malvina of brittany-第15章

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as　his　stay…by。　　Michael；　weak；　timid；　and　not　perhaps　without　some
remains　of　boyish　affection　for　a　strong；　handsome；　elder　brother；
foolishly　yielded。　　The　demands；　of　course；　increased；　until；　in　the
end；　it　came　almost　as　a　relief　when　the　man's　vicious　life　led　to
his　getting　mixed　up　with　a　crime　of　a　particularly　odious　nature。
He　was　anxious　now　for　his　own　sake　to　get　away；　and　Michael；　with
little　enough　to　spare　for　himself；　provided　him　with　the　means；　on
the　solemn　understanding　that　he　would　never　return。

But　the　worry　and　misery　of　it　all　had　left　young　Michael　a　broken
man。　　Unable　to　concentrate　his　mind　any　longer　upon　his　profession；
his　craving　was　to　get　away　from　all　his　old　associationsto　make　a
fresh　start　in　life。　　It　was　Ellenby　who　suggested　London　and　the
ship　furnishing　business；　where　Michael's　small　remaining　capital
would　be　of　service。　　The　name　of　Hepworth　would　be　valuable　in
shipping　circles；　and　Ellenby；　arguing　this　consideration；　but
chiefly　with　the　hope　of　giving　young　Michael　more　interest　in　the
business；　had　insisted　that　the　firm　should　be　Hepworth　and　Co。

They　had　not　been　started　a　year　before　the　man　returned；　as　usual
demanding　more　money。　　Michael；　acting　under　Ellenby's　guidance；
refused　in　terms　that　convinced　his　brother　that　the　game　of
bullying　was　up。　　He　waited　a　while；　and　then　wrote　pathetically
that　he　was　ill　and　starving。　　If　only　for　the　sake　of　his　young
wife；　would　not　Michael　come　and　see　them？

This　was　the　first　they　had　heard　of　his　marriage。　　There　was　just　a
faint　hope　that　it　might　have　effected　a　change；　and　Michael；
against　Ellenby's　advice；　decided　to　go。　　In　a　miserable
lodging…house　in　the　East　End　he　found　the　young　wife；　but　not　his
brother；　who　did　not　return　till　he　was　on　the　point　of　leaving。　　In
the　interval　the　girl　seems　to　have　confided　her　story　to　Michael。

She　had　been　a　singer；　engaged　at　a　music…hall　in　Rotterdam。　　There
Alex　Hepworth；　calling　himself　Charlie　Martin；　had　met　her　and　made
love　to　her。　　When　he　chose；　he　could　be　agreeable　enough；　and　no
doubt　her　youth　and　beauty　had　given　to　his　protestations；　for　the
time　being；　a　genuine　ring　of　admiration　and　desire。　　It　was　to
escape　from　her　surroundings；　more　than　anything　else；　that　she　had
consented。　　She　was　little　more　than　a　child；　and　anything　seemed
preferable　to　the　nightly　horror　to　which　her　life　exposed　her。

He　had　never　married　her。　　At　least；　that　was　her　belief　at　the
time。　　During　his　first　drunken　bout　he　had　flung　it　in　her　face
that　the　form　they　had　gone　through　was　mere　bunkum。　　Unfortunately
for　her；　this　was　a　lie。　　He　had　always　been　coolly　calculating。　　It
was　probably　with　the　idea　of　a　safe　investment　that　he　had　seen　to
it　that　the　ceremony　had　been　strictly　legal。

Her　life　with　him；　so　soon　as　the　first　novelty　of　her　had　worn　off；
had　been　unspeakable。　　The　band　that　she　wore　round　her　neck　was　to
hide　where；　in　a　fit　of　savagery；　because　she　had　refused　to　earn
money　for　him　on　the　streets；　he　had　tried　to　cut　her　throat。　　Now
that　she　had　got　back　to　England　she　intended　to　leave　him。　　If　he
followed　and　killed　her　she　did　not　care。

It　was　for　her　sake　that　young　Hepworth　eventually　offered　to　help
his　brother　again；　on　the　condition　that　he　would　go　away　by
himself。　　To　this　the　other　agreed。　　He　seems　to　have　given　a　short
display　of　remorse。　　There　must　have　been　a　grin　on　his　face　as　he
turned　away。　　His　cunning　eyes　had　foreseen　what　was　likely　to
happen。　　The　idea　of　blackmail　was　no　doubt　in　his　mind　from　the
beginning。　　With　the　charge　of　bigamy　as　a　weapon　in　his　hand；　he
might　rely　for　the　rest　of　his　life　upon　a　steady　and　increasing
income。

Michael　saw　his　brother　off　as　a　second…class　passenger　on　a　ship
bound　for　the　Cape。　　Of　course；　there　was　little　chance　of　his
keeping　his　word；　but　there　was　always　the　chance　of　his　getting
himself　knocked　on　the　head　in　some　brawl。　　Anyhow；　he　would　be　out
of　the　way　for　a　season；　and　the　girl；　Lola；　would　be　left。　　A　month
later　he　married　her；　and　four　months　after　that　received　a　letter
from　his　brother　containing　messages　to　Mrs。　Martin；　〃from　her
loving　husband；　Charlie；〃　who　hoped　before　long　to　have　the　pleasure
of　seeing　her　again。

Inquiries　through　the　English　Consul　in　Rotterdam　proved　that　the
threat　was　no　mere　bluff。　　The　marriage　had　been　legal　and　binding。

What　happened　on　the　night　of　the　murder；　was　very　much　as　my　friend
had　reconstructed　it。　　Ellenby；　reaching　the　office　at　his　usual
time　the　next　morning；　had　found　Hepworth　waiting　for　him。　　There　he
had　remained　in　hiding　until　one　morning；　with　dyed　hair　and　a
slight　moustache；　he　had　ventured　forth。

Had　the　man's　death　been　brought　about　by　any　other　means；　Ellenby
would　have　counselled　his　coming　forward　and　facing　his　trial；　as　he
himself　was　anxious　to　do；　but；　viewed　in　conjunction　with　the
relief　the　man's　death　must　have　been　to　both　of　them；　that　loaded
revolver　was　too　suggestive　of　premeditation。　　The　isolation　of　the
house；　that　conveniently　near　pond；　would　look　as　if　thought　of
beforehand。　　Even　if　pleading　extreme　provocation；　Michael　escaped
the　rope；　a　long　term　of　penal　servitude　would　be　inevitable。

Nor　was　it　certain　that　even　then　the　woman　would　go　free。　　The
murdered　man　would　still；　by　a　strange　freak；　be　her　husband；　the
murdererin　the　eye　of　the　lawher　lover。

Her　passionate　will　had　prevailed。　　Young　Hepworth　had　sailed　for
America。　　There　he　had　no　difficulty　in　obtaining　employmentof
course；　under　another　namein　an　architects　office；　and　later　had
set　up　for　himself。　　Since　the　night　of　the　murder　they　had　not　seen
each　other　till　some　three　weeks　ago。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*　　　　　　　　　　*

I　never　saw　the　woman　again。　　My　friend；　I　believe；　called　on　her。
Hepworth　had　already　returned　to　America；　and　my　friend　had
succeeded　in　obtaining　for　her　some　sort　of　a　police　permit　that
practically　left　her　free。

Sometimes　of　an　evening　I　find　myself　passing　through　the　street。
And　always　I　have　the　feeling　of　having　blundered　into　an　empty
theatrewhere　the　play　is　ended。




HIS　EVENING　OUT。




The　evidence　of　the　park…keeper；　David　Bristow；　of　Gilder　Street；
Camden　Town；　is　as　follows：

I　was　on　duty　in　St。　James's　Park　on　Thursday　evening；　my　sphere
extending　from　the　Mall　to　the　northern　shore　of　the　ornamental
water　east　of　the　suspension　bridge。　　At　five…and…twenty　to　seven　I
took　up　a　position　between　the　peninsula　and　the　bridge　to　await　my
colleague。　　He　ought　to　have　relieved　me　at　half…past　six；　but　did
not　arrive　until　a　few　minutes　before　seven；　owing；　so　he　explained；
to　the　breaking　down　of　his　motor…'buswhich　may　have　been　true　or
may　not；　as　the　saying　is。

I　had　just　come　to　a　halt；　when　my　attention　was　arrested　by　a　lady。
I　am　unable　to　explain　why　the　presence　of　a　lady　in　St。　James's
Park　should　have　seemed　in　any　way　worthy　of　notice　except　that；　for
certain　reasons；　she　reminded　me　of　my　first　wife。　　I　observed　that
she　hesitated　between　one　of　the　public　seats　and　two　vacant　chairs
standing　by　themselves　a　little　farther　to　the　east。　　Eventually　she
selected　one　of　the　chairs；　and；　having　cleaned　it　with　an　evening
paperthe　birds　in　this　portion　of　the　Park　being　extremely
prolificsat　down　upon　it。　　There　was　plenty　of　room　upon　the
public　seat　close　to　it；　except　for　some　children　who　were　playing
touch；　and　in　consequence　of　this　I　judged　her　to　be　a　person　of
means。

I　walked　to　a　point　from　where　I　could　command　the　southern
approaches　to　the　bridge；　my　colleague　arriving　sometimes　by　way　of
Birdcage　Walk　and　sometimes　by　way　of　the　Horse　Guards　Parade。　　Not
seeing　any　signs　of　him　in　the　direction　of　the　bridge；　I　turned
back。　　A　little　way　past　the　chair　where　the　lady　was　sitting　I　met
Mr。　Parable。　　I　know　Mr。　Parable　quite　well　by　sight。　　He　was
wearing　the　usual　grey　suit　and　soft　felt　hat　with　which　the
pictures　in　the　newspapers　have　made　us　all　familiar。　　I　judged　that
Mr。　Parable　had　come　from　the　Houses　of　Parliament；　and　the　next
morning　my　suspicions　were　confirmed　by　reading　that　he　had　been
present　at　a　tea…party　given　on　the　terrace　by　Mr。　Will　Crooks。　　Mr。
Parable　conveyed　to　me　the　suggestion　of　a　man　absorbed　in　thought；
and　not　quite　aware　of　what　he　was　doing；　but　in　this；　of　course；　I
may　have　been　mistaken。　　He　paused　for　a　moment　to　look　over　the
railings　at　the　pelican。　　Mr。　Parable　said　something　to　the　pelican
which　I　was　not　near　enough　to　overhear；　and　then；　still　apparently
in　a　state　of　abstraction；　crossed　the　path　and　seated　himself　on
the　chair　next　to　that　occupied　by　the　young　lady。

From　the　tree　against　which　I　was　standing　I　was　able　to　watch　the
subsequent　proceedings　unobserved。　　The　lady　looked　at　Mr。　Parable
and　then　turned　away　and　smiled　to　herself。　　It　was　a　peculiar
smile；　and；　again　in　some　way　I　am　unable　to　explain；　reminded　me　of
my　first　wife。　　It　was　not　till　the　pelican　put　down　his　other　leg
and　walked　away　that　Mr。　Parable；　turning　his　gaze　westward；　became
aware　of　the　lady's　presence。

From　information　that　has　subsequently　come　to　my　knowledge；　I　am
prepared　to　believe　that　Mr。　Parable；　from　the　beginning；　really
thought　the　lady　was　a　friend　of　his。　　What　the　lady　thought　is　a
matter　for　conjecture；　I　can　only　speak　to　the　facts。　　Mr。　Parable
looked　at　the　lady　once　or　twice。　　Indeed；　one　might　say　with　truth
that　he　kept　on　doing　it。　　The　lady；　it　must　be　admitted；　behaved
for　a　while　with　extreme　propriety；　but　after　a　time；　as　I　felt　must
happen；　their　eyes　met；　and　then　it　was　I　heard　her　say：

〃Good　evening；　Mr。　Parable。〃

She　accompanied　the　words　with　the　same　peculiar　smile　to　which　I
have　already　alluded。　　The　exact　words　of　Mr。　Parable's　reply　I
cannot　remember。　　But　it　was　to　the　effect　that　he　had　thought　from
the　first　that　he　had　known　her　but　had　not　been　quite　sure。　　It　was
at　this　point　that；　thinking　I　saw　my　colleague　approaching；　I　went
to　meet　him。　　I　found　I　was　mistaken；　and　slowly　retraced　my　steps。
I　passed　Mr。　Parable　and　the　lady。　　They　were　talking　together　with
what　I　should　describe　as　animation。　　I　went　as　far　as　the　southern
extremity　of　the　suspension　bridge；　and　must　have　waited　there　quite
ten　minutes　before　returning　eastward。　　It　was　while　I　was　passing
behind　them　on　the　grass；　partially　screened　by　the　rhododendrons；
that　I　heard　Mr。　Parable　say　to　the　lady：

〃Why　shouldn't　we　have　it　together？〃

To　which　the　lady　replied：

〃But　what　about　Miss　Clebb？〃

I　could　not　overhear　what　followed；　owing　to　their　sinking　their
voices。　　It　seemed　to　be　an　argument。　　It　ended　with　the　young　lady
laughing　and　then　rising。　　Mr。　Parable　also　rose；　and　they　walked
off　together。　　As　they　passed　me　I　heard　the　lady　say：

〃I　wonder　if　there's　any　place　in　London　where　you're　not　likely　to
be　recognised。〃

Mr。　Parable；　who　gave　me　the　idea　of　being　in　a　state　of　growing
excitement；　replied　quite　loudly：

〃Oh；　let　'em！〃

I　was　following　behind　them　when　the　lady　suddenly　stopped。

〃I　know！〃　she　said。　　〃The　Popular　Cafe。〃


The　park…keeper　said　he　was　convinced　he　would　know　the　lady