the lodger-第31章

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rce　heat　had　been　generated　there　since　she　had　last　used　the　oven；　and　through　to　the　stone　floor　below　had　fallen　a　mass　of　black；　gluey　soot。

Mrs。　Bunting　took　the　ham　and　eggs　that　she　had　bought　the　previous　day　for　her　own　and　Bunting's　breakfast　upstairs；　and　broiled　them　over　the　gas…ring　in　their　sitting…room。　　Her　husband　watched　her　in　surprised　silence。　　She　had　never　done　such　a　thing　before。

〃I　couldn't　stay　down　there；〃　she　said；　〃it　was　so　cold　and　foggy。　I　thought　I'd　make　breakfast　up　here；　just　for　to…day。〃

〃Yes；〃　he　said　kindly；　〃that's　quite　right；　Ellen。　　I　think　you've　done　quite　right；　my　dear。〃

But；　when　it　came　to　the　point；　his　wife　could　not　eat　any　of　the　nice　breakfast　she　had　got　ready；　she　only　had　another　cup　of　tea。

〃I'm　afraid　you're　ill；　Ellen？〃　Bunting　asked　solicitously。

〃No；〃　she　said　shortly；　〃I'm　not　ill　at　all。　　Don't　be　silly！　　The　thought　of　that　horrible　thing　happening　so　close　by　has　upset　me；　and　put　me　off　my　food。　　Just　hark　to　them　now！〃

Through　their　closed　windows　penetrated　the　sound　of　scurrying　feet　and　loud；　ribald　laughter。　　What　a　crowd；　nay；　what　a　mob；　must　be　hastening　busily　to　and　from　the　spot　where　there　was　now　nothing　to　be　seen！

Mrs。　Bunting　made　her　husband　lock　the　front　gate。　　〃I　don't　want　any　of　those　ghouls　in　here！〃　she　exclaimed　angrily。　　And　then；　〃What　a　lot　of　idle　people　there　are　in　the　world！〃　she　said。


CHAPTER　XVI

Bunting　began　moving　about　the　room　restlessly。　　He　would　go　to　the　window；　stand　there　awhile　staring　out　at　the　people　hurrying　past；　then；　coming　back　to　the　fireplace；　sit　down。

But　he　could　not　stay　long　quiet。　　After　a　glance　at　his　paper；　up　he　would　rise　from　his　chair；　and　go　to　the　window　again。

〃I　wish　you'd　stay　still；〃　his　wife　said　at　last。　And　then；　a　few　minutes　later；　〃Hadn't　you　better　put　your　hat　and　coat　on　and　go　out？〃　she　exclaimed。

And　Bunting；　with　a　rather　shamed　expression；　did　put　on　his　hat　and　coat　and　go　out。

As　he　did　so　be　told　himself　that；　after　all；　he　was　but　human；　it　was　natural　that　he　should　be　thrilled　and　excited　by　the　dreadful；　extraordinary　thing　which　had　just　happened　close　by。　　Ellen　wasn't　reasonable　about　such　things。　　How　queer　and　disagreeable　she　had　been　that　very　morning　…　angry　with　him　because　he　had　gone　out　to　hear　what　all　the　row　was　about；　and　even　more　angry　when　he　had　come　back　and　said　nothing；　because　he　thought　it　would　annoy　her　to　hear　about　it！

Meanwhile；　Mrs。　Bunting　forced　herself　to　go　down　again　into　the　kitchen；　and　as　she　went　through　into　the　low；　whitewashed　place；　a　tremor　of　fear；　of　quick　terror；　came　over　her。　　She　turned　and　did　what　she　had　never　in　her　life　done　before；　and　what　she　had　never　heard　of　anyone　else　doing　in　a　kitchen。　　She　bolted　the　door。

But；　having　done　this；　finding　herself　at　last　alone；　shut　off　from　everybody；　she　was　still　beset　by　a　strange；　uncanny　dread。　　She　felt　as　if　she　were　locked　in　with　an　invisible　presence；　which　mocked　and　jeered；　reproached　and　threatened　her；　by　turns。

Why　had　she　allowed；　nay　encouraged；　Daisy　to　go　away　for　two　days？　Daisy；　at　any　rate；　was　company　…　kind；　young；　unsuspecting　company。　With　Daisy　she　could　be　her　old　sharp　self。　　It　was　such　a　comfort　to　be　with　someone　to　whom　she　not　only　need；　but　ought　to；　say　nothing。　　When　with　Bunting　she　was　pursued　by　a　sick　feeling　of　guilt；　of　shame。　　She　was　the　man's　wedded　wife　…　in　his　stolid　way　he　was　very　kind　to　her；　and　yet　she　was　keeping　from　him　something　he　certainly　had　a　right　to　know。

Not　for　worlds；　however；　would　she　have　told　Bunting　of　her　dreadful　suspicion　…　nay；　of　her　almost　certainty。

At　last　she　went　across　to　the　door　and　unlocked　it。　　Then　she　went　upstairs　and　turned　out　her　bedroom。　　That　made　her　feel　a　little　better。

She　longed　for　Bunting　to　return；　and　yet　in　a　way　she　was　relieved　by　his　absence。　　She　would　have　liked　to　feel　him　near　by；　and　yet　she　welcomed　anything　that　took　her　husband　out　of　the　house。

And　as　Mrs。　Bunting　swept　and　dusted；　trying　to　put　her　whole　mind　into　what　she　was　doing；　she　was　asking　herself　all　the　time　what　was　going　on　upstairs。

What　a　good　rest　the　lodger　was　having！　　But　there；　that　was　only　natural。　　Mr。　Sleuth；　as　she　well　knew；　had　been　up　a　long　time　last　night；　or　rather　this　morning。

******

Suddenly；　the　drawing…room　bell　rang。　　But　Mr。　Sleuth's　landlady　did　not　go　up；　as　she　generally　did；　before　getting　ready　the　simple　meal　which　was　the　lodger's　luncheon　and　breakfast　combined。　　Instead；　she　went　downstairs　again　and　hurriedly　prepared　the　lodger's　food。

Then；　very　slowly；　with　her　heart　beating　queerly；　she　walked　up；　and　just　outside　the　sitting…room　…　for　she　felt　sure　that　Mr。　Sleuth　had　got　up；　that　he　was　there　already；　waiting　for　her　…　she　rested　the　tray　on　the　top　of　the　banisters　and　listened。　　For　a　few　moments　she　heard　nothing；　then　through　the　door　came　the　high；　quavering　voice　with　which　she　had　become　so　familiar：

〃'She　saith　to　him；　stolen　waters　are　sweet；　and　bread　eaten　in　secret　is　pleasant。　　But　he　knoweth　not　that　the　dead　are　there；　and　that　her　guests　are　in　the　depths　of　hell。'〃

There　was　a　long　pause。　　Mrs。　Bunting　could　hear　the　leaves　of　her　Bible　being　turned　over；　eagerly；　busily；　and　then　again　Mr。　Sleuth　broke　out；　this　time　in　a　softer　voice：

〃'She　hath　cast　down　many　wounded　from　her；　yea；　many　strong　men　have　been　slain　by　her。'〃　　And　in　a　softer；　lower；　plaintive　tone　came　the　words：　〃'I　applied　my　heart　to　know；　and　to　search；　and　to　seek　out　wisdom　and　the　reason　of　things；　and　to　know　the　wickedness　of　folly；　even　of　foolishness　and　madness。'〃

And　as　she　stood　there　listening；　a　feeling　of　keen　distress；　of　spiritual　oppression；　came　over　Mrs。　Bunting。　　For　the　first　time　in　her　life　she　visioned　the　infinite　mystery；　the　sadness　and　strangeness；　of　human　life。

Poor　Mr。　Sleuth　…　poor　unhappy；　distraught　Mr。　Sleuth！　　An　overwhelming　pity　blotted　out　for　a　moment　the　fear；　aye；　and　the　loathing；　she　had　been　feeling　for　her　lodger。

She　knocked　at　the　door；　and　then　she　took　up　her　tray。

〃Come　in；　Mrs。　Bunting。〃　Mr。　Sleuth's　voice　sounded　feebler；　more　toneless　than　usual。

She　turned　the　handle　of　the　door　and　walked　in。　　The　lodger　was　not　sitting　in　his　usual　place；　he　had　taken　the　little　round　table　on　which　his　candle　generally　rested　when　he　read　in　bed；　out　of　his　bedroom；　and　placed　it　over　by　the　drawing…room　window。　　On　it　were　placed；　open；　the　Bible　and　the　Concordance。　　But　as　his　landlady　came　in；　Mr。　Sleuth　hastily　closed　the　Bible；　and　began　staring　dreamily　out　of　the　window；　down　at　the　sordid；　hurrying　crowd　of　men　and　women　which　now　swept　along　the　Marylebone　Road。

〃There　seem　a　great　many　people　out　today；〃　he　observed；　without　looking　round。

〃Yes；　sir；　there　do。〃

Mrs。　Bunting　began　busying　herself　with　laying　the　cloth　and　putting　out　the　breakfast…lunch；　and　as　she　did　so　she　was　seized　with　a　mortal；　instinctive　terror　of　the　man　sitting　there。

At　last　Mr。　Sleuth　got　up　and　turned　round。　　She　forced　herself　to　look　at　him。　　How　tired；　how　worn；　he　looked；　and　…　how　strange！

Walking　towards　the　table　on　which　lay　his　meal；　he　rubbed　his　hands　together　with　a　nervous　gesture　…　it　was　a　gesture　he　only　made　when　something　had　pleased；　nay；　satisfied　him。　　Mrs。　Bunting；　looking　at　him；　remembered　that　he　had　rubbed　his　hands　together　thus　when　he　had　first　seen　the　room　upstairs；　and　realised　that　it　contained　a　large　gas…stove　and　a　convenient　sink。

What　Mr。　Sleuth　was　doing　now　also　reminded　her　in　an　odd　way　of　a　play　she　had　once　seen　…　a　play　to　which　a　young　man　bad　taken　her　when　she　was　a　girl；　unnumbered　years　ago；　and　which　had　thrilled　and　fascinated　her。　　〃Out；　out；　damned　spot！〃　that　was　what　the　tall；　fierce；　beautiful　lady　who　had　played　the　part　of　a　queen　had　said；　twisting　her　hands　together　just　as　the　lodger　was　doing　now。

〃It's　a　fine　day；〃　said　Mr。　Sleuth；　sitting　down　and　unfolding　his　napkin。　　〃The　fog　has　cleared。　　I　do　not　know　if　you　will　agree　with　me；　Mrs。　Bunting；　but　I　always　feel　brighter　when　the　sun　is　shining；　as　it　is　now；　at　any　rate；　trying　to　shine。〃　　He　looked　at