pgw.threemenandamaid-第26章
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er。
〃I thought that would stop you；〃 she said placently； as the echoes died away and Mr。 Bennett had finished leaping into the air。 She inserted a fresh cartridge； and sloped arms。 〃Now； the question is。。。。〃
〃You made me bite my tongue！〃 said Mr。 Bennett； deeply aggrieved。
〃Serves you right！〃 said Jane placidly。 〃Now； the question is； have the fellows got away or are they hiding somewhere in the house？ I think they're still in the house。〃
〃The police！〃 exclaimed Mr。 Bennett； forgetting his lacerated tongue and his other grievances。 〃We must summon the police！〃
〃Obviously！〃 said Mrs。 Hignett； withdrawing her fascinated gaze from the ragged hole in the front door； the cost of repairing which she had been mentally assessing。 〃We must send for the police at once。〃
〃We don't really need them； you know；〃 said Jane。 〃If you'll all go to bed and just leave me to potter round with my gun。。。。〃
〃And blow the whole house to pieces！〃 said Mrs。 Hignett tartly。 She had begun to revise her original estimate of this girl。 To her； Windles was sacred； and anyone who went about shooting holes in it forfeited her esteem。
〃Shall I go for the police？〃 said Billie。 〃I could bring them back in ten minutes in the car。〃
〃Certainly not！〃 said Mr。 Bennett。 〃My daughter gadding about all over the countryside in an automobile at this time of night！〃
〃If you think I ought not to go alone； I could take Bream。〃
〃Where is Bream？〃 said Mr。 Mortimer。
The odd fact that Bream was not among those present suddenly presented itself to the pany。
〃Where can he be？〃 said Billie。
Jane Hubbard laughed the wholesome； indulgent laugh of one who is broad…minded enough to see the humor of the situation even when the joke is at her expense。
〃What a silly girl I am！〃 she said。 〃I do believe that was Bream I shot at upstairs。 How foolish of me making a mistake like that！〃
〃You shot my only son！〃 cried Mr。 Mortimer。
〃I shot at him；〃 said Jane。 〃My belief is that I missed him。 Though how I came to do it beats me。 I don't suppose I've missed a sitter like that since I was a child in the nursery。 Of course；〃 she proceeded； looking on the reasonable side； 〃the visibility wasn't good； and I fired from the hip； but it's no use saying I oughtn't at least to have winged him； because I ought。〃 She shook her head with a touch of self…reproach。 〃I shall be chaffed about this if it es out；〃 she said regretfully。
〃The poor boy must be in his room；〃 said Mr。 Mortimer。
〃Under the bed； if you ask me；〃 said Jane； blowing on the barrel of her gun and polishing it with the side of her hand。 〃 He's all right！ Leave him alone； and the housemaid will sweep him up in the morning。〃
〃Oh； he can't be！〃 cried Billie； revolted。
A girl of high spirit； it seemed to her repellent that the man she was engaged to marry should be displaying such a craven spirit。 At that moment she despised and hated Bream Mortimer。 I think she was wrong； mind you。 It is not my place to criticise the little group of people whose simple annals I am relatingmy position is merely that of a reporter： but personally I think highly of Bream's sturdy mon…sense。 If somebody loosed off an elephant gun at me in a dark corridor； I would climb on to the roof and pull it up after me。 Still； rightly or wrongly； that was how Billie felt： and it flashed across her mind that Samuel Marlowe； scoundrel though he was； would not have behaved like this。 And for a moment a certain wistfulness added itself to the varied emotions then engaging her mind。
〃I'll go and look； if you like；〃 said Jane agreeably。 〃You amuse yourselves somehow till I e back。〃
She ran easily up the stairs； three at a time。 Mr。 Mortimer turned to Mr。 Bennett。
〃It's all very well your saying Wilhelmina mustn't go； but； if she doesn't； how can we get the police？ The house isn't on the 'phone； and nobody else can drive the car。〃
〃That's true；〃 said Mr。 Bennett； wavering。
〃I'm going；〃 said Billie resolutely。 It occurred to her； as it has occurred to so many women before her； how helpless men are in a crisis。 The temporary withdrawal of Jane Hubbard had had the effect which the removal of a rudder has on a boat。 〃It's the only thing to do。 I shall be back in no time。〃
She stepped firmly to the coat…rack； and began to put on her motoring…cloak。 And just then Jane Hubbard came downstairs； shepherding before her a pale and glassy…eyed Bream。
〃Right under the bed；〃 she announced cheerfully； 〃making a noise like a piece of fluff in order to deceive burglars。〃
Billie cast a scornful look at her fiancee。 Absolutely unjustified； in my opinion； but nevertheless she cast it。 But it had no effect at all。 Terror had stunned Bream Mortimer's perceptions。 His was what the doctors call a penumbral mental condition。 He was in a sort of trance。
〃Bream；〃 said Billie； 〃I want you to e in the car with me to fetch the police。〃
〃All right；〃 said Bream。
〃Get your coat。〃
〃All right；〃 said Bream。
〃And cap。〃
〃All right；〃 said Bream。
He followed Billie in a docile manner out through the front door； and they made their way to the garage at the back of the house； both silent。 The only difference between their respective silences was that Billie's was thoughtful； while Bream's was just the silence of a man who has unhitched his brain and is getting along as well as he can without it。
In the hall they had left； Jane Hubbard once more took mand of affairs。
〃Well； that's something done；〃 she said； scratching Smith's broad back with the muzzle of her weapon。 〃Something acplished； something done； has earned a night's repose。 Not that we're going to get it yet。 I think those fellows are hiding somewhere； and we ought to search the house and rout them out。 It's a pity Smith isn't a bloodhound。 I like you personally； Smithy； but you're about as much practical use in a situation like this as a cold in the head。 You're a good cake…hound； but as a watch…dog you don't finish in the first ten。〃
The cake…hound； charmed at the pliment； frisked about her feet like a young elephant。
〃The first thing to do；〃 continued Jane； 〃is to go through the ground…floor rooms。。。。〃 She paused to strike a match against the suit of armour nearest to her； a proceeding which elicited a sharp cry of protest from Mrs。 Hignett； and lit a cigarette。 〃I'll go first； as I've got a gun。。。。〃 She blew a cloud of smoke。 〃I shall want somebody with me to carry a light； and。。。。〃
〃Tchoo！〃
〃What？〃 said Jane。
〃I didn't speak；〃 said Mr。 Mortimer。 〃Who am I to speak？〃 he went on bitterly。 〃Who am I that it should be supposed that I have anything sensible to suggest？〃
〃Somebody spoke；〃 said Jane。 〃I。。。。〃
〃Achoo！〃
〃Do you feel a draught； Mr。 Bennett？〃 cried Jane sharply； wheeling round on him。
〃There is a draught；〃 began Mr。 Bennett。
〃Well； finish sneezing and I'll go on。〃
〃I didn't sneeze！〃
〃Somebody sneezed。〃
〃It seemed to e from just behind you；〃 said Mrs。 Hignett nervously。
〃It couldn't have e from just behind me；〃 said Jane； 〃because there isn't anything behind me from which it could have。。。。〃 She stopped suddenly； in her eyes the light of understanding； on her face the set expression which was wont to e to it on the eve of action。 〃Oh！〃 she said in a different voice； a voice which was cold and tense and sinister。 〃Oh； I see！〃 She raised her gun； and placed a muscular forefinger on the trigger。 〃e out of that！〃 she said。 〃e out of that suit of armour and let's have a look at you！〃
〃I can explain everything；〃 said a muffled voice through the vizor of the helmet。 〃I canachoo。〃 The smoke of the cigarette tickled Sam's nostrils again； and he suspended his remarks。
〃I shall count three；〃 said Jane Hubbard。 〃Onetwo〃
〃I'm ing！ I'm ing！〃 said Sam petulantly。
〃You'd better！〃 said Jane。
〃I can't get this dashed helmet off！〃
〃If you don't e quick； I'll blow it off。〃
Sam stepped out into the hall； a picturesque figure which bined the costumes of two widely separated centuries。 Modern as far as the neck； he slipped back at that point to the Middle Ages。
〃Hands up！〃 manded Jane Hubbard。
〃My hands are up！〃 retorted Sam querulously； as he wrenched at his unbeing head…wear。
〃Never mind trying to raise your hat；〃 said Jane。 〃If you've lost the bination； we'll dispense with the formalities。 What we're anxious to hear is what you're doing in the house at this time of night； and who your pals are。 e along； my lad； make a clean breast of it and perhaps you'll get off easier。 Are you a gang？〃
〃Do I look like a gang？〃
〃If you ask me what you look like。。。。〃
〃My name is Marlowe 。。。 Samuel Marlowe。。。。〃
〃Alias what？〃
〃Alias nothing！ I say my name is Samuel Marlowe。。。。〃
An explosive roar burst from Mr。 Bennett。 〃The scoundrel！ I know him！ I forbade him the house； and。。。。〃
〃And by what right did you forbid people my house； Mr。 Bennett？〃 said Mrs。 Hignett with acerbity。
〃I've rented the house； Mortimer and I rented it from your son。。。。〃
〃Yes； yes； yes；〃 said Jane Hubbard。 〃Never mind about that。 So you know this fellow； do you？〃
〃I don't know him！〃
〃You said you did。〃
〃I refuse to know him！〃 went on Mr。 Bennett。 〃I won't know him！ I decline to have anything to do with him！〃
〃But you identify him？〃
〃If he says he's Samuel Marlowe；〃 assented Mr。 Bennett grudgingly； 〃I suppose he is。 I can't imagine anybody saying he was Samuel Marlowe if he didn't know it could be proved against him。〃
〃 Are you my nephew Samuel？〃 said Mrs。 Hignett。
〃Yes；〃 said Sam。
〃Well； what are you doing in my house？〃
〃It's my house；〃 said Mr。 Bennett； 〃for the summer； Henry Mortimer's and mine。 Isn't that right； Henry？〃
〃Dead right；〃 said Mr。 Mortimer。
〃There！〃 said Mr。 Bennett。 〃You hear？ And when Henry Mortimer says a thing； it's so。 There's nobody's word I'd take before Henry Mortimer's。〃
〃When Rufus Bennett makes an assertion；〃 said Mr。 Mortimer； highly flattered by these kind words； 〃you can bank on it； Rufus Bennett's word is his bond。 Rufus Bennett is a white man！〃
The two old friends clasped hands with a good deal of feeling。
〃I am not disputing Mr。 Bennett's claim to belong to the Caucasian race；〃 said Mrs。 Hignett； 〃I merely maintain that this house is。。。。〃
〃Yes； yes； yes； yes！〃 interrupted Jane。 〃You can thresh all that out some other time。 The point is； if this fellow is your nephew； I don't see what we can do。 We'll have to let him go。〃
〃I came to this house；〃 said Sam； raising his vizor to facilitate speech； 〃to make a social call。。。。〃
〃At this hour of the night！〃 snapped Mrs。 Hignett。 〃You always were an inconsiderate boy； Samuel。〃
〃I came to enquire after poor Eustace's ankle。 I've only just heard that the poor chap was ill。〃
〃He's getting along quite well；〃 said Jane； melting。 〃If I had known you were so fond of Eustace。。。。〃
〃All right； is he？〃 said Sam。
〃Well； not quite all right； but he's going on very nicely。〃
〃Fine！〃
〃Eustace and I are engaged； you know！〃
〃No； really？ Splendid！ I can't see you very distinctlyhow those Johnnies in the old days ever contrived to put up a scrap with things like this on their heads beats mebut you sound a good sort。 I hope you'll be very happy。〃
〃Thank you ever so much； Mr。 Marlowe。 I'm sure we shall。〃
