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Mr。 Dunster was still mystified。
〃Granted that you do so from pure love of adventure；〃 he declared；
〃I still cannot see why you should range yourself on the side of
your country's enemies。
〃In time；〃 Mr。 Fentolin observed； 〃even that may become clear to
you。 At present； well … just that word； if you please？〃
Mr。 Dunster shook his head。
〃No；〃 he decided； 〃I do not think so。 I cannot make up my mind to
tell you that word。〃
Mr。 Fentolin gave no sign of annoyance or even disappointment。 He
simply sighed。 His eyes were full of a gentle sympathy； his face
indicated a certain amount of concern。
〃You distress me；〃 he declared。 〃Perhaps it is my fault。 I have
not made myself sufficiently clear。 The knowledge of that word is
a necessity to me。 Without it I cannot complete my plans。 Without
it I very much fear； dear Mr。 Dunster； that your sojourn among us
may be longer than you have any idea of。〃
Mr。 Dunster laughed a little derisively。
〃We've passed those days；〃 he remarked。 〃I've done my best to enter
into the humour of this situation； but there are limits。 You can't
keep prisoners in English country houses； nowadays。 There are a
dozen ways of communicating with the outside world； and when that's
once done； it seems to me that the position of Squire Fentolin of
St。 David's Hall might be a little peculiar。〃
Mr。 Fentolin smiled； very slightly； still very blandly。
〃Alas； my stalwart friend； I fear that you are by nature an optimist！
I am not a betting man； but I am prepared to bet you a hundred pounds
to one that you have made your last communication with the outside
world until I say the word。〃
Mr。 Dunster was obviously plentifully supplied with either courage
or bravado； for he only laughed。
〃Then you had better make up your mind at once； Mr。 Fentolin； how
soon that word is to be spoken； or you may lose your money；〃 he
remarked。
Mr。 Fentolin sat very quietly in his chair。
〃You mean； then；〃 he asked； 〃that you do not intend to humour me in
this little matter？〃
〃I do not intend；〃 Mr。 Dunster assured him； 〃to part with that word
to you or to any one else in the the world。 When my message has
been presented to the person to whom it has been addressed； when my
trust is discharged； then and then only shall I send that cablegram。
That moment can only arrive at the end of my journey。〃
Mr。 Fentolin leaned now a little forward in his chair。 His face
was still smooth and expressionless； but there was a queer sort of
meaning in his words。
〃The end of your journey；〃 he said grimly； 〃may be nearer than you
think。〃
〃If I am not heard of in The Hague to…morrow at the latest；〃 Mr。
Dunster pointed out；〃 remember that before many more hours have
passed； I shall be searched for； even to the far corners of the
earth。〃
〃Let me assure you；〃 Mr。 Fentolin promised serenely； 〃that though
your friends search for you up in the skies or down in the bowels
of the earth； they will not find you。 My hiding…places are not as
other people's。〃
Mr。 Dunster beat lightly with his square； blunt forefinger upon the
table which stood by his side。
〃That's not the sort of talk I understand；〃 he declared curtly。
〃Let us understand one another； if we can。 What is to happen to me；
if I refuse to give you that word？〃
Mr。 Fentolin held his hand in front of his eyes； as though to shut
out some unwelcome vision。
〃Dear me；〃 he exclaimed； 〃how unpleasant Why should you force me
to disclose my plans？ Be content； dear Mr。 Dunster； with the
knowledge of this one fact： we cannot part with you。 I have thought
it over from every point of view； and I have come to that conclusion；
always presuming；〃 he went on； 〃that the knowledge of that little
word of which we have spoken remains in its secret chamber of your
memory。〃
Mr。 Dunster smoked in silence for a few minutes。
〃I am very comfortable here；〃 he remarked。
〃You delight me；〃 Mr。 Fentolin murmured。
〃Your cook；〃 Mr。 Dunster continued； 〃has won my heartfelt
appreciation。 Your cigars and wines are fit for any nobleman。
Perhaps； after all； this little rest is good for me。〃
Mr。 Fentolin listened attentively。
〃Do not forget；〃 he said； 〃that there is always a limit fixed；
whether it be one day； two days； or three days。〃
〃A limit to your complacence； I presume？〃
Mr。 Fentolin assented。
〃Obviously； then；〃 Mr。 Dunster concluded； 〃you wish those who sent
me to believe that my message has been delivered。 Yet there I must
confess that you puzzle me。 What I cannot see is； to put it bluntly；
where you come in。 Any one of the countries represented at this
little conference would only be the gainers by the miscarriage of
my message； which is； without doubt； so far as they are concerned；
of a distasteful nature。 Your own country alone could be the
sufferer。 Now what interest in the world； then； is there left … what
interest in the world can you possibly represent … which can be the
gainer by your present action？〃
Mr。 Fentolin's eyes grew suddenly a little brighter。 There was a
light upon his face strange to witness；
〃The power which is to be the gainer；〃 he said quietly； 〃 is the
power encompassed by these walls；〃
He touched his chest； his long； slim fingers were folded upon it。
〃When I meet a man whom I like；〃 he continued softly； 〃I take him
into my confidence。 Picture me； if you will； as a kind of Puck。
Haven't you heard that with the decay of the body comes sometimes
a malignant growth in the brain； a Caliban…like desire for evil to
fall upon the world； a desire to escape from the loneliness of
suffering； the isolation of black misery？〃
Mr。 John P。 Dunster let his cigar burn out。 He looked
steadfastly at this strange little figure whose chair had
imperceptibly moved a little nearer to his。
〃You know what the withholding of this message you carry may mean；〃
Mr。 Fentolin proceeded。 〃You come here； bearing to Europe the word
of a great people； a people whose voice is powerful enough even to
still the gathering furies。 I have read your ciphered message。 It
is what I feared。 It is my will； mine … Miles Fentolin's … that
that message be not delivered。〃
〃I wonder；〃 Mr。 Dunster muttered under his breath； 〃whether you are
in earnest。〃
〃In your heart；〃 Mr。 Fentolin told him； 〃you know that I am。 I can
see the truth in your face。 Now； for the first time； you begin to
understand。〃
〃To a certain extent；〃 Mr。 Dunster admitted。 〃Where I am still in
the dark； however； is why you should expect that I should become
your confederate。 It is true that by holding me up and obstructing
my message； you may bring about the evil you seek； but unless that
word is cabled back to New York； and my senders believe that my
message has been delivered； there can be no certainty。 What has
been trusted to me as the safest means of transmission； might； in
an emergency； be committed to a cable。〃
〃Excellent reasoning；〃 Fentolin agreed。 〃For the very reasons you
name that word will be given。〃
Mr。 Dunster's face was momentarily troubled。 There was something in
the still； cold emphasis of this man's voice which made him shiver。
〃Do you think；〃 Mr。 Fen