下载辰思小说免费APP
“Mr。Fentolinisinastrangehumour，“shewenton，amomentlater，aftershehadstruckthefinalchordsofhersong。“Therearethingsgoingonarounduswhichnoonecanunderstand。Ithinkthatoneofhisschemeshasmiscarried；hehasgonetoofar。Hesuspectsyou；Icannottellyouwhyorhow。Ifonlyyouwouldgoaway！“
“WhataboutEsther？“heaskedquietly。
“Youmustleaveher，“shecried，withalittlecatchinherthroat。
“Geraldhasbrokenaway。EstherandImustcarrystilltheburden。“
Shemotionedhimtogo。Hetouchedherfingersforamoment。
“Mrs，Fentolin，“hesaid，“Ihavebeenagoodmanyyearsmakingupmymind。NowthatIhavedoneso，IdonotthinkthatanyonewillkeepEstherfromme。“
Shelookedathimalittlepitifully，alittlewistfully。Then，withashrugoftheshoulders，sheturnedroundtothepianoandrecommencedtoplay。Hameltookhiscoatandhatfromaservantwhowaswaitinginthehailandpassedoutintothenight。
HewalkedbrisklyuntilhereachedtheTower。Thewindhadrisen，buttherewasstillenoughlighttohelphimonhisway。Thelittlebuildingwasincompletedarkness。Heopenedthedoorandsteppedintothesitting-room，litthelamp，and，holdingitoverhishead，wentdownthepassageandintothekitchen。Thenhegaveastart。Thelampnearlyslippedfromhisfingers。Kneelingonthestonefloor，inverymuchthesameattitudeashehadfoundherearlierintheday，HannahCoxwascrouchingpatientlybythedoorwhichledintotheboathouse，herfaceexpressionless，herearturnedtowardsthecrack。Shewasstilllistening。
Hamelsetdownthelampuponthetable。Heglancedatthelittleclockuponthedresser；itwasaquarterpastten。Thewomanhadobservedhisentrance，althoughitseemedinnowaytohavediscomposedher。
“Doyouknowthetime，Mrs。Cox？“heasked。“Yououghttohavebeenhomehoursago。Whatareyoudoingthere？“
Sherosetoherfeet。Herexpressionwasoneofdoggedbutpatienthumility。
“Istartedforhomebeforenineo’clock，sir，“shetoldhim，“butitwasworsethaneverto-night。AllthewayalongbytheseaI
seemedtoheartheirvoices，soIcameback。Icamebacktolisten。
Ihavebeenlisteningforanhour。“
Hamellookedatherwithafrownuponhisforehead。
“Mrs。Cox，“hesaid，“IwishIcouldunderstandwhatitisthatyouhaveinyourmind。Thosearenotrealvoicesthatyouhear；youcannotbelievethat？“
“Notrealvoices，“sherepeated，withouttheslightestexpressioninhertone。
“Ofcoursenot！Andtellmewhatconnectionyoufindbetweenthesefanciesofyoursandthatroom？Whydoyoucomeandlistenhere？
“Idonotknow，“sheansweredpatiently。
“Youmusthavesomereason，“hepersisted。
“Ihavenoreason，“sheassuredhim，“onlysomedayIshallseebehindthesedoors。Afterwards，Ishallhearthevoicesnomore。“
Shewasbusytyingashawlaroundherhead。Hamelwatchedher，stillpuzzled。Hecouldnotgetridoftheideathattherewassomemethodbehindhermadness。
“Tellme-Ihavefoundyoulisteningherebefore。Haveyoueverheardanythingsuspicious？“
“Ihaveheardnothingyet，“sheadmitted，“nothingthatcounts。“
“Come，“hecontinued，“couldn’tweclearthismatterupsensibly？
Doyoubelievethatthereisanybodyinthere？Doyoubelievetheplaceisbeingusedinanywayfora
