slowly。 〃Since the unfortunate visit of this man Dunster； I seem to
have been conscious of a certain suspicion； a little cloud of
suspicion under which I seem to live and move； even among the members
of my own household。 My sister…in…law is nervous and hysterical；
Gerald has been sullen and disobedient； Esther has avoided me。 And
now … well； I find even your attitude a little difficult to
understand。 What does it mean； Mr。 Hamel？〃
Hamel shook his head。
〃I am not in the confidence of the different members of your family；〃
he answered。 〃So far as I； personally； am concerned …〃
〃It pleases me sometimes；〃 Mr。 Fentolin interrupted； 〃to interfere
to some extent in the affairs of the outside world。 If I do so；
that is my business。 I do it for my own amusement。 It is at no
time a serious position which I take up。 Have I by any chance； Mr。
Hamel； become an object of suspicion to you？〃
〃There are matters in which you are concerned；〃 Hamel admitted；
〃which I do not understand； but I see no purpose in discussing them。〃
Mr。 Fentolin wheeled his chair round in a semicircle。 He was now
between the door and Hamel。
〃Weaker mortals than I； Mr。 Hamel；〃 he said calmly； 〃have wielded
before now the powers of life and death。 From my chair I can make
the lightnings bite。 Science has done away with the triumph of
muscularity。 Even as we are here together at this moment； Mr。 Hamel；
if we should disagree； it is I who am the preordained victor。〃
Hamel saw the glitter in his hand。 This was so end； then； of all
doubt！ He remained silent。
〃Suspicions which are； in a sense； absurd；〃 Mr。 Fentolin continued；
〃have grown until I find them obtrusive and obnoxious。 What have I
to do with Mr。 John P。 Dunster？ I sent him out from my house。 If
he is lost or ill； the affair is not mine。 Yet one by one those
around me are falling away。 I told you an hour ago that Gerald was
at Brancaster。 It is a lie。 He has left this house； but no soul
in it knows his destination。〃
Hamel started。
〃You mean that he has run away？〃
Mr。 Fentolin nodded。
〃All that I can surmise is that he has followed Dunster；〃 he
proceeded。 〃He has an idea that in some way I robbed or injured
the man。 He has broken the bond of relationship between us。 He
has broken his solemn vow。 He has run a grave and terrible risk。〃
〃What of Miss Esther？〃 Hamel asked quickly。
〃I have sent her away；〃 Mr。 Fentolin replied； 〃until we come to a
clear understanding； you and I。 You seem to be a harmless enough
person； Mr。 Hamel but appearances are sometimes deceptive。 It has
been suggested to me that you are a spy。〃
〃By whom？〃 Hamel demanded。
〃By those in whom I trust；〃 Mr。 Fentolin told him sternly。 〃You
are a friend of Reginald Kinsley。 You met him in Norwich the other
day … secretly。 Kinsley's chief is a member of the Government。 He
is one of those who will find eternal obloquy if The Hague
Conference comes to a successful termination。 For some strange
reason； I am supposed to have robbed or harmed the one man in the
world whose message might bring to nought that Conference。 Are you
here to watch me； Mr。 Hamel？ Are you one of those who believe that
I am either in the pay of a foreign country； or that my harmless
efforts to interest myself in great things are efforts inimical to
this country； that I am； in short； a traitor？〃
〃You must admit that many of your actions are incomprehensible；〃
Hamel replied slowly。 〃There are things here which I do not
understand … which certainly require explanation。〃
〃Still； why do you make them your business？ 〃Mr。 Fentolin
persisted。 〃If indeed the course which I steer is a harmless one；〃
he continued； with a strange new glitter in his eyes； 〃then you are
an impertinent stranger to whom my doors cannot any longer be open。
If you have taken advantage of my hospitality to spy upon me and my
actions； if indeed you have a mission here； then you can carry it
with you down into hell！〃
〃I understand that you are threatening me？〃 Hamel murmured。
Mr。 Fentolin smiled。
〃Scarcely that； my young friend。 I am not quite the obvious sort
of villain who flourishes revolvers and lures his victims into
secret chambers。 These words to you are simply words of warning。
I am not like other men； neither am I used to being crossed。 When
I am crossed； I am dangerous。 Leave here； if you will； in safety；
and mind your own affairs； but if you show one particle of
curiosity as to mine； if you interfere in matters which concern me
and me only； remember that you are encircled by powers which are
entirely ruthless； absolutely omnipotent。 You can walk back to the
Tower to…night and remember that there isn't a step you take which
might not be your last if I willed it； and never a soul the wiser。
There's a very hungry little mother here who takes her victims and
holds them tight。 You can hear her calling to you now。 Listen！〃
He held up his finger。 The tide had turned； and through the
half…open window came the low thunder of the waves。
〃You decline to share my evening；〃 Mr。 Fentolin concluded。 〃Let
it be so。 Go your own way； Hamel； only take care that your way does
not cross mine。〃
He backed his chair slowly and pressed the bell。 Hamel felt himself
dismissed。 He passed out into the hall。 The door of the
drawing…room stood open； and he heard the sound of Mrs； Fentolin's
thin voice singing some little French song。 He hesitated and then
stepped in。 With one hand she beckoned him to her； continuing to
play all the time。 He stepped over to her side。
〃I come to make my adieux；〃 he whispered； with a glance towards the
door。
〃You are leaving； then？〃 she asked quickly。
He nodded。
〃Mr。 Fentolin is in a strange humour；〃 she went on； a moment later；
after she had struck the final chords of her song。 〃There are
things going on around us which no one can understand。 I think
that one of his schemes has miscarried； he has gone too far。 He
suspects you； I cannot tell you why or how。 If only you would go
away！〃
〃What about Esther？〃 he asked quietly。
〃You must leave her；〃 she cried； with a little catch in her throat。
〃Gerald has broken away。 Esther and I must carry still the burden。〃
She motioned him to go。 He touched her fingers for a moment。
〃Mrs； Fentolin；〃 he said； 〃I have been a good many years making up
my mind。 Now that I have done so； I do not think that any one will
keep Esther from me。〃
She looked at him a little pitifully； a little wistfully。 Then；
with a shrug of the shoulders； she turned round to the piano and
recommenced to play。 Hamel took his coat and hat from a servant
who was waiting in the hail and passed out into the night。
He walked briskly until he reached the Tower。 The wind had risen；
but there was still enough light to help him on his way。 The
little building was in complete darkness。 He opened the door and
stepped into the sitting…room； lit the lamp； and； holding it over
his head； went down the passage and into the kitchen。 Then he gave
a start。 The lamp nearly slipped from his fingers。 Kneeling on
the stone floor； in very much the same attitude as he had found her
earlier in the day； Hannah Cox was crouching patiently by the door
which led into the boathouse； her face expressionless； her ear
turned towards the crack。 She was still listening。
CHAPTER XXXI
Hamel set down the lamp upon the table。 He glanced at the little
clock upon the dresser； it was a quarter past ten。 The woman had
observed his entrance； although it seemed in no way to have
discomposed her。
〃Do you know the time； Mrs。 Cox？〃 he asked。 〃You ought to have been
home hours ago。 What are you doing there？〃
She rose to her feet。 Her expression was one of dogged but patient
humility。
〃I started for home before nine o'clock； sir；〃 she told him； 〃but
it was worse than ever to…night。 All the way along by the sea I
seemed to hear their voices； so I came back。 I came back to listen。
I have been listening for an hour。〃
Hamel looked at her with a frown upon his forehead。
〃Mrs。 Cox；〃 he said； 〃I wish I could understand what it is that you
have in your mind。 Those are not real voices that you hear； you
cannot believe that？〃
〃Not real voices；〃 she repeated； without the slightest expression in
her tone。
〃Of course not！ And tell me what connection you find between these
fancies of yours and that room？ Why do you come and listen here？
〃I do not know；〃 she answered patiently。
〃You must have some reason；〃 he persisted。
〃I have no reason；〃 she assured him； 〃only some day I shall see
behind these doors。 Afterwards； I shall hear the voices no more。〃
She was busy tying a shawl around her head。 Hamel watched her；
still puzzled。 He could not get rid of the idea that there was
some method behind her madness。
〃Tell me … I have found you listening here before。 Have you ever
heard anything suspicious？〃
〃I have heard nothing yet；〃 she admitted； 〃nothing that counts。〃
〃Come；〃 he continued； 〃couldn't we clear this matter up sensibly？
Do you believe that there is anybody in there？ Do you believe the
place is being used in any way for a wrong purpose？ If so； we will
insist upon having the keys from Mr。 Fentolin。 He cannet refuse。
The place is mine。
〃Mr。 Fentolin would not give you the keys； sir；〃 she replied。 〃If
he did； it would be useless。〃
〃Would you like me to break the door in？〃 Hamel asked。
〃You could not do it； sir；〃 she told him； 〃not you nor anybody else。
The door is thicker than my fist； of solid oak。 It was a mechanic
from New York who fitted the locks。 I have heard it said in the
village … Bill Hamas； the carpenter； declares that there are double
doors。 The workmen who were employed here were housed in a tent
upon the beach and sent home the day they finished their job。 They
were never allowed in the village。 They were foreigners； most of
them。 They came from nobody knows where； and when they had finished
they disappeared。 Why was that； sir？ What is there inside which
Mr。 Fentolin needs to guard so carefully？〃
〃Mr。 Fentolin has invented something；〃 Hamel explained。 〃He keeps
the model in there。 Inventors are very je