The Lodger Read Online Free Page A

for, and longing
for, the last few days;" and then hastily he added, "I mean this
kind of place is what I have always wanted to possess, Mrs.
Bunting. You would be surprised if you knew how difficult it is to
get anything of the sort. But now my weary search has ended, and
that is a relief - a very, very great relief to me!"
      He stood up and looked round him with a dreamy,
abstracted air. And then, "Where's my bag?" he asked suddenly, and
there came a note of sharp, angry fear in his voice. He glared at
the quiet woman standing before him, and for a moment Mrs. Bunting
felt a tremor of fright shoot through her. It seemed a pity that
Bunting was so far away, right down the house.
      But Mrs. Bunting was aware that eccentricity has
always been a perquisite, as it were the special luxury, of the
well-born and of the well-educated. Scholars, as she well knew, are
never quite like other people, and her new lodger was undoubtedly a
scholar. "Surely I had a bag when I came in?" he said in a scared,
troubled voice.
      "Here it is, sir," she said soothingly, and,
stooping, picked it up and handed it to him. And as she did so she
noticed that the bag was not at all heavy; it was evidently by no
means full.
      He took it eagerly from her. "I beg your pardon," he
muttered. "But there is something in that bag which is very
precious to me - something I procured with infinite difficulty, and
which I could never get again without running into great danger,
Mrs. Bunting. That must be the excuse for my late agitation."
      "About terms, sir?" she said a little timidly,
returning to the subject which meant so much, so very much to
her.
      "About terms?" he echoed. And then there came a
pause. "My name is Sleuth," he said suddenly, - "S-l-e-u-t-h. Think
of a hound, Mrs. Bunting, and you'll never forget my name. I could
provide you with a reference - " (he gave her what she described to
herself as a funny, sideways look), "but I should prefer you to
dispense with that, if you don't mind. I am quite willing to pay
you - we1l, shall we say a month in advance?"
      A spot of red shot into Mrs. Bunting's cheeks. She
felt sick with relief - nay,'with a joy which was almost pain. She
had not known till that moment how hungry she was - how eager for-a
good meal. "That would be all right, sir," she murmured.
      "And what are you going to charge me?" There had
come a kindly, almost a friendly note into his voice. "With
attendance, mind! I shall expect you to give me attendance, and I
need hardly ask if you can cook, Mrs. Bunting?"
      "Oh, yes, sir," she said. "I am a plain cook. What
would you say to twenty-five shillings a week, sir?" She looked at
him deprecatingly, and as he did not answer she went on
falteringly, "You see, sir, it may seem a good deal, but you would
have the best of attendance and careful cooking - and my husband,
sir - he would be pleased to valet you."
      "I shouldn't want anything of that sort done for
me," said Mr. Sleuth hastily. "I prefer looking after my own
clothes. I am used to waiting on myself. But, Mrs. Bunting, I have
a great dislike to sharing lodgings - "
      She interrupted eagerly, "I could let you have the
use of the two floors for the same price - that is, until we get
another lodger. I shouldn't like you to sleep in the back room up
here, sir. It's such a poor little room. You could do as you say,
sir - do your work and your experiments up here, and then have your
meals in the drawing-room."
      "Yes," he said hesitatingly, "that sounds a good
plan. And if I offered you two pounds, or two guineas? Might I then
rely on your not taking another lodger?"
      "Yes," she said quietly. "I'd be very glad only to
have you to wait on, sir."
      "I suppose you have a key to the door of this room,
Mrs. Bunting? I don't like to be disturbed while I'm working."
      He waited a moment, and then said again, rather
urgently, "I suppose you have a key to this door, Mrs.
Bunting?"
      "Oh, yes, sir, there's a