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prowling about here。 No one in the village even knows how she lives。
Did she speak of me； by…the…by？〃
〃She spoke of you as being a very kind…hearted man。〃
Mr。 Fentolin sighed。
〃The poor creature！ Well； well； let us revert to the object of
your coming here。 Do you really wish to occupy this little shanty；
Mr。 Hamel？〃
〃That was my idea；〃 Hamel confessed。 〃I only came back from Mexico
last month； and I very soon got fed up with life in town。 I am
going abroad again next year。 Till then； I am rather at a loose
end。 My father was always very keen indeed about this place； and
very anxious that I should come and stay here for a little time； so
I made up my mind to run down。 I've got some things waiting at
Norwich。 I thought I might hire a woman to look after me and spend
a few weeks here。 They tell me that the early spring is almost the
best time for this coast。〃
Mr。 Fentolin nodded slowly。 He moistened his lips for a moment。
One might have imagined that he was anxious。
〃Mr。 Hamel；〃 he said softly； 〃you are quite right。 It is the best
time to visit this coast。 But why make a hermit of yourself？ You
are a family friend。 Come and stay with us at the Hall for as long
as you like。 It will give me the utmost pleasure to welcome you
there；〃 he went on earnestly； 〃and as for this little place； of what
use is it to you？ Let me buy it from you。 You are a man of the
world； I can see。 You may be rich； yet money has a definite value。
To me it has none。 That little place； as it stands； is probably
worth … say a hundred pounds。 Your father gave； if I remember
rightly； a five pound note for it。 I will give you a thousand for
it sooner than be disturbed。〃
Hamel frowned slightly。
〃I could not possibly think；〃 he said； 〃of selling what was
practically a gift to my father。 You are welcome to occupy the
place during my absence in any way you wish。 On the other hand； I
do not think that I care to part with it altogether； and I should
really like to spend just a day or so here。 I am used to roughing
it under all sorts of conditions … much more used to roughing it
than I am to staying at country houses。〃
Mr。 Fentolin leaned a little out of his carriage。 He reached the
younger man's shoulder with his hand。
〃Ah！ Mr。 Hamel；〃 he pleaded； 〃don't make up your mind too suddenly。
Am I a little spoilt； I wonder？ Well； you see what sort of a
creature I am。 I have to go through life as best I may； and people
are kind to me。 It is very seldom I am crossed。 It is quite
astonishing how often people let me have my own way。 Do not make
up your mind too suddenly。 I have a niece and a nephew whom you
must meet。 There are some treasures； too； at St。 David's Hall。
Look at it。 There isn't another house quite like it in England。
It is worth looking over。〃
〃It is most impressive；〃 Hamel agreed； 〃and wonderfully beautiful。
It seems odd；〃 he added； with a laugh；〃 that you should care about
this little shanty here； with all the beautiful rooms you must have
of your own。〃
〃It's Naboth's vineyard；〃 Mr。 Fentolin groaned。 〃Now； Mr。 Hamel；
you are going to be gracious； aren't you？ Let us leave the question
of your little habitation here alone for the present。 Come back
with me。 My niece shall give you some tea； and you shall choose
your room from forty。 You can sleep in a haunted chamber； or a
historical chamber； in Queen Elizabeth's room； a Victorian chamber；
or a Louis Quinze room。 All my people have spent their substance
in furniture。 Don't look at your bag。 Clothes are unnecessary。 I
can supply you with everything。 Or； if you prefer it； I can send a
fast car into Norwich for your own things。 Come and be my guest；
please。〃
Hamel hesitated。 He had not the slightest desire to go to St。
David's Hall； and though he strove to ignore it； he was conscious
of an aversion of which he was heartily ashamed for this strange
fragment of humanity。 On the other hand； his mission； the actual
mission which had brought him down to these parts； could certainly
best be served by an entree into the Hall itself … and there was
the girl； whom he felt sure belonged there。 He had never for a
moment been able to dismiss her from his thoughts。 Her still； cold
face； the delicate perfection of her clothes and figure； the grey
eyes which had rested upon his so curiously； haunted him。 He was
desperately anxious to see her again。 If he refused this invitation；
if he rejected Mr。 Fentolin's proffered friendship； it would be all
the more difficult。
〃You are really very kind；〃 he began hesitatingly …
〃It is settled；〃 Mr。 Fentolin interrupted； 〃settled。 Meekins； you
can ride back again。 I shall not paint to…day。 Mr。 Hamel； you
will walk by my side； will you not？ I can run my little machine
quite slowly。 You see； I have an electric battery。 It needs
charging often； but I have a dynamo of my own。 You never saw a
vehicle like this in all your travellings； did you？〃
Hamel shook his head。
〃An electrical bath…chair；〃 Mr。 Fentolin continued。 〃Practice has
made me remarkably skilful in its manipulation。 You see； I can
steer to an inch。〃
He was already turning around。 Hamel rose to his feet。
〃You are really very kind；〃 he said。 〃I should like to come up and
see the Hall； at any rate； but in the meantime； as we are here；
could I just look over the inside of this little place？ I found the
large shed where the lifeboat used to be kept； locked up。〃
Mr。 Fentolin was manoeuvring his carriage。 His back was towards
Hamel。
〃By all means；〃 he declared。 〃We will go in together。 I have had
the entrance widened so that I can ride straight into the
sitting…room。 But wait。〃
He paused suddenly。 He felt in all his pockets。
〃Dear me；〃 he exclaimed； 〃I find that I have left the keys！ We
will come down a little later； if you do not mind； Mr。 Hamel。 Or
to…morrow； perhaps。 You will not mind？ It is very careless of me；
but seeing you about the place and imagining that you were an
intruder； made me angry； and I started off in a hurry。 Now walk by
my side up to the house； please； and talk to me。 It is so
interesting for me to meet men；〃 he went on； as they started along
the straight path； 〃who do things in life； who go to foreign
countries； meet strange people； and have new experiences。 I have
been a good many years like this； you know。〃
〃It is a great affliction；〃 Hamel murmured sympathetically。
〃In my youth I was an athlete；〃 Mr。 Fentolin continued。 〃I played
cricket for the Varsity and for my county。 I hunted； too； and shot。
I did all the things a man loves to do。 I might still shoot； they
tell me； but my strength has ebbed away。 I am too weak to lift a
gun； too weak even to handle a fishing…rod。 I have just a few
hobbies in life which keep me alive。 Are you a politician； Mr。
Hamel？〃
〃Not in the least；〃 Hamel replied。 〃I have been out of England too
long to keep in touch with politics。〃
〃Naturally；〃 Mr。 Fentolin agreed。 〃It amuses me to follow the
course of events。 I have a good many friends in London and abroad
who are kind to me； who keep me informed； send me odd bits of
information not availab