the clue of the twisted candle-第17节

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Mrs。　Beale　obeyed　with　alacrity　and　whilst　she　was　assuming　a　hat　…　being　desirous　of　maintaining　her　prestige　as　housekeeper　in　the　eyes　of　Cadogan　Square；　the　girl　ascended　to　the　upper　floor。

Again　she　watched　from　the　window　the　disappearing　figure。

Once　out　of　sight　Miss　Holland　went　to　work　with　a　remarkable　deliberation　and　thoroughness。　　From　her　bag　she　produced　a　small　purse　and　opened　it。　　In　that　case　was　a　new　steel　key。　　She　passed　swiftly　down　the　corridor　to　Kara's　room　and　made　straight　for　the　safe。

In　two　seconds　it　was　open　and　she　was　examining　its　contents。　　It　was　a　large　safe　of　the　usual　type。　　There　were　four　steel　drawers　fitted　at　the　back　and　at　the　bottom　of　the　strong　box。　　Two　of　these　were　unlocked　and　contained　nothing　more　interesting　than　accounts　relating　to　Kara's　estate　in　Albania。

The　top　pair　were　locked。　　She　was　prepared　for　this　contingency　and　a　second　key　was　as　efficacious　as　the　first。　　An　examination　of　the　first　drawer　did　not　produce　all　that　she　had　expected。　She　returned　the　papers　to　the　drawer；　pushed　it　to　and　locked　it。　She　gave　her　attention　to　the　second　drawer。　　Her　hand　shook　a　little　as　she　pulled　it　open。　　It　was　her　last　chance；　her　last　hope。

There　were　a　number　of　small　jewel…boxes　almost　filling　the　drawer。　　She　took　them　out　one　by　one　and　at　the　bottom　she　found　what　she　had　been　searching　for　and　that　which　had　filled　her　thoughts　for　the　past　three　months。

It　was　a　square　case　covered　in　red　morocco　leather。　　She　inserted　her　shaking　hand　and　took　it　out　with　a　triumphant　little　cry。

〃At　last；〃　she　said　aloud；　and　then　a　hand　grasped　her　wrist　and　in　a　panic　she　turned　to　meet　the　smiling　face　of　Kara。




CHAPTER　X


She　felt　her　knees　shake　under　her　and　thought　she　was　going　to　swoon。　　She　put　out　her　disengaged　hand　to　steady　herself；　and　if　the　face　which　was　turned　to　him　was　pale；　there　was　a　steadfast　resolution　in　her　dark　eyes。

〃Let　me　relieve　you　of　that；　Miss　Holland；〃　said　Kara；　in　his　silkiest　tones。

He　wrenched　rather　than　took　the　box　from　her　hand；　replaced　it　carefully　in　the　drawer；　pushed　the　drawer　to　and　locked　it；　examining　the　key　as　he　withdrew　it。　　Then　he　closed　the　safe　and　locked　that。

〃Obviously；〃　he　said　presently；　〃I　must　get　a　new　safe。〃

He　had　not　released　his　hold　of　her　wrist　nor　did　he；　until　he　had　led　her　from　the　room　back　to　the　library。　　Then　he　released　the　girl；　standing　between　her　and　the　door；　with　folded　arms　and　that　cynical；　quiet；　contemptuous　smile　of　his　upon　his　handsome　face。

〃There　are　many　courses　which　I　can　adopt；〃　he　said　slowly。　　〃I　can　send　for　the　police　…　when　my　servants　whom　you　have　despatched　so　thoughtfully　have　returned；　or　I　can　take　your　punishment　into　my　own　hands。〃

〃So　far　as　I　am　concerned；〃　said　the　girl　coolly；　〃you　may　send　for　the　police。〃

She　leant　back　against　the　edge　of　the　desk；　her　hands　holding　the　edge；　and　faced　him　without　so　much　as　a　quaver。

〃I　do　not　like　the　police；〃　mused　Kara；　when　there　came　a　knock　at　the　door。

Kara　turned　and　opened　it　and　after　a　low　strained　conversation　he　returned；　closing　the　door　and　laid　a　paper　of　stamps　on　the　girl's　table。

〃As　I　was　saying；　I　do　not　care　for　the　police；　and　I　prefer　my　own　method。　　In　this　particular　instance　the　police　obviously　would　not　serve　me；　because　you　are　not　afraid　of　them　and　in　all　probability　you　are　in　their　pay　…　am　I　right　in　supposing　that　you　are　one　of　Mr。　T。　X。　Meredith's　accomplices！〃

〃I　do　not　know　Mr。　T。　X。　Meredith；〃　she　replied　calmly；　〃and　I　am　not　in　any　way　associated　with　the　police。〃

〃Nevertheless；〃　he　persisted；　〃you　do　not　seem　to　be　very　scared　of　them　and　that　removes　any　temptation　I　might　have　to　place　you　in　the　hands　of　the　law。　　Let　me　see；〃　he　pursed　his　lips　as　he　applied　his　mind　to　the　problem。

She　half　sat；　half　stood；　watching　him　without　any　evidence　of　apprehension；　but　with　a　heart　which　began　to　quake　a　little。　　For　three　months　she　had　played　her　part　and　the　strain　had　been　greater　than　she　had　confessed　to　herself。　　Now　the　great　moment　had　come　and　she　had　failed。　　That　was　the　sickening；　maddening　thing　about　it　all。　　It　was　not　the　fear　of　arrest　or　of　conviction；　which　brought　a　sinking　to　her　heart；　it　was　the　despair　of　failure；　added　to　a　sense　of　her　helplessness　against　this　man。

〃If　I　had　you　arrested　your　name　would　appear　in　all　the　papers；　of　course；〃　he　said；　narrowly；　〃and　your　photograph　would　probably　adorn　the　Sunday　journals；〃　he　added　expectantly。

She　laughed。

〃That　doesn't　appeal　to　me；〃　she　said。

〃I　am　afraid　it　doesn't；〃　he　replied；　and　strolled　towards　her　as　though　to　pass　her　on　his　way　to　the　window。　　He　was　abreast　of　her　when　he　suddenly　swung　round　and　catching　her　in　his　arms　he　caught　her　close　to　him。　　Before　she　could　realise　what　he　planned；　he　had　stooped　swiftly　and　kissed　her　full　upon　the　mouth。

〃If　you　scream；　I　shall　kiss　you　again；〃　he　said；　〃for　I　have　sent　the　maid　to　buy　some　more　stamps　…　to　the　General　Post　Office。〃

〃Let　me　go；〃　she　gasped。

Now　for　the　first　time　he　saw　the　terror　in　her　eyes；　and　there　surged　within　him　that　mad　sense　of　triumph；　that　intoxication　of　power　which　had　been　associated　with　the　red　letter　days　of　his　warped　life。

〃You're　afraid！〃　he　bantered　her；　half　whispering　the　words；　〃you're　afraid　now；　aren't　you？　　If　you　scream　I　shall　kiss　you　again；　do　you　hear？〃

〃For　God's　sake；　let　me　go；〃　she　whispered。

He　felt　her　shaking　in　his　arms；　and　suddenly　he　released　her　with　a　little　laugh；　and　she　sank　trembling　from　head　to　foot　upon　the　chair　by　her　desk。

〃Now　you're　going　to　tell　me　who　sent　you　here；〃　he　went　on　harshly；　〃and　why　you　came。　　I　never　suspected　you。　　I　thought　you　were　one　of　those　strange　creatures　one　meets　in　England；　a　gentlewoman　who　prefers　working　for　her　living　to　the　more　simple　business　of　getting　married。　　And　all　the　time　you　were　spying　…　clever　…　very　clever！〃

The　girl　was　thinking　rapidly。　　In　five　minutes　Fisher　would　return。　　Somehow　she　had　faith　in　Fisher's　ability　and　willingness　to　save　her　from　a　situation　which　she　realized　was　fraught　with　the　greatest　danger　to　herself。　　She　was　horribly　afraid。　　She　knew　this　man　far　better　than　he　suspected；　realized　the　treachery　and　the　unscrupulousness　of　him。　　She　knew　he　would　stop　short　of　nothing；　that　he　was　without　honour　and　without　a　single　attribute　of　goodness。

He　must　have　read　her　thoughts　for　he　came　nearer　and　stood　over　her。

〃You　needn't　shrink；　my　young　friend；〃　he　said　with　a　little　chuckle。　　〃You　are　going　to　do　just　what　I　want　you　to　do；　and　your　first　act　will　be　to　accompany　me　downstairs。　　Get　up。〃

He　half　lifted；　half　dragged　her　to　her　feet　and　led　her　from　the　room。　　They　descended　to　the　hall　together　and　the　girl　spoke　no　word。　　Perhaps　she　hoped　that　she　might　wrench　herself　free　and　make　her　escape　into　the　street；　but　in　this　she　was　disappointed。　The　grip　about　her　arm　was　a　grip　of　steel　and　she　knew　safety　did　not　lie　in　that　direction。　　She　pulled　back　at　the　head　of　the　stairs　that　led　down　to　the　kitchen。

〃Where　are　you　taking　me？〃　she　asked。

〃I　am　going　to　put　you　into　safe　custody；〃　he　said。　　〃On　the　whole　I　think　it　is　best　that　the　police　take　this　matter　in　hand　and　I　shall　lock　you　into　my　wine　cellar　and　go　out　in　search　of　a　policeman。〃

The　big　wooden　door　opened；　revealing　a　second　door　and　this　Kara　unbolted。　　She　noticed　that　both　doors　were　sheeted　with　steel；　the　outer　on　the　inside；　and　the　inner　door　on　the　outside。　　She　had　no　time　to　make　any　further　observations　for　Kara　thrust　her　into　the　darkness。　　He　switched　on　a　light。

〃I　will　not　deny　you　that；〃　he　said；　pushing　her　back　as　she　made　a　frantic　attempt　to　escape。　　He　swung　the　outer　door　to　as　she　raised　her　voice　in　a　piercing　scream；　and　clapping　his　hand　over　her　mouth　held　her　tightly　for　a　moment。

〃I　have　warned　you；〃　he　hissed。

She　saw　his　face　distorted　with　rage。　　She　saw　Kara　transfigured　with　devilish　anger；　saw　that　handsome；　almost　godlike　countenance　thrust　into　hers；　flushed　and　seamed　with　malignity　and　a　hatefulness　beyond　understanding　and　then　her　senses　left　her　and　she　sank　limp　and　swooning　into　his　arms。


When　she　recovered　consciousness　she　found　herself　lying　on　a　plain　stretcher　bed。　　She　sat　up　suddenly。　　Kara　had　gone　and　the　door　was　closed。　　The　cellar　was　dry　and　clean　and　its　walls　were　enamelled　white。　　Light　was　supplied　by　two　electric　lamps　in　the　ceiling。　　There　was　a　table　and　a　chair　and　a　small　washstand；　and　air　was　evidently　supplied　through　unseen　ventilators。　　It　was　indeed　a　prison　and　no　less；　and　in　her　first　moments　of　panic　she　found　herself　wondering　whether　Kara　had　used　this　underground　dungeon　of　his　before　for　a　similar　purpose。

She　examined　the　room　carefully。　　At　the　farthermost　end　was　another　door　and　this　she　pushed　gently　at　first　and　then　vigorously　without　producing　the　slightest　impression。　　She　still　had　her　bag；　a　small　affair　of　black　moire；　which　hung　from　her　belt；　in　which　was　nothing　more　formidable　than　a　penknife；　a　small　bottle　of　smelling　salts　and　a　pair　of　scissors。　　The　latter　she　had　used　for　cutting　out　th