felt the breathless； compelling need for silence and grew tense in
the effort to make no sound。
Hannah Cox was kneeling on the stone floor。 Her ear was close to
the crack of the door which led into the boat…house。 Her face；
half turned from it； was set in a strange； concentrated passion of
listening； her lips were parted； her eyes half closed。 She took
no more notice of Hamel or his arrival than if he had been some
useless piece of furniture。 Every faculty seemed to be absorbed in
that one intense effort of listening。 There was no need of her
out…stretched finger。 Hamel fell in at once with a mood so mesmeric。
He； too； listened。 The small clock which she had brought with her
from the village ticked away upon the mantelpiece。 The full sea
fell with placid softness upon the high beach outside。 Some slight
noise of cooking came from the stove。 Save for these things there
was silence。 Yet； for a space of time which Hamel could never have
measured； they both listened。 When at last the woman rose to her
feet； Hamel； finding words at last； was surprised to find that his
throat was dry。
〃What is it； Mrs。 Cox？〃 he asked。 〃Why were you listening there？〃
Her face was absolutely expressionless。 She was busying herself
now with a small saucepan； and her back was turned towards him。
〃I spend my life； sir；〃 she said； 〃listening and waiting。 One
never knows when the end may come。〃
〃But the boat…house；〃 Hamel objected。 〃No one has been in there
his morning； have they？〃
〃Who can tell？〃 she answered。 〃He could go anywhere when he chose；
or how he chose … through the keyhole； if he wanted。〃
〃But why listen？〃 Hamel persisted。 〃There is nothing in there now
but some odds and ends of machinery。〃
She turned from the fire and looked at him for a moment。 Her eyes
were colourless； her tone unemotional。
〃Maybe！ There's no harm in listening。〃
〃Did you hear anything which made you want to listen？〃
〃Who can tell？〃 she answered。 〃A woman who lives well…nigh alone；
as I live； in a quiet place； hears things so often that other folk
never listen to。 There's always something in my ears； night or day。
Sometimes I am not sure whether it's in this world or the other。 It
was like that with me just then。 It was for that reason I listened。
Your luncheon's ready； sir。〃
Hamel walked thoughtfully back into his sitting…room。 He seated
himself before a spotless cloth and watched Hannah Cox spread out
his well…cooked； cleanly…served meal。
〃If there's anything you want； sir；〃 she said； 〃I shall hear you at
a word。 The kitchen door is open。〃
〃One moment； Mrs。 Cox。〃
She lingered there patiently； with the tray in her hand。
〃There was some sound；〃 Hamel continued； 〃perhaps a real sound；
perhaps a fancy； which made you go down on your knees in the kitchen。
Tell me what it was。〃
〃The sound I always hear； sir；〃 she answered quietly。 〃I hear it in
the night； and I hear it when I stand by the sea and look out。 I
have heard it for so many years that who can tell whether it comes
from this world or the other … the cry of men who die！〃
She passed out。 Hamel looked after her； for a moment； like a man
in a dream； In his fancy he could see her back again once more in
the kitchen； kneeling on the stone floor；… listening！
CHAPTER XXIX
A cold twilight had fallen upon the land when Hamel left the Tower
that evening and walked briskly along the foot…way to the Hall。
Little patches of mist hung over the creeks； the sky was almost
frosty。 The lights from St。 David's Hall shone like cheerful
beacons before him。 He hastened up the stone steps； crossed the
terrace； and passed into the hall。 A servant conducted him at once
to the drawing…room。 Mrs。 Fentolin； in a pink evening dress； with
a pink ornament in her hair； held out both her hands。 In the
background； Mr。 Fentolin； in his queerly…cut evening clothes； sat
with folded arms； leaning back in his carriage。 He listened grimly
to his sister…in…law as she stood with Hamel's hands in hers。
〃My dear Mr。 Hamel！〃 she exclaimed。 〃How perfectly charming of you
to come up and relieve a little our sad loneliness！ Delightful； I
call it； of you。 I was just saying so to Miles。〃
Hamel looked around the room。 Already his heart was beginning to
sink。
〃Miss Fentolin is well； I hope？〃 he asked。
〃Well； but a very naughty girl；〃 her mother declared。 〃I let her
go to Lady Saxthorpe's to lunch； and now we have had simply the
firmest letter from Lady Saxthorpe。 They insist upon keeping Esther
to dine and sleep。 I have had to send her evening clothes； but you
can't tell； Mr。 Hamel； how I miss her。〃
Hamel's disappointment was a little too obvious to pass unnoticed。
There was a shade of annoyance； too； in his face。 Mr。 Fentolin
smoothly intervened。
〃Let us be quite candid with Mr。 Hamel； dear Florence；〃 he begged。
〃I have spoken to my sister…in…law and told her the substance of
our conversation this morning；〃 he proceeded； wheeling his chair
nearer to Hamel。 〃She is thunderstruck。 She wishes to reflect； to
consider。 Esther chanced to be away。 We have encouraged her
absence for a few more hours。〃
〃I hope； Mrs； Fentolin；〃 Hamel said simply； 〃 that you will give
her to me。 I am not a rich man； but I am fairly well off。 I should
be willing to live exactly where Esther wishes； and I would do my
best to make her happy。〃
Mrs； Fentolin opened her lips once and closed them again。 She
laughed a little … a high…pitched； semi…hysterical laugh。 The hand
which gripped her fan was straining so that the blue veins stood out
almost like whipcord。
〃Esther is very young； Mr。 Hamel。 We must talk this over。 You have
known her for such a very short time。〃
A servant announced dinner； and Hamel offered his arm to his hostess。
〃Is Gerald away； too？〃 he asked。
〃We do indeed owe you our apologies；〃 Mr。 Fentolin declared。
〃Gerald is spending a couple of days at the Dormy House at
Brancaster … a golf arrangement made some time back。〃
〃He promised to play with me to…morrow；〃 Hamel remarked thoughtfully。
〃He said nothing about going away。〃
〃I fear that like most young men of his age he has little memory；〃
Mr。 Fentolin sighed。 〃However； he will be back to…morrow or the
next day。 I owe you my apologies； Mr。 Hamel； for our lack of young
people。 We must do our best to entertain our guest； Florence。 You
must be at your best； dear。 You must tell him some of those capital
stories of yours。〃
Mrs； Fentolin shivered for a moment。 Hamel； as he handed her to her
place； was struck by a strange look which she threw upon him； half
furtive； full of pain。 Her hand almost clung to his。 She slipped a
little； and he held her tightly。 Then he was suchdenly conscious
that something hard was being pressed into his palm。 He drew his
hand away at once。
〃You seem a little unsteady this evening； my dear Florence；〃 Mr。
Fentolin remarked； peering across the round table。
She eyed him nonchalantly enough。
〃The floor is slippery；〃 she said。 〃I was glad； for a moment； of
Mr。 Hamel's strong hand。 Where are those dear puppies？ Chow…Chow；〃
she went on； 〃come and sit by your mistress at once。〃
Hamel's fingers inside his waistcoat pocket were smoothing out the
crumpled piece of paper which she had passed to him。 Soon he had
it quite flat。 Mrs； Fentolin； as though freed from some anxiety；
chattered away gaily。
〃I don't know that I shall apologise to Mr。 Hamel at all for the
young people being away；〃 she declared。 〃Just fancy what we have
saved him from … a solitary meal served by Hannah Cox！ Do you know
that they say she is half…witted； Mr。 Hamel？〃
〃So far； she has looked after me very well；〃 Hamel observed。
〃Her intellect is defective；〃 Mr。 Fentolin remarked； 〃on one point
only。 The good woman is obsessed by the idea that her husband and
sons are still calling to her from the Dagger Rocks。 It is almost
pitiful to meet her wandering about there on a stormy night。 The
seacoasts are full of these little village tragedies … real
tragedies； too； however insignificant they may seem to us。〃
Mr。 Fentolin's tone was gently sympathetic。 He changed the subject
a moment or two later； however。
〃Nero fiddles to…night；〃 he said； 〃while Rome burns。 There are
hundreds in our position； yet it certainly seems queer that we
should be sitting here so quietly when the whole country is in such
a state of excitement。 I see the press this morning is preaching
an immediate declaration of war。〃
〃Against whom？〃 Mrs； Fentolin asked。
Mr。 Fentolin smiled。
〃That does seem to be rather the trouble；〃 he admitted。 〃Russia；
Austria； Germany； Italy； and France are all assisting at a
Conference to which no English representative has been bidden。 In
a sense； of course； that is equivalent to an act of hostility from
all these countries towards England。 The question is whether we
have or have not a secret understanding with France； and if so； how
far she will be bound by it。 There is a rumour that when Monsieur
Deschelles was asked formally whom he represented； that he replied
… 'France and Great Britain。' There may be something in it。 It is
hard to see how any English statesman could have left unguarded the
Mediterranean； with all that it means； trusting simply to the faith
of a country with whom we have no binding agreement。 On the other
hand； there is the mobilisation of the fleet。 If France is really
faithful； one wonders if there was need for such an extreme step。〃
〃I am out of touch with political affairs；〃 Hamel declared。 〃I have
been away from England for so long。〃
〃I； on the other hand；〃 Mr。 Fentolin continued； his eyes glittering
a little； 〃have made the study of the political situation in Europe
my hobby for years。 I have sent to me the leading newspapers of
Berlin； Rome； Paris； St。 Petersburg； and Vienna。 For two hours
every day I read them； side by side。 It is curious sometimes to
note the common understanding which seems to exist between the
Powers not bound by any formal alliance。 For years war seemed a
very unlikely thing； and now；〃 he added； leaning forward in his
chair； 〃I pronounce it almost a certainty。〃
Hamel l