蓝色特快上的秘密-蓝色列车之谜-蓝色列车(英文版)-第5章

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〃Good　morning；　sir。　You　are　very　anxious　to　see　me；　I　hear。〃　

The　lazy　voice　with　its　slightly　ironic　inflection　roused　memories　in　Van　Aldin。　

There　was　charm　in　it　…　there　had　always　been　charm　in　it。　He　looked　piercingly　at　his　son…in…law。　Derek　Kettering　was　thirty…four；　lean　of　build；　with　a　dark；　narrow　face；　which　had　even　now　something　indescribabiy　boyish　in　it。　

〃e　in；〃　said　Van　Aldin　curtly。　〃Sit　down。〃　

Kettering　flung　himself　lightly　into　an　armchair。　He　looked　at　his　father…in…law　with　a　kind　of　tolerant　amusement。　

〃Not　seen　you　for　a　long　time；　sir；〃　he　remarked　pleasantly。　〃About　two　years；　I　should　say。　Seen　Ruth　yet？〃　

〃I　saw　her　last　night；〃　said　Van　Aldin。　

〃Looking　very　fit；　isn't　she？〃　said　the　other　lightly。　

〃I　didn't　know　you　had　had　much　opportunity　of　judging；〃　said　Van　Aldin　drily。　

Derek　Kettering　raised　his　eyebrows。　

〃Oh；　we　sometimes　meet　at　the　same　night　club；　you　know；〃　he　said　airily。　

〃I　am　not　going　to　beat　about　the　bush；〃　Van　Aldin　said　curtly。　〃I　have　advised　Ruth　to　file　a　petition　for　divorce。〃　

Derek　Kettering　seemed　unmoved。　

〃How　drastic！〃　he　murmured。　〃Do　you　mind　if　I　smoke；　sir？〃　

He　lit　a　cigarette；　and　puffed　out　a　cloud　of　smoke　as　he　added　nonchalantly：　

〃And　what　did　Ruth　say？〃　

〃Ruth　proposes　to　take　my　advice；〃　said　her　father。　

〃Does　she　really？〃　

〃Is　that　all　you　have　got　to　say？〃　demanded　Van　Aldin　sharply。　

Kettering　flicked　his　ash　into　the　grate。　

〃I　think；　you　know；〃　he　said；　with　a　detached　air；　〃that　she's　making　a　great　mistake。〃　

〃From　your　point　of　view　she　doubtless　is；〃　said　Van　Aldin　grimly。　

〃Oh；　e　now；〃　said　the　other；　〃don't　let's　be　personal。　I　really　wasn't　thinking　of　myself　at　the　moment。　I　was　thinking　of　Ruth。　You　know　my　poor　old　Governor　really　can't　last　much　longer；　all　the　doctors　say　so。　Ruth　had　better　give　it　a　couple　more　years；　then　I　shall　be　Lord　Leconbury；　and　she　can　be　chatelaine　of　Leconbury；　which　is　what　she　married　me　for。〃　

〃I　won't　have　any　of　your　darned　impudence；〃　roared　Van　Aldin。　

Derek　Kettering　smiled　at　him　quite　unmoved。　

〃I　agree　with　you。　It's　an　obsolete　idea；〃　he　said。　〃There's　nothing　in　a　title　nowadays。　Still；　Leconbury　is　a　very　fine　old　place；　and；　after　all；　we　are　one　of　the　oldest　families　in　England。　It　will　be　very　annoying　for　Ruth　if　she　divorces　me　to　find　me　marrying　again；　and　some　other　woman　queening　it　at　Leconbury　instead　of　her。〃　

〃I　am　serious；　young　man；〃　said　Van　Aldin。　

〃Oh；　so　am　I；〃　said　Kettering。　〃I　am　in　very　low　water　financially；　it　will　put　me　in　a　nasty　hole　if　Ruth　divorces　me；　and；　after　all；　if　she　has　stood　it　for　ten　years；　why　not　stand　it　a　little　longer？　I　give　you　my　word　of　honour　that　the　old　man　can't　possibly　last　out　another　eighteen　months；　and；　as　I　said　before；　it's　a　pity　Ruth　shouldn't　get　what　she　married　me　for。〃　

〃You　suggest　that　my　daughter　married　you　for　your　title　and　position？〃　

Derek　Kettering　laughed　a　laugh　that　was　not　all　amusement。　

〃You　don't　think　it　atch？〃　he　asked。　

〃I　know；〃　said　Van　Aldin　slowly；　〃that　you　spoke　very　differently　in　Paris　ten　years　ago。〃　

〃Did　I？　Perhaps　I　did。　Ruth　was　very　beautiful；　you　know　…　rather　like　an　angel　or　a　saint；　or　something　that　had　stepped　down　from　a　niche　in　a　church。　I　had　fine　ideas；　I　remember；　of　turning　over　a　new　leaf；　of　settling　down　and　living　up　to　the　highest　traditions　of　English　home…life　with　a　beautiful　wife　who　loved　me。〃　

He　laughed　again；　rather　more　discordantly。　

〃But　you　don't　believe　that；　I　suppose？〃　he　said。　

〃I　have　no　doubt　at　all　that　you　married　Ruth　for　her　money；〃　said　Van　Aldin　unemotionally。　

〃And　that　she　married　me　for　love？〃　asked　the　other　ironically。　

〃Certainly；〃　said　Van　Aldin。　

Derek　Kettering　stared　at　him　for　a　minute　or　two；　then　he　nodded　reflectively。　

〃I　see　you　believe　that；〃　he　said。　〃So　did　I　at　the　time。　I　can　assure　you；　my　dear　father…in…law；　I　was　very　soon　undeceived。〃　

〃I　don't　know　what　you　are　getting　at；〃　said　Van　Aldin；　〃and　I　don't　care。　You　have　treated　Ruth　darned　badly。〃　

〃Oh；　I　have；〃　agreed　Kettering　lightly；　〃but　she's　tough；　you　know。　She's　your　daughter。　Underneath　the　pink…and…white　softness　of　her　she's　as　hard　as　granite。　You　have　always　been　known　as　a　hard　man；　so　I　have　been　told；　but　Ruth　is　harder　than　you　are。　You；　at　any　rate；　love　one　person　better　than　yourself。　Ruth　never　has　and　never　will。〃　

〃That　is　enough；〃　said　Van　Aldin。　〃I　asked　you　here　so　that　I　could　tell　you　fair　and　square　what　I　meant　to　do。　My　girl　has　got　to　have　some　happiness；　and　remember　this；　I　am　behind　her。〃　

Derek　Kettering　got　up　and　stood　by　the　mantelpiece。　He　tossed　away　his　cigarette。　When　he　spoke；　his　voice　was　very　quiet。　

〃What　exactly　do　you　mean　by　that；　I　wonder？〃　he　said。　

〃I　mean；〃　said　Van　Aldin；　〃that　you　had　better　not　try　to　defend　the　case。〃　

〃Oh；〃　said　Kettering。　〃Is　that　a　threat？〃　

〃You　can　take　it　any　way　you　please；〃　said　Van　Aldin。　

Kettering　drew　a　chair　up　to　the　table。　He　sat　down　fronting　the　millionaire。　

〃And　supposing；〃　he　said　softly；　〃that；　just　for　argument's　sake；　I　did　defend　the　case？〃　

Van　Aldin　shrugged　his　shoulders。　

〃You　have　not　got　a　leg　to　stand　upon；　you　young　fool。　Ask　your　solicitors；　they　will　soon　tell　you。　Your　conduct　has　been　notorious；　the　talk　of　London。〃　

〃Ruth　has　been　kicking　up　a　row　about　Mirelle；　I　suppose。　Very　foolish　of　her。　I　don't　interfere　with　her　friends。〃　

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　Van　Aldin　sharply。　

Derek　Kettering　laughed。　

〃I　see　you　don't　know　everything；　sir；〃　he　said。　〃You　are；　perhaps　naturally；　prejudiced。〃　

He　took　up　his　hat　and　stick　and　moved　towards　the　door。　

〃Giving　advice　is　not　much　in　my　line。〃　He　delivered　his　final　thrust。　〃But；　in　this　case；　I　should　advise　most　strongly　perfect　frankness　between　father　and　daughter。〃　

He　passed　quickly　out　of　the　room　and　shut　the　door　behind　him　just　as　the　millionaire　sprang　up。　

〃Now；　what　the　hell　did　he　mean　by　that？〃　said　Van　Aldin　as　he　sank　back　into　his　chair　again。　

All　his　uneasiness　returned　in　full　force。　

There　was　something　here　that　he　had　not　yet　got　to　the　bottom　of。　The　telephone　was　by　his　elbow；　he　seized　it；　and　asked　for　the　number　of　his　daughter's　house。　

〃Hallo！　Hallo！　Is　that　Mayfair　81907？　Mrs　Kettering　in？　Oh；　she's　out；　is　she？　Yes；　out　to　lunch。　What　time　will　she　be　in？　You　don't　know？　Oh；　very　good；　no；　there's　no　message。〃　

He　slammed　the　receiver　down　again　angrily。　

At　two　o'clock　he　was　pacing　the　floor　of　his　room　waiting　expectantly　for　Goby。　

The　latter　was　ushered　in　at　ten　minutes　past　two。　

〃Well？〃　barked　the　millionaire　sharply。　

But　the　little　Mr　Goby　was　not　to　be　hurried。　

He　sat　down　at　the　table；　produced　a　very　shabby　pocketbook；　and　proceeded　to　read　from　it　in　a　monotonous　voice。　The　millionaire　listened　attentively；　with　an　increasing　satisfaction。　Goby　came　to　a　full　stop；　and　looked　attentively　at　the　wastepaper…basket。　

〃Um！〃　said　Van　Aldin。　〃That　seems　pretty　definite。　The　case　will　go　through　like　winking。　The　hotel　evidence　is　all　right；　I　suppose？〃　

〃Cast　iron；〃　said　Mr　Goby；　and　looked　malevolently　at　a　gilt　armchair。　

〃And　financially　he's　in　very　low　water。　He's　trying　to　raise　a　loan　now；　you　say？　Has　already　raised　practically　all　he　can　upon　his　expectations　from　his　father。　Once　the　news　of　the　divorce　gets　about；　he　won't　be　able　to　raise　another　cent；　and　not　only　that；　his　obligations　can　be　bought　up　and　pressure　can　be　put　upon　him　from　that　quarter。　We　have　got　him；　Goby；　we　have　got　him　in　a　cleft　stick。〃　

He　hit　the　table　a　bang　with　his　fist。　His　face　was　grim　and　triumphant。　

〃The　information；〃　said　Mr　Goby　in　a　thin　voice；　〃seems　satisfactory。〃　

〃I　have　got　to　go　round　to　Curzon　Street　now；〃　said　the　millionaire。　〃I　am　much　obliged　to　you；　Goby。　You　are　the　goods　all　right。〃　

A　pale　smile　of　gratification　showed　itself　on　the　little　man's　face。　

〃Thank　you；　Mr　Van　Aldin；〃　he　said；　〃I　try　to　do　my　best。〃　

Van　Aldin　did　not　go　direct　to　Curzon　Street。　He　went　first　to　the　City；　where　he　had　two　interviews　which　added　to　his　satisfaction。　From　there　he　took　the　tube　to　Down　Street。　As　he　was　walking　along　Curzon　Street；　a　figure　came　out　of　No。　160；　and　turned　up　the　street　towards　him；　so　that　they　passed　each　other　on　the　pavement。　For　a　moment；　the　millionaire　had　fancied　it　might　be　Derek　Kettering　himself；　the　height　and　build　were　not　unlike。　But　as　they　came　face　to　face；　he　saw　that　the　man　was　a　stranger　to　him。　At　least　…　no；　not　a　stranger；　his　face　awoke　some　call　of　recognition　in　the　millionaire's　mind；　and　it　was　associated　definitely　with　something　unpleasant。　

He　cudgelled　his　brains　in　vain；　but　the　thing　eluded　him。　He　went　on；　shaking　his　head　irritably。　He　hated　to　be　baffled。　

Ruth　Kettering　was　clearly　expecting　him。　She　ran　to　him　and　kissed　him　when　he　entered。　

〃Well；　Dad；　how　are　things　going？〃　

〃Very　well；〃　said　Van　Aldin；　〃but　I　have　got　a　word　or　two　to　say　to　you；　Ruth。〃　

Almost　insensibly　he　felt　the　change　in　her；　something　shrewd　and　watchful　replaced　the　impulsiveness　of　her　greeting。　She　s