the lodger-第33章
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〃'AN EX…LORD MAYOR OF LONDON ON THE AVENGER
〃'Will the murderer be caught？ Yes；' replied Sir John； 'he will certainly be caught … probably when he commits his next crime。 A whole army of bloodhounds； metaphorical and literal； will be on his track the moment he draws blood again。 With the whole community against him； he cannot escape； especially when it be remembered that he chooses the quietest hour in the twenty…four to commit his crimes。
〃'Londoners are now in such a state of nerves … if I may use the expression； in such a state of funk … that every passer…by； however innocent； is looked at with suspicion by his neighbour if his avocation happens to take him abroad between the hours of one and three in the morning。'
〃I'd like to gag that ex…Lord Mayor！〃 concluded Joe Chandler wrathfully。
Just then the lodger's bell rang。
〃Let me go up； my dear；〃 said Bunting。
His wife still looked pale and shaken by the fright she had had。
〃No； no；〃 she said hastily。 〃You stop down here； and talk to Joe。 I'll look after Mr。 Sleuth。 He may be wanting his supper just a bit earlier than usual to…day。〃
Slowly； painfully； again feeling as if her legs were made of cotton wool； she dragged herself up to the first floor； knocked at the door； and then went in。
〃You did ring； sir？〃 she said； in her quiet； respectful way。
And Mr。 Sleuth looked up。
She thought … but； as she reminded herself afterwards； it might have been just her idea； and nothing else … that for the first time the lodger looked frightened … frightened and cowed。
〃I heard a noise downstairs；〃 he said fretfully； 〃and I wanted to know what it was all about。 As I told you； Mrs。 Bunting； when I first took these rooms； quiet is essential to me。〃。
〃It was just a friend of ours； sir。 I'm sorry you were disturbed。 Would you like the knocker taken off to…morrow？ Bunting'll be pleased to do it if you don't like to hear the sound of the knocks。〃
〃Oh； no； I wouldn't put you to such trouble as that。〃 Mr。 Sleuth looked quite relieved。 〃Just a friend of yours； was it； Mrs。 Bunting？ He made a great deal of noise。〃
〃Just a young fellow；〃 she said apologetically。 〃The son of one of Bunting's old friends。 He often comes here； sir； but he never did give such a great big double knock as that before。 I'll speak to him about it〃
〃Oh； no； Mrs。 Bunting。 I would really prefer you did nothing of the kind。 It was just a passing annoyance … nothing more！〃
She waited a moment。 How strange that Mr。 Sleuth said nothing of the hoarse cries which had made of the road outside a perfect Bedlam every hour or two throughout that day； But no； Mr。 Sleuth made no allusion to what might well have disturbed any quiet gentleman at his reading。
〃I thought maybe you'd like to have supper a little earlier to…night； sir？〃
〃Just when you like； Mrs。 Bunting … just when it's convenient。 I do not wish to put you out in any way。〃
She felt herself dismissed； and going out quietly； closed the door。
As she did 'so； she heard the front door banging to。 She sighed … Joe Chandler was really a very noisy young fellow。
CHAPTER XVII
Mrs。 Bunting slept well the night following that during which the lodger had been engaged in making his mysterious experiments in her kitchen。 She was so tired； so utterly exhausted； that sleep came to her the moment she laid her head upon her pillow。
Perhaps that was why she rose so early the next morning。 Hardly giving herself time to swallow the tea Bunting had made and brought her； she got up and dressed。
She had suddenly come to the conclusion that the hall and staircase required a thorough 〃doing down；〃 and she did not even wait till they had eaten their breakfast before beginning her labours。 It made Bunting feel quite uncomfortable。 As he sat by the fire reading his morning paper … the paper which was again of such absorbing interest … he called out； 〃There's no need for so much hurry； Ellen。 Daisy'll be back to…day。 Why don't you wait till she's come home to help you？〃
But from the hall where she was busy dusting； sweeping； polishing； his wife's voice came back： 〃Girls ain't no good at this sort of work。 Don't you worry about me。 I feel as if I'd enjoy doing an extra bit of cleaning to…day。 I don't like to feel as anyone could come in and see my place dirty。〃
〃No fear of that！〃 Bunting chuckled。 And then a new thought struck him。 〃Ain't you afraid of waking the lodger？〃 he called out。
〃Mr。 Sleuth slept most of yesterday； and all last night；〃 she answered quickly。 〃As it is； I study him over…much； it's a long； long time since I've done this staircase down。〃
All the time she was engaged in doing the hall； Mrs。 Bunting left the sitting…room door wide open。
That was a queer thing of her to do； but Bunting didn't like to get up and shut her out； as it were。 Still； try as he would； he couldn't read with any comfort while all that noise was going on。 He had never known Ellen make such a lot of noise before。 Once or twice he looked up and frowned rather crossly。
There came a sudden silence； and he was startled to see that。 Ellen was standing in the doorway； staring at him； doing nothing。
〃Come in；〃 he said； 〃do！ Ain't you finished yet？〃
〃I was only resting a minute；〃 she said。 〃You don't tell me nothing。 I'd like to know if there's anything … I mean anything new … in the paper this morning。〃
She spoke in a muffled voice； almost as if she were ashamed of her unusual curiosity； and her look of fatigue； of pallor； made Bunting suddenly uneasy。 〃Come in … do！〃 he repeated sharply。 〃You've done quite enough … and before breakfast； too。 'Tain't necessary。 Come in and shut that door。〃
He spoke authoritatively； and his wife； for a wonder； obeyed him。
She came in； and did what she had never done before … brought the broom with her； and put it up against the wall in the corner。
Then she sat down。
〃I think I'll make breakfast up here；〃 she said。 〃I … I feel cold； Bunting。〃 And her husband stared at her surprised； for drops of perspiration were glistening on her forehead。
He got up。 〃All right。 I'll go down and bring the eggs up。 Don't you worry。 For the matter of that； I can cook them downstairs if you like。〃
〃No；〃 she said obstinately。 〃I'd rather do my own work。 You just bring them up here … that'll be all right。 To…morrow morning we'll have Daisy to help see to things。〃
〃Come over here and sit down comfortable in my chair；〃 he suggested kindly。 〃You never do take any bit of rest； Ellen。 I never see'd such a woman！〃
And again she got up and meekly obeyed him； walking across the room with languid steps。
He watched her； anxiously； uncomfortably。
She took up the newspaper he had just laid down； and Bunting took two steps towards her。
〃I'll show you the most interesting bit〃 he said eagerly。 〃It's the piece headed； 'Our Special Investigator。' You see； they've started a special investigator of their own； and he's got hold of a lot of little facts the police seem to have overlooked。 The man who writes all that … I mean the Special Investigator … was a famous 'tec in his time； and he's just come back out of his retirement o' purpose to do this bit of work for the paper。 You read what he says … I shouldn't be a bit surprised if he ends by getting that reward！ One can see he just loves the work of tracking people down。〃
〃There's nothing to be proud of in such a job；〃 said his wife listlessly。
〃He'll have something to be proud of if he catches The Avenger！〃 cried Bunting。 He was too keen about this affair to be put off by Ellen's contradictory remarks。 〃You just notice that bit about the rubber soles。 Now； no one's thought o' that。 I'll just tell Chandler … he don't seem to me to be half awake； that young man don't。〃
〃He's quite wide awake enough without you saying things to him！ How about those eggs； Bunting？ I feel quite ready for my breakfast even if you don't … 〃
Mrs。 Bunting now spoke in what her husband sometimes secretly described to himself as 〃Ellen's snarling voice。
He turned away and left the room； feeling oddly troubled。 There was something queer about her； and he couldn't make it out。 He didn't mind it when she spo
