the lodger-第4章

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〃You'd　find　my　rooms　quite　quiet；　sir；〃　she　said　gently。　　〃And　just　now　I　have　four　to　let。　　The　house　is　empty；　save　for　my　husband　and　me；　sir。〃

Mrs。　Bunting　spoke　in　a　civil；　passionless　voice。　　It　seemed　too　good　to　be　true；　this　sudden　coming　of　a　possible　lodger；　and　of　a　lodger　who　spoke　in　the　pleasant；　courteous　way　and　voice　which　recalled　to　the　poor　Woman　her　happy；　far…off　days　of　youth　and　of　security。

〃That　sounds　very　suitable；〃　he　said。　　〃Four　rooms？　　Well；　perhaps　I　ought　only　to　take　two　rooms；　but；　still；　I　should　like　to　see　all　four　before　I　make　my　choice。〃

How　fortunate；　how　very　fortunate　it　was　that　Bunting　had　lit　the　gas！　　But　for　that　circumstance　this　gentleman　would　have　passed　them　by。

She　turned　towards　the　staircase；　quite　forgetting　in　her　agitation　that　the　front　door　was　still　open；　and　it　was　the　stranger　whom　she　already　in　her　mind　described　as　〃the　lodger；〃　who　turned　and　rather　quickly　walked　down　the　passage　and　shut　it。

〃Oh；　thank　you；　sir！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃I'm　sorry　you　should　have　had　the　trouble。〃

For　a　moment　their　eyes　met。　　〃It's　not　safe　to　leave　a　front　door　open　in　London；〃　he　said；　rather　sharply。　　〃I　hope　you　do　not　often　do　that。　　It　would　be　so　easy　for　anyone　to　slip　in。〃

Mrs。　Bunting　felt　rather　upset。　　The　stranger　had　still　spoken　courteously；　but　he　was　evidently　very　much　put　out。

〃I　assure　you；　sir；　I　never　lave　my　front　door　open；〃　she　answered　hastily。　　〃You　needn't　be　at　all　afraid　of　that！〃

And　then；　through　the　closed　door　of　the　sitting…room；　came　the　sound　of　Bunting　coughing　…　it　was　just　a　little；　hard　cough；　but　Mrs。　Bunting's　future　lodger　started　violently。

〃Who's　that？〃　he　said；　putting　out　a　hand　and　clutching　her　arm。　〃Whatever　was　that？〃

〃Only　my　husband；　sir。　　He　went　out　to　buy　a　paper　a　few　minutes　ago；　and　the　cold　just　caught　him；　I　suppose。〃

〃Your　husband　…　？〃　he　looked　at　her　intently；　suspiciously。　　〃What　　…　what；　may　I　ask；　is　your　husband's　occupation？〃

Mrs。　Bunting　drew　herself　up。　　The　question　as　to　Bunting's　occupation　was　no　one's　business　but　theirs。　　Still；　it　wouldn't　do　for　her　to　show　offence。　　〃He　goes　out　waiting；〃　she　s4d　stiffly。　〃He　was　a　gentleman's　servant；　sir。　　He　could；　of　course；　valet　you　should　you　require　him　to　do　so。〃

And　then　she　turned　and　led　the　way　up　the　steep；　narrow　staircase。

At　the　top　of　the　first　flight　of　stairs　was　what　Mrs。　Bunting；　to　herself；　called　the　drawing…room　floor。　　It　consisted　of　a　sitting…room　in　front；　and　a　bedroom　behind。　　She　opened　the　door　of　the　sitting…room　and　quickly　lit　the　chandelier。

This；　front　room　was　pleasant　enough；　though　perhaps　a　little　over…encumbered　with　furniture。　　Covering　the　floor　was　a　green　carpet　simulating　moss；　four　chairs　were　placed　round　the　table　which　occupied　the　exact　middle　of　the　apartment；　and　in　the　corner；　opposite　the　door　giving　on　to　the　landing；　was　a　roomy；　old…fashioned　chiffonnier。

On　the　dark…green　walls　hung　a　series　of　eight　engravings；　portraits　of　early　Victorian　belles；　clad　in　lace　and　tarletan　ball　dresses；　clipped　from　an　old　Book　of　Beauty。　　Mrs。　Bunting　was　very　fond　of　these　pictures；　she　thought　they　gave　the　drawing…room　a　note　of　elegance　and　refinement。

As　she　hurriedly　turned　up　the　gas　she　was　glad；　glad　indeed；　that　she　had　summoned　up　sufficient　energy；　two　days　ago；　to　give　the　room　a　thorough　turn…out。

It　had　remained　for　a　long　time　in　the　state　in　which　it　had　been　left　by　its　last　dishonest；　dirty　occupants　when　they　had　been　scared　into　going　away　by　Bunting's　rough　threats　of　the　police。　But　now　it　was　in　apple…pie　order；　with　one　paramount　exception；　of　which　Mrs。　Bunting　was　painfully　aware。　　There　were　no　white　curtains　to　the　windows；　but　that　omission　could　soon　be　remedied　if　this　gentleman　really　took　the　lodgings。

But　what　was　this　…　？　　The　stranger　was　looking　round　him　rather　dubiously。　　〃This　is　rather　…　rather　too　grand　for　me；〃　he　said　at　last　〃I　should　like　to　see　your　other　rooms；　Mrs。　er　…　〃

〃　…　Bunting；〃　she　said　softly。　　〃Bunting；　sir。〃

And　as　she　spoke　the　dark；　heavy　load　of　care　again　came　down　and　settled　on　her　sad；　burdened　heart。　　Perhaps　she　had　been　mistaken；　after　all　…　or　rather；　she　had　not　been　mistaken　in　one　sense；　but　perhaps　this　gentleman　was　a　poor　gentleman　…　too　poor；　that　is；　to　afford　the　rent　of　more　than　one　room；　say　eight　or　ten　shillings　a　week；　eight　or　ten　shlllings　a　week　would　be　very　little　use　to　her　and　Bunting；　though　better　than　nothing　at　all。

〃Will　you　just　look　at　the　bedroom；　sir？〃

〃No；〃　he　said；　〃no。　　I　think　I　should　like　to　see　what　you　have　farther　up　the　house；　Mrs。　　…　；〃　and　then；　as　if　making　a　prodigious　mental　effort；　he　brought　out　her　name；　〃Bunting；〃　with　a　kind　of　gasp。

〃The　two　top　rooms　were；　of　course；　immediately　above　the　drawing…room　floor。　　But　they　looked　poor　and　mean；　owing　to　the　fact　that　they　were　bare　of　any　kind　of　ornament。　　Very　little　trouble　had　been　taken　over　their　arrangement；　in　fact；　they　bad　been　left　in　much　the　same　condition　as　that　in　which　the　Buntings　had　found　them。

For　the　matter　of　that；　it　is　difficult　to　make　a　nice；　genteel　sitting…room　out　of　an　apartment　of　which　the　principal　features　are　a　sink　and　a　big　gas　stove。　　The　gas　stove；　of　an　obsolete　pattern；　was　fed　by　a　tiresome；　shilling…in…the…slot　arrangement。　It　had　been　the　property　of　the　people　from　whom　the　Buntings　had　taken　over　the　lease　of　the　house；　who；　knowing　it　to　be　of　no　monetary　value；　had　thrown　it　in　among　the　humble　fittings　they　had　left　behind。

What　furniture　there　was　in　the　room　was　substantial　and　clean；　as　everything　belonging　to　Mrs。　Bunting　was　bound　to　be；　but　it　was　a　bare；　uncomfortable…looking　place；　and　the　landlady　now　felt　sorry　that　she　had　done　nothing　to　make　it　appear　more　attractive。

To　her　surprise；　however；　her　companion's　dark；　sensitive；　hatchet…shaped　face　became　irradiated　with　satisfaction。　　〃Capital！　Capital！〃　he　exclaimed；　for　the　first　time　putting　down　the　bag　he　held　at　his　feet；　and　rubbing　his　long；　thin　hands　together　with　a　quick；　nervous　movement。

〃This　is　just　what　I　have　been　looking　for。〃　　He　walked　with　long；　eager　strides　towards　the　gas　stove。　　〃First…rate　…　quite　first…rate！　Exactly　what　I　wanted　to　find！　　You　must　understand；　Mrs。　…　er　…　　Bunting；　that　I　am　a　man　of　science。　　I　make；　that　is；　all　sorts　of　　experiments；　and　I　often　require　the　…　ah；　well；　the　presence　of　great　heat。〃

He　shot　out　a　hand；　which　she　noticed　shook　a　little；　towards　the　stove。　　〃This；　too；　will　be　useful　…　exceedingly　useful；　to　me；〃　and　he　touched　the　edge　of　the　stone　sink　with　a　lingering；　caressing　touch。

He　threw　his　head　back　and　passed　his　hand　over　his　high；　bare　forehead；　then；　moving　towards　a　chair；　he　sat　down　…　wearily。　〃I'm　tired；〃　he　muttered　in　a　low　voice；　〃tired　…　tired！　　I've　been　walking　about　all　day；　Mrs。　Bunting；　and　I　could　find　nothing　to　sit　down　upon。　　They　do　not　put　benches　for　tired　men　in　the　London　streets。　　They　do　so　on　the　Continent。　　In　some　ways　they　are　far　more　humane　on　the　Continent　than　they　are　in　England；　Mrs。　Bunting。〃

〃Indeed；　sir；〃　she　said　civilly；　and　then；　after　a　nervous　glance；　she　asked　the　question　of　which　the　answer　would　mean　so　much　to　her；　〃Then　you　mean　to　take　my　rooms；　sir？〃

〃This　room；　certainly；〃　he　said；　looking　round。　　〃This　room　is　exactly　what　I　have　been　looking　for；　and　longing　for；　the　last　few　days；〃　and　then　hastily　he　added；　〃I　mean　this　kind　of　place　is　what　I　have　always　wanted　to　possess；　Mrs。　Bunting。　　You　would　be　surprised　if　you　knew　how　difficult　it　is　to　get　anything　of　the　sort。　　But　now　my　weary　search　has　ended；　and　that　is　a　relief　　…　a　very；　very　great　relief　to　me！〃

He　stood　up　and　looked　round　him　with　a　dreamy；　abstracted　air。　　And　then；　〃Where's　my　bag？〃　he　asked　suddenly；　and　there　came　a　note　of　sharp；　angry　fear　in　his　voice。　　He　glared　at　the　quiet　woman　standing　before　him；　and　for　a　moment　Mrs。　Bunting　felt　a　tremor　of　fright　shoot　through　her。　　It　seemed　a　pity　that　Bunting　was　so　far　away；　right　down　the　house。

But　Mrs。　Bunting　was　aware　that　eccentricity　has　always　been　a　perquisite；　as　it　were　the　special　lu