five tales- 第5部分

〃But　you　will　be　kind？〃

He　felt　her　lips　kissing　his　hand。　　And　the　soft　moist　touch　sent　a　queer　feeling　through　him；　protective；　yet　just　a　little　brutal；　having　in　it　a　shiver　of　sensuality。　　He　withdrew　his　hand。　　And　as　if　warned　that　she　had　been　too　pressing；　she　recoiled　humbly。　　But　suddenly　she　turned；　and　stood　absolutely　rigid；　then　almost　inaudibly　whispered：　〃Listen！　　Someone　outout　there！〃　　And　darting　past　him　she　turned　out　the　light。

Almost　at　once　came　a　knock　on　the　door。　　He　could　feelactually　feel　the　terror　of　this　girl　beside　him　in　the　dark。　　And　he；　too；　felt　terror。　　Who　could　it　be？　　No　one　came　but　Larry；　she　had　said。　Who　else　then　could　it　be？　　Again　came　the　knock；　louder！　　He　felt　the　breath　of　her　whisper　on　his　cheek：　〃If　it　is　Larry！　　I　must　open。〃　　He　shrank　back　against　the　wall；　heard　her　open　the　door　and　say　faintly：　〃Yes。　　Please！　　Who？〃

Light　painted　a　thin　moving　line　on　the　wall　opposite；　and　a　voice　which　Keith　recognised　answered：

〃All　right；　miss。　　Your　outer　door's　open　here。　　You　ought　to　keep　it　shut　after　dark。〃

God！　　That　policeman！　　And　it　had　been　his　own　doing；　not　shutting　the　outer　door　behind　him　when　he　came　in。　　He　heard　her　say　timidly　in　her　foreign　voice：　〃Thank　you；　sir！〃　the　policeman's　retreating　steps；　the　outer　door　being　shut；　and　felt　her　close　to　him　again。　That　something　in　her　youth　and　strange　prettiness　which　had　touched　and　kept　him　gentle；　no　longer　blunted　the　edge　of　his　exasperation；　now　that　he　could　not　see　her。　　They　were　all　the　same；　these　women；　could　not　speak　the　truth！　And　he　said　brusquely：

〃You　told　me　they　didn't　know　you！〃

Her　voice　answered　like　a　sigh：

〃I　did　not　think　they　did；　sir。　　It　is　so　long　I　was　not　out　in　the　town；　not　since　I　had　Larry。〃

The　repulsion　which　all　the　time　seethed　deep　in　Keith　welled　up　at　those　words。　　His　brotherson　of　his　mother；　a　gentlemanthe　property　of　this　girl；　bound　to　her；　body　and　soul；　by　this　unspeakable　event！　　But　she　had　turned　up　the　light。　　Had　she　some　intuition　that　darkness　was　against　her？　　Yes；　she　was　pretty　with　that　soft　face；　colourless　save　for　its　lips　and　dark　eyes；　with　that　face　somehow　so　touchingly；　so　unaccountably　good；　and　like　a　child's。

〃I　am　going　now；〃　he　said。　　〃Remember！　　He　mustn't　come　here；　you　mustn't　go　to　him。　　I　shall　see　him　to…morrow。　　If　you　are　as　fond　of　him　as　you　saytake　care；　take　care！〃

She　sighed　out；　〃Yes！　oh；　yes！〃　　and　Keith　went　to　the　door。　　She　was　standing　with　her　back　to　the　wall；　and　to　follow　him　she　only　moved　her　headthat　dove…like　face　with　all　its　life　in　eyes　which　seemed　saying：　'Look　into　us；　nothing　we　hide；　allall　is　there！'

And　he　went　out。

In　the　passage　he　paused　before　opening　the　outer　door。　　He　did　not　want　to　meet　that　policeman　again；　the　fellow's　round　should　have　taken　him　well　out　of　the　street　by　now；　and　turning　the　handle　cautiously；　he　looked　out。　　No　one　in　sight。　　He　stood　a　moment；　wondering　if　he　should　turn　to　right　or　left；　then　briskly　crossed　the　street。　　A　voice　to　his　right　hand　said：

〃Good…night；　sir。〃

There　in　the　shadow　of　a　doorway　the　policeman　was　standing。　　The　fellow　must　have　seen　him　coming　out！　　Utterly　unable　to　restrain　a　start；　and　muttering　〃Goodnight！〃　　Keith　walked　on　rapidly：

He　went　full　quarter　of　a　mile　before　he　lost　that　startled　and　uneasy　feeling　in　sardonic　exasperation　that　he；　Keith　Darrant；　had　been　taken　for　a　frequenter　of　a　lady　of　the　town。　　The　whole　thing　the　whole　thing！a　vile　and　disgusting　business！　　His　very　mind　felt　dirty　and　breathless；　his　spirit；　drawn　out　of　sheath；　had　slowly　to　slide　back　before　he　could　at　all　focus　and　readjust　his　reasoning　faculty。　　Certainly；　he　had　got　the　knowledge　he　wanted。　　There　was　less　danger　than　he　thought。　　That　girl's　eyes！　　No　mistaking　her　devotion。　　She　would　not　give　Larry　away。　　Yes！　　Larry　must　clear　outSouth　Americathe　Eastit　did　not　matter。　　But　he　felt　no　relief。　　The　cheap；　tawdry　room　had　wrapped　itself　round　his　fancy　with　its　atmosphere　of　murky　love；　with　the　feeling　it　inspired；　of　emotion　caged　within　those　yellowish　walls　and　the　red　stuff　of　its　furniture。　　That　girl's　face！　　Devotion；　truth；　too；　and　beauty；　rare　and　moving；　in　its　setting　of　darkness　and　horror；　in　that　nest　of　vice　and　of　disorder！。。。　　The　dark　archway；　the　street　arab；　with　his　gleeful：　〃They　'ain't　got　'im　yet！〃；　the　feel　of　those　bare　arms　round　his　neck；　that　whisper　of　horror　in　the　darkness；　above　all；　again；　her　child　face　looking　into　his；　so　truthful！　　And　suddenly　he　stood　quite　still　in　the　street。　　What　in　God's　name　was　he　about？　What　grotesque　juggling　amongst　shadows；　what　strange　and　ghastly　eccentricity　was　all　this？　　The　forces　of　order　and　routine；　all　the　actualities　of　his　daily　life；　marched　on　him　at　that　moment；　and　swept　everything　before　them。　　It　was　a　dream；　a　nightmare　not　real！　It　was　ridiculous！　　That　he　…he　should　thus　be　bound　up　with　things　so　black　and　bizarre！

He　had　come　by　now　to　the　Strand；　that　street　down　which　every　day　he　moved　to　the　Law　Courts；　to　his　daily　work；　his　work　so　dignified　and　regular；　so　irreproachable；　and　solid。　　No！　　The　thing　was　all　a　monstrous　nightmare！　　It　would　go；　if　he　fixed　his　mind　on　the　familiar　objects　around；　read　the　names　on　the　shops；　looked　at　the　faces　passing。　　Far　down　the　thoroughfare　he　caught　the　outline　of　the　old　church；　and　beyond；　the　loom　of　the　Law　Courts　themselves。　The　bell　of　a　fire…engine　sounded；　and　the　horses　came　galloping　by；　with　the　shining　metal；　rattle　of　hoofs　and　hoarse　shouting。　　Here　was　a　sensation；　real　and　harmless；　dignified　and　customary！　　A　woman　flaunting　round　the　corner　looked　up　at　him；　and　leered　out：　〃Good…　night！〃　　Even　that　was　customary；　tolerable。　　Two　policemen　passed；　supporting　between　them　a　man　the　worse　for　liquor；　full　of　fight　and　expletives；　the　sight　was　soothing；　an　ordinary　thing　which　brought　passing　annoyance；　interest；　disgust。　　It　had　begun　to　rain；　he　felt　it　on　his　face　with　pleasurean　actual　thing；　not　eccentric；　a　thing　which　happened　every　day！

He　began　to　cross　the　street。　　Cabs　were　going　at　furious　speed　now　that　the　last　omnibus　had　ceased　to　run；　it　distracted　him　to　take　this　actual；　ordinary　risk　run　so　often　every　day。　　During　that　crossing　of　the　Strand；　with　the　rain　in　his　face　and　the　cabs　shooting　past；　he　regained　for　the　first　time　his　assurance；　shook　off　this　unreal　sense　of　being　in　the　grip　of　something；　and　walked　resolutely　to　the　corner　of　his　home　turning。　　But　passing　into　that　darker　stretch；　he　again　stood　still。　　A　policeman　had　also　turned　into　that　street　on　the　other　side。　　Notsurely　not！　　Absurd！　　They　were　all　alike　to　look　atthose　fellows！　　Absurd！　　He　walked　on　sharply；　and　let　himself　into　his　house。　　But　on　his　way　upstairs　he　could　not　for　the　life　of　him　help　raising　a　corner　of　a　curtain　and　looking　from　the　staircase　window。　　The　policeman　was　marching　solemnly；　about　twenty…five　yards　away；　paying　apparently　no　attention　to　anything　whatever。




IV

Keith　woke　at　five　o'clock；　his　usual　hour；　without　remembrance。　　But　the　grisly　shadow　started　up　when　he　entered　his　study；　where　the　lamp　burned；　and　the　fire　shone；　and　the　coffee　was　set　ready；　just　as　when　yesterday　afternoon　Larry　had　stood　out　there　against　the　wall。　　For　a　moment　he　fought　against　realisation；　then；　drinking　off　his　coffee；　sat　down　sullenly　at　the　bureau　to　his　customary　three　hours'　study　of　the　day's　cases。

Not　one　word　of　his　brief　could　he　take　in。　　It　was　all　jumbled　with　murky　images　and　apprehensions；　and　for　full　half　an　hour　he　suffered　mental　paralysis。　　Then　the　sheer　necessity　of　knowing　something　of　the　case　which　he　had　to　open　at　half…past　ten　that　morning　forced　him　to　a　concentration　which　never　quite　subdued　the　malaise　at　the　bottom　of　his　heart。　　Nevertheless；　when　he　rose　at　half…past　eight　and　went　into　the　bathroom；　he　had　earned　his　grim　satisfaction　in　this　victory　of　will…power。　　By　half…past　nine　he　must　be　at　Larry's。　A　boat　left　London　for　the　Argentine　to…morrow。　　If　Larry　was　to　get　away　at　once；　money　must　be　arranged　for。　　And　then　at　breakfast　he　came　on　this　paragraph　in　the　paper：

　　　　　　　　　　　〃SOHO　MURDER。

〃Enquiry　late　last　night　established　the　fact　that　the　Police　have　discovered　the　identity　of　the　man　found　strangled　yesterday　morning　under　an　archway　in　Glove　Lane。　　An　arrest　has　been　made。〃

By　good　fortune　he　had　finished　eating；　for　the　words　made　him　feel　physically　sick。　　At　this　very　minute　Larry　might　be　locked　up；　waiting　to　be　charged…might　even　have　been　arrested　before　his　own　visit　to　the　girl　last　night。　　If　Larry　were　arrested；　she　must　be　implicated。　　What；　then；　would　be　his　own　position？　　Idiot　to　go　and　look　at　that　archway；　to　go　and　see　the　girl！　　Had　that　policeman　really　followed　him　home？　　Accessory　after　the　fact！　　Keith　Darrant；　King's　Counsel；　man　of　mark！　　He　forced　himself　by　an　effort；　which　had　something　of　the　heroic；　to　drop　this　panicky　feeling。　　Panic　never　did　good。　　He　must　face　it；　and　see。　　He　refused　even　to　hurry；　calmly　collected　the　papers　wanted　for　the　day；　and　attended　to　a　letter　or　two；　before　he　set　out　in　a　taxi…cab　to　Fitzroy　Street。

Waiting　outside　there　in　the　grey　morning　for　his　ring　to　be　answered；　he　looked　the　very　picture　of　a　man　who　knew　his　mind；　a　man　of　resolution。　　But　it　needed　all　his　will…power　to　ask　without　tremor：　〃Mr。　Darrant　in？〃　　to　hear　without　sign　of　any　kind　the　answer：　〃He's　not　up　yet；　sir。〃

〃Never　mind；　I'll　go　in　and　see　him。　　Mr。　Keith　Darrant。〃

On　his　way　to　Laurence's　bedroom；　in　the　midst　of　utter　relief；　he　had　the　self…possession　to　think：　'This　arrest　is　the　best　thing　that　could　have　happened。　　It'll　keep　their　noses　on　a　wrong　scent　till　Larry's　got　away。　　The　girl　must　be　sent　off　too；　but　not　with　him。'　Panic　had　ended　in　quite　hardening　his　resolution。　　He　entered　the　bedroom　with　a　feeling　of　disgust。　　The　fellow　was　lying　there；　his　bare　arms　crossed　behind　his　tousled　head；　staring　at　the　ceiling；　and　smoking　one　of　many　cigarettes　whose　ends　littered　a　chair　beside　him；　whose　sickly　reek　tainted　the　air。　　That　pale　face；　with　its　jutting　cheek…bones　and　chin；　its　hollow　cheeks　and