the lodger-第23章

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et　up；　do！　　Put　down　that　paper。　　We've　heard　quite　enough。　　You　can　be　laying　the　cloth　while　I　goes　down　the　kitchen。〃

〃Yes；　you　mustn't　be　forgetting　the　lodger's　supper；〃　called　out　Bunting。　　〃Mr。　Sleuth　don't　always　ring　…　〃　he　turned　to　Chandler。　〃For　one　thing；　he's　often　out　about　this　time。〃

〃Not　often　…　just　now　and　again；　when　he　wants　to　buy'　something；〃　snapped　out　Mrs。　Bunting。　　〃But　I　hadn't　forgot　his　supper。　　He　never　do　want　it　before　eight　o'clock。〃

〃Let　me　take　up　the　lodger's　supper；　Ellen；〃　Daisy's　eager　voice　broke　in。　　She　had　got　up　in　obedience　to　her　stepmother；　and　was　now　laying　the　cloth。

〃Certainly　not！　　I　told　you　he　only　wanted　me　to　wait　on　him。　　You　have　your　work　cut　out　looking　after　things　down　here　…　that's　where　I　wants　you　to　help　me。〃

Chandler　also　got　up。　　Somehow　he　didn't　like　to　be　doing　nothing　while　Daisy　was　so　busy。　　〃Yes；〃　he　said；　looking　across　at　Mrs。　Bunting；　〃I'd　forgotten　about　your　lodger。　　Going　on　all　right；　eh？〃

〃Never　knew　so　quiet　and　well…behaved　a　gentleman；〃　said　Bunting。　〃He　turned　our　luck；　did　Mr。　Sleuth。〃

His　wife　left　the　room；　and　after　she　had　gone　Daisy　laughed。　〃You'll　hardly　believe　it；　Mr。　Chandler；　but　I've　never　seen　this　wonderful　lodger。　　Ellen　keeps　him　to　herself；　that　she　does！　　If　I　was　father　I'd　be　jealous！〃

Both　men　laughed。　　Ellen？　　No；　the　idea　was　too　funny。


CHAPTER　XII

〃All　I　can　say　is；　I　think　Daisy　ought　to　go。　　One　can't　always　do　just　what　one　wants　to　do　…　not　in　this　world；　at　any　rate！〃

Mrs。　Bunting　did　not　seem　to　be　addressing　anyone　in　particular；　though　both　her　husband　and　her　stepdaughter　were　in　the　room。　　She　was　standing　by　the　table；　staring　straight　before　her；　and　as　she　spoke　she　avoided　looking　at　either　Bunting　or　Daisy。　　There　was　in　her　voice　a　tone　of　cross　decision；　of　thin　finality；　with　which　they　were　both　acquainted；　and　to　which　each　listener　knew　the　other　would　have　to　bow。

There　was　silence　for　a　moment；　then　Daisy　broke　out　passionately；　〃I　don't　see　why　I　should　go　if　I　don't　want　to！〃　she　cried。　〃You'll　allow　I've　been　useful　to　you；　Ellen？　　'Tisn't　even　as　if　you　was　quite　well。〃

〃I　am　quite　well　…　perfectly　well！〃　snapped　out　Mrs。　Bunting；　and　she　turned　her　pale；　drawn　face；　and　looked　angrily　at　her　stepdaughter。

〃'Tain't　often　I　has　a　chance　of　being　with　you　and　father。〃　　There　were　tears　in　Daisy's　voice；　and　Bunting　glanced　deprecatingly　at　his　wife。

An　invitation　had　come　to　Daisy　…　an　invitation　from　her　own　dead　mother's　sister；　who　was　housekeeper　in　a　big　house　in　Belgrave　Square。　　〃The　family〃　had　gone　away　for　the　Christmas　holidays；　and　Aunt　Margaret　…　Daisy　was　her　godchild　…　had　begged　that　her　niece　might　come　and　spend　two　or　three　days　with　her。

But　the　girl　had　already　had　more　than　one　taste　of　what　life　was　like　in　the　great　gloomy　basement　of　100　Belgrave　Square。　　Aunt　Margaret　was　one　of　those　old…fashioned　servants　for　whom　the　modern　employer　is　always　sighing。　　While　〃the　family〃　were　away　it　was　her　joy　…　she　regarded　it　as　a　privilege　…　to　wash　sixty…seven　pieces　of　very　valuable　china　contained　in　two　cabinets　in　the　drawing…room；　she　also　slept　in　every　bed　by　turns；　to　keep　them　all　well　aired。　These　were　the　two　duties　with　which　she　intended　her　young　niece　to　assist　her；　and　Daisy's　soul　sickened　at　the　prospect。

But　the　matter　had　to　be　settled　at　once。　　The　letter　had　come　an　hour　ago；　containing　a　stamped　telegraph　form；　and　Aunt　Margaret　was　not　one　to　be　trifled　with。

Since　breakfast　the　three　had　talked　of　nothing　else；　and　from　the　very　first　Mrs。　Bunting　had　said　that　Daisy　ought　to　go　…　that　there　was　no　doubt　about　it；　that　it　did　not　admit　of　discussion。　　But　discuss　it　they　all　did；　and　for　once　Bunting　stood　up　to　his　wife。　But　that；　as　was　natural；　only　made　his　Ellen　harder　and　more　set　on　her　own　view。

〃What　the　child　says　is　true；〃　he　observed。　　〃It　isn't　as　if　you　was　quite　well。　　You've　been　took　bad　twice　in　the　last　few　days　　…　you　can't　deny　of　it；　Ellen。　　Why　shouldn't　I　just　take　a　bus　and　go　over　and　see　Margaret？　　I'd　tell　her　just　how　it　is。　　She'd　understand；　bless　you！〃

〃I　won't　have　you　doing　nothing　of　the　sort！〃　cried　Mrs。　Bunting；　speaking　almost　as　passionately　as　her　stepdaughter　had　done。　〃Haven't　I　a　right　to　be　ill；　haven't　I　a　right　to　be　took　bad；　aye；　and　to　feel　all　right　again　…　same　as　other　people？〃

Daisy　turned　round　and　clasped　her　hands。　　〃Oh；

Ellen！〃　she　cried；　〃do　say　that　you　can't　spare　me！　　I　don't　want　to　go　across　to　that　horrid　old　dungeon　of　a　place。〃

〃Do　as　you　like；〃　said　Mrs。　Bunting　sullenly。　　〃I'm　fair　tired　of　you　both！　　There'll　come　a　day；　Daisy；　when　you'll　know；　like　me；　that　money　is　the　main　thing　that　matters　in　this　world；　and　when　your　Aunt　Margaret's　left　her　savings　to　somebody　else　just　because　you　wouldn't　spend　a　few　days　with　her　this　Christmas；　then　you'll　know　what　it's　like　to　go　without　…　you'll　know　what　a　fool　you　were；　and　that　nothing　can't　alter　it　any　more！〃

And　then；　with　victory　actually　in　her　grasp；　poor　Daisy　saw　it　snatched　from　her。

〃Ellen　is　right；〃　Bunting　said　heavily。　　〃Money　does　matter　…　a　terrible　deal…though　I　never　thought　to　hear　Ellen　say　'twas　the　only　thing　that　mattered。　　But　'twould　be　foolish　…　very；　very　foolish；　my　girl；　to　offend　your　Aunt　Margaret。　　It'll　only　be　two　days　after　all　…　two　days　isn't　a　very　long　time。〃

But　Daisy　did　not　hear　her　father's　last　words。　　She　had　already　rushed　from　the　room；　and　gone　down　to　the　kitchen　to　hide　her　childish　tears　of　disappointment　…　the　childish　tears　which　came　because　she　was　beginning　to　be　a　woman；　with　a　woman's　natural　instinct　for　building　her　own　human　nest。

Aunt　Margaret　was　not　one　to　tolerate　the　comings　of　any　strange　young　man；　and　she　had　a　peculiar　dislike　to　the　police。

〃Who'd　ever　have　thought　she'd　have　minded　as　much　as　that！〃　Bunting　looked　across　at　Ellen　deprecatingly；　already　his　heart　was　misgiving　him。

〃It's　plain　enough　why　she's　become　so　fond　of　us　all　of　a　sudden；〃　said　Mrs。　Bunting　sarcastically。　　And　as　her　husband　stared　at　her　uncomprehendingly；　she　added；　in　a　tantalising　tone；　〃as　plain　as　the　nose　on　your　face；　my　man。〃

〃What　d'you　mean？〃　he　said。　　〃I　daresay　I'm　a　bit　slow；　Ellen；　but　I　really　don't　know　what　you'd　be　at？〃

〃Don't　you　remember　telling　me　before　Daisy　came　here　that　Joe　Chandler　had　become　sweet　on　her　last　summer？　　I　thought　it　only　foolishness　then；　but　I've　come　round　to　your　view　…　that's　all。〃

Bunting　nodded　his　head　slowly。　　Yes；　Joe　had　got　into　the　way　of　coming　very　often；　and　there　had　been　the　expedition　to　that　gruesome　Scotland　Yard　museum；　but　somehow　he；　Bunting；　had　been　so　interested　in　the　Avenger　murders　that　he　hadn't　thought　of　Joe　in　any　other　connection　…　not　this　time；　at　any　rate。

〃And　do　you　think　Daisy　likes　him？〃　　There　was　an　unwonted　tone　of　excitement；　of　tenderness；　in　Bunting's　voice。

His　wife　looked　over　at　him；　and　a　thin　smile；　not　an　unkindly　smile　by　any　means；　lit　up　her　pale　face。　　〃I've　never　been　one　to　prophesy；〃　she　answered　deliberately。　　〃But　this　I　don't　mind　telling　you；　Bunting　…　Daisy'll　have　plenty　o'　time　to　get　tired　of　Joe　Chandler　before　they　two　are　dead。　　Mark　my　words！〃

〃Well；　she　might　do　worse；〃　said　Bunting　ruminatingly。　　〃He's　as　steady　as　God　makes　them；　and　he's　already　earning　thirty…two　shillings　a　week。　　But　I　wonder　how　Old　Aunt'd　like　the　notion？　I　don't　see　her　parting　with　Daisy　before　she　must。〃

〃I　wouldn't　let　no　old　aunt　interfere　with　me　about　such　a　thing　as　that！〃　cried　Mrs。　Bunting。　　〃No；　not　for　millions　of　gold！〃　And　Bunting　looked　at　her　in　silent　wonder。　　Ellen　was　singing　a　very　different　tune　now　to　what　she'd　sung　a　few　minutes　ago；　when　she　was　so　keen　about　the　girl　going　to　Belgrave　Square。

〃If　she　still　seems　upset　while　she's　having　her　dinner；〃　said　his　wife　suddenly；　〃well；　you　just　wait　till　I've　gone　out　for　something；　and　then　you　just　say　to　her；　'Absence　makes　the　heart　grow　fonder'　　…　just　that；　and　nothing　more！　　She'll　take　it　from　you。　　And　I　shouldn't　be　surprised　if　it　comforted　her　quite　a　lot。〃

〃For　the　matter　of　that；　there's　no　reason　why　Joe　C