the lodger-第32章
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ys feel brighter when the sun is shining； as it is now； at any rate； trying to shine。〃 He looked at her inquiringly； but Mrs。 Bunting could not speak。 She only nodded。 However； that did not affect Mr。 Sleuth adversely。
He had acquired a great liking and respect for this well…balanced； taciturn woman。 She was the first woman for whom he had experienced any such feeling for many years past。
He looked down at the still covered dish； and shook his head。 〃I don't feel as if I could eat very much to…day；〃 he said plaintively。 And then he suddenly took a half…sovereign out of his waistcoat pocket。
Already Mrs。 Bunting had noticed that it was not the same waistcoat Mr。 Sleuth had been wearing the day before。
〃Mrs。 Bunting； may I ask you to come here？〃
And after a moment of hesitation his landlady obeyed him。
〃Will you please accept this little gift for the use you kindly allowed me to make of your kitchen last night？〃 he said quietly。 〃I tried to make as little mess as I could； Mrs。 Bunting； but … well； the truth is I was carrying out a very elaborate experiment 〃
Mrs。 Bunting held out her hand； she hesitated； and then she took the coin。 The fingers which for a moment brushed lightly against her palm were icy cold … cold and clammy。 Mr。 Sleuth was evidently not well。
As she walked down the stairs； the winter sun； a scarlet ball hanging in the smoky sky； glinted in on Mr。 Sleuth's landlady； and threw blood…red gleams； or so it seemed to her； on to the piece of gold she was holding in her hand。
******
The day went by； as other days had gone by in that quiet household； but； of course； there was far greater animation outside the little house than was usually the case。
Perhaps because the sun was shining for the first time for some days； the whole of London seemed to be making holiday in that part of the town。
When Bunting at 1ast came back； his wife listened silently while he told her of the extraordinary excitement reigning everywhere。 And then； after he had been talking a long while； she suddenly shot a strange look at him。
〃I suppose you went to see the place？〃 she said。
And guiltily he acknowledged that he had done so。
〃Well？〃
〃Well； there wasn't anything much to see … not now。 But； oh； Ellen； the daring of him！ Why； Ellen； if the poor soul had had time to cry out … which they don't believe she had … it's impossible someone wouldn't 'a heard her。 They say that if he goes on doing it like that … in the afternoon； like … he never will be caught。 He must have just got mixed up with all the other people within ten seconds of what he'd done！〃
During the afternoon Bunting bought papers recklessly … in fact； he must have spent the best part of six…pence。 But in spite of all the supposed and suggested clues； there was nothing … nothing at all new to read； less； in fact than ever before。
The police； it was clear； were quite at a loss； and Mrs。 Bunting began to feel curiously better； less tired； less ill； less … less terrified than she had felt through the morning。
And then something happened which broke with dramatic suddenness the quietude of the day。
They had had their tea； and Bunting was reading the last of the papers he had run out to buy； when suddenly there came a loud； thundering； double knock at the door。
Mrs。 Bunting looked up； startled。 〃Why； whoever can that be？〃 she said。
But as Bunting got up she added quickly； 〃You just sit down again。 I'll go myself。 Sounds like someone after lodgings。 I'll soon send them to the right…about！〃
And then she left the room； but not before there had come another loud double knock。
Mrs。 Bunting opened the front door。 In a moment she saw that the person who stood there was a stranger to her。 He was a big； dark man； with fierce； black moustaches。 And somehow … she could not have told you why … he suggested a policeman to Mrs。 Bunting's mind。
This notion of hers was confirmed by the very first words he uttered。 For； 〃I'm here to execute a warrant！〃 he exclaimed in a theatrical； hollow tone。
With a weak cry of protest Mrs。 Bunting suddenly threw out her arms as if to bar the way； she turned deadly white … but then； in an instant the supposed stranger's laugh rang out； with loud； jovial； familiar sound！
〃There now； Mrs。 Bunting！ I never thought I'd take you in as well as all that！〃
It was Joe Chandler … Joe Chandler dressed up； as she knew he sometimes； not very often； did dress up in the course of his work。
Mrs。 Bunting began laughing … laughing helplessly； hysterically； just as she had done on the morning of Daisy's arrival； when the newspaper…sellers had come shouting down the Marylebone Road。
〃What's all this about？〃 Bunting came out
Young Chandler ruefully shut the front door。 〃I didn't mean to upset her like this；〃 he said； looking foolish； 〃'twas just my silly nonsense； Mr。 Bunting。〃 And together they helped her into the sitting…room。
But； once there； poor Mrs。 Bunting went on worse than ever； she threw her black apron over her face； and began to sob hysterically。
〃'I made sure she'd know who I was when I spoke；〃 went on the young fellow apologetically。 〃But； there now； I have upset her。 I am sorry！〃
〃It don't matter！〃 she exclaimed； throwing the apron off her face； but the tears were still streaming from her eyes as she sobbed and laughed by turns。 〃Don't matter one little bit； Joe！ 'Twas stupid of me to be so taken aback。 But； there； that murder that's happened close by； it's just upset me … upset me altogether to…day。〃
〃Enough to upset anyone … that was；〃 acknowledged the young man ruefully。 〃I've only come in for a minute； like。 I haven't no right to come when I'm on duty like this … 〃
Joe Chandler was looking longingly at what remains of the meal were still on the table。
〃You can take a minute just to have a bite and a sup；〃 said Bunting hospitably； 〃and then you can tell us any news there is； Joe。 We're right in the middle of everything now； ain't we？〃 He spoke with evident enjoyment； almost pride； in the gruesome fact。
Joe nodded。 Already his mouth was full of bread…and…butter。 He waited a moment； and then： 〃Well I have got one piece of news … not that I suppose it'll interest you very much。〃
They both looked at him … Mrs。 Bunting suddenly calm； though her breast still heaved from time to time。
〃Our Boss has resigned！〃 said Joe Chandler slowly； impressively。
〃No！ Not the Commissioner o' Police？〃 exclaimed Bunting。
〃Yes； he has。 He just can't bear what's said about us any longer … and I don't wonder！ He done his best； and so's we all。 The public have just gone daft … in the West End； that is； to…day。 As for the papers； well； they're something cruel … that's what they are。 And the ridiculous ideas they print！ You'd never believe the things they asks us to do … and quite serious…like。〃
〃What d'you mean？〃 questioned Mrs。 Bunting。 She really wanted to know。
〃Well； the Courier declares that there ought to be a house…to…house investigation … all over London。 Just think of it！ Everybody to let the police go all over their house； from garret to kitchen； just to see if The Avenger isn't concealed there。 Dotty； I calls it！ Why； 'twould take us months and months just to do that one job in a town like London。〃
〃I'd like to see them dare come into my house！〃 said Mrs。 Bunting angrily。
〃It's all along of them blarsted papers that The Avenger went to work a different way this time；〃 said Chandler slowly。
Bunting had pushed a tin of sardines towards his guest； and was eagerly listening。 〃How d'you mean？〃 he asked。 〃I don't take your meaning； Joe。〃
〃Well； you see； it's this way。 The newspapers was always saying how extraordinary it was that The Avenger chose such a peculiar time to do his deeds … I mean； the time when no one's about the streets。 Now； doesn't it stand to reason that the fellow； reading all that； and seeing the sense of it； said to himself； 'I'll go on another tack this time'？ Just listen to this！〃 He pulled a strip of paper； part of a column cut from a newspaper； out of his pocket：
〃'AN EX…LORD MAYOR OF LONDON ON THE AVENGER
〃'Will the murderer be caught？ Yes；' replied Sir John； 'he will certainly
