the lodger-第42章

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〃Well；　you　see；　The　Avenger's　always　done　'em　in　couples；　so　to　speak。　　They've　got　an　idea　that　he'll　have　a　try　again　to…night。　However；　even　so；　Joe's　only　on　from　midnight　till　five　o'clock。　Then　he'll　go　and　turn　in　a　bit　before　going　off　to　fetch　Daisy；　Fine　thing　to　be　young；　ain't　it；　Ellen？〃

〃I　can't　believe　that　he'd　go　out　on　such　a　night　as　this！〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　Bunting；　staring　at　her。　　Ellen　had　spoken　so　oddly；　as　if　to　herself；　and　in　so　fierce　and　passionate　a　tone。

〃What　do　I　mean？〃　she　repeated　…　and　a　great　fear　clutched　at　her　heart。　　What　had　she　said？　　She　had　been　thinking　aloud。

〃Why；　by　saying　he　won't　go　out。　　Of　course；　he　has　to　go　out。　Besides；　he'll　have　been　to　the　play　as　it　is。　　'Twould　be　a　pretty　thing　if　the　police　didn't　go　out；　just　because　it　was　cold！〃

〃I　…　I　was　thinking　of　The　Avenger；〃　said　Mrs。　Bunting。　　She　looked　at　her　husband　fixedly。　　Somehow　she　had　felt　impelled　to　utter　those　true　words。

〃He　don't　take　no　heed　of　heat　nor　cold；〃　said　Bunting　sombrely。　〃I　take　it　the　man's　dead　to　all　human　feeling　…　…saving；　of　course；　revenge。

〃So　that's　your　idea　about　him；　is　it？〃　　She　looked　across　at　her　husband。　　Somehow　this　dangerous；　this　perilous　conversation　between　them　attracted　her　strangely。　　She　felt　as　if　she　must　go　on　with　it。　〃D'you　think　he　was　the　man　that　woman　said　she　saw？　　That　young　man　what　passed　her　with　a　newspaper　parcel？〃

〃Let　me　see；〃　he　said　slowly。　　〃I　thought　that　'twas　from　the　bedroom　window　a　woman　saw　him？〃

〃No；　no。　　I　mean　the　other　woman；　what　was　taking　her　husband's　breakfast　to　him　in　the　warehouse。　　She　was　far　the　most　respectable…looking　woman　of　the　two；〃　said　Mrs。　Bunting　impatiently。

And　then；　seeing　her　husband's　look　of　utter；　blank　astonishment；　she　felt　a　thrill　of　unreasoning　terror。　　She　must　have　gone　suddenly　mad　to　have　said　what　she　did！　　Hurriedly　she　got　up　from　her　chair。　〃There；　now；〃　she　said；　〃here　I　am　gossiping　all　about　nothing　when　I　ought　to　be　seeing　about　the　lodger's　supper。　　It　was　someone　in　the　train　talked　to　me　about　that　person　as　thinks　she　saw　The　Avenger。〃

Without　waiting　for　an　answer；　she　went　into　her　bedroom；　lit　the　gas；　and　shut　the　door。　　A　moment　later　she　heard　Bunting　go　out　to　buy　the　paper　they　had　both　forgotten　during　their　dangerous　discussion。

As　she　slowly；　languidly　took　off　her　nice；　warm　coat　and　shawl；　Mrs。　Bunting　found　herself　shivering。　　It　was　dreadfully　cold；　quite　unnaturally　cold　even　for　the　time　of　year。

She　looked　longingly　towards　the　fireplace。　　It　was　now　concealed　by　the　washhand…stand；　but　how　pleasant　it　would　be　to　drag　that　stand　aside　and　light　a　bit　of　fire；　especially　as　Bunting　was　going　to　be　out　to…night。　　He　would　have　to　put　on　his　dress　clothes；　and　she　didn't　like　his　dressing　in　the　sitting…room。　　It　didn't　suit　her　ideas　that　he　should　do　so。　　How　if　she　did　light　the　fire　here；　in　their　bedroom？　　It　would　be　nice　for　her　to　have　bit　of　fire　to　cheer　her　up　after　he　had　gone。

Mrs。　Bunting　knew　only　too　well　that　she　would　have　very　little　sleep　the　coming　night。　　She　looked　over；　with　shuddering　distaste；　at　her　nice；　soft　bed。　　There　she　would　lie；　on　that　couch　of　little　ease；　listening　…　listening。　。　。　。

She　went　down　to　the　kitchen。　　Everything　was　ready　for　Mr。　Sleuth's　supper；　for　she　had　made　all　her　preparations　before　going　out　so　as　not　to　have　to　hurry　back　before　it　suited　her　to　do　so。

Leaning　the　tray　for　a　moment　on　the　top　of　the　banisters；　she　listened。　　Even　in　that　nice　warm　drawing…room；　and　with　a　good　fire；　how　cold　the　lodger　must　feel　sitting　studying　at　the　table！　But　unwonted　sounds　were　coming　through　the　door。　　Mr。　Sleuth　was　moving　restlessly　about　the　room；　not　sitting　reading；　as　was　his　wont　at　this　time　of　the　evening。

She　knocked；　and　then　waited　a　moment。

There　came　the　sound　of　a　sharp　click；　that　of　the　key　turning　in　the　lock　of　the　chiffonnier　cupboard　…　or　so　Mr。　Sleuth's　landlady　could　have　sworn。

There　was　a　pause　…　she　knocked　again。

〃Come　in；〃　said　Mr。　Sleuth　loudly；　and　she　opened　the　door　and　carried　in　the　tray。

〃You　are　a　little　earlier　than　usual；　are　you　not　Mrs。　Bunting？〃　he　said；　with　a　touch　of　irritation　in　his　voice。

〃I　don't　think　so；　sir；　but　I've　been　out。　　Perhaps　I　lost　count　of　the　time。　　I　thought　you'd　like　your　breakfast　early；　as　you　had　dinner　rather　sooner　than　usual。〃

〃Breakfast？　　Did　you　say　breakfast；　Mrs。　Bunting？〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；　I'm　sure！　　I　meant　supper。〃　　He　looked　at　her　fixedly。　　It　seemed　to　Mrs。　Bunting　that　there　was　a　terrible　questioning　look　in　his　dark；　sunken　eyes。

〃Aren't　you　well？〃　he　said　slowly。　　〃You　don't　look　well；　Mrs。　Bunting。〃

〃No；　sir；〃　she　said。　　〃I'm　not　well。　　I　went　over　to　see　a　doctor　this　afternoon；　to　Ealing；　sir。〃

〃I　hope　he　did　you　good；　Mrs。　Bunting〃　…　the　lodger's　voice　had　become　softer；　kinder　in　quality。

〃It　always　does　me　good　to　see　the　doctor；〃　said　Mrs。　Bunting　evasively。

And　then　a　very　odd　smile　lit　up　Mr。　Sleuth's　face。　　〃Doctors　are　a　maligned　body　of　men；〃　he　said。　　〃I'm　glad　to　hear　you　speak　well　of　them。　　They　do　their　best；　Mrs。　Bunting。　　Being　human　they　are　liable　to　err；　but　I　assure　you　they　do　their　best。〃

〃That　I'm　sure　they　do；　sir　〃　…　she　spoke　heartily；　sincerely。　Doctors　had　always　treated　her　most　kindly；　and　even　generously。

And　then；　having　laid　the　cloth；　and　put　the　lodger's　one　hot　dish　upon　it；　she　went　towards　the　door。　　〃Wouldn't　you　like　me　to　bring　up　another　scuttleful　of　coals；　sir？　　it's　bitterly　cold　…　getting　colder　every　minute。　　A　fearful　night　to　have　to　go　out　in　…　〃　she　looked　at　him　deprecatingly。

And　then　Mr。　Sleuth　did　something　which　startled　her　very　much。　Pushing　his　chair　back；　he　jumped　up　and　drew　himself　to　his　full　height。

〃What　d'you　mean？〃　he　stammered。　　〃Why　did　you　say　that；　Mrs。　Bunting？〃

She　stared　at　him；　fascinated；　affrighted。　　Again　there　came　an　awful　questioning　look　over　his　face。

〃I　was　thinking　of　Bunting；　sir。　　He's　got　a　job　to…night。　　He's　going　to　act　as　waiter　at　a　young　lady's　birthday　party。　　I　was　thinking　it's　a　pity　he　has　to　turn　out；　and　in　his　thin　clothes；　too〃　…　she　brought　out　her　words　jerkily。

Mr。　Sleuth　seemed　somewhat　reassured；　and　again　he　sat　down。　　〃Ah！〃　he　said。　　〃Dear　me　…　I'm　sorry　to　hear　that！　　I　hope　your　husband　will　not　catch　cold；　Mrs。　Bunting。〃

And　then　she　shut　the　door；　and　went　downstairs。

******

Without　telling　Bunting　what　she　meant　to　do；　she　dragged　the　heavy　washhand…stand　away　from　the　chimneypiece；　and　lighted　the　fire。

Then　in　some　triumph　she　called　Bunting　in。

〃Time　for　you　to　dress；〃　she　cried　out　cheerfully；　〃and　I've　got　a　little　bit　of　fire　for　you　to　dress　by。〃

As　he　exclaimed　at　her　extravagance；　〃Well；　'twill　be　pleasant　for　me；　too；　keep　me　company…like　while　you're　out；　and　make　the　room　nice　and　warm　when　you　come　in。　　You'll　be　fair　perished；　even　walking　that　short　way；〃　she　said。

And　then；　while　her　husband　was　dressing；　Mrs。　Bunting　went　upstairs　and　cleared　away　Mr。　Sleuth's　supper。

The　lodger　said　no　word　while　she　was　so　engaged　…　no　word　at　all。

He　was　sitting　away　from　the　table；　rather　an　unusual　thing　for　him　to　do；　and　staring　into　the　fire；　his　hands　on　his　knees。

Mr。　Sleuth　looked　lonely；　very；　very　lonely　and　forlorn。　　Somehow；　a　great　rush　of　pity；　as　well　as　of　horror；　came　over　Mrs。　Bunting's　heart。　　He　was　such　a　…　a　…　she　searched　for　a　word　in　her　mind；　but　could　only　find　the　word　〃gentle　〃　…　he　was　such　a　nice；　gentle　gentleman；　was　Mr。　Sleuth。　　Lately　he　had　again　taken　to　leaving　his　money　about；　as　he　had　done　the　first　day　or　two；　and　with　some　concern　his　landlady　had　seen　that　the　store　had　diminished　a　good　deal。　　A　very　simple　calculation　had　made　her　realise　that　almost　the　whole　of　that　missing　money　had　come　her　way；　or；　at　any　rate；　had　passed　through　her　hands。

Mr。　Sleuth　never　stinted　himself　as　to　food；　or　stinted　them；　his　landlord　and　his　landlady；　as　to　what　he　had　said　he　would　pay。　And　Mrs。　Bunting's　conscience　pricked　her　a　little；　for　he　hardly　ever　used　that　room　upstairs　…　that　room　for　which　he　had　paid　extra　so　generously。　　I