodhounds　in　a　town。　But；　there；　how　can　that　be　done　in　London；　full　of　butchers'　shops；　to　say　nothing　of　slaughter…yards　and　other　places　o'　that　sort？〃

But　Daisy　went　on；　and　to　her　stepmother's　shrinking　ear　there　seemed　a　horrible　thrill　of　delight；　of　gloating　pleasure；　in　her　fresh　young　voice。　　　

〃Hark　to　this；〃　she　said：

〃A　man　who　had　committed　a　murder　in　a　lonely　wood　near　Blackburn　was　traced　by　the　help　of　a　bloodhound；　and　thanks　to　the　sagacious　instincts　of　the　animal；　the　miscreant　was　finally　convicted　and　hanged。〃

〃La；　now　I　Who'd　ever　have　thought　of　such　a　thing？〃　　Bunting　exclaimed；　in　admiration。　　〃The　newspapers　do　have　some　useful　hints　in　sometimes；　Joe。〃

But　young　Chandler　shook　his　head。　　〃Bloodhounds　ain't　no　use；〃　he　said；　〃no　use　at　all！　　If　the　Yard　was　to　listen　to　all　the　suggestions　that　the　last　few　days　have　brought　in　…　well；　all　I　can　say　is　our　work　would　be　cut　out　for　us　…　not　but　what　it's　cut　out　for　us　now；　if　it　comes　to　that！〃　　He　sighed　ruefully。　　He　was　beginning　to　feel　very　tired；　if　only　he　could　stay　in　this　pleasant；　cosy　room　listening　to　Daisy　Bunting　reading　on　and　on　for　ever；　instead　of　having　to　go　out；　as　he　would　presently　have　to　do；　into　the　cold　and　foggy　night！

Joe　Chandler　was　fast　becoming　very　sick　of　his　new　job。　　There　was　a　lot　of　unpleasantness　attached　to　the　business；　too。　　Why；　even　in　the　house　where　he　lived；　and　in　the　little　cook…shop　where　he　habitually　took　his　meals；　the　people　round　him　had　taken　to　taunt　him　with　the　remissness　of　the　police。　　More　than　that　one　of　his　pals；　a　man　he'd　always　looked　up　to；　because　the　young　fellow　had　the　gift　of　the　gab；　had　actually　been　among　those　who　had　spoken　at　the　big　demonstration　in　Victoria　Park；　making　a　violent　speech；　not　only　against　the　Commissioner　of　the　Metropolitan　Police；　but　also　against　the　Home　Secretary。

But　Daisy；　like　most　people　who　believe　themselves　blessed　with　the　possession　of　an　accomplishment；　had　no　mind　to　leave　off　reading　just　yet。

〃Here's　another　notion！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃Another　letter；　father！〃


〃PARDON　TO　ACCOMPLICES。


〃DEAR　Sir　…　During　the　last　day　or　two　several　of　the　more　Intelligent　of　my　acquaintances　have　suggested　that　The　Avenger；　whoever　he　may　be；　must　be　known　to　a　certain　number　of　persons。　It　is　impossible　that　the　perpetrator　of　such　deeds；　however　nomad　he　may　be　in　his　habits　…　〃

〃Now　I　wonder　what　'nomad'　can　be？〃　Daisy　interrupted　herself；　and　looked　round　at　her　little　audience。

〃I've　always　declared　the　fellow　had　all　his　senses　about　him；〃　observed　Bunting　confidently。

Daisy　went　on；　quite　satisfied：

〃　…　however　nomad　he　may　be　in　his　habit；　must　have　some　habitat　where　his　ways　are　known　to　at　least　one　person。　　Now　the　person　who　knows　the　terrible　secret　is　evidently　withholding　information　in　expectation　of　a　reward；　or　maybe　because；　being　an　accessory　after　the　fact；　he　or　she　is　now　afraid　of　the　consequences。　　My　suggestion；　Sir；　is　that　the　Home　Secretary　promise　a　free　pardon。　The　more　so　that　only　thus　can　this　miscreant　be　brought　to　justice。　Unless　he　was　caught　red…handed　in　the　act；　it　will　be　exceedingly　difficult　to　trace　the　crime　committed　to　any　individual；　for　English　law　looks　very　askance　at　circumstantial　evidence。〃

〃There's　something　worth　listening　to　in　that　letter；〃　said　Joe；　leaning　forward。

Now　he　was　almost　touching　Daisy；　and　he　smiled　involuntarily　as　she　turned　her　gay；　pretty　little　face　the　better　to　hear　what　he　was　saying。

〃Yes；　Mr。　Chandler？〃　she　said　interrogatively。

〃Well；　d'you　remember　that　fellow　what　killed　an　old　gentleman　in　a　railway　carriage？　　He　took　refuge　with　someone　…　a　woman　his　mother　had　known；　and　she　kept　him　hidden　for　quite　a　long　time。　But　at　last　she　gave　him　up；　and　she　got　a　big　reward；　too！〃

〃I　don't　think　I'd　like　to　give　anybody　up　for　a　reward；〃　said　Bunting；　in　his　slow；　dogmatic　way。

〃Oh；　yes；　you　would；　Mr。　Bunting；〃　said　Chandler　confidently。　　〃You'd　only　be　doing　what　it's　the　plain　duty　of　everyone　…　everyone；　that　is；　who's　a　good　citizen。　　And　you'd　be　getting　something　for　doing　it；　which　is　more　than　most　people　gets　as　does　their　duty。〃

〃A　man　as　gives　up　someone　for　a　reward　is　no　better　than　a　common　informer；〃　went　on　Bunting　obstinately。　　〃And　no　man　'ud　care　to　be　called　that！　　It's　different　for　you；　Joe；〃　he　added　hastily。　　〃It's　your　job　to　catch　those　who've　done　anything　wrong。　　And　a　man'd　be　a　fool　who'd　take　refuge　…　like　with　you。　　He'd　be　walking　into　the　lion's　mouth　…　〃　Bunting　laughed。

And　then　Daisy　broke　in　coquettishly：　〃If　I'd　done　anything　I　wouldn't　mind　going　for　help　to　Mr。　Chandler；〃　she　said。

And　Joe；　with　eyes　kindling；　cried；　〃No。　　And　if　you　did　you　needn't　be　afraid　I'd　give　you　up；　Miss　Daisy！〃

And　then；　to　their　amazement；　there　suddenly　broke　from　Mrs。　Bunting；　sitting　with　towed　head　over　the　table；　an　exclamation　of　impatience　and　anger；　and；　it　seemed　to　those　listening；　of　pain。

〃Why；　Ellen；　don't　you　feel　well？〃　asked　Bunting　quickly。

〃Just　a　spasm；　a　sharp　stitch　in　my　side；　like；〃　answered　the　poor　woman　heavily。　　〃It's　over　now。　　Don't　mind　me。〃

〃But　I　don't　believe　…　no；　that　I　don't　…　that　there's　anybody　in　the　world　who　knows　who　The　Avenger　is；〃　went　on　Chandler　quickly。　〃It　stands　to　reason　that　anybody'd　give　him　up　…　in　their　own　interest；　if　not　in　anyone　else's。　　Who'd　shelter　such　a　creature？　Why；　'twould　be　dangerous　to　have　him　in　the　house　along　with　one！〃

〃Then　it's　your　idea　that　he's　not　responsible　for　the　wicked　things　he　does？〃　Mrs。　Bunting　raised　her　head；　and　looked　over　at　Chandler　with　eager；　anxious　eyes。

〃I'd　be　sorry　to　think　he　wasn't　responsible　enough　to　hang！〃　said　Chandler　deliberately。　　〃After　all　the　trouble　he's　been　giving　us；　too！〃

〃Hanging'd　be　too　good　for　that　chap；〃　said　Bunting。

〃Not　if　he's　not　responsible；〃　said　his　wife　sharply。　　〃I　never　heard　of　anything　so　cruel　…　that　I　never　did！　　If　the　man's　a　madman；　he　ought　to　be　in　an　asylum　…　that's　where　he　ought　to　be。〃

〃Hark　to　her　now！〃　Bunting　looked　at　his　Ellen　with　amusement。　〃Contrary　isn't　the　word　for　her！　　But　there；　I've　noticed　the　last　few　days　that　she　seemed　to　be　taking　that　monster's　part。　　That's　what　comes　of　being　a　born　total　abstainer。〃

Mrs。　Bunting　had　got　up　from　her　chair。　　〃What　nonsense　you　do　talk！〃　she　said　angrily。　　〃Not　but　what　it's　a　good　thing　if　these　murders　have　emptied　the　public…houses　of　women　for　a　bit。　　England's　drink　is　England's　shame　…　I'll　never　depart　from　that！　　Now；　Daisy；　child；　get　up；　do！　　Put　down　that　paper。　　We've　heard