《Coming up for Air》第70章

t　any　cheese。’
i　followed　her　indoors；　into　the　smell　of　mackintoshes。　we　went　into　the　sitting…room。　i　shut　the　door　and　switched　on　the　light。　i　meant　to　get　my　say　in　first；　and　i　knew　it　would　make　things　better　if　i　took　a　strong　line　from　the　start。
‘now’；　i　said；　‘what　the　bloody　hell　do　you　mean　by　playing　that　trick　on　me？’
she’d　just　laid　her　bag　down　on　top　of　the　radio；　and　for　a　moment　she　looked　genuinely　surprised。
‘what　trick？　what　do　you　mean？’
‘sending　out　that　s。o。s。！’
‘what　s。o。s。？　what　are　you　talking　about；　george？’
‘are　you　trying　to　tell　me　you　didn’t　get　them　to　send　out　an　s。o。s。　saying　you　were　seriously　ill？’
‘of　course　i　didn’t！　how　could　i？　i　wasn’t　ill。　what　would　i　do　a　thing　like　that　for？’
i　began　to　explain；　but　almost　before　i　began　i　saw　what　had　happened。　it　was　all　a　mistake。　i’d　only　heard　the　last　few　words　of　the　s。o。s。　and　obviously　it　was　some　other　hilda　bowling。　i　suppose　there’d　be　scores　of　hilda　bowlings　if　you　looked　the　name　up　in　the　directory。　it　just　was　the　kind　of　dull　stupid　mistake　that’s　always　happening。　hilda　hadn’t　even　showed　that　little　bit　of　imagination　i’d　credited　her　with。　the　sole　interest　in　the　whole　affair　had　been　the　five　minutes　or　so　when　i　thought　she　was　dead；　and　found　that　i　cared　after　all。　but　that　was　over　and　done　with。　while　i　explained　she　was　watching　me；　and　i　could　see　in　her　eye　that　there　was　trouble　of　some　kind　ing。　and　then　she　began　questioning　me　in　what　i　call　her　third…degree　voice；　which　isn’t；　as　you　might　expect；　angry　and　nagging；　but　quiet　and　kind　of　watchful。
‘so　you　heard　this　s。o。s。　in　the　hotel　at　birmingham？’
‘yes。　last　night；　on　the　national　broadcast。’
‘when　did　you　leave　birmingham；　then？’
‘this　morning；　of　course。’　（i’d　planned　out　the　journey　in　my　mind；　just　in　case　there　should　be　any　need　to　lie　my　way　out　of　it。　left　at　ten；　lunch　at　coventry；　tea　at　bedford—i’d　got　it　all　mapped　out。）
‘so　you　thought　last　night　i　was　seriously　ill；　and　you　didn’t　even　leave　till　this　morning？’
‘but　i　tell　you　i　didn’t　think　you　were　ill。　haven’t　i　explained？　i　thought　it　was　just　another　of　your　tricks。　it　sounded　a　damn　sight　more　likely。’
‘then　i’m　rather　surprised　you　left　at　all！’　she　said　with　so　much　vinegar　in　her　voice　that　i　knew　there　was　something　more　ing。　but　she　went　on　more　quietly：　‘so　you　left　this　morning；　did　you？’
‘yes。　i　left　about　ten。　i　had　lunch　at　coventry—’
‘then　how　do　you　account　for　this？’　she　suddenly　shot　out　at　me；　and　in　the　same　instant　she　ripped　her　bag　open；　took　out　a　piece　of　paper；　and　held　it　out　as　if　it　had　been　a　forged　cheque；　or　something。
i　felt　as　if　someone　had　hit　me　a　sock　in　the　wind。　i　might　have　known　it！　she’d　caught　me　after　all。　and　there　was　the　evidence；　the　dossier　of　the　case。　i　didn’t　even　know　what　it　was；　except　that　it　was　something　that　proved　i’d　been　off　with　a　woman。　all　the　stuffing　went　out　of　me。　a　moment　earlier　i’d　been　kind　of　bullying　her；　making　out　to　be　angry　because　i’d　been　dragged　back　from　birmingham　for　nothing；　and　now　she’d　suddenly　turned　the　tables　on　me。　you　don’t　have　to　tell　me　what　i　look　like　at　that　moment。　i　know。　guilt　written　all　over　me　in　big　letters—i　know。　and　i　wasn’t　even　guilty！　but　it’s　a　matter　of　habit。　i’m　used　to　being　in　the　wrong。　for　a　hundred　quid　i　couldn’t　have　kept　the　guilt　out　of　my　voice　as　i　answered：
‘what　do　you　mean？　what’s　that　thing　you’ve　got　there？’
‘you　read　it　and　you’ll　see　what　it　is。’
i　took　it。　it　was　a　letter　from　what　seemed　to　be　a　firm　of　solicitors；　and　it　was　addressed　from　the　same　street　as　rowbottom’s　hotel；　i　noticed。
‘dear　madam；’　i　read；　‘with　reference　to　your　letter　of　the　18th　inst。；　we　think　there　must　be　some　mistake。　rowbottom’s　hotel　was　closed　down　two　years　ago　and　has　been　converted　into　a　block　of　offices。　no　one　answering　the　description　of　your　husband　has　been　here。　possibly—’
i　didn’t　read　any　further。　of　course　i　saw　it　all　in　a　flash。　i’d　been　a　little　bit　too　clever　and　put　my　foot　in　it。　there　was　just　one　faint　ray　of　hope—young　saunders　might　have　forgotten　to　post　the　letter　i’d　addressed　from　rowbottom’s；　in　which　case　it　was　just　possible　i　could　brazen　it　out。　but　hilda　soon　put　the　lid　on　that　idea。
‘well；　george；　you　see　what　the　letter　says？　the　day　you　left　here　i　wrote　to　rowbottom’s　hotel—oh；　just　a　little　note；　asking　them　whether　you’d　arrived　there。　and　you　see　the　answer　i　got！　there　isn’t　even　any　such　place　as　rowbottom’s　hotel。　and　the　same　day；　the　very　same　post；　i　got　your　letter　saying　you　were　at　the　hotel。　you　got　someone　to　post　it　for　you；　i　suppose。　that　was　your　business　in　birmingham！’
‘but　look　here；　hilda！　you’ve　got　all　this　wrong。　it　isn’t　what　you　think　at　all。　you　don’t　understand。’
‘oh；　yes；　i　do；　george。　i　understand　perfectly。’
‘but　look　here；　hilda—’
wasn’t　any　use；　of　course。　it　was　a　fair　cop。　i　couldn’t　even　meet　her　eye。　i　turned　and　tried　to　make　for　the　door。
‘i’ll　have　to　take　the　car　round　to　the　garage；’　i　said。
‘oh；　no　george！　you　don’t　get　out　of　it　like　that。　you’ll　stay　here　and　listen　to　what　i’ve　got　to　say；　please。’
‘but；　damn　it！　i’ve　got　to　switch　the　lights　on；　haven’t　i？　it’s　past　lighting…up　time。　you　don’t　want　us　to　get　fined？’
at　that　she　let　me　go；　and　i　went　out　and　switched　the　car　lights　on；　but　when　i　came　back　she　was　still　standing　there　like　a　figure　of　doom；　with　the　two　letters；　mine　and　the　solicitor’s　on　the　table　in　front　of　her。　i’d　got　a　little　of　my　nerve　back；　and　i　had　another　try：
‘listen；　hilda。　you’ve　got　hold　of　the　wrong　end　of　the　stick　about　this　business。　i　can　explain　the　whole　thing。’
‘i’m　sure　you　could　explain　anything；　george。　the　question　is　whether　i’d　believe　you。’
‘but　you’re　just　jumping　to　conclusions！　what　made　you　write　to　these　hotel　people；　anyway？’
‘it　was　mrs　wheeler’s　idea。　and　a　very　good　idea　too；　as　it　turned　out。’
‘oh；　mrs　wheeler；　was　it？　so　you　don’t　mind　letting　that　blasted　woman　into　our　private　affairs？’