按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ry when she got to England； Old Mr。 Bennett and his pal Mortimer； Bream's father； were trying to get a house somewhere which they could share。 Only so far they hadn't managed to find the house they wanted。 When I heard that； I said 'Ha！'〃
〃You said what？〃 asked Sam。
〃I said 'Ha！'〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because I had an idea。 Don't interrupt； old man； or you'll get me muddled。 Where was I？〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃I remember。 I'd just got the idea。 I happened to know； you see； that Bennett and Mortimer were both frightfully keen on getting Windles for the summer； but my mother wouldn't hear of it and gave them both the miss…in…baulk。 It suddenly occurred to me that mother was going to be away in America all the summer； so why shouldn't I make a private deal； let them the house； and make it a stipulation that I was to stay there to look after things？ And； to cut a long story short； that's what I did。〃
〃You let Windles？〃
〃Yes。 Old Bennett was down on the dock at Southampton to meet Wilhelmina； and I fixed it up with him then and there。 He was so bucked at the idea of getting the place that he didn't kick for a moment at the suggestion that I should stick on at the house。 Said he would be delighted to have me there； and wrote out a fat check on the spot。 We hired a car and drove straight overit's only about twenty miles from Southampton； you know；and we've been there ever since。 Bennett sent a wire to Mortimer； telling him to join us； and he came down next day。〃
He paused； and looked at Sam as though desiring ment。 Sam had none to offer。
〃Why do you say you're in a hole？〃 he asked。 〃It seems to me as though you had done yourself a bit of good。 You've got the check； and you're in the same house with Miss Hubbard。 What more do you want？〃
〃But suppose mother gets to hear about it？〃
〃Well？〃
〃She'd be sorer than a sunburned neck。〃
〃Probably。 But why should she hear of it？〃
〃Ah！ I'm ing to that。〃
〃Is there some more of the story？〃
〃Quite a lot。〃
〃Charge on；〃 said Sam resignedly。
Eustace Hignett fixed a despondent gaze on the shingle； up which the gray waves were crawling with their usual sluggish air of wishing themselves elsewhere。 A rain…drop fell down the back of his neck； but he did not notice it。
〃It was the weather that really started it；〃 he said。
〃Started what？〃
〃The trouble。 What sort of weather have you been having here？〃
〃I haven't noticed。〃
〃Well； down at Windles it has been raining practically all the time； and after about a couple of days it became fairly clear to me that Bennett and Mortimer were getting a bit fed。 I mean to say； having spent all their lives in America； don't you know； they weren't used to a country where it rained all the time； and pretty soon it began to get on their nerves。 They started quarrelling。 Nothing bad at first； but hotting up more and more； till at last they were hardly on speaking terms。 Every little thing that happened seemed to get the wind up them。 There was that business of Smith； for instance。〃
〃Who's Smith？〃
〃Mortimer's bull…dog。 Old Bennett is scared of him； and wants him kept in the stables； but Mortimer insists on letting him roam about the house。 Well； they scrapped a goodish bit about that。 And then there was the orchestrion。 You remember the orchestrion？〃
〃I haven't been down at Windles since I was a kid。〃
〃That's right。 I forgot that。 Well； my pater had an orchestrion put in the drawing…room。 One of these automatic things you switch on； you know。 Makes a devil of a row。 Bennett can't stand it； and Mortimer insists on playing it all day。 Well； they hotted up a goodish bit over that。〃
〃Well； I don't see how all this affects you。 If they want to scrap； why not let them？〃
〃Yes； but； you see； the most frightful thing has happened。 At least； it hasn't happened yet； but it may any day。 Bennett's talking about taking legal advice to see if he can't induce Mortimer to cheese it by law as he can't be stopped any other way。 And the deuce of it is； your father's Bennett's legal representative over in England； and he's sure to go to him。〃
〃Well； that'll do the pater a bit of good。 Legal fees。〃
Eustace Hignett waved his arms despairingly at his cousin's obtuseness。
〃But don't you see？ If Bennett goes to your father about this binge； your father will get onto the fact that Windles has been let； and he'll nose about and make enquiries； and the first thing that'll happen will be that mother will get to hear of it； and then where shall I be？〃
Sam pondered。
〃Yes； there's that；〃 he admitted。
〃Well； now you see what a hole I'm in。〃
〃Yes； you are。 What are you going to do about it？〃
〃You're the only person who can help me。〃
〃What can I do？〃
〃Why； your father wants you to join the firm； doesn't he？ Well； for goodness sake； buck up and join it。 Don't waste a minute。 Dash up to London by the next train； and sign on。 Then； if Bennett does blow in for advice； you can fix it somehow that he sees you instead of your father； and it'll be all right。 You can easily work it。 Get the office…boy or somebody to tell Bennett that your father's engaged； but that you are on the spot。 He won't mind so long as he sees somebody in the firm。〃
〃But I don't know anything about the law。 What shall I say to him？〃
〃That's all right。 I've been studying it up a bit。 As far as I can gather； this legal advice business is quite simple。 Anything that isn't a tort is a misdemeanour。 You've simply got to tell old Bennett that in your opinion the whole thing looks jolly like a tort。〃
〃What's the word again？〃
〃Tort。〃
〃What does it mean？〃
〃I don't know。 Probably nobody knows。 But it's a safe card to play。 Tort。 Don't forget it。〃
〃Tort。 Right ho！〃
〃Well； then； e along and pack your things。 There's a train to London in about an hour。〃
They walked back to the hotel。 Sam gulped once or twice。
〃Oh； by the way；〃 he said； 〃Erhow iserMiss Bennett？〃
〃Oh； she's all right。〃 Eustace Hignett hummed a gay air。 Sam's ready acquiescence in his scheme had relieved his apprehensive mind。
〃Going strong？〃 said Sam； after a pause。
〃Oh； absolutely。 We're quite good friends again now。 No use being in the same house and not being on speaking terms。 It's rummy how the passage of time sort of changes a fellow's point of view。 Why； when she told me about her engagement； I congratulated her as cheerfully as dammit！ And only a few weeks ago。。。。〃
〃Her engagement！〃 exclaimed Sam； leaping like a stricken blanc…mange。 〃Her en…gug…gug…gagement！〃
〃To Bream Mortimer； you know；〃 said Eustace Hignett。 〃She got engaged to him the day before yesterday。〃
CHAPTER NINE
The offices of the old…established firm of Marlowe； Thorpe； Prescott； Winslow and Appleby are in Ridgeway's Inn； not far from Fleet Street。 If you are a millionaire beset by blackmailers or anyone else to whose fort the best legal advice is essential； and have decided to put your affairs in the hands of the ablest and discreetest firm in London； you proceed through a dark and grimy entry and up a dark and grimy flight of stairs； and； having felt your way along a dark and grimy passage； you e at length to a dark and grimy door。 There is plenty of dirt in other