第35章

“Notmuchtodohere，“Isaytothehostler。

“Verylittletodo，sir，“thehostlerreplies。

“Anybodystayinginthehouse？“

“Thehouseisquiteempty，sir。“

“Ithoughtyouwerealldead。Icouldmakenobodyhearme。“

“Thelandlordisverydeaf，sir，andthewaiterisoutonanerrand。“

“Yes；andYOUwerefastasleepinthestable。Doyouoftentakeanapinthedaytime？“

Thewornfaceofthehostlerfaintlyflushes。Hiseyeslookawayfrommyeyesforthefirsttime。Mrs。Fairbankfurtivelypinchesmyarm。Areweontheeveofadiscoveryatlast？Irepeatmyquestion。Themanhasnocivilalternativebuttogivemeananswer。Theanswerisgiveninthesewords:

“Iwastiredout，sir。Youwouldn’thavefoundmeasleepinthedaytimebutforthat。“

“Tiredout，eh？Youhadbeenhardatwork，Isuppose？“

“No，sir。“

“Whatwasit，then？“

Hehesitatesagain，andanswersunwillingly，“Iwasupallnight。“

“Upallnight？Anythinggoingoninthetown？“

“Nothinggoingon，sir。“

“Anybodyill？“

“Nobodyill，sir。“

Thatreplyisthelast。TryasImay，Icanextractnothingmorefromhim。Heturnsawayandbusieshimselfinattendingtothehorse’sleg。IleavethestabletospeaktothelandlordaboutthecarriagewhichistotakeusbacktoFarleighHall。Mrs。Fairbankremainswiththehostler，andfavorsmewithalookatparting。

Thelooksaysplainly，“Imeantofindoutwhyhewasupallnight。

LeavehimtoMe。“

Theorderingofthecarriageiseasilyaccomplished。Theinnpossessesonehorseandonechaise。Thelandlordhasastorytotellofthehorse，andastorytotellofthechaise。TheyresemblethestoryofFrancisRaven——withthisexception，thatthehorseandchaisebelongtonoreligiouspersuasion。“Thehorsewillbenineyearoldnextbirthday。I’vehadtheshayforfour-

and-twentyyear。Mr。Max，ofUnderbridge，hebredthehorse；andMr。Pooley，ofYeovil，hebuilttheshay。It’smyhorseandmyshay。Andthat’sTHEIRstory！“Havingrelievedhismindofthesedetails，thelandlordproceedstoputtheharnessonthehorse。Bywayofassistinghim，Idragthechaiseintotheyard。Justasourpreparationsarecompleted，Mrs。Fairbankappears。Amomentortwolaterthehostlerfollowsherout。Hehasbandagedthehorse’sleg，andisnowreadytodriveustoFarleighHall。Iobservesignsofagitationinhisfaceandmanner，whichsuggestthatmywifehasfoundherwayintohisconfidence。Iputthequestiontoherprivatelyinacorneroftheyard。“Well？HaveyoufoundoutwhyFrancisRavenwasupallnight？“

Mrs。Fairbankhasaneyetodramaticeffect。Insteadofansweringplainly，YesorNo，shesuspendstheinterestandexcitestheaudiencebyputtingaquestiononherside。

“Whatisthedayofthemonth，dear？“

“ThedayofthemonthisthefirstofMarch。“

“ThefirstofMarch，Percy，isFrancisRaven’sbirthday。“

ItrytolookasifIwasinterested——anddon’tsucceed。

“Franciswasborn，“Mrs。Fairbankproceedsgravely，“attwoo’clockinthemorning。“

Ibegintowonderwhethermywife’sintellectisgoingthewayofthelandlord’sintellect。“Isthatall？“Iask。

“ItisNOTall，“Mrs。Fairbankanswers。“FrancisRavensitsuponthemorningofhisbirthdaybecauseheisafraidtogotobed。“

“Andwhyisheafraidtogotobed？“

“Becauseheisinperilofhislife。“

“Onhisbirthday？“

“Onhisbirthday。Attwoo’clockinthemorning。Asregularlyasthebirthdaycomesround。“

Thereshestops。Hasshediscoverednomorethanthat？Nomorethusfar。

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