the lodger-第6章

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How　unlucky　they　had　been；　to　be　sure！　　Since　they　had　come　to　London　not　a　single　pair　of　lodgers　had　been　even　moderately　respectable　and　kindly。　　The　last　lot　had　belonged　to　that　horrible　underworld　of　men　and　women　who；　having；　as　the　phase　goes；　seen　better　days；　now　only　keep　their　heads　above　water　with　the　help　of　petty　fraud。

〃I'll　bring　you　up　some　hot　water　in　a　minute；　sir；　and　some　clean　towels；〃　she　said；　going　to　the　door。

And　then　Mr。　Sleuth　turned　quickly　round。　　〃Mrs。　Bunting　〃　…　and　as　he　spoke　he　stammered　a　little　…　〃　I　…　I　don't　want　you　to　interpret　the　word　attendance　too　liberally。　　You　need　not　run　yourself　off　your　feet　for　me。　　I'm　accustomed　to　look　after　myself。〃

And；　queerly；　uncomfortably；　she　felt　herself　dismissed　　…　even　a　little　snubbed。　　〃All　right；　sir；〃　she　said。　　〃I'll　only　just　let　you　know　when　I've　your　supper　ready。〃


CHAPTER　III

But　what　was　a　little　snub　compared　with　the　intense　relief　and　joy　of　going　down　and　telling　Bunting　of　the　great　piece　of　good　fortune　which　had　fallen　their　way？

Staid　Mrs。　Bunting　seemed　to　make　but　one　leap　down　the　steep　stairs。　In　the　hall；　however；　she　pulled　herself　together；　and　tried　to　still　her　agitation。　　She　had　always　disliked　and　despised　any　show　of　emotion；　she　called　such　betrayal　of　feeling　〃making　a　fuss。〃

Opening　the　door　of　their　sitting…room；　she　stood　for　a　moment　looking　at　her　husband's　bent　back；　and　she　realised；　with　a　pang　of　pain；　how　the　last　few　weeks　had　aged　him。

Bunting　suddenly　looked　round；　and；　seeing　his　wife；　stood　up。　　He　put　the　paper　he　had　been　holding　down　on　to　the　table：　〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃well；　who　was　it；　then？〃

He　felt　rather　ashamed　of　himself；　it　was　he　who　ought　to　have　answered　the　door　and　done　all　that　parleying　of　which　he　had　heard　murmurs。

And　then　in　a　moment　his　wife's　hand　shot　out；　and　the　ten　sovereigns　fell　in　a　little　clinking　heap　on　the　table。

〃Look　there！〃　she　whispered；　with　an　excited；　tearful　quiver　in　her　voice。　　〃Look　there；　Bunting！〃

And　Bunting　did　look　there；　but　with　a　troubled；　frowning　gaze。

He　was　not　quick…witted；　but　at　once　he　jumped　to　the　conclusion　that　his　wile　had　just　had　in　a　furniture　dealer；　and　that　this　ten　pounds　represented　all　their　nice　furniture　upstairs。　　If　that　were　so；　then　it　was　the　beginning　of　the　end。　　That　furniture　in　the　first…floor　front　had　cost　…　Ellen　had　reminded　him　of　the　fact　bitterly　only　yesterday　…　seventeen　pounds　nine　shillings；　and　every　single　item　had　been　a　bargain。　　It　was　too　bad　that　she　had　only　got　ten　pounds　for　it。

Yet　he　hadn't　the　heart　to　reproach　her。

He　did　not　speak　as　he　looked　across　at　her；　and　meeting　that　troubled；　rebuking　glance；　she　guessed　what　it　was　that　he　thought　had　happened。

〃We've　a　new　lodger！〃　she　cried。　　〃And　…　and；　Bunting？　　He's　quite　the　gentleman！　　He　actually　offered　to　pay　four　weeks　in　advance；　at　two　guineas　a　week。〃

〃No；　never！〃

Bunting　moved　quickly　round　the　table；　and　together　they　stood　there；　fascinated　by　the　little　heap　of　gold。　　〃But　there's　ten　sovereigns　here；〃　he　said　suddenly。

〃Yes；　the　gentleman　said　I'd　have　to　buy　some　things　for　him　to…morrow。　　And；　oh；　Bunting；　he's　so　well　spoken；　I　really　felt　that　…　I　really　felt　that　…　〃　and　then　Mrs。　Bunting；　taking　a　step　or　two　sideways；　sat　down；　and　throwing　her　little　black　apron　over　her　face　burst　into　gasping　sobs。

Bunting　patted　her　back　timidly。　　〃Ellen？〃　he　said；　much　moved　by　her　agitation；　〃Ellen？　　Don't　take　on　so；　my　dear　…　〃

〃I　won't；〃　she　sobbed；　〃I　…　I　won't！　　I'm　a　　fool　…　I　know　I　am！　But；　oh；　I　didn't　think　we　was　ever　going　to　have　any　luck　again！〃

And　then　she　told　him　…　or　rather　tried　to　tell　him　…　　what　the　lodger　was　like。　　Mrs。　Bunting　was　no　hand　at　talking；　but　one　thing　she　did　impress　on　her　husband's　mind；　namely；　that　Mr。　Sleuth　was　eccentric；　as　so　many　clever　people　are　eccentric　…　that　is；　in　a　harmless　way　…　and　that　he　must　be　humoured。

〃He　says　he　doesn't　want　to　be　waited　on　much；〃　she　said　at　last　wiping　her　eyes；　〃but　I　can　see　he　will　want　a　good　bit　of　looking　after；　all　the　same；　poor　gentleman。〃

And　just　as　the　words　left　her　mouth　there　came　the　unfamiliar　sound　of　a　loud　ring。　　It　was　that　of　the　drawing…room　bell　being　pulled　again　and　again。

Bunting　looked　at　his　wife　eagerly。　　〃I　think　I'd　better　go　up；　eh；　Ellen？〃　he　said。　　He　felt　quite　anxious　to　see　their　new　lodger。　For　the　matter　of　that；　it　would　be　a　relief　to　be　doing　something　again。

〃Yes；〃　she　answered；　〃you　go　up！　　Don't　keep　him　waiting！　　I　wonder　what　it　is　he　wants？　　I　said　I'd　let　him　know　when　his　supper　was　ready。〃

A　moment　later　Bunting　came　down　again。　　There　was　an　odd　smile　on　his　face。　　〃Whatever　d'you　think　he　wanted？〃　he　whispered　mysteriously。　　And　as　she　said　nothing；　he　went　on；　〃He's　asked　me　for　the　loan　of　a　Bible！〃

〃Well；　I　don't　see　anything　so　out　of　the　way　in　that；〃　she　said　hastily；　〃'specially　if　he　don't　fell　well。　　I'll　take　it　up　to　him。〃

And　then　going　to　a　small　table　which　stood　between　the　two　windows；　Mrs。　Bunting　took　off　it　a　large　Bible；　which　had　been　given　to　her　as　a　wedding　present　by　a　married　lady　with　whose　mother　she　had　lived　for　several　years。

〃He　said　it　would　do　quite　well　when　you　take　up　his　supper；〃　said　Bunting；　and；　then；　〃Ellen？　　He's　a　queer…looking　cove　…　not　like　any　gentleman　I　ever　had　to　do　with。〃

〃He　is　a　gentleman；〃　said　Mrs。　Bunting　rather　fiercely。

〃Oh；　yes；　that's　all　right。〃　But　still　he　looked　at　her　doubtfully。　〃I　asked　him　if　he'd　like　me　to　just　put　away　his　clothes。　　But；　Ellen；　he　said　he　hadn't　got　any　clothes！〃

〃No　more　he　hasn't；〃　she　spoke　quickly；　defensively。　　〃He　had　the　misfortune　to　lose　his　luggage。　　He's　one　dishonest　folk　'ud　take　advantage　of。〃

〃Yes；　one　can　see　that　with　half　an　eye；〃　Buntlng　agreed。

And　then　there　was　silence　for　a　few　moments；　while　Mrs。　Bunting　put　down　on　a　little　bit　of　paper　the　things　she　wanted　her　husband　to　go　out　and　buy　for　her。　　She　handed　him　the　list；　together　with　a　sovereign。　　〃Be　as　quick　as　you　can；〃　she　said；　〃for　I　feel　a　bit　hungry。　　I'll　be　going　down　now　to　see　about　Mr。　Sleuth's　supper。　He　only　wants　a　glass　of　milk　and　two　eggs。　　I'm　glad　I've　never　fallen　to　bad　eggs！〃

〃Sleuth；〃　echoed　Bunting；　staring　at　her。　　〃What　a　queer　name！　How　d'you　spell　it　…　S…l…u…t…h？〃

〃No；〃　she　shot　out；　〃S…l…e　…　u　…　t　…　h。〃

〃Oh；''　he　said　doubtfully。　　　　〃He　said；　'Think　of　a　hound　and　　you'll　never　forget　my　name；'〃　and　Mrs。　Bunting　smiled。

When　he　got　to　the　door；　Bunting　turned　round：　〃We'll　now　be　able　to　pay　young　Chandler　back　some　o'　that　thirty　shillings。　　I　am　glad。〃　　She　nodded；　her　heart；　as　the　saying　is；　too　full　for　words。

And　then　each　went　about　his　and　her　business　…　Bunting　out　into　the　drenching　fog；　his　wife　down　to　her　cold　kitchen。

The　lodger's　tray　was　soon　ready；　everything　upon　it　nicely　and　daintily　arranged。　　Mrs。　Bunting　knew　how　to　wait　upon　a　gentleman。

Just　as　the　landlady　was　going　up　the　kitchen　stair；　she　suddenly　remembered　Mr。　Sleuth's　request　for　a　Bible。　　Putting　the　tray　down　in　the　hall；　she　went　into　her　sitting…room　and　took　up　the　Book；　but　when　back　in　the　hall　she　hesitated　a　moment　as　to　whether　it　was　worth　while　to　make　two　journeys。　　But；　no；　she　thought　she　could　manage；　clasping　the　large；　heavy　volume　under　her　arm；　and　taking　up　the　tray；　she　walked　slowly　up　the　staircase。

But　a　great　surprise　awaited　her；　in　fact；　when　Mr。　Sleuth's　landlady　opened　the　door　of　the　drawing…room　she　very　nearly　dropped　the　tray。　　She　actually　did　drop　the　Bible；　and　it　fell　with　a　heavy　thud　to　the　ground。

The　new　lodger　had　turned　all　those　nice　framed　engravings　of　the　early　Victorian　beauties；　of　which　Mrs。　Bunting　had　been　so　proud；　with　their　faces　to　the　wall！

For　a　moment　she　was　really　too　surprised　to　speak。　　Putting　the　tray　down　on　the　table；　she　stooped　and　picked　up　the　Book。　　It　troubled　her　that　the　should　have　fallen　to　the　ground；　but　really　she　hadn't　been　able　to　help　it　…　it　was　mercy　that　the　tray　hadn't　fallen；　too。

Mr。　Sleuth　got　up。　　〃I　…　I　have　taken　the　liberty　to　arrange　the　room　as　I　should　wish　it　to　be；〃　he　said　awkward