malvina of brittany-第14节

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the　lamp…post　and　joined　her。

I　was　due　at　a　bachelor　gathering　that　evening；　and　after　dinner；
the　affair　being　fresh　in　my　mind；　I　talked　about　it。　　I　am　not
sure；　but　I　think　it　was　in　connection　with　a　discussion　on
Maeterlinck。　　It　was　that　sudden　lifting　of　the　blind　that　had
caught　hold　of　me。　　As　if；　blundering　into　an　empty　theatre；　I　had
caught　a　glimpse　of　some　drama　being　played　in　secret。　　We　passed　to
other　topics；　and　when　I　was　leaving　a　fellow　guest　asked　me　which
way　I　was　going。　　I　told　him；　and；　it　being　a　fine　night；　he
proposed　that　we　should　walk　together。　　And　in　the　quiet　of　Harley
Street　he　confessed　that　his　desire　had　not　been　entirely　the
pleasure　of　my　company。

〃It　is　rather　curious；〃　he　said；　〃but　today　there　suddenly　came　to
my　remembrance　a　case　that　for　nearly　eleven　years　I　have　never
given　a　thought　to。　　And　now；　on　top　of　it；　comes　your　description
of　that　woman's　face。　　I　am　wondering　if　it　can　be　the　same。〃

〃It　was　the　eyes；〃　I　said；　〃that　struck　me　as　so　remarkable。〃

〃It　was　the　eyes　that　I　chiefly　remember　her　by；〃　he　replied。
〃Would　you　know　the　street　again？〃

We　walked　a　little　while　in　silence。

〃It　may　seem；　perhaps；　odd　to　you；〃　I　answered；　〃but　it　would
trouble　me；　the　idea　of　any　harm　coming　to　her　through　me。　　What　was
the　case？〃

〃You　can　feel　quite　safe　on　that　point；〃　he　assured　me。　　〃I　was　her
counselthat　is；　if　it　is　the　same　woman。　　How　was　she　dressed？〃

I　could　not　see　the　reason　for　his　question。　　He　could　hardly　expect
her　to　be　wearing　the　clothes　of　eleven　years　ago。

〃I　don't　think　I　noticed；〃　I　answered。　　〃Some　sort　of　a　blouse；　I
suppose。〃　　And　then　I　recollected。　　〃Ah；　yes；　there　was　something
uncommon；〃　I　added。　　〃An　unusually　broad　band　of　velvet；　it　looked
like；　round　her　neck。〃

〃I　thought　so；〃　he　said。　　〃Yes。　　It　must　be　the　same。〃

We　had　reached　Marylebone　Road；　where　our　ways　parted。

〃I　will　look　you　up　to…morrow　afternoon；　if　I　may；〃　he　said。　　〃We
might　take　a　stroll　round　together。〃

He　called　on　me　about　half…past　five；　and　we　reached　the　street　just
as　the　one　solitary　gas…lamp　had　been　lighted。　　I　pointed　out　the
house　to　him；　and　he　crossed　over　and　looked　at　the　number。

〃Quite　right；〃　he　said；　on　returning。　　〃I　made　inquiries　this
morning。　　She　was　released　six　weeks　ago　on　ticket…of…leave。〃

He　took　my　arm。

〃Not　much　use　hanging　about；〃　he　said。　　〃The　blind　won't　go　up
to…night。　　Rather　a　clever　idea；　selecting　a　house　just　opposite　a
lamp…post。〃

He　had　an　engagement　that　evening；　but　later　on　he　told　me　the
storythat　is；　so　far　as　he　then　knew　it。

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It　was　in　the　early　days　of　the　garden　suburb　movement。　　One　of　the
first　sites　chosen　was　off　the　Finchley　Road。　　The　place　was　in　the
building；　and　one　of　the　streetsLaleham　Gardenshad　only　some
half　a　dozen　houses　in　it；　all　unoccupied　save　one。　　It　was　a
lonely；　loose　end　of　the　suburb；　terminating　suddenly　in　open
fields。　　From　the　unfinished　end　of　the　road　the　ground　sloped　down
somewhat　steeply　to　a　pond；　and　beyond　that　began　a　small　wood。　　The
one　house　occupied　had　been　bought　by　a　young　married　couple　named
Hepworth。

The　husband　was　a　good…looking；　pleasant　young　fellow。　　Being
clean…shaven；　his　exact　age　was　difficult　to　judge。　　The　wife；　it
was　quite　evident；　was　little　more　than　a　girl。　　About　the　man　there
was　a　suggestion　of　weakness。　　At　least；　that　was　the　impression
left　on　the　mind　of　the　house…agent。　　To…day　he　would　decide；　and
to…morrow　he　changed　his　mind。　　Jetson；　the　agent；　had　almost　given
up　hope　of　bringing　off　a　deal。　　In　the　end　it　was　Mrs。　Hepworth
who；　taking　the　matter　into　her　own　hands；　fixed　upon　the　house　in
Laleham　Gardens。　　Young　Hepworth　found　fault　with　it　on　the　ground
of　its　isolation。　　He　himself　was　often　away　for　days　at　a　time；
travelling　on　business；　and　was　afraid　she　would　be　nervous。　　He　had
been　very　persistent　on　this　point；　but　in　whispered　conversations
she　had　persuaded　him　out　of　his　objection。　　It　was　one　of　those
pretty；　fussy　little　houses；　and　it　seemed　to　have　taken　her　fancy。
Added　to　which；　according　to　her　argument；　it　was　just　within　their
means；　which　none　of　the　others　were。　　Young　Hepworth　may　have　given
the　usual　references；　but　if　so　they　were　never　taken　up。　　The　house
was　sold　on　the　company's　usual　terms。　　The　deposit　was　paid　by　a
cheque；　which　was　duly　cleared；　and　the　house　itself　was　security
for　the　rest。　　The　company's　solicitor；　with　Hepworth's　consent；
acted　for　both　parties。

It　was　early　in　June　when　the　Hepworths　moved　in。　　They　furnished
only　one　bedroom；　and　kept　no　servant；　a　charwoman　coming　in　every
morning　and　going　away　about　six　in　the　evening。　　Jetson　was　their
nearest　neighbour。　　His　wife　and　daughters　called　on　them；　and
confess　to　have　taken　a　liking　to　them　both。　　Indeed；　between　one　of
the　Jetson　girls；　the　youngest；　and　Mrs。　Hepworth　there　seems　to
have　sprung　up　a　close　friendship。　　Young　Hepworth；　the　husband；　was
always　charming；　and　evidently　took　great　pains　to　make　himself
agreeable。　　But　with　regard　to　him　they　had　the　feeling　that　he　was
never　altogether　at　his　ease。　　They　described　himthough　that；　of
course；　was　after　the　eventas　having　left　upon　them　the　impression
of　a　haunted　man。

There　was　one　occasion　in　particular。　　It　was　about　ten　o'clock。
The　Jetsons　had　been　spending　the　evening　with　the　Hepworths；　and
were　just　on　the　point　of　leaving；　when　there　came　a　sudden；　clear
knock　at　the　door。　　It　turned　out　to　be　Jetson's　foreman；　who　had　to
leave　by　an　early　train　in　the　morning；　and　had　found　that　he　needed
some　further　instructions。　　But　the　terror　in　Hepworth's　face　was
unmistakable。　　He　had　turned　a　look　towards　his　wife　that　was　almost
of　despair；　and　it　had　seemed　to　the　Jetsonsor；　talking　it　over
afterwards；　they　may　have　suggested　the　idea　to　each　otherthat
there　came　a　flash　of　contempt　into　her　eyes；　though　it　yielded　the
next　instant　to　an　expression　of　pity。　　She　had　risen；　and　already
moved　some　steps　towards　the　door；　when　young　Hepworth　had　stopped
her；　and　gone　out　himself。　　But　the　curious　thing　was　that；
according　to　the　foreman's　account；　Hepworth　never　opened　the　front
door；　but　came　upon　him　stealthily　from　behind。　　He　must　have
slipped　out　by　the　back　and　crept　round　the　house。

The　incident　had　puzzled　the　Jetsons；　especially　that　involuntary
flash　of　contempt　that　had　come　into　Mrs。　Hepworth's　eyes。　　She　had
always　appeared　to　adore　her　husband；　and　of　the　two；　if　possible；
to　be　the　one　most　in　love　with　the　other。　　They　had　no　friends　or
acquaintances　except　the　Jetsons。　　No　one　else　among　their
neighbours　had　taken　the　trouble　to　call　on　them；　and　no　stranger　to
the　suburb　had；　so　far　as　was　known；　ever　been　seen　in　Laleham
Gardens。

Until　one　evening　a　little　before　Christmas。

Jetson　was　on　his　way　home　from　his　office　in　the　Finchley　Road。
There　had　been　a　mist　hanging　about　all　day；　and　with　nightfall　it
had　settled　down　into　a　whitish　fog。　　Soon　after　leaving　the
Finchley　Road；　Jetson　noticed　in　front　of　him　a　man　wearing　a　long；
yellow　mackintosh；　and　some　sort　of　soft　felt　hat。　　He　gave　Jetson
the　idea　of　being　a　sailor；　it　may　have　been　merely　the　stiff；
serviceable　mackintosh。　　At　the　corner　of　Laleham　Gardens　the　man
turned；　and　glanced　up　at　the　name　upon　the　lamp…post；　so　that
Jetson　had　a　full　view　of　him。　　Evidently　it　was　the　street　for
which　he　was　looking。　　Jetson；　somewhat　curious；　the　Hepworths'
house　being　still　the　only　one　occupied；　paused　at　the　corner；　and
watched。　　The　Hepworths'　house　was；　of　course；　the　only　one　in　the
road　that　showed　any　light。　　The　man；　when　he　came　to　the　gate；
struck　a　match　for　the　purpose　of　reading　the　number。　　Satisfied　it
was　the　house　he　wanted；　he　pushed　open　the　gate　and　went　up　the
path。

But；　instead　of　using　the　bell　or　knocker；　Jetson　was　surprised　to
hear　him　give　three　raps　on　the　door　with　his　stick。　　There　was　no
answer；　and　Jetson；　whose　interest　was　now　thoroughly　aroused；
crossed　to　the　other　corner；　from　where　he　could　command　a　better
view。　　Twice　the　man　repeated　his　three　raps　on　the　door；　each　time
a　little　louder；　and　the　third　time　the　door　was　opened。　　Jetson
could　not　tell　by　whom；　for　whoever　it　was　kept　behind　it。

He　could　just　see　one　wall　of　the　passage；　with　a　pair　of　old　naval
cutlasses　crossed　above　the　picture　of　a　three…masted　schooner　that
he　knew　hung　there。　　The　door　was　opened　just　sufficient；　and　the
man　slipped　in；　and　the　door　was　closed　behind　him。　　Jetson　had
turned　to　continue　his　way；　when　the　fancy　seized　him　to　give　one
glance　back。　　The　house　was　in　complete　darkness；　though　a　moment
before　Jetson　was　positive　there　had　been　a　light　in　the　ground
floor　window。

It　all　sounded　very　important　afterwards；　but　at　the　time　there　was
nothing　to　suggest　to　Jetson　anything　very　much　out　of　the　common。
Because　for　six　months　no　friend　or　relation　had　called　to　see　them；
that　was　no　reason　why　one　never　should。　　In　the　fog；　a　stranger　may
have　thought　it　simpler　to　knock　at　the　door　with　his　stick　than　to
fumble　in　search　of　a　bell。　　The　Hepworths　lived　c