an unsocial socialist-第14章

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think　I　will　sit　downI　feel　so　tired。　Thanks。〃　（Agatha　had
handed　her　a　chair。）　〃What　did　you　say　he　told　youthis　man？〃

Agatha　related　the　circumstances　of　her　acquaintance　with
Smilash；　adding；　at　Mrs。　Jansenius's　request；　a　minute
description　of　his　personal　appearance。　Mrs。　Jansenius　remarked
that　it　was　very　singular；　and　that　she　was　sure　Henrietta　was
quite　safe。　She　then　partook　of　claret…cup　and　sandwiches。
Agatha；　though　glad　to　find　someone　disposed　to　listen　to　her；
was　puzzled　by　her　aunt's　coolness；　and　was　even　goaded　into
pointing　out　that　though　Smilash　was　not　a　laborer；　it　did　not
follow　that　he　was　an　honest　man。　But　Mrs。　Jansenius　only　said：
〃Oh；　she　is　safequite　safe！　At　least；　of　course；　I　can　only
hope　so。　We　shall　have　news　presently；〃　and　took　another
sandwich。

The　searchers　soon　began　to　return；　baffled。　A　few　shepherds；　the
only　persons　in　the　vicinity；　had　been　asked　whether　they　had
seen　a　young　lady　and　a　laborer。　Some　of　them　had　seen　a　young
woman　with　a　basket　of　clothes；　if　that　mout　be　her。　Some　thought
that　Phil　Martin　the　carrier　would　see　her　if　anybody　would。　None
of　them　had　any　positive　information　to　give。

As　the　afternoon　wore　on；　and　party　after　party　returned　tired
and　unsuccessful；　depression　replaced　excitement；　conversation；
no　longer　tumultuous；　was　carried　on　in　whispers；　and　some　of　the
local　visitors　slipped　away　to　their　homes　with　a　growing
conviction　that　something　unpleasant　had　happened；　and　that　it
would　be　as　well　not　to　be　mixed　up　in　it。　Mr。　Jansenius；　though
a　few　words　from　his　wife　had　surprised　and　somewhat　calmed　him；
was　still　pitiably　restless　and　uneasy。

At　last　the　police　arrived。　At　sight　of　their　uniforms　excitement
revived；　there　was　a　general　conviction　that　something　effectual
would　be　done　now。　But　the　constables　were　only　mortal；　and　in　a
few　moments　a　whisper　spread　that　they　were　fooled。　They　doubted
everything　told　them；　and　expressed　their　contempt　for　amateur
searching　by　entering　on　a　fresh　investigation；　prying　with　the
greatest　care　into　the　least　probable　places。　Two　of　them　went
off　to　the　chalet　to　look　for　Smilash。　Then　Fairholme；　sunburnt；
perspiring；　and　dusty；　but　still　energetic；　brought　back　the
exhausted　remnant　of　his　party；　with　a　sullen　boy；　who　scowled
defiantly　at　the　police；　evidently　believing　that　he　was　about　to
be　delivered　into　their　custody。

Fairholme　had　been　everywhere；　and；　having　seen　nothing　of　the
missing　pair；　had　come　to　the　conclusion　that　they　were　nowhere。
He　had　asked　everybody　for　information；　and　had　let　them　know
that　he　meant　to　have　it　too；　if　it　was　to　be　had。　But　it　was　not
to　be　had。　The　sole　resort　of　his　labor　was　the　evidence　of　the
boy　whom　he　didn't　believe。

〃'Im！〃　said　the　inspector；　not　quite　pleased　by　Fairholme's　zeal；
and　yet　overborne　by　it。　〃You're　Wickens's　boy；　ain't　you？〃

〃Yes；　I　am　Wickens's　boy；〃　said　the　witness；　partly　fierce；
partly　lachrymose；　〃and　I　say　I　seen　him；　and　if　anyone　sez　I
didn't　see　him；　he's　a　lie。〃

〃Come；〃　said　the　inspector　sharply；　〃give　us　none　of　your　cheek；
but　tell　us　what　you　saw；　or　you'll　have　to　deal　with　me
afterwards。〃

〃I　don't　care　who　I　deal　with；〃　said　the　boy；　at　bay。　〃I　can't　be
took　for　seein'　him；　because　there's　no　lor　agin　it。　I　was　in　the
gravel　pit　in　the　canal　meadow〃

〃What　business　had　you　there？〃　said　the　inspector；　interrupting。

〃I　got　leave　to　be　there；〃　said　the　boy　insolently；　but
reddening。

〃Who　gave　you　leave？〃　said　the　inspector；　collaring　him。　〃Ah；〃　he
added；　as　the　captive　burst　into　tears；　〃I　told　you　you'd　have　to
deal　with　me。　Now　hold　your　noise；　and　remember　where　you　are　and
who　you're　speakin'　to；　and　perhaps　I　mayn't　lock　you　up　this
time。　Tell　me　what　you　saw　when　you　were　trespassin'　in　the
meadow。〃

〃I　sor　a　young　'omen　and　a　man。　And　I　see　her　kissin'　him；　and
the　gentleman　won't　believe　me。〃

〃You　mean　you　saw　him　kissing　her；　more　likely。〃

〃No；　I　don't。　I　know　wot　it　is　to　have　a　girl　kiss　you　when　you
don't　want。　And　I　gev　a　screech　to　friken　'em。　And　he　called　me
and　gev　me　tuppence；　and　sez；　'You　go　to　the　devil；'　he　sez；　'and
don't　tell　no　one　you　seen　me　here；　or　else；'　he　sez；　'I　might　be
tempted　to　drownd　you；'　he　sez；　'and　wot　a　shock　that　would　be　to
your　parents！　'　'Oh；　yes；　very　likely；'　I　sez；　jes'　like　that。
Then　I　went　away；　because　he　knows　Mr。　Wickens；　and　I　was　afeerd
of　his　telling　on　me。〃

The　boy　being　now　subdued；　questions　were　put　to　him　from　all
sides。　But　his　powers　of　observation　and　description　went　no
further。　As　he　was　anxious　to　propitiate　his　captors；　he　answered
as　often　as　possible　in　the　affirmative。　Mr。　Jansenius　asked　him
whether　the　young　woman　he　had　seen　was　a　lady；　and　he　said　yes。
Was　the　man　a　laborer？　Yesafter　a　moment's　hesitation。　How　was
she　dressed？　He　hadn't　taken　notice。　Had　she　red　flowers　in　her
hat？　Yes。　Had　she　a　green　dress？　Yes。　Were　the　flowers　in　her　hat
yellow？　（Agatha's　question。）　Yes。　Was　her　dress　pink？　Yes。　Sure
it　wasn't　black？　No　answer。

〃I　told　you　he　was　a　liar；〃　said　Fairholme　contemptuously。

〃Well；　I　expect　he's　seen　something；〃　said　the　inspector；　〃but
what　it　was；　or　who　it　was；　is　more　than　I　can　get　out　of　him。〃

There　was　a　pause；　and　they　looked　askance　upon　Wickens's　boy。
His　account　of　the　kissing　made　it　almost　an　insult　to　the
Janseniuses　to　identify　with　Henrietta　the　person　he　had　seen。
Jane　suggested　dragging　the　canal；　but　was　silenced　by　an
indignant　〃sh…sh…sh；〃　accompanied　by　apprehensive　and　sympathetic
glances　at　the　bereaved　parents。　She　was　displaced　from　the　focus
of　attention　by　the　appearance　of　the　two　policemen　who　had　been
sent　to　the　chalet。　Smilash　was　between　them；　apparently　a
prisoner。　At　a　distance；　he　seemed　to　have　suffered　some
frightful　injury　to　his　head；　but　when　he　was　brought　into　the
midst　of　the　company　it　appeared　that　he　had　twisted　a　red
handkerchief　about　his　face　as　if　to　soothe　a　toothache。　He　had　a
particularly　hangdog　expression　as　he　stood　before　the　inspector
with　his　head　bowed　and　his　countenance　averted　from　Mr。
Jansenius；　who；　attempting　to　scrutinize　his　features；　could　see
nothing　but　a　patch　of　red　handkerchief。

One　of　the　policemen　described　how　they　had　found　Smilash　in　the
act　of　entering　his　dwelling；　how　he　had　refused　to　give　any
information　or　to　go　to　the　college；　and　had　defied　them　to　take
him　there　against　his　will；　and　how；　on　their　at　last　proposing
to　send　for　the　inspector　and　Mr。　Jansenius；　he　had　called　them
asses；　and　consented　to　accompany　them。　The　policeman　concluded
by　declaring　that　the　man　was　either　drunk　or　designing；　as　he
could　not　or　would　not　speak　sensibly。

〃Look　here；　governor；〃　began　Smilash　to　the　inspector；　〃I　am　a
common　manno　commoner　goin'；　as　you　may　see　for〃

〃That's　'im；〃　cried　Wickens's　boy；　suddenly　struck　with　a　sense
of　his　own　importance　as　a　witness。　〃That's　'im　that　the　lady
kissed；　and　that　gev　me　tuppence　and　threatened　to　drownd　me。〃

〃And　with　a　'umble　and　contrite　'art　do　I　regret　that　I　did　not
drownd　you；　you　young　rascal；〃　said　Smilash。　〃It　ain't　manners　to
interrupt　a　man　who；　though　common；　might　be　your　father　for
years　and　wisdom。〃

〃Hold　your　tongue；〃　said　the　inspector　to　the　boy。　〃Now；　Smilash；
do　you　wish　to　make　any　statement？　Be　careful；　for　whatever　you
say　may　be　used　against　you　hereafter。〃

〃If　you　was　to　lead　me　straight　away　to　the　scaffold；　colonel；　I
could　tell　you　no　more　than　the　truth。　If　any　man　can　say　that　he
has　heard　Jeff　Smilash　tell　a　lie；　let　him　stand　forth。〃

〃We　don't　want　to　hear　about　that；〃　said　the　inspector。　〃As　you
are　a　stranger　in　these　parts；　nobody　here　knows　any　bad　of　you。
No　more　do　they　know　any　good　of　you　neither。〃

〃Colonel；〃　said　Smilash；　deeply　impressed；　〃you　have　a
penetrating　mind；　and　you　know　a　bad　character　at　sight。　Not　to
deceive　you；　I　am　that　given　to　lying；　and　laziness；　and
self…indulgence　of　all　sorts；　that　the　only　excuse　I　can　find　for
myself　is　that　it　is　the　nature　of　the　race　so　to　be；　for　most
men　is　just　as　bad　as　me；　and　some　of　'em　worsen　I　do　not　speak
pers'nal　to　you；　governor；　nor　to　the　honor