the lodger-第26章

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；　pitiful　tragedies　which　occasionally　destroy　the　serenity；　the　apparent　decorum；　of　a　large；　respectable　household。

The　under…housemaid；　a　pretty；　happy…natured　girl；　had　drowned　herself　for　love　of　the　footman；　who　had　given　his　sweetheart　cause　for　bitter　jealousy。　　The　girl　had　chosen　to　speak　of　her　troubles　to　the　strange　lady's　maid　rather　than　to　her　own　fellow…servants；　and　it　was　during　the　conversation　the　two　women　had　had　together　that　the　girl　had　threatened　to　take　her　own　life。

As　Mrs。　Bunting　put　on　her　outdoor　clothes；　preparatory　to　going　out；　she　recalled　very　clearly　all　the　details　of　that　dreadful　affair；　and　of　the　part　she　herself　had　unwillingly　played　in　it。

She　visualised　the　country　inn　where　the　inquest　on　that　poor；　unfortunate　creature　had　been　held。

The　butler　had　escorted　her　from　the　Hall；　for　he　also　was　to　give　evidence；　and　as　they　came　up　there　had　been　a　look　of　cheerful　animation　about　the　inn　yard；　people　coming　and　going；　many　women　as　well　as　men；　village　folk；　among　whom　the　dead　girl's　fate　had　aroused　a　great　deal　of　interest；　and　the　kind　of　horror　which　those　who　live　on　a　dull　countryside　welcome　rather　than　avoid。

Everyone　there　had　been　particularly　nice　and　polite　to　her；　to　Ellen　Green；　there　had　been　a　time　of　waiting　in　a　room　upstairs　in　the　old　inn；　and　the　witnesses　had　been　accommodated；　not　only　with　chairs；　but　with　cake　and　wine。

She　remembered　how　she　had　dreaded　being　a　witness；　how　she　had　felt　as　if　she　would　like　to　run　away　from　her　nice；　easy　place；　rather　than　have　to　get　up　and　tell　the　little　that　she　knew　of　the　sad　business。

But　it　had　not　been　so　very　dreadful　after　all。　　The　coroner　had　been　a　kindly…spoken　gentleman；　in　fact　he　had　complimented　her　on　the　clear；　sensible　way　she　had　given　her　evidence　concerning　the　exact　words　the　unhappy　girl　had　used。

One　thing　Ellen　Green　had　said；　in　answer　to　a　question　put　by　an　inquisitive　juryman；　had　raised　a　laugh　in　the　crowded；　low…ceilinged　room。　　〃Ought　not　Miss　Ellen　Green；〃　so　the　man　had　asked；　〃to　have　told　someone　of　the　girl's　threat？　　If　she　had　done　so；　might　not　the　girl　have　been　prevented　from　throwing　herself　into　the　lake？〃　　And　she；　the　witness；　had　answered；　with　some　asperity　…　for　by　that　time　the　coroner's　kind　manner　had　put　her　at　her　ease　…　that　she　had　not　attached　any　importance　to　what　the　girl　had　threatened　to　do；　never　believing　that　any　young　woman　could　be　so　silly　as　to　drown　herself　for　love！

******

Vaguely　Mrs。　Bunting　supposed　that　the　inquest　at　which　she　was　going　to　be　present　this　afternoon　would　be　like　that　country　inquest　of　long　ago。

It　had　been　no　mere　perfunctory　inquiry；　she　remembered　very　well　how　little　by　little　that　pleasant…spoken　gentleman；　the　coroner；　had　got　the　whole　truth　out　…　the　story；　that　is；　of　how　that　horrid　footman；　whom　she；　Ellen　Green；　had　disliked　from　the　first　minute　she　had　set　eyes　on　him；　had；　taken　up　with　another　young　woman。　　It　had　been　supposed　that　this　fact　would　not　be　elicited　by　the　coroner；　but　it　had　been；　quietly；　remorselessly；　more；　the　dead　girl's　letters　had　been　read　out　…　piteous；　queerly　expressed　letters；　full　of　wild　love　and　bitter；　threatening　jealousy。　　And　the　jury　had　censured　the　young　man　most　severely；　she　remembered　the　look　on　his　face　when　the　people；　shrinking　back；　had　made　a　passage　for　him　to　slink　out　of　the　crowded　room。

Come　to　think　of　it　now；　it　was　strange　she　had　never　told　Bunting　that　long…ago　tale。　　It　had　occurred　years　before　she　knew　him；　and　somehow　nothing　had　ever　happened　to　make　her　tell　him　about　it。

She　wondered　whether　Bunting　had　ever　been　to　an　inquest。　She　longed　to　ask　him。　　But　if　she　asked　him　now；　this　minute；　he　might　guess　where　she　was　thinking　of　going。

And　then；　while　still　moving　about　her　bedroom；　she　shook　her　head　　…　no；　no；　Bunting　would　never　guess　such　a　thing；　he　would　never；　never　suspect　her　of　telling　him　a　lie。

Stop　…　had　she　told　a　lie？　　She　did　mean　to　go　to　the　doctor　after　the　inquest　was　finished　…　if　there　was　time；　that　is。　　She　wondered　uneasily　how　long　such　an　inquiry　was　likely　to　last。　　In　this　case；　as　so　very　little　had　been　discovered；　the　proceedings　would　surely　be　very　formal　…　formal　and　therefore　short。

She　herself　had　one　quite　definite　object　…　that　of　hearing　the　evidence　of　those　who　believed　they　had　seen　the　murderer　leaving　the　spot　where　his　victims　lay　weltering　in　their　still　flowing　blood。　　She　was　filled　with　a　painful；　secret；　and；　yes；　eager　curiosity　to　hear　how　those　who　were　so　positive　about　the　matter　would　describe　the　appearance　of　The　Avenger。　　After　all；　a　lot　of　people　must　have　seen　him；　for；　as　Bunting　had　said　only　the　day　before　to　young　Chandler；　The　Avenger　was　not　a　ghost；　he　was　a　living　man　with　some　kind　of　hiding…place　where　he　was　known；　and　where　he　spent　his　time　between　his　awful　crimes。

As　she　came　back　to　the　sitting…room；　her　extreme　pallor　struck　her　husband。

〃Why；　Ellen；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　time　you　went　to　the　doctor。　　You　looks　just　as　if　you　was　going　to　a　funeral。　　I'll　come　along　with　you　as　far　as　the　station。　　You're　going　by　train；　ain't　you？　　Not　by　bus；　eh？　　It's　a　very　long　way　to　Ealing；　you　know。〃

〃There　you　go！　　Breaking　your　solemn　promise　to　me　the　very　first　minute！〃　　But　somehow　she　did　not　speak　unkindly；　only　fretfully　and　sadly。

And　Bunting　hung　his　head。　　〃Why；　to　be　sure　I'd　gone　and　clean　forgot　the　lodger！　　But　will　you　be　all　right；　Ellen？　　Why　not　wait　till　to…morrow；　and　take　Daisy　with　you？〃

〃I　like　doing　my　own　business　in　my　own　way；　and　not　in　someone　else's　way！〃　she　snapped　out；　and　then　more　gently；　for　Bunting　really　looked　concerned；　and　she　did　feel　very　far　from　well；　〃I'll　be　all　right；　old　man。　　Don't　you　worry　about　me！〃

As　she　turned　to　go　across　to　the　door；　she　drew　the　black　shawl　she　had　put　over　her　long　jacket　more　closely　round　her。

She　felt　ashamed；　deeply　ashamed；　of　deceiving　so　kind　a　husband。　And　yet；　what　could　she　do？　　How　could　she　share　her　dreadful　burden　with　poor　Bunting？　Why；　'twould　be　enough　to　make　a　man　go　daft。　Even　she　often　felt　as　if　she　could　stand　it　no　longer　…　as　if　she　would　give　the　world　to　tell　someone　…　anyone　…　what　it　was　that　she　suspected；　what　deep　in　her　heart　she　so　feared　to　be　the　truth。

But；　unknown　to　herself；　the　fresh　outside　air；　fog…laden　though　it　was；　soon　began　to　do　her　good。　　She　had　gone　out　far　too　little　the　last　few　days；　for　she　had　had　a　nervous　terror　of　leaving　the　house　unprotected；　as　also　a　great　unwillingness　to　allow　Bunting　to　come　into　contact　with　the　lodger。

When　she　reached　the　Underground　station　she　stopped　short。　　There　were　two　ways　of　getting　to　St。　Pancras　…　she　could　go　by　bus；　or　she　could　go　by　train。　　She　decided　on　the　latter。　　But　before　turning　into　the　station　her　eyes　strayed　over　the　bills　of　the　early　afternoon　papers　lying　on　the　ground。

Two　words；


THE　AVENGER；


stared　up　at　her　in　varying　type。

Drawing　her　black　shawl　yet　a　little　closer　about　her　shoulders；　Mrs。　Bunting　looked　down　at　the　placards。　　She　did　not　feel　inclined　to　buy　a　paper；　as　many　of　the　people　round　her　were　doing。　　Her　eyes　were　smarting；　even　now；　from　their　unaccustomed　following　of　the　close　print　in　the　paper　Bunting　took　in。

Slowly　she　turned；　at　last；　into　the　Underground　station。

And　now　a　piece　of　extraordinary　good　fortune　befell　Mrs。　Bunting。

The　third…class　carriage　in　which　she　took　her　place　happened　to　be　empty；　save　for　the　presence　of　a　police　inspector。　　And　once　they　were　well　away　she　summoned　up　courage；　and　asked　him　the　question　she　knew　she　would　have　to　ask　of　someone　within　the　next　few　minutes。

〃Can　you　tell　me；〃　she　said；　in　a　low　voice；　〃where　death　inquests　are　held　〃　…　she　moistened　her　lips；　waited　a　moment；　and　then　concluded　…　〃　in　the　neighbourhood　of　King's　Cross？〃

The　man　turned　and；　looked　at　her　attentively。　　She　did　not　look　at　all　the　sort　of　Londoner　who　goes　to　an　inquest　…　there　are　many　such　…　just　for　the　fun　of　the　thing。　　Approvingly；　for　he　was　a　widower；　he　noted　her　neat　black　coat　and　skirt；　and　the　plain　Princess　bonnet　which　framed　her　pale；　refined　face。

〃I'm　going　to　the　Coroner's　Court　myself。〃　he　said　good…naturedly。　〃So　you　can　come　along　of　me。　　You　see　there's　that　big　Avenger　inquest　going　on　to…day；　so　I　think　they'll　have　had　to　make　other　arrangements　for　…　hum；　hum　…　ordinary　cases。〃　　And　as　she　looked　at　him　dumbly；　he　went　on；　〃There'll　be　a　mighty　crowd　of　people　at　The　Avenger　inquest　…　a　lot　of　ticket　folk　to　be　accommodated；　to　say　nothing　of　the　public。〃

〃That's　the　inquest　I'm　going　to；〃　faltered　Mrs。　Bunting。　　She　could　scarcely　get　the　words　out。　　She　realised　with　acute　discomfort；　yes；　and　shame；　how　strange；　how　untoward；　was　that　which　she　was　going　to　do。　　Fancy　a　respectable　woman　wanting　to　attend　a　murder　inquest！

During　the　last　few　days　all　her　perceptions　had　be　come　sharpened　by　suspense　and　fear。　　She　realised　now；　as　she　looked　into　the　stolid　face　of　her　unknown　friend；　how　she　herself　would　have　regarded　any　woman　who　wanted　to　attend　such　an　inquiry　from　a　simple；　morbid　feeling　of　curiosity。　　And　yet　…　and　yet　that　was　just　what　she　was　about　to　do　herself。

〃I've　got　a　reason　for　wanting　to　go　there；〃　she　murmured。　　It　was　a　comfort　to　unburden　herself　this　little　way　even　to　a　stranger。

〃Ah！〃　he　said　reflectively。　　〃A　…　a　relative　connected　with　one　of　the　two　victims'　husbands；　I　presume？〃

And　Mrs。　Bunting　bent　her　head。

〃Going　to　give　evidence？〃　he　asked　casually；　and　then　he　turned　and　looked　at　Mrs。　Bunting　with　far　more　attention　than　he　had　yet　done。

〃Oh；　no！〃　　There　was　a　world　of　horror；　of　fear　in　the　speaker's　voice。

And　the　inspector　felt　concerned　and　sorry。　　〃Hadn't　seen　her　for　quite　a　long　time；　I　suppose？〃

〃Never　had；　seen　her。　　I'm　from　the　country。〃　　Something　impelled　Mrs。　Bunting　to　say　these　words。　　But　she　hastily　corrected　herself；　〃At　least；　I　was。〃

〃Will　he　be　there？〃

She　looked　at　him　dumbly；　not　in　the　least　knowing　to　whom　he　was　alluding。

〃I　mean　the　husband；〃　went　on　the　inspector　hastily。　　〃I　felt　sorry　for　the　last　poor　chap　…　I　mean　the　husband　of　the　last　one　…　he　seemed　so　awfully　miserable。　　You　see；　she'd　been　a　good　wife　and　a　good　mother　till　she　took　to　the　drink。〃

〃It　always　is　so；〃　breathed　out　Mrs。　Bunting。

〃Aye。〃　he　waited　a　moment。　　〃D'you　know　anyone　about　the　court？〃　he　asked。

She　shook　her　head。

〃Well；　don't　you　worry。　　I'll　take　you　in　along　o'　me。　　You'd　never　get　in　by　yourself。〃

They　got　out；　and　oh；　the　comfort　of　being　in　some　one's　charge；　of　having　a　determined　man　in　uniform　to　look　after　one！　　And　yet　even　now　there　was　to　Mrs。　Bunting　something　dream…like；　unsubstantial　about　the　whole　business。

〃If　he　knew　…　if　he　only　knew　what　I　know！〃　she　kept　saying　over　and　over　again　to　herself　as　she　walked　lightly　by　the　big；　burly　form　of　the　police　inspector。

〃'Tisn't　far　…　not　three　minutes；〃　he　said　suddenly。　　〃Am　I　walking　too　quick　for　you；　ma'am？〃'

〃No；　not　at　all。　　I'm　a　quick　walker。〃

And　then　suddenly　they　turned　a　corner　and　came　on　a　mass　of　people；　a　densely　packed　crowd　of　men　an