Twenty…seven or twenty…eight； let us say。 A very excellent age！
A girl should know her own mind by then。 And meanwhile； dear Esther；
would it be wise； I wonder； to see a little less of our friend Mr。
Hamel？ He leaves us to…day； I think。 He is very obstinate about
that。 If he were staying still in the house； well； it might be
different。 But if he persists in leaving us； you will not forget；
dear； that association with a guest is one thing； association with
a young man living out of the house is another。 A great deal less
of Mr。 Hamel I think that we must see。〃
She made no reply whatever。 Hamel was coming now towards them。
〃Really a very personable young man；〃 Mr。 Fentolin remarked；
studying him through his eyeglass。 〃Is it my fancy； I wonder； as
an observant person； or is he just a little … just a little taken
with you； Esther？ A pity if it is so … a great pity。〃
She said nothing； but her hand which rested upon the rug was
trembling a little。
〃If you have an opportunity；〃 Mr。 Fentolin suggested； dropping his
voice； 〃you might very delicately； you know … girls are so clever
at that sort of thing…convey my views to Mr。 Hamel as regards his
leaving us and its effect upon your companionship。 You understand
me； I am sure？〃
For the first time she turned her head towards him。
〃I understand；〃 she said； 〃that you have some particular reason for
not wishing Mr。 Hamel to leave St。 David's Hall。〃
He smiled benignly。
〃You do my hospitable impulses full justice； dear Esther；〃 he
declared。 〃Sometimes I think that you understand me almost as well
as your dear mother。 If； by any chance； Mr。 Hamel should change
his mind as to taking up his residence at the Tower； I think you
would not find me in any sense of the word an obdurate or exacting
guardian。 Come along； Mr。 Hamel。 That seat opposite to us is quite
comfortable。 You see； I resign myself to the inevitable。 I have
come to fetch golfers home to luncheon； and I compose myself to
listen。 Which of you will begin the epic of missed putts and
brassey shots which failed by a foot to carry？〃
CHAPTER XXIV
Hamel sat alone upon the terrace； his afternoon coffee on a small
table in front of him。 His eyes were fixed upon a black speck at
the end of the level roadway which led to the Tower。 Only a few
minutes before； Mr。 Fentolin； in his little carriage； bad shot out
from the passage beneath the terrace； on his way to the Tower。
Behind him came Meekins； bending over his bicycle。 Hamel watched
them both with thoughtful eyes。 There were several little incidents
in connection with their expedition which he scarcely understood。
Then there came at last the sound for which he had been listening；
the rustle of a skirt along the terraced way。 Hamel turned quickly
around； half rising to his feet； and concealing his disappointment
with difficulty。 It was Mrs。 Seymour Fentolin who stood there； a
little dog under each arm； a large hat； gay with flowers； upon her
head。 She wore patent shoes with high heels； and white silk
stockings。 She had； indeed； the air of being dressed for luncheon
at a fashionable restaurant。 As she stooped to set the dogs down；
a strong waft of perfume was shaken from her clothes。
〃Are you entirely deserted； Mr。 Hamel？〃 she asked。
〃I am；〃 he replied。 〃Miss Esther went； I think； to look for you。
My host；〃 he added； pointing to the black speck in the distance；
〃begged me to defer my occupation of the Tower for an hour or so；
and has gone down there to collect some of his trifles。〃
Her eyes followed his outstretched hand。 She seemed to him to
shiver for a moment。
〃You really mean； then； that you are going to leave us？〃 she asked；
accepting the chair which he had drawn up close to his。
He smiled。
〃Well； I scarcely came on a visit to St。 David's Hall； did I？〃 he
reminded her。 〃It has been delightfully hospitable of Mr。 Fentolin
to have insisted upon my staying on here for these few days； but I
could not possibly inflict myself upon you all for an unlimited
period。〃
Mrs。 Fentolin sat quite still for a time。 In absolute repose； if
one could forget her mass of unnaturally golden hair； the forced
and constant smile； the too liberal use of rouge and powder； the
nervous motions of her head； it was easily to be realised that
there were still neglected attractions about her face and figure。
Only； in these moments of repose； an intense and ageing weariness
seemed to have crept into her eyes and face。 It was as though she
had dropped the mask of incessant gaiety and permitted a glimpse of
her real self to steal to the surface。
〃Mr。 Hamel；〃 she said quietly； 〃I dare say that even during these
few days you have realised that Mr。 Fentolin is a very peculiar man。〃
〃I have certainly observed … eccentricities；〃 Hamel assented。
〃My life； and the lives of my two children；〃 she went on； 〃is devoted
to the task of ministering to his happiness。〃
〃Isn't that rather a heavy sacrifice？〃 he asked。 Mrs。 Seymour
Fentolin looked down the long； narrow way along which Mr。 Fentolin
had passed。 He was out of sight now； inside the Tower。 Somehow
or other； the thought seemed to give her courage and dignity。 She
spoke differently； without nervousness or hurry。
〃To you； Mr。 Hamel；〃 she said； 〃it may seem so。 We who make it know
of its necessity。〃
He bowed his head。 It was not a subject for him to discuss with her。
〃Mr。 Fentolin has whims；〃 she went on； 〃violent whims。 We all try
to humour him。 He has his own ideas about Gerald's bringing up。
I do not agree with them； but we submit。 Esther； too； suffers；
perhaps to a less extent。 As for me；〃 … her voice broke a little …〃
Mr。 Fentolin likes people around him who are always cheerful。 He
prefers even a certain style … of dress。 I； too； have to do my
little share。〃
Hamel's face grew darker。
〃Has it ever occurred to you；〃 he demanded； 〃that Mr。 Fentolin is a
tyrant？〃
She closed her eyes for a moment。
〃There are reasons；〃 she declared； 〃why I cannot discuss that with
you。 He has these strong fancies； and it is our task in life to
humour them。 He has one now with regard to the Tower； with regard
to you。 You are； of course； your own master。 You can do as you
choose； and you will do as you choose。 Neither I nor my children
have any claim upon your consideration。 But； Mr。 Hamel； you have
been so kind that I feel moved to tell you this。 It would make it
very much easier for all of us if you would give up this scheme of
yours； if you would stay on here instead of going to reside at the
Tower。〃
Hamel threw away his cigarette。 He was deeply interested。
〃Mrs。 Fentolin；〃 he said； 〃I am glad to have you speak so plainly。
Let me answer you in the same spirit。 I am leaving this house
mainly because I have conceived certain suspicions with regard to
Mr。 Fentolin。 I do not like him； I do not trust him； I do not
believe in him。 Therefore； I mean to remove myself from the burden
of his hospitality。 There are reasons；〃 he went on； 〃why I do not
wish to leave the neighbourhood altogether。 There are certain
investigations which I wish to make。 That is why I have decided to
go to the Tower。〃
〃Miles was right； then！〃 she cried suddenly。 〃You are here to spy
upon him！〃
He turned towards her swiftly。
〃To spy upon him； Mrs。 Fentolin？ For what reason？ Why？ Is he a
criminal； then？〃
She opened her lips and closed them again。 There was a slight frown
upon her forehead。 It was obvious that the word had unintentionally
escaped her。
〃I only know what it is that he called you； what he suspects you of
being；〃 she explained。 〃Mr。 Fentolin is very clever； and he is
generally at work upon something。 We do not enquire into the
purpose of his labours。 The only thing I know is that he suspects
you of wanting to steal one of his secrets。〃
〃Secrets？ But what secrets has he？〃 Hamel demanded。 〃Is he an
inventor？〃
〃You ask me idle questions；〃 she sighed。 〃We have gone； perhaps；
a little further than I intended。 I came to plead with you for all
our sakes； if I could； to make things more comfortable by remaining
here instead of insisting upon your claim to the Tower。〃
〃Mrs。 Fentolin；〃 Hamel said firmly。 〃I like to do what I can to
please and benefit my friends； especially those who have been kind
to me。 I will be quite frank with you。 There is nothing you could
ask me which I would not do for your daughter's sake … if I were
convinced that it was for her good。〃
Mrs。 Seymour Fentolin seemed to be trembling a little。 Her hands
were crossed upon her bosom。
〃You have known her for so short a time；〃 she murmured。
Hamel smiled confidently。
〃I will not weary you；〃 he said； 〃with the usual trite remarks。 I
will simply tell you that the time has been long enough。 I love
your daughter。〃
Mrs。 Fentolin sat quite still。 Only in her eyes； fixed steadily
seawards； there was the light of something new； as though some new
thought was stirring in her brain。 Her lips moved； although the
sound which came was almost inaudible。
〃Why not？〃 she murmured； as though arguing with some unseen critic
of her thoughts。 〃Why not？〃
〃I am not a rich man；〃 Hamel went on； 〃but I am fairly well off。
I could afford to be married at once； and I should like …
She turned suddenly upon him and gripped his wrist。
〃Listen；〃 she interrupted； 〃you are a traveller； are you not？ You
have been to distant countries； where white people go seldom；
inaccessible countries； where even the arm of the law seldom reaches。
Couldn't you take her away there； take her right away； travel so fast
that nothing could catch you； and hide … hide for a little time？〃
Hamel stared at his companion； for a moment； blankly。 Her attitude
was so unexpected； her questioning so fierce。
〃My dear Mrs。 Fentolin；〃 he began …
She suddenly relaxed her grip of his arm。 Something of the old
hopelessness was settling down upon her face。 Her hands fell into
her lap。
〃No；〃 she interrupted； 〃I forgot！ I mustn't talk like that。 She；
too； is part of the sacrifice。〃
〃Part of the sacrifice；〃 Hamel repeated； frowning。 〃Is she； indeed！
I don't know what sacrifice you mean；