the grey room(灰房间)-第15节
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〃Is he to be buried at Chadlands？ I suppose so； poor fellow；〃
murmured Ernest Travers。 〃I think your family graves so distinguished；
Walter … so simple and fine and modest … just perfectly kept； grassy
mounds； and simple inscriptions。 I was looking at them after service to…
day。 The vicar made a very tactful allusion to the great grief that had
overtaken the lord of the manor at the end of his sermon。〃
Henry assisted his uncle to the best of his power。 It was he who went
into the question of the Sunday service from the neighboring market town；
and proved； to the relief of Colonel Vane and Mr。 Miles Handford； that
they might leave in comfort before nightfall and catch a train to London。
〃A car is going in later； to meet poor Tom's father；〃 he said； 〃and if it's
any convenience； it would take you both。〃
The pair thankfully agreed。
Then Colonel Vane interested Sir Walter in spite of himself。 The
latter had spoken of an inquiry； and Vane urged a distinguished name upon
him。
〃Do get Peter Hardcastle if you can；〃 he said。 〃He's absolutely top
hole at this sort of thing at present … an amazing beggar。〃
〃I seem to have heard the name。〃
〃Who hasn't？ It was he who got to the bottom of that weird murder
in Yorkshire。〃
〃It was weird；〃 said Handford。 〃I knew intimate friends of the
murdered man。〃
〃A crime for which no logical reason existed；〃 continued the colonel。
〃It puzzled everybody； till Hardcastle succeeded where his superior
officers at Scotland Yard had failed。 I believe he's still young。 But that
was less amazing than the German spy … you remember now； Sir Walter？
The spy had been too clever for England and France … thanks to a woman
who helped him。 Peter Hardcastle got to know her； then he actually
disguised himself as the woman … of course without her knowledge …
arrested her； and kept an appointment that she had made with the spy。
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What was the spy called？ I forget。〃
〃Wundt；〃 said Felix Fayre…Michell。
〃No； I don't think so。 Hardt or Hardfelt； or something like that。〃
〃Anyway； a jolly wonderful thing。 He's the first man at this business；
and I hope you'll be able to secure him。〃
〃If he comes； Sir Walter； don't let it be known that he is here。 Keep it a
secret。 If Hardcastle could come down as your guest； and nobody know
he was here； it might help him to succeed。〃
〃And if he fails； then I hope you'll invite the Psychical Research
Society。〃
Sir Walter let the chatter flow past him； but he concentrated on the
name of Peter Hardcastle。 He remembered the story of the spy； and the
sensation it had aroused。
Millicent Fayre…Michell also remembered it。
〃Mr。 Hardcastle declined to let his photograph be published in the
halfpenny papers； I remember；〃 she said。 〃That struck me as so
wonderful。 There was a reason given … that he did not wish the public to
know him by sight。 I believe he is never seen as himself； and that he
makes up just as easily to look like a woman as a man。〃
〃Some people believe he is a woman。〃
〃No！ You don't say that？〃
〃To have made up as that German's friend and so actually reached his
presence … nay； secured him！ It is certainly one of the most remarkable
pages in the annals of crime；〃 said Ernest Travers。
〃Is he attached to Scotland Yard still； or does he work independently？〃
asked Miles Handford。
〃I don't know yet。 Mannering has already urged me to consult
Scotland Yard at once。 Indeed； he was going to approach them to…day。
Mr。 Hardcastle shall certainly be invited to do what he can。 I shall leave
no stone unturned to reach the truth。 Yet what even such a man can do is
difficult to see。 The walls of the Grey Room are solid； the floor is of
sound oak； the ceiling is nine or ten inches thick； and supported by
immense beams。 The hearth is modern； and the chimney not large
enough to admit a human being。 This was proved twelve years ago。〃
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〃Give him a free hand all the same … with servants and everybody。 I
should ask him to come as your guest； then nobody need know who he is；
and he can pursue his investigations the more freely。〃
Felix Fayre…Michell made this suggestion after luncheon was ended；
and Masters and Fred Caunter had left the room。 Then the conversation
showed signs of drifting back to sentimentality。 Sir Walter saw it coming
in their eyes； and sought to head them off by inquiring concerning their
own movements。
〃Can I be of any service to simplify your plans？ I fear this terrible
event has put you all to great inconvenience。〃
〃Our inconvenience is nothing beside your sorrow； dear Walter；〃 said
Nelly Travers。
All declared that if they could serve the cause in any way they would
gladly stop at Chadlands； but since they were powerless to assist； they felt
that the sooner they departed the better。
〃We go； but we leave our undying sympathy and commiseration； dear
friend；〃 declared Mr。 Travers。 〃Believe me； this has aged my wife and
myself。 Probably it would not be an exaggeration to say it has aged us all。
That he should have come through Jutland； done worthy deeds； won
honorable mention and the D。 S。 0。； then to be snatched out of life in this
incomprehensible manner … nay； perhaps even by supernatural means； for
we cannot yet actually declare it is not so。 All this makes it impossible to
say much that can comfort you or dear Mary。 Time must pass I fear；
Walter。 You must get her away into another environment。 Thank Heaven
she has youth on her side。〃
〃Yes； yes； I shall live for her； be sure of that。〃 He left them and
presently spoke to his nephew alone in his study。
〃Do what you can for them。 Handford and Vane are getting off this
afternoon； the rest early to…morrow。 I don't think I shall be able to dine
with them to…night。 Tom's father will be here。 I fear he is likely to be
prostrated when he knows that all is over。〃
〃No； he's not that kind of man； uncle。 Mary tells me he will want to
get to the bottom of this in his own way。 He's one of the fighting sort；
but he believes in a lot of queer things。 I'm going in to Newton with
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Colonel Vane； and shall meet Mannering there about … about Sir Howard
Fellowes。 He'll come down to…morrow； no doubt； perhaps to…night。
Mannering will know。〃
〃And tell Mannering to insist on a detective called Peter Hardcastle for
the inquiry。 If he's left Scotland Yard and acting independently； none the
less engage him。 I shall； of course； thankfully pay anything to get this
tragedy explained。〃
〃Be sure they will explain it。〃
〃If they do not I shall be tempted to leave altogether。 Indeed； I may
do so in any case。 Mary will never reconcile herself to live here now。〃
〃Don't bother about the future； don't think about it。 Consider yourself；
and take a little rest this afternoon。 Everybody is very concerned for you；
they mean to be awfully decent in their way； but I know how they try you。
They can't help it。 Such a thing takes them out of their daily round； and
beggars their experience； and makes them excited and tactless。 There's
no precedent for them； and you know how most people depend on
precedent and how they're bowled over before anything new。〃
〃I will go to Mary； I think。 Has the undertaker been？〃
〃Yes； uncle。〃
〃I want him to be buried with us here。 I should not suppose his father
will object。〃
〃Not
