the lodger-第46章

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He　nodded。　　〃Mum's　the　word；　Mrs。　Bunting！　　It'll　all　be　in　the　last　editions　of　the　evening　newspapers　…　it　can't　be　kep'　out。　　There'd　be　too　much　of　a　row　if　'twas！〃

〃Are　you　going　off　to　that　public…house　now？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes；　I　am。　　I've　got　a　awk'ard　job　…　to　try　and　worm　something　out　of　the　barmaid。〃

〃Something　out　of　the　barmaid？〃　repeated　Mrs。　Bunting　nervously。　　〃Why；　whatever　for？〃

He　came　and　stood　close　to　her。　　〃They　think　'twas　a　gentleman；〃　he　whispered。

〃A　gentleman？〃

Mrs。　Bunting　stared　at　Chandler　with　a　scared　expression。　　〃Whatever　makes　them　think　such　a　silly　thing　as　that？〃

〃Well；　just　before　closing…time　a　very　peculiar…looking　gent；　with　a　leather　bag　in　his　hand；　went　into　the　bar　and　asked　for　a　glass　of　milk。　　And　what　d'you　think　he　did？　　Paid　for　it　with　a　sovereign！　He　wouldn't　take　no　change　…　just　made　the　girl　a　present　of　it！　That's　why　the　young　woman　what　served　him　seems　quite　unwilling　to　give　him　away。　　She　won't　tell　now　what　he　was　like。　　She　doesn't　know　what　he's　wanted　for；　and　we　don't　want　her　to　know　just　yet。　That's　one　reason　why　nothing's　being　said　public　about　it。　　But　there！　　I　really　must　be　going　now。　　My　time'll　be　up　at　three　o'clock。　　I　thought　of　coming　in　on　the　way　back；　and　asking　you　for　a　cup　o'　tea；　Mrs。　Bunting。〃

〃Do；〃　she　said。　　〃Do；　Joe。　　You'll　be　welcome；〃　but　there　was　no　welcome　in　her　tired　voice。

She　let　him　go　alone　to　the　door；　and　then　she　went　down　to　her　kitchen；　and　began　cooking　Mr。　Sleuth's　breakfast。

The　lodger　would　be　sure　to　ring　soon；　and　then　any　minute　Bunting　and　Daisy　might　be　home；　and　they'd　want　something；　too。　　Margaret　always　had　breakfast　even　when　〃the　family〃　were　away；　unnaturally　early。

As　she　bustled　about　Mrs。　Bunting　tried　to　empty　her　mind　of　all　thought。　　But　it　is　very　difficult　to　do　that　when　one　is　in　a　state　of　torturing　uncertainty。　　She　had　not　dared　to　ask　Chandler　what　they　supposed　that　man　who　had　gone　into　the　public…house　was　really　like。　　It　was　fortunate；　indeed；　that　the　lodger　and　that　inquisitive　young　chap　had　never　met　face　to　face。

At　last　Mr。　Sleuth's　bell　rang　…　a　quiet　little　tinkle。　　But　when　she　went　up　with　his　breakfast　the　lodger　was　not　in　his　sitting…room。

Supposing　him　to　be　still　in　his　bedroom；　Mrs。　Bunting　put　the　cloth　on　the　table；　and　then　she　heard　the　sound　of　his　footsteps　coming　down　the　stairs；　and　her　quick　ears　detected　the　slight　whirring　sound　which　showed　that　the　gas…stove　was　alight。　　Mr。　Sleuth　had　already　lit　the　stove；　that　meant　that　he　would　carry　out　some　elaborate　experiment　this　afternoon。

〃Still　snowing？〃　he　said　doubtfully。　　〃How　very；　very　quiet　and　still　London　is　when　under　snow；　Mrs。　Bunting。　　I　have　never　known　it　quite　as　quiet　as　this　morning。　　Not　a　sound；　outside　or　in。　　A　very　pleasant　change　from　the　shouting　which　sometimes　goes　on　in　the　Marylebone　Road。〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said　dully。　　〃It's　awful　quiet　to…day　…　too　quiet　to　my　thinking。　　'Tain't　natural…like。〃

The　outside　gate　swung　to；　making　a　noisy　clatter　in　the　still　air。

〃Is　that　someone　coming　in　here？〃　asked　Mr。　Sleuth；　drawing　a　quick；　hissing　breath。　　〃Perhaps　you　will　oblige　me　by　going　to　the　window　and　telling　me　who　it　is；　Mrs。　Bunting？〃

And　his　landlady　obeyed　him。

〃It's　only　Bunting；　sir　…　Bunting　and　his　daughter。〃

〃Oh！　　Is　that　all？〃

Mr。　Sleuth　hurried　after　her；　and　she　shrank　back　a　little。　　She　had　never　been　quite　so　near　to　the　lodger　before；　save　on　that　first　day　when　she　had　been　showing　him　her　rooms。

Side　by　side　they　stood；　looking　out　of　the　window。　　And；　as　if　aware　that　someone　was　standing　there；　Daisy　turned　her　bright　face　up　towards　the　window　and　smiled　at　her　stepmother；　and　at　the　lodger；　whose　face　she　could　only　dimly　discern。

〃A　very　sweet…looking　young　girl；〃　said　Mr。　Sleuth　thoughtfully。　And　then　he　quoted　a　little　bit　of　poetry；　and　this　took　Mrs。　Bunting　very　much　aback。

〃Wordsworth；〃　he　murmured　dreamily。　　〃A　poet　too　little　read　nowadays；　Mrs。　Bunting；　but　one　with　a　beautiful　feeling　for　nature；　for　youth；　for　innocence。〃

〃Indeed；　sir？〃　Mrs。　Bunting　stepped　back　a　little。　　〃Your　breakfast　will　be　getting　cold；　sir；　if　you　don't　have　it　now。〃

He　went　back　to　the　table；　obediently；　and　sat　down　as　a　child　rebuked　might　have　done。；

And　then　his　landlady　Left　him。

〃Well？〃　said　Bunting　cheerily。　　〃Everything　went　off　quite　all　right。　And　Daisy's　a　lucky　girl　…　that　she　is！　Her　Aunt　Margaret　gave　her　five　shillings。〃

But　Daisy　did　not　look　as　pleased　as　her　father　thought　she　ought　to　do。

〃I　hope　nothing's　happened　to　Mr。　Chandler；〃　she　said　a　little　disconsolately。　　〃The　very　last　words　he　said　to　me　last　night　was　that　he'd　be　there　at　ten　o'clock。　　I　got　quite　fidgety　as　the　time　went　on　and　he　didn't　come。〃

〃He's　been　here；〃　said　Mrs。　Bunting　slowly。

〃Been　here？〃　cried　her　husband。　　〃Then　why　on　earth　didn't　he　go　and　fetch　Daisy；　if　he'd　time　to　come　here？〃

〃He　was　on　the　way　to　his　job；〃　his　wife　answered。　　〃You　run　along；　child；　downstairs。　　Now　that　you　are　here　you　can　make　yourself　useful。〃

And　Daisy　reluctantly　obeyed。　　She　wondered　what　it　was　her　stepmother　didn't　want　her　to　hear。

〃I've　something　to　tell　you；　Bunting。〃

〃Yes？〃　He　looked　across　uneasily。　　〃Yes；　Ellen？〃

〃There's　been　another　o'　those　murders。　　But　the　police　don't　want　anyone　to　know　about　it　…　not　yet。　　That's　why　Joe　couldn't　go　over　and　fetch　Daisy。　　They're　all　on　duty　again。〃

Bunting　put　out　his　hand　and　clutched　hold　of　the　edge　of　the　mantelpiece。　　He　had　gone　very　red；　but　his　wife　was　far　too　much　concerned　with　her　own　feelings　and　sensations　to　notice　it。

There　was　a　long　silence　between　them。　　Then　he　spoke；　making　a　great　effort　to　appear　unconcerned。

〃And　where　did　it　happen？〃　he　asked。　　〃Close　to　the　other　one？〃

She　hesitated；　then：　〃I　don't　know。　　He　didn't　say。　　But　hush！〃　she　added　quickly。　　〃Here's　Daisy！　　Don't　let's　talk　of　that　horror　in　front　of　her…like。　　Besides；　I　promised　Chandler　I'd　be　mum。〃

And　he　acquiesced。

〃You　can　be　laying　the　cloth；　child；　while　I　go　up　and　clear　away　the　lodger's　breakfast。〃　　Without　waiting　for　an　answer；　she　hurried　upstairs。

Mr。　Sleuth　had　left　the　greater　part　of　the　nice　lemon　sole　untouched。　〃I　don't　feel　well　to…day；〃　he　said　fretfully。　　〃And；　Mrs。　Bunting？　I　should　be　much　obliged　if　your　husband　would　lend　me　that　paper　I　saw　in　his　hand。　　I　do　not　often　care　to　look　at　the　public　prints；　but　I　should　like　to　do　so　now。

She　flew　downstairs。　　〃Bunting；〃　she　said　a　little　breathlessly；　〃the　lodger　would　like　you　just　to　lend　him　the　Sun。〃

Bunting　handed　it　over　to　her。　　〃I've　read　it　through；〃　he　observed。　〃You　can　tell　him　that　I　don't　want　it　back　again。〃

On　her　way　up　she　glanced　down　at　the　pink　sheet。　　Occupying　a　third　of　the　space　was　an　irregular　drawing；　and　under　it　was　written；　in　rather　large　characters：

〃We　are　glad　to　be　able　to　present　our　readers　with　an　authentic　reproduction　of　the　footprint　of　the　half…worn　rubber　sole　which　was　almost　certainly　worn　by　The　Avenger　when　he　committed　his　double　murder　ten　days　ago。〃

She　went　into　the　sitting…room。　　To　her　relief　it　was　empty。

〃Kindly　put　the　paper　down　on　the　table；〃　came　Mr。　Sleuth's　muffled　voice　from　the　upper　landing。

She　did　so。　　〃Yes；　sir。　　And　Bunting　don't　want　the　paper　back　again；　sir。　　He　says　he's　read　it。〃　　And　then　she　hurried　out　of　the　room。


CHAPTER　XXIII

All　afternoon　it　went　on　snowing；　and　the　three　of　them　sat　there；　listening　and　waiting　…　Bunting　and　his　wife　hardly　knew　for　what；　Daisy　for　the　knock　which　would　herald　Joe　Chandler。

And　about　four　there　came　the　now　familiar　sound。

Mrs。　Bunting　hurried　out　into　the　passage；　and　as　she　opened　the　front　door　she　whispered；　〃We　haven't　said　anything　to　Daisy　yet。　Young　girls　can't　keep　secrets。〃

Chandler　nodded　comprehendingly。　　He　now　looked　the　low　character　he　had　assumed　to　the　life；　for　he　was　blue　with　cold；　disheartened；　and　tired　out。

Daisy　gave　a　little　cry　of　shocked　surprise；　of　amusement；　of　welcome；　when　she　saw　how　cleverly　he　was　disguised。

〃I　never！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃What　a　difference　it　do　make；　to　be　su