the agony column-第7节

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m；　indeed；　she　had　never　spoken　…　was　so　dangerously　entangled　in　the　affair。　　For　from　what　she　knew　of　Geoffrey　West；　from　her　casual　glance　in　the　restaurant　and；　far　more；　from　his　letters；　she　liked　him　extremely。

And　now　came　his　third　letter；　in　which　he　related　the　connection　of　that　hat；　that　pin　and　those　asters　with　the　column　in　the　Mail　which　had　first　brought　them　together。　　As　it　happened；　she；　too；　had　copies　of　the　paper　for　the　first　four　days　of　the　week。　　She　went　to　her　sitting…room；　unearthed　these　copies；　and　…　gasped！　For　from　the　column　in　Monday's　paper　stared　up　at　her　the　cryptic　words　to　Rangoon　concerning　asters　in　a　garden　at　Canterbury。　　In　the　other　three　issues　as　well；　she　found　the　identical　messages　her　strawberry　man　had　quoted。　　She　sat　for　a　moment　in　deep　thought；　sat；　in　fact；　until　at　her　door　came　the　enraged　knocking　of　a　hungry　parent　who　had　been　waiting　a　full　hour　in　the　lobby　　below　for　her　to　join　him　at　breakfast。

〃Come；　come！〃　boomed　her　father；　entering　at　her　invitation。　　〃Don't　sit　here　all　day　mooning。　　I'm　hungry　if　you're　not。〃

With　quick　apologies　she　made　ready　to　accompany　him　down…stairs。　Firmly；　as　she　planned　their　campaign　for　the　day；　she　resolved　to　put　from　her　mind　all　thought　of　Adelphi　Terrace。　　How　well　she　succeeded　may　be　judged　from　a　speech　made　by　her　father　that　night　just　before　dinner：

〃Have　you　lost　your　tongue；　Marian？　　　You're　as　uncommunicative　as　a　newly…elected　office…holder。　　If　you　can't　get　a　little　more　life　into　these　expeditions　of　ours　we'll　pack　up　and　head　for　home。〃

She　smiled；　patted　his　shoulder　and　promised　to　improve。　　But　he　appeared　　to　be　in　a　gloomy　mood。

〃I　believe　we　ought　to　go；　anyhow；〃　he　went　on。　　〃In　my　opinion　this　war　is　going　to　spread　like　a　prairie　fire。　　The　Kaiser　got　back　to　Berlin　yesterday。　　He'll　sign　the　mobilization　orders　to…day　as　sure　as　fate。　　For　the　past　week；　on　the　Berlin　Bourse；　Canadian　Pacific　stock　has　been　dropping。　　That　means　they　expect　England　to　come　in。〃

He　gazed　darkly　into　the　future。　　It　may　seem　that；　for　an　American　statesman；　he　had　an　unusual　grasp　of　European　politics。　　This　is　easily　explained　by　the　fact　that　he　had　been　talking　with　the　bootblack　at　the　Carlton　Hotel。

〃Yes；〃　he　said　with　sudden　decision；　〃I'll　go　down　to　the　steamship　offices　early　Monday　morning〃



CHAPTER　V

His　daughter　heard　these　words　with　a　sinking　heart。　　She　had　a　most　unhappy　picture　of　herself　boarding　a　ship　and　sailing　out　of　Liverpool　or　Southampton；　leaving　the　mystery　that　so　engrossed　her　thoughts　forever　unsolved。　　Wisely　she　diverted　her　father's　thoughts　toward　the　question　of　food。　　She　had　heard；　she　said；　that　Simpson's；　in　the　Strand；　was　an　excellent　place　to　dine。　　They　would　go　there；　and　walk。　　She　suggested　a　short　detour　that　would　carry　them　through　Adelphi　Terrace。　　It　seemed　she　had　always　wanted　to　see　Adelphi　Terrace。

As　they　passed　through　that　silent　Street　she　sought　to　guess；　from　an　inspection　of　the　grim　forbidding　house　fronts；　back　of　which　lay　the　lovely　garden；　the　romantic　mystery。　　But　the　houses　were　so　very　much　like　one　another。　　Before　one　of　them；　she　noted；　a　taxi　waited。

After　dinner　her　father　pleaded　for　a　music…hall　as　against　what　he　called　〃some　highfaluting；　teacup　English　play。〃　　He　won。　　Late　that　night；　as　they　rode　back　to　the　Canton；　special　editions　were　being　proclaimed　in　the　streets。　　Germany　was　mobilizing！

The　girl　from　Texas　retired；　wondering　what　epistolary　surprise　the　morning　would　bring　forth。　　It　brought　forth　this：

DEAR　DAUGHTER　OF　THE　SENATE：　Or　is　it　Congress？　　I　could　not　quite　decide。　　But　surely　in　one　or　the　other　of　those　August　bodies　your　father　sits　when　he　is　not　at　home　in　Texas　or　viewing　Europe　through　his　daughter's　eyes。　　One　look　at　him　and　I　had　gathered　that。

But　Washington　is　far　from　London；　isn't　it？　　And　it　is　London　that　interests　us　most　…　though　father's　constituents　must　not　know　that。　It　is　really　a　wonderful；　an　astounding　city；　once　you　have　got　the　feel　of　the　tourist　out　of　your　soul。　　I　have　been　reading　the　most　enthralling　essays　on　it；　written　by　a　newspaper　man　who　first　fell　desperately　in　love　with　it　at　seven　…　an　age　when　the　whole　glittering　town　was　symbolized　for　him　by　the　fried…fish　shop　at　the　corner　of　the　High　Street。　　With　him　I　have　been　going　through　its　gray　and　furtive　thoroughfares　in　the　dead　of　night；　and　sometimes　we　have　kicked　an　ash…barrel　and　sometimes　a　romance。　　Some　day　I　might　show　that　London　to　you　…　guarding　you；　of　course；　from　the　ash…barrels；　if　you　are　that　kind。　　On　second　thoughts；　you　aren't。　But　I　know　that　it　is　of　Adelphi　Terrace　and　a　late　captain　in　the　Indian　Army　that　you　want　to　hear　now。　　Yesterday；　after　my　discovery　of　those　messages　in　the　Mail　and　the　call　of　Captain　Hughes；　passed　without　incident。　　Last　night　I　mailed　you　my　third　letter；　and　after　wandering　for　a　time　amid　the　alternate　glare　and　gloom　of　the　city；　I　went　back　to　my　rooms　and　smoked　on　my　balcony　while　about　me　the　inmates　of　six　million　homes　sweltered　in　the　heat。　Nothing　happened。　　I　felt　a　bit　disappointed；　a　bit　cheated；　as　one　might　feel　on　the　first　night　spent　at　home　after　many　successive　visits　to　exciting　plays。　　To…day；　the　first　of　August　dawned；　and　still　all　was　quiet。　　Indeed；　it　was　not　until　this　evening　that　further　developments　in　the　sudden　death　of　Captain　Fraser…Freer　arrived　to　disturb　me。　　These　developments　are　strange　ones　surely；　and　I　shall　hasten　to　relate　them。

I　dined　to…night　at　a　little　place　in　Soho。　　My　waiter　was　Italian；　and　on　him　I　amused　myself　with　the　Italian　in　Ten　Lessons　of　which　I　am　foolishly　proud。　　We　talked　of　Fiesole；　where　he　had　lived。　Once　I　rode　from　Fiesole　down　the　hill　to　Florence　in　the　moonlight。　I　remember　endless　walls　on　which　hung　roses；　fresh　and　blooming。　I　remember　a　gaunt　nunnery　and　two…gray…robed　sisters　clanging　shut　the　gates。　　I　remember　the　searchlight　from　the　military　encampment；　playing　constantly　over　the　Arno　and　the　roofs　…　the　eye　of　Mars　that；　here　in　Europe；　never　closes。　　And　always　the　flowers　nodding　above　me；　stooping　now　and　then　to　brush　my　face。　　I　came　to　think　that　at　the　end　Paradise；　and　not　a　second…rate　hotel；　was　waiting。　One　may　still　take　that　ride；　I　fancy。　　Some　day　…　some　day　…　

I　dined　in　Soho。　　I　came　back　to　Adelphi　Terrace　in　the　hot；　reeking　August　dusk；　reflecting　that　the　mystery　in　which　I　was　involved　was；　after　a　fashion；　standing　still。　　In　front　of　our　house　I　noticed　a　taxi　waiting。　　I　thought　nothing　of　it　as　I　entered　the　murky　hallway　and　climbed　the　familiar　stairs。

My　door　stood　open。　　It　was　dark　in　my　study；　save　for　the　reflection　of　the　lights　of　London　outside。　　As　I　crossed　the　threshold　there　came　to　my　nostrils　the　faint　sweet　perfume　of　lilacs。　　There　are　no　lilacs　in　our　garden；　and　if　there　were　it　is　not　the　season。　　No；　this　perfume　had　been　brought　there　by　a　woman　…　a　woman　who　sat　at　my　desk　and　raised　her　head　as　I　entered。

〃You　will　pardon　this　intrusion；〃　she　said　in　the　correct　careful　English　of　one　who　has　learned　the　speech　from　a　book。　　〃I　have　come　for　a　brief　word　with　you　…　then　I　shall　go。〃

I　could　think　of　nothing　to　say。　　I　stood　gaping　like　a　schoolboy。

〃My　word；〃　the　woman　went　on；　〃is　in　the　nature　of　advice。　　We　do　not　always　like　those　who　give　us　advice。　　None　the　less；　I　trust　that　you　will　listen。〃

I　found　my　tongue　then。

〃I　am　listening；〃　I　said　stupidly。　　〃But　first　…　a　light　…　〃　　And　I　moved　toward　the　matches　on　the　mantelpiece。

Quickly　the　woman　rose　and　faced　me。　　I　saw　then　that　she　wore　a　veil　…　not　a　heavy　veil；　but　a　fluffy；　attractive　thing　that　was　yet　sufficient　to　screen　her　features　from　me。

〃I　beg　of　you；〃　she　cried；　〃no　light！〃　　And　as　I　paused；　undecided；　she　added；　in　a　tone　which　suggested　lips　that　pout：　〃It　is　such　a　little　thing　to　ask　…　surely　you　will　not　refuse。〃

I　suppose　I　should　have　insisted。　　But　her　voice　was　charming；　her　manner　perfect；　and　that　odor　of　lilacs　reminiscent　of　a　garden　I　knew　long　ago；　at　home。

〃Very　well；〃　said　I。

〃Oh　…　I　am　grateful　to　you；〃　she　answered。　　Her　tone　changed。　　〃I　understand　that；　shortly　after　seven　o'clock　last　Thursday　evening；　you　heard　in　the　room　above　you　the　sounds　of　a　struggle。　　Such　has　been　your　testimony　to　the　police？〃

〃It　has；〃　said　I。

〃Are　you　quite　certain　as　to　the　hour？〃　　I　felt　that　she　was　smiling　at　me。　　〃Might　it　not　have　been　later　…　or　earlier？〃

〃I　am　sure　it　was　just　after　seven；〃　I　replied。　　〃I'll　tell　you　why：　I　had　just　returned　from　dinner　and　while　I　was　unlocking　the　door　Big　Ben　on　the　House　of　Parliament　struck　…　〃

She　raised　her　hand。

〃No　matter；〃　she　said；　and　there　was　a　touch　of　iron　in　her　voice。　〃You　are　no　longer　sure　of　that。　　Thinking　it　over；　you　have　come　to　the　conclusion　that　it　may　have　been　barely　six…thirty　when　you　heard　the　noise　of　a　struggle。〃

〃Indeed？〃　said　I。　　I　tried　to　sound　sarcastic；　but　I　was　really　too　astonished　by　her　tone。

〃Yes　…　indeed！〃　she　replied。　　〃That　is　what　you　will　tell　Inspector　Bray　when　next　you　see　him。　　'It　may　have　been　six…thirty；'　you　will　tell　him。　　'I　have　thought　it　over　and　I