the lodger-第48章

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had　become　intolerable。　　So　he　walked　slowly；　trying　to　put　off　the　evil　moment　when　he　would　have　to　tell　them　what　was　in　his　paper。

The　lamp　under　which　he　had　stood　reading　was　not　exactly　opposite　the　house。　　It　was　rather　to　the　right　of　it。　　And　when；　having　crossed　over　the　roadway；　he　walked　along　the　pavement　towards　his　own　gate；　he　heard　odd；　shuffling　sounds　coming　from　the　inner　side　of　the　low　wall　which　shut　off　his　little　courtyard　from　the　pavement。

Now；　under　ordinary　circumstances　Bunting　would　have　rushed　forward　to　drive　out　whoever　was　there。　　He　and　his　wife　had　often　had　trouble；　before　the　cold　weather　began；　with　vagrants　seeking　shelter　there。　　But　to…night　he　stayed　outside；　listening　intently；　sick　with　suspense　and　fear。

Was　it　possible　that　their　place　was　being　watched　…　already？　　He　thought　it　only　too　likely。　　Bunting；　like　Mrs。　Bunting；　credited　the　police　with　almost　supernatural　powers；　especially　since　he　had　paid　that　visit　to　Scotland　Yard。

But　to　Bunting's　amazement；　and；　yes；　relief；　it　was　his　lodger　who　suddenly　loomed　up　in　the　dim　light。

Mr。　Sleuth　must　have　been　stooping　down；　for　his　tall；　lank　form　had　been　quite　concealed　till　he　stepped　forward　from　behind　the　low　wall　on　to　the　flagged　path　leading　to　the　front　door。

The　lodger　was　carrying　a　brown　paper　parcel；　and；　as　he　walked　along；　the　new　boots　he　was　wearing　creaked；　and　the　tap…tap　of　hard　nail…studded　heels　rang　out　on　the　flat…stones　of　the　narrow　path。

Bunting；　still　standing　outside　the　gate；　suddenly　knew　what　it　was　his　lodger　had　been　doing　on　the　other　side　of　the　low　wall。　　Mr。　Sleuth　had　evidently　been　out　to　buy　himself　another　pair　of　new　boots；　and　then　be　had　gone　inside　the　gate　and　had　put　them　on；　placing　his　old　footgear　in　the　paper　in　which　the　new　pair　had　been　wrapped。

The　ex…butler　waited　…　waited　quite　a　long　time；　not　only　until　Mr。　Sleuth　had　let　himself　into　the　house；　but　till　the　lodger　had　had　time　to　get　well　away；　upstairs。

Then　he　also　walked　up　the　flagged　pathway；　and　put　his　latchkey　in　the　door。　　He　lingered　as　long　over　the　job　of　hanging　his　hat　and　coat　up　in　the　hall　as　he　dared；　in　fact　till　his　wife　called　out　to　him。　　Then　he　went　in；　and　throwing　the　paper　down　on　the　table；　he　said　sullenly：　〃There　it　is！　　You　can　see　it　all　for　yourself　…　　not　that　there's　very　much　to　see；〃　and　groped　his　way　to　the　fire。

His　wife　looked　at　him　in　sharp　alarm。　　〃Whatever　have　you　done　to　yourself？〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃You're　ill　…　that's　what　it　is；　Bunting。　You　got　a　chill　last　night！〃

〃I　told　you　I'd　got　a　chill；〃　he　muttered。　　〃'Twasn't　last　night；　though；　'twas　going　out　this　morning；　coming　back　in　the　bus。　Margaret　keeps　that　housekeeper's　room　o'　hers　like　a　hothouse　…　　that's　what　she　does。　　'Twas　going　out　from　there　into　the　biting　wind；　that's　what　did　for　me。　　It　must　be　awful　to　stand　about　in　such　weather；　'tis　a　wonder　to　me　how　that　young　fellow；　Joe　Chandler；　can　stand　the　life　…　being　out　in　all　weathers　like　he　is。〃

Bunting　spoke　at　random；　his　one　anxiety　being　to　get　away　from　what　was　in　the　paper；　which　now　lay；　neglected；　on　the　table。

〃Those　that　keep　out　o'　doors　all　day　never　do　come　to　no　harm；〃　said　his　wife　testily。　　〃But　if　you　felt　so　bad；　whatever　was　you　out　so　long　for；　Bunting？　　I　thought　you'd　gone　away　somewhere！　D'you　mean　you　only　went　to　get　the　paper？〃

〃I　just　stopped　for　a　second　to　look　at　it　under　the　lamp；〃　he　muttered　apologetically。

〃That　was　a　silly　thing　to　do！〃

〃Perhaps　it　was；〃　he　admitted　meekly。

Daisy　had　taken　up　the　paper。　　〃Well；　they　don't　say　much；〃　she　said　disappointedly。　　〃Hardly　anything　at　all！　　But　perhaps　Mr。　Chandler　'll　be　in　soon　again。　　If　so；　he'll　tell　us　more　about　it。〃

〃A　young　girl　like　you　oughtn't　to　want　to　know　anything　about　murders；〃　said　her　stepmother　severely。　　〃Joe　won't　think　any　the　better　of　you　for　your　inquisitiveness　about　such　things。　　If　I　was　you；　Daisy；　I　shouldn't　say　nothing　about　it　if　he　does　come　in　　…　which　I　fair　tell　you　I　hope　he　won't。　　I've　seen　enough　of　that　young　chap　to…day。〃

〃He　didn't　come　in　for　long　…　not　to…day；〃　said　Daisy；　her　lip　trembling。

〃I　can　tell　you　one　thing　that'll　surprise　you；　my　dear〃　…　Mrs。　Bunting　looked　significantly　at　her　step…daughter。　　She　also　wanted　to　get　away　from　that　dread　news　…　which　yet　was　no　news。

〃Yes？〃　said　Daisy；　rather　defiantly。　　〃What　is　it；　Ellen？〃

〃Maybe　you'll　be　surprised　to　hear　that　Joe　did　come　in　this　morning。　He　knew　all　about　that　affair　then；　but　he　particular　asked　that　you　shouldn't　be　told　anything　about　it。〃

〃Never！〃　cried　Daisy；　much　mortified。

〃Yes；〃　went　on　her　stepmother　ruthlessly。　　〃You　just　ask　your　father　over　there　if　it　isn't　true。〃

〃'Tain't　a　healthy　thing　to　speak　overmuch　about　such　happenings；〃　said　Bunting　heavily。

〃If　I　was　Joe；〃　went　on　Mrs。　Bunting；　quickly　pursuing　her　advantage；　〃I　shouldn't　want　to　talk　about　such　horrid　things　when　I　comes　in　to　have　a　quiet　chat　with　friends。　　But　the　minute　he　comes　in　that　poor　young　chap　is　set　upon　…　mostly；　I　admit；　by　your　father；〃　she　looked　at　her　husband　severely。　　〃But　you　does　your　share；　too；　Daisy！　　You　asks　him　this；　you　asks　him　that　…　he's　fair　puzzled　sometimes。　　It　don't　do　to　be　so　inquisitive。〃

******

And　perhaps　because　of　this　little　sermon　on　Mrs。　Bunting's　part　when　young　Chandler　did　come　in　again　that　evening；　very　little　was　said　of　the　new　Avenger　murder。

Bunting　made　no　reference　to　it　at　all；　and　though　Daisy　said　a　word；　it　was　but　a　word。　　And　Joe　Chandler　thought　he　had　never　spent　a　pleasanter　evening　in　his　life　…　for　it　was　he　and　Daisy　who　talked　all　the　time；　their　elders　remaining　for　the　most　part　silent。

Daisy　told　of　all　that　she　had　done　with　Aunt　Margaret。　　She　described　the　long；　dull　hours　and　the　queer　jobs　her　aunt　set　her　to　do　…　the　washing　up　of　all　the　fine　drawing…room　china　in　a　big　basin　lined　with　flannel；　and　how　terrified　she　（Daisy）　had　been　lest　there　should　come　even　one　teeny　little　chip　to　any　of　it。　Then　she　went　on　to　relate　some　of　the　funny　things　Aunt　Margaret　had　told　her　about　〃the　family。〃

There　came　a　really　comic　tale；　which　hugely　interested　and　delighted　Chandler。　　This　was　of　how　Aunt　Margaret's　lady　had　been　taken　in　by　an　impostor　…　an　impostor　who　had　come　up；　just　as　she　was　stepping　out　of　her　carriage；　and　pretended　to　have　a　fit　on　the　doorstep。　Aunt　Margaret's　lady；　being　a　soft　one；　had　insisted　on　the　man　coming　into　the　hall；　where　he　had　been　given　all　kinds　of　restoratives。　　When　the　man　had　at　last　gone　off；　it　was　found　that　he　had　〃wolfed〃　young　master's　best　walking…stick；　one　with　a　fine　tortoise…shell　top　to　it。　　Thus　had　Aunt　Margaret　proved　to　her　lady　that　the　man　had　been　shamming；　and　her　lady　had　been　very　angry　…　　near　had　a　fit　herself！

〃There's　a　lot　of　that　about；〃　said　Chandler；　laughing。　〃Incorrigible　rogues　and　vagabonds　…　that's　what　those　sort　of　people　are！〃

And　then　he；　in　his　turn；　told　an　elaborate　tale　of　an　exceptionally　clever　swindler　whom　he　himself　had　brought　to　book。　　He　was　very　proud　of　that　job；　it　had　formed　a　white　stone　in　his　career　as　a　detective。　　And　even　Mrs。　Bunting　was　quite　interested　to　hear　about　it。

Chandler　was　still　sitting　there　when　Mr。　Sleuth's　bell　rang。　　For　awhile　no　one　stirred；　then　Bunting　looked　questioningly　at　his　wife。

〃Did　you　hear　that？〃　he　said。　　〃I　think；　Ellen；　that　was　the　lodger's　bell。〃

She　got　up；　without　alacrity；　and　went　upstairs。

〃I　rang；〃　said　Mr。　Sleuth　weakly；　〃to　tell　you　I　don't　require　any　supper　to…night；　Mrs。　Bunting。　　Only　a　glass　of　milk；　with　a　lump　of　sugar　in　it。　　That　is　all　I　require　…　nothing　more。　　I　feel　very　very　far　from　well〃　　…　and　he　had　a　hunted；　plaintive　expression　on　his　face。　　〃And　then　I　thought　your　husband　would　like　his　paper　back　again；　Mrs。　Bunting。〃

Mrs。　Bunting；　looking　at　him　fixedly；　with　a　sad　intensity　of　gaze　of　which　she　was　quite　unconscious；　answered；　〃Oh；　no；　sir！　Bunting　don't　require　that　paper　now。　　He　read　it　all　through。〃　Something　impelled　her　to　add；　ruthlessly；　〃He's　got　another　paper　by　now；　sir。　　You　may　have　heard　them　come　shouting　outside。　　W