the illustrious prince- 第9部分

Mr。　Coulson；　being　invited　to　do　so；　seated　himself　on　the　lounge　by　the　young　lady's　side。　He　leaned　a　little　forward　with　a　hand　on　either　knee。

〃I　don't　exactly　know　what　I　can　tell　you；〃　he　remarked。　〃I　take　it；　then；　that　you　were　well　acquainted　with　Mr。　Fynes？〃

〃I　used　to　know　him　quite　well；〃　Penelope　answered；　〃and　naturally　I　am　very　much　upset。　When　I　read　in　the　paper　an　account　of　your　interview　with　the　reporter；　I　could　see　at　once　that　you　were　not　telling　him　everything。　Why　should　you；　indeed？　A　man　does　not　want　every　detail　of　his　life　set　out　in　the　newspapers　just　because　he　has　become　connected　with　a　terrible　tragedy。〃

〃You're　a　very　sensible　young　lady；　Miss　Morse；　if　you　will　allow　me　to　say　so；〃　Mr。　Coulson　declared。　〃You　were　expecting　to　see　something　of　Mr。　Fynes　over　here；　then？〃

〃I　had　an　appointment　to　lunch　with　him　today；〃　she　answered。　〃He　sent　me　a　marconigram　before　he　arrived　at　Queenstown。〃

〃Is　that　so？〃　Mr。　Coulson　exclaimed。　〃Well；　well！〃

〃I　actually　went　to　the　restaurant；〃　Penelope　continued；　〃without　knowing　anything　of　this。　I　can't　understand　it　at　all；　even　now。　Mr。　Fynes　always　seemed　to　me　such　a　harmless　sort　of　person；　so　unlikely　to　have　enemies；　or　anything　of　that　sort。　Don't　you　think　so；　Mr。　Coulson？〃

〃Well；〃　that　gentleman　answered；　〃to　tell　you　the　honest　truth；　Miss　Morse；　I'm　afraid　I　am　going　to　disappoint　you　a　little。　I　wasn't　over　well　acquainted　with　Mr。　Fynes；　although　a　good　many　people　seemed　to　fancy　that　we　were　kind　of　bosom　friends。　That　newspaper　man；　for　instance；　met　me　at　the　station　and　stuck　to　me　like　a　leech；　drove　down　here　with　me；　and　was　willing　to　stand　all　the　liquor　I　could　drink。　Then　there　was　a　gentleman　from　Scotland　Yard；　who　was　in　such　a　hurry　that　he　came　to　see　me　in　my　bedroom。　HE　had　a　sort　of　an　idea　that　I　had　been　brought　up　from　infancy　with　Hamilton　Fynes　and　could　answer　a　sheaf　of　questions　a　yard　long。　As　soon　as　I　got　rid　of　him；　up　comes　that　page　boy　and　brings　your　card。〃

〃It　does　seem　too　bad；　Mr。　Coulson；〃　Penelope　declared；　raising　her　wonderful　eyes　to　his　and　smiling　sympathetically。　〃You　have　really　brought　it　upon　yourself；　though；　to　some　extent；　haven't　you；　by　answering　so　many　questions　for　this　Comet　man？〃

〃Those　newspaper　fellows；〃　Mr。　Coulson　remarked；　〃are　wonders。　Before　that　youngster　had　finished　with　me；　I　began　to　feel　that　poor　old　Fynes　and　I　had　been　like　brothers　all　our　lives。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　Miss　Morse；　I　expect　you　knew　him　at　least　as　well　as　I　did。〃

She　nodded　her　head　thoughtfully。

〃Hamilton　Fynes　came　from　the　village　in　Massachusetts　where　I　was　brought　up。　I've　known　him　all　my　life。〃

Mr。　Coulson　seemed　a　little　startled。

〃I　didn't　understand；〃　he　said　thoughtfully；　〃that　Fynes　had　any　very　intimate　friends　over　this　side。〃

Penelope　shook　her　head。

〃I　don't　mean　to　imply　that　we　have　been　intimate　lately；〃　she　said。　〃I　came　to　Europe　nine　years　ago；　and　since　then；　of　course；　I　have　not　seen　him　often。　Perhaps　it　was　the　fact　that　he　should　have　thought　of　me；　and　that　I　was　actually　expecting　to　have　lunch　with　him　today；　which　made　me　feel　this　thing　so　acutely。〃

〃Why；　that's　quite　natural；〃　Mr。　Coulson　declared；　leaning　back　a　little　and　crossing　his　legs。　〃Somehow　we　seem　to　read　about　these　things　in　the　papers　and　they　don't　amount　to　such　a　lot；　but　when　you　know　the　man　and　were　expecting　to　see　him；　as　you　were；　why；　then　it　comes　right　home　to　you。　There's　something　about　a　murder；〃　Mr。　Coulson　concluded；　〃which　kind　of　takes　hold　of　you　if　you've　ever　even　shaken　hands　with　either　of　the　parties　concerned　in　it。〃

〃Did　you　see　much　of　the　poor　fellow　during　the　voyage？〃　Sir　Charles　asked。

〃No；　nor　any　one　else；〃　Mr。　Coulson　replied。　〃I　don't　think　he　was　seasick；　but　he　was　miserably　unsociable；　and　he　seldom　left　his　cabin。　I　doubt　whether　there　were　half　a　dozen　people　on　board　who　would　have　recognized　him　afterwards　as　a　fellow…passenger。〃

〃He　seems　to　have　been　a　secretive　sort　of　person；〃　Sir　Charles　remarked。

〃He　was　that；〃　Mr。　Coulson　admitted。　〃Never　seemed　to　care　to　talk　about　himself　or　his　own　business。　Not　that　he　had　much　to　talk　about；〃　he　added　reflectively。　〃Dull　sort　of　life；　his。　So　many　hours　of　work；　so　many　hours　of　play；　so　many　dollars　a　month；　and　after　it's　all　over；　so　many　dollars　pension。　Wouldn't　suit　all　of　us；　Sir　Charles；　eh？〃

〃I　fancy　not；〃　Somerfield　admitted。　〃Perhaps　he　kicked　over　the　traces　a　bit　when　he　was　over　this　side。　You　Americans　generally　seem　to　find　your　way　aboutin　Paris；　especially。〃

Mr。　Coulson　shook　his　head　doubtfully。

〃There　wasn't　much　kicking　over　the　traces　with　poor　old　Fynes；〃　he　said。　〃He　hadn't　got　it　in　him。〃

Somerfield　scratched　his　chin　thoughtfully　and　looked　at　Penelope。

〃Scarcely　seems　possible；　does　it；〃　he　remarked；　〃that　a　man　leading　such　a　quiet　sort　of　life　should　make　enemies。〃

〃I　don't　believe　he　had　any；〃　Mr。　Coulson　asserted。

〃He　didn't　seem　nervous　on　the　way　over；　did　he？〃　Penelope　asked；〃as　though　he　were　afraid　of　something　happening？〃

Mr。　Coulson　shook　his　head。

〃No　more　than　usual；〃　he　answered。　〃I　guess　your　police　over　here　aren't　quite　so　smart　as　ours；　or　they'd　have　been　on　the　track　of　this　thing　before　now。　But　you　can　take　it　from　me　that　when　the　truth　comes　out　you'll　find　that　our　poor　friend　has　paid　the　penalty　of　going　about　the　world　like　a　crank。〃

〃A　what？〃　Somerfield　asked　doubtfully。

〃A　crank；〃　Mr。　Coulson　repeated　vigorously。　〃It　wasn't　much　I　knew　of　Hamilton　Fynes；　but　I　knew　that　much。　He　was　one　of　those　nervous；　stand…off　sort　of　persons　who　hated　to　have　people　talk　to　him　and　yet　was　always　doing　things　to　make　them　talk　about　him。　I　was　over　in　Europe　with　him　not　so　long　ago；　and　he　went　on　in　the　same　way。　Took　a　special　train　to　Dover　when　there　wasn't　any　earthly　reason　for　it；　travelled　with　a　valet　and　a　courier；　when　he　had　no　clothes　for　the　valet　to　look　after；　and　spoke　every　European　language　better　than　his　courier。　This　time　the　poor　fellow's　paid　for　his　bit　of　vanity。　Naturally；　any　one　would　think　he　was　a　millionaire；　travelling　like　that。　I　guess　they　boarded　the　train　somehow；　or　lay　hidden　in　it　when　it　started；　and　relieved　him　of　a　good　bit　of　his　savings。〃

〃But　his　money　was　found　upon　him；〃　Somerfield　objected。

〃Some　of　it；〃　Mr。　Coulson　answered；〃some　of　it。　That's　just　about　the　only　thing　that　I　do　know　of　my　own。　I　happened　to　see　him　take　his　pocketbook　back　from　the　purser；　and　I　guess　he'd　got　a　sight　more　money　there　than　was　found　upon　him。　I　told　the　smooth…spoken　gentleman　from　Scotland　Yard　soMr。　Inspector　Jacks　he　called　himselfwhen　he　came　to　see　me　an　hour　or　so　ago。〃

Penelope　sighed　gently。　She　found　it　hard　to　make　up　her　mind　concerning　this　quondam　acquaintance　of　her　deceased　friend。

〃Did　you　see　much　of　Mr。　Fynes　on　the　other　side；　Mr。　Coulson？〃　she　asked　him。

〃Not　I；〃　Mr。　Coulson　answered。　〃He　wasn't　particularly　anxious　to　make　acquaintances　over　here；　but　he　was　even　worse　at　home。　The　way　he　went　on；　you'd　think　he'd　never　had　any　friends　and　never　wanted　any。　I　met　him　once　in　the　streets　of　Washington　last　year；　and　had　a　cocktail　with　him　at　the　Atlantic　House。　I　had　to　almost　drag　him　in　there。　I　was　pretty　well　a　stranger　in　Washington；　but　he　didn't　do　a　thing　for　me。　Never　asked　me　to　look　him　up；　or　introduced　me　to　his　club。　He　just　drank　his　cocktail；　mumbled　something　about　being　in　a　hurry；　and　made　off。　I　tell　you；　sir；　〃　Mr。　Coulson　continued；　turning　to　Somerfield；　〃that　man　hadn't　a　thing　to　say　for　himself。　I　guess　his　work　had　something　to　do　with　it。　You　must　get　kind　of　out　of　touch　with　things；　shut　up　in　an　office　from　nine　o'clock　in　the　morning　till　five　in　the　afternoon。　Just　saving　up；　he　was；　for　his　trip　to　Europe。　Then　we　happened　on　the　same　steamer；　but；　bless　you；　he　scarcely　even　shook　hands　when　he　saw　me。　He　wouldn't　play　bridge；　didn't　care　about　chess；　hadn't　even　a　chair　on　the　deck；　and　never　came　in　to　meals。〃

Penelope　nodded　her　head　thoughtfully。

〃You　are　destroying　all　my　illusions；　Mr。　Coulson；〃　she　said。　〃Do　you　know　that　I　was　building　up　quite　a　romance　about　poor　Mr。　Fynes'　life？　It　seemed　to　me　that　he　must　have　enemies；　that　there　must　have　been　something　in　his　life；　or　his　manner　of　living；　which　accounted　for　such　a　terrible　crime。〃

〃Why；　sure　not！〃　Mr。　Coulson　declared　heartily。　〃It　was　a　cleverly　worked　job；　but　there　was　no　mystery　about　it。　Some　chap　went　for　him　because　he　got　riding　about　like　a　millionaire。　A　more　unromantic　figure　than　Hamilton　Fynes　never　breathed。　Call　him　a　crank　and　you've　finished　with　him。〃

Penelope　sighed　once　more　and　looked　at　the　tips　of　her　patent　shoes。

〃It　has　been　so　kind　of　you；〃　she　murmured；　〃to　talk　to　us。　And　yet；　do　you　know；　I　am　a　little　disappointed。　I　was　hoping　that　you　might　have　been　able　to　tell　us　something　more　about　the　poor　fellow。〃

〃He　was　no　talker；〃　Mr。　Coulson　declared。　〃It　was　little　enough　he　had　to　say　to　me；　and　less　to　any　one　else。〃

〃It　seems　strange；〃　she　remarked　innocently；　〃that　he　should　have　been　so　shy。　He　didn't　strike　me　that　way　when　I　knew　him　at　home　in　Massachusetts；　you　know。　He　travelled　about　so　much　in　later　years；　too；　didn't　he？〃

Penelope's　eyes　were　suddenly　upraised。　For　the　first　time　Mr。　Coulson's　ready　answers　failed　him。　Not　a　muscle　of　his　face　moved　under　the　girl's　scrutiny；　but　he　hesitated　for　a　short　time　before　he　answered　her。

〃Not　that　I　know　of；〃　he　said　at　length。　〃No；　I　shouldn't　have　called　him　much　of　a　traveller。〃

Penelope　rose　to　her　feet　and　held　out　her　hand。

〃It　has　been　very　nice　indeed　of　you　to　see　us；　Mr。　Coulson；〃　she　said；　〃especially　after　all　these　other　people　have　been　bothering　you。　Of　course；　I　am　sorry　that　you　haven't　anything　more　to　tell　us　than　we　knew　already。　Still；　I　felt　that　I　couldn't　rest　until　we　had　been。〃

〃It's　a　sad　affair；　anyhow；〃　Mr。　Coulson　declared；　walking　with　them　to　the　door。　〃Don't　you　get　worrying　your　head；　young　lady；　though；　with　any　notion　of　his　having　had　enemies；　or　anything　of　that　sort。　The　poor　fellow　was　no　hero　of　romance。　I　don't　fancy　even　your　halfpenny　papers　could　drag