the lodger-第5章

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But　Mrs。　Bunting　was　aware　that　eccentricity　has　always　been　a　perquisite；　as　it　were　the　special　luxury；　of　the　well…born　and　of　the　well…educated。　　Scholars；　as　she　well　knew；　are　never　quite　like　other　people；　and　her　new　lodger　was　undoubtedly　a　scholar。　　〃Surely　I　had　a　bag　when　I　came　in？〃　he　said　in　a　scared；　troubled　voice。

〃Here　it　is；　sir；〃　she　said　soothingly；　and；　stooping；　picked　it　up　and　handed　it　to　him。　　And　as　she　did　so　she　noticed　that　the　bag　was　not　at　all　heavy；　it　was　evidently　by　no　means　full。

He　took　it　eagerly　from　her。　　〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　he　muttered。　〃But　there　is　something　in　that　bag　which　is　very　precious　to　me　　…　something　I　procured　with　infinite　difficulty；　and　which　I　could　never　get　again　without　running　into　great　danger；　Mrs。　Bunting。　That　must　be　the　excuse　for　my　late　agitation。〃

〃About　terms；　sir？〃　she　said　a　little　timidly；　returning　to　the　subject　which　meant　so　much；　so　very　much　to　her。

〃About　terms？〃　he　echoed。　　And　then　there　came　a　pause。　　〃My　name　is　Sleuth；〃　he　said　suddenly；　…　　〃S…l…e…u…t…h。　　Think　of　a　hound；　Mrs。　Bunting；　and　you'll　never　forget　my　name。　　I　could　provide　you　with　a　reference　…　〃　（he　gave　her　what　she　described　to　herself　as　a　funny；　sideways　look）；　〃but　I　should　prefer　you　to　dispense　with　that；　if　you　don't　mind。　　I　am　quite　willing　to　pay　you　…　we1l；　shall　we　say　a　month　in　advance？〃

A　spot　of　red　shot　into　Mrs。　Bunting's　cheeks。　　She　felt　sick　with　relief　…　nay；'with　a　joy　which　was　almost　pain。　　She　had　not　known　till　that　moment　how　hungry　she　was　…　how　eager　for…　a　good　meal。　〃That　would　be　all　right；　sir；〃　she　murmured。

〃And　what　are　you　going　to　charge　me？〃　　There　had　come　a　kindly；　almost　a　friendly　note　into　his　voice。　　〃With　attendance；　mind！　　I　shall　expect　you　to　give　me　attendance；　and　I　need　hardly　ask　if　you　can　cook；　Mrs。　Bunting？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　sir；〃　she　said。　　〃I　am　a　plain　cook。　　What　would　you　say　to　twenty…five　shillings　a　week；　sir？〃　　She　looked　at　him　deprecatingly；　and　as　he　did　not　answer　she　went　on　falteringly；　〃You　see；　sir；　it　may　seem　a　good　deal；　but　you　would　have　the　best　of　attendance　and　careful　cooking　…　and　my　husband；　sir　…　he　would　be　pleased　to　valet　you。〃

〃I　shouldn't　want　anything　of　that　sort　done　for　me；〃　said　Mr。　Sleuth　hastily。　　〃I　prefer　looking　after　my　own　clothes。　　I　am　used　to　waiting　on　myself。　　But；　Mrs。　Bunting；　I　have　a　great　dislike　to　sharing　lodgings　…　〃

She　interrupted　eagerly；　〃I　could　let　you　have　the　use　of　the　two　floors　for　the　same　price　…　that　is；　until　we　get　another　lodger。　I　shouldn't　like　you　to　sleep　in　the　back　room　up　here；　sir。　　It's　such　a　poor　little　room。　　You　could　do　as　you　say；　sir　…　do　your　work　and　your　experiments　up　here；　and　then　have　your　meals　in　the　drawing…room。〃

〃Yes；〃　he　said　hesitatingly；　〃that　sounds　a　good　plan。　　And　if　I　offered　you　two　pounds；　or　two　guineas？　　Might　I　then　rely　on　your　not　taking　another　lodger？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　said　quietly。　　〃I'd　be　very　glad　only　to　have　you　to　wait　on；　sir。〃

〃I　suppose　you　have　a　key　to　the　door　of　this　room；　Mrs。　Bunting？　I　don't　like　to　be　disturbed　while　I'm　working。〃

He　waited　a　moment；　and　then　said　again；　rather　urgently；　〃I　suppose　you　have　a　key　to　this　door；　Mrs。　Bunting？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　sir；　there's　a　key　…　a　very　nice　little　key。　　The　people　who　lived　here　before　had　a　new　kind　of　lock　put　on　to　the　door。〃　She　went　over；　and　throwing　the　door　open；　showed　him　that　a　round　disk　had　been　fitted　above　the　old　keyhole。

He　nodded　his　head；　and　then；　after　standing　silent　a　little；　as　if　absorbed　in　thought；　〃Forty…two　shillings　a　week？　　Yes；　that　will　suit　me　perfectly。　　And　I'll　begin　now　by　paying　my　first　month's　rent　in　advance。　　Now；　four　times　forty…two　shillings　is〃　…　he　jerked　his　head　back　and　stared　at　his　new　landlady；　for　the　first　time　he　smiled；　a　queer；　wry　smile　…　〃why；　just　eight　pounds　eight　shillings；　Mrs。　Bunting！〃

He　thrust　his　hand　through　into　an　inner　pocket　of　his　long　cape…like　coat　and　took　out　a　handful　of　sovereigns。　　Then　he　began　putting　these　down　in　a　row　on　the　bare　wooden　table　which　stood　in　the　centre　of　the　room。　　〃Here's　five　…　six　…　seven　…　eight　…　nine　　…　ten　pounds。　　You'd　better　keep　the　odd　change；　Mrs。　Bunting；　for　I　shall　want　you　to　do　some　shopping　for　me　to…morrow　morning。　I　met　with　a　misfortune　to…day。〃　　But　the　new　lodger　did　not　speak　as　if　his　misfortune；　whatever　it　was；　weighed　on　his　spirits。

〃Indeed；　sir。　　I'm　sorry　to　hear　that。〃　　Mrs。　Bunting's　heart　was　going　thump　…　thump　…　thump。　　She　felt　extraordinarily　moved；　dizzy　with　relief　and　joy。

〃Yes；　a　very　great　misfortune！　　I　lost　my　luggage；　the　few　things　I　managed　to　bring　away　with　me。〃　　His　voice　dropped　suddenly。　　〃I　shouldn't　have　said　that；〃　he　muttered。　　〃I　was　a　fool　to　say　that！〃　Then；　more　loudly；　〃Someone　said　to　me；　'You　can't　go　into　a　lodging…house　without　any　luggage。　　They　wouldn't　take　you　in。'　　But　you　have　taken　me　in；　Mrs。　Bunting；　and　I'm　grateful　for　…　for　the　kind　way　you　have　met　me　…　〃　　He　looked　at　her　feelingly；　appealingly；　and　Mrs。　Bunting　was　touched。　　She　was　beginning　to　feel　very　kindly　towards　her　new　lodger。

〃I　hope　I　know　a　gentleman　when　I　see　one；〃　she　said；　with　a　break　in　her　staid　voice；

〃I　shall　have　to　see　about　getting　some　clothes　to…morrow；　Mrs。　Bunting。〃　Again　he　looked　at　her　appealingly。

〃I　expect　you'd　like　to　wash　your　hands　now；　sir。　　And　would　you　tell　me　what　you'd　like　for　supper？　　We　haven't　much　in　the　house。〃

〃Oh；　anything'll　do；〃　he　said　hastily。　　〃I　don't　want　you　to　go　out　for　me。　　It's　a　cold；　foggy；　wet　night；　Mrs。　Bunting。　　If　you　have　a　little　bread…and…butter　and　a　cup　of　milk　I　shall　be　quite　satisfied。〃

〃I　have　a　nice　sausage；〃　she　said　hesitatingly。

It　was　a　very　nice　sausage；　and　she　had　bought　it　that　same　morning　for　Bunting's　supper；　as　to　herself；　she　had　been　going　to　content　herself　with　a　little　bread　and　cheese。　　But　now　…　wonderful；　almost；　intoxicating　thought　…　she　could　send　Bunting　out　to　get　anything　they　both　liked。　　The　ten　sovereigns　lay　in　her　hand　full　of　comfort　and　good　cheer。

〃A　sausage？　　No；　I　fear　that　will　hardly　do。　　I　never　touch　flesh　meat；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　a　long；　long　time　since　I　tasted　a　sausage；　Mrs。　Bunting。〃

〃Is　it　indeed；　sir？〃　　She　hesitated　a　moment；　then　asked　stiffly；　〃And　will　you　be　requiring　any　beer；　or　wine；　sir？〃

A　strange；　wild　look　of　lowering　wrath　suddenly　filled　Mr。　Sleuth's　pale　face。

〃Certainly　not。　　I　thought　I　had　made　that　quite　clear；　Mrs。　Bunting。　I　had　hoped　to　hear　that　you　were　an　abstainer　…　〃

〃So　I　am；　sir；　lifelong。　　And　so's　Bunting　been　since　we　married。〃　She　might　have　said；　had　she　been　a　woman　given　to　make　such　confidences；　that　she　had　made　Buntlng　abstain　very　early　in　their　acquaintance。　　That　he　had　given　in　about　that　had　been　the　thing　that　first　made　her　believe；　that　he　was　sincere　in　all　the　nonsense　that　he　talked　to　her；　in　those　far…away　days　of　his　courting。　　Glad　she　was　now　that　he　had　taken　the　pledge　as　a　younger　man；　hut　for　that　nothing　would　have　kept　him　from　the　drink　during　the　bad　times　they　had　gone　through。

And　then；　going　downstairs；　she　showed　Mr。　Sleuth　the　nice　bedroom　which　opened　out　of　the　drawing…room。　　It　was　a　replica　of　Mrs。　Bunting's　own　room　just　underneath；　excepting　that　everything　up　here　had　cost　just　a　little　more；　and　was　therefore　rather　better　in　quality。

The　new　lodger　looked　round　him　with　such　a　strange　expression　of　content　and　peace　stealing　over　his　worn　face。　　〃A　haven　of　rest；〃　he　muttered；　and　then；　〃'He　bringeth　them　to　their　desired　haven。'　Beautiful　words；　Mrs。　Bunting。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

Mrs。　Bunting　felt　a　little　startled。　　It　was　the　first　time　anyone　had　quoted　the　Bible　to　her　for　many　a　long　day。　　But　it　seemed　to　set　the　seal；　as　it　were；　on　Mr。　Sleuth's　respectability。

What　a　comfort　it　was；　too；　that　she　had　to　deal　with　only　one　lodger；　and　that　a　gentleman；　instead　of　with　a　married　couple！　Very　peculiar　married　couples　had　drifted　in　and　out　of　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Bunting's　lodgings；　not　only　here；　in　London；　but　at　the　seaside。

How　unlucky　they　had　been；　to　be　sure！　　Since　they　had　come　to　London　not　a　single　pair　of　lodgers　ha