sleep。 That couldn't have been a light I saw at all。 I couldn't
have heard anything。 I am going to sleep。〃
CHAPTER XXVII
Hamel awoke to find his room filled with sunshine and a soft wind
blowing in through the open window。 There was a pleasant odour of
coffee floating up from the kitchen。 He looked at his watch … it
was past eight o'clock。 The sea was glittering and bespangled with
sunlight。 He found among his scanty belongings a bathing suit； and；
wrapped in his overcoat； hurried down…stairs。
〃Breakfast in half an hour； Mrs。 Cox；〃 he called out。
She stood at the door； watching him as he stepped across the pebbles
and plunged in。 For a few moments he swam。 Then he turned over on
his back。 The sunlight was gleaming from every window of St。 David's
Hall。 He even fancied that upon the terrace he could see a
white…clad figure looking towards him。 He turned over and swam once
more。 From her place in the doorway Mrs。 Cox called out to him。
〃Mind the Dagger Rocks； sir！〃
He waved his hand。 The splendid exhilaration of the salt water
seemed to give him unlimited courage。 He dived； but the woman's
cry of fear soon recalled him。 Presently he swam to shore and
hurried up the beach。 Mrs。 Cox； with a sigh of relief； disappeared
into the kitchen。
〃Those rocks on your nerves again； Mrs。 Cox？〃 he asked；
good…humouredly； as he took his place at the breakfast table a
quarter of an hour later。
〃It's only us who live here； sir；〃 she answered； 〃who know how
terrible they are。 There s one … it comes up like my hand … a long
spike。 A boat once struck upon that； and it's as though it'd been
sawn through the middle。〃
〃I must have a look at them some day；〃 he declared。 〃I am going to
work this morning； Mrs。 Cox。 Lunch at one o'clock。〃
He took rugs and established himself with a pile of books at the
back of a grassy knoll； sheltered from the wind； with the sea almost
at his feet。 He sharpened his pencil and numbered the page of his
notebook。 Then he looked up towards the Hall garden and found
himself dreaming。 The sunshine was delicious； and a gentle optimism
seemed to steal over him。
〃I am a fool！〃 he murmured to himself。 〃I am catching some part of
these people's folly。 Mr。 Fentolin is only an ordinary； crotchety
invalid with queer tastes。 On the big things he is probably like
other men。 I shall go to him this morning。
A sea…gull screamed over his head。 Little； brown sailed
fishing…boats came gliding down the harbourway。 A pleasant；
sensuous joyfulness seemed part of the spirit of the day。 Hamel
stretched himself out upon the dry sand。
〃Work be hanged！〃 he exclaimed。
A soft voice answered him almost in his ear； a voice which was
becoming very familiar。
〃A most admirable sentiment； my young friend； which you seem to be
doing your best to live up to。 Not a line written； I see。〃
He sat up upon his rug。 Mr。 Fentolin； in his little carriage； was
there by his side。 Behind was the faithful Meekins； with an easel
under his arm。
〃I trust that your first night in your new abode has been a pleasant
one？〃 Mr。 Fentolin asked。
〃I slept quite well； thanks；〃 Hamel replied。 〃Glad to see you're
going to paint。〃
Mr。 Fentolin shook his head gloomily。
〃It is； alas！〃 he declared； 〃one of my weaknesses。 I can work only
in solitude。 I came down on the chance that the fine weather might
have tempted you over to the Golf Club。 As it is； I shall return。〃
〃I am awfully sorry；〃 Hamel said。 〃Can't I go out of sight
somewhere？〃
Mr。 Fentolin sighed。
〃I will not ask your pardon for my absurd humours；〃 he continued；
a little sadly。 〃Their existence； however； I cannot deny。 I
will wait。〃
〃It seems a pity for you to do that；〃 Hamel remarked。 〃You see；
I might stay here for some time。〃
Mr。 Fentolin's face darkened。 He looked at the young man with a
sort of pensive wrath。
〃If；〃 the latter went on； 〃you say 'yes' to something I am going
to ask you； I might even stay … in the neighbourhood … for longer
still。〃
Mr。 Fentolin sat quite motionless in his chair； his eyes were
fixed upon Hamel。
〃What is it that you are going to ask me？〃 be demanded。
〃I want to marry your niece。
Mr。 Fentolin looked at the young man in mild surprise。
〃A sudden decision on your part； Mr。 Hamel？〃 he murmured。
〃Not at all；〃 Hamel assured him。 〃I have been ten years looking
for her。〃
〃And the young lady？〃 Mr。 Fentolin enquired。 〃What does she say？〃
〃I believe； sir；〃 Hamel replied； 〃that she would be willing。〃
Mr。 Fentolin sighed。
〃One is forced sometimes；〃 he remarked regretfully； 〃to realise
the selfishness of our young people。 For many years one devotes
oneself to providing them with all the comforts and luxuries of
life。 Then； in a single day； they turn around and give everything
they have to give to a stranger。 So you want to marry Esther？〃
〃If you please。〃
〃She has a very moderate fortune。〃
〃She need have none at all；〃 Hamel replied； 〃I have enough。〃
Mr。 Fentolin glanced towards the house。
〃Then；〃 he said； 〃I think you had better go and tell her so； in
which case； I shall be able to paint。〃
〃I have your permission； then？〃 Hamel asked； rising to his feet
eagerly。
〃Negatively；〃 Mr。 Fentolin agreed； 〃you have。 I cannot refuse。
Esther is of age； the thing is reasonable。 I do not know whether
she will be happy with you or not。 A young man of your
disposition who declines to study the whims of an unfortunate
creature like myself is scarcely likely to be possessed of much
sensibility。 However； perhaps your views as to a solitary
residence here will change with your engagement to my niece。〃
Hamel did not reply for a moment。 He was trying to ask himself
why； even in the midst of this rush of anticipatory happiness； he
should be conscious of a certain reluctance to leave the Tower … and
Mr。 Fentolin。 He was looking longingly towards the Hall。 Mr。
Fentolin waved him away。
〃Go and make love；〃 he ordered； 〃and leave me alone。 We are both
in pursuit of beauty … only our methods differ。〃
Hamel hesitated no longer but walked up the narnow path with
swift； buoyant footsteps。 Everywhere he seemed to be surrounded
by the glorious spring sunshine。 It glittered in the little pools
and creeks by his side。 It drew a new colour from the dun…coloured
marshes； the masses of emerald seaweed； the shimmering sands。 It
flashed in the long row of windows of the Hall。 As he drew nearer；
he could see the banks of yellow crocuses in the sloping gardens
behind。 There were odours of spring in the air。 He ran lightly
up the terrace steps。 There was an easy…chair drawn into her
favourite corner； and a book upon the table； but no sign of Esther。
He hesitated for a moment； and then； retracing his steps along the
terrace； entered the house by the front door； which stood wide
open。 There was no one in the hall； scarcely a sound about the
place。 A great clock ticked solemnly from the foot of the stairs。
There was not even a servant in sight。 Hamel wandered around； a
a loss what to do。 He opened the door of the drawing…room and
looked in。 It was empty。 He turned away； meaning to ring a bell。
On his way across the hall he paused。 A curiously suggestive
sound reached him faintly from the end of one of the passages。
It was the click of a typewriter。
Hamel stood for a moment perfectly still。 He had hurred up to
the Hall； filled with the one selfish joy common to all mankind。
He had had no thought save the thought of seeing Esther。 The
click of that machine brought him hack to the stern realities of
life。 He remembered his talk to Kinsley； his promise。 On the
hall table he could see from where he was standing the great
headlines which announced the nation's anxiety。 He was in the house
of a suspected spy。 The click of the typewriter was an accompaniment
to his thought。 He looked around once more and listened。 Then he
made his way quietly across the hail and down the long passage； at
the end of which the room which Mr。 Fentolin called his workroom
was situated。 He turned the handle of the door and entered； closing
it immediately behind him。 The woman who was typing paused with her
fingers upon the keys。 Her eyes met his coldly； without curiosity。
She had paused in her work； but she took no other notice of his
coming。
〃Has Mr。 Fentolin sent you here？〃 she asked at last。
He came over to the typewriter。
〃Mr。 Fentolin has not sent me；〃 he said slowly。 〃I am here on my
own account。 I dare say you will think that I am a lunatic to
come to you like this。 Nevertheless； please listen to me。〃
Her fingers left the keys。 She laid her hands upon the table in
front of her。 He drew a little nearer。 She covered over the sheets
of paper with which she was surrounded with a pad of blotting…paper。
He pointed suddenly to them。
〃Why do you do that？ 〃 he demanded。 〃What is there in your work
that you are afraid I might see？〃
She answered him without hesitation。
〃These are private papers of Mr。 Fentolin's。 No one has any
business to see them。 No one has any business to enter this room。
Why are you here？〃
〃I came to the Hall to find Miss Fentolin；〃 he replied。 〃I heard
the click of your typewriter。 I came to you； I suppose I should
say； on impulse。〃
Her eyes rested upon his； filled with a cold and questioning light。
〃There's an impression up in London；〃 Hamel went on； 〃that Mr。
Fentolin has been intefering by means of his wireless in affairs
which don't concern him； and giving away valuable information。
This man Dunster's disappearance is as yet unexplained。 I feel
myself justified in making certain investigations； and among the
first of them I should like you to tell me exactly the nature of
the work for which Mr。 Fentolin finds a secretary necessary？〃
She glanced towards the bell。 He moved to the edge of the table
as though to intercept her。
〃In any ordinary case；〃 he continued； 〃I would not ask you to
betray your employer's confidence。 As things are； I think I am
justified。 You are English； are you not？ You realise； I suppose；
that the country is on the brink of war？〃
She looked at him from the depths o