第16章
“Thegirlwiththegreyeyeswasrightenough，“heremarkedtohimself。“Mr。Fentolinhasbeenmakinghimselfverymuchathomewithmyproperty。“
Hewithdrewthecurtains，noticing，tohissurprise，theheavyshutterswhichtheirfoldshadpartlyconcealed。Thenhemadehiswayoutalongthepassagetothefrontdoor，whichfromtheinsidehewasabletoopeneasilyenough。Leavingitcarefullyajar，he“wentoutwiththeintentionofmakinganexaminationoftheoutsideoftheplace。Instead，however，hepausedatthecornerofthebuildingwithhisfaceturnedlandwards。Exactlyfrontinghimnow，aboutthree-quartersofamileaway，onthesummitofthatstrangehillwhichstoodoutlikeagiganticrockinthewilderness，wasSt。
David’sHall。Helookedatitsteadilyandwithincreasingadmiration。Itslong，redbrickfrontwithitsmassesofclusteringchimneys，alittlebareandweather-beaten，impressedhimwithasenseofdignitydueasmuchtothepurityofitsarchitectureasthesingularityofitssituation。Behind-awonderfullyeffectivebackground-werethesteepgardensfromwhich，eveninthisuncertainlight，hecaughtfaintglimpsesofcolouringsubduedfrombrilliancybythetwilight。Thesewereencircledbyabrickwallofgreatheight，thewholeofthesouthernportionofwhichwasenclosedwithglass。Fromthefragmentofrockuponwhichhehadseatedhimself，totheraisedstoneterraceinfrontofthehouse，wasanabsolutelystraightpath，beautifullykeptlikeanavenue，withwhitepostsoneitherside，andbuiltuptoaconsiderableheightabovethebroadtidalwaywhichranforsomedistancebyitsside。Ithadalmosttheappearanceofaracingtrack，anditsstateofpreservationinthemidstofthewildernesswaslittleshortofremarkable。
“This，“Hamelsaidtohimself，asheslowlyproducedapipefromhispocketandbegantofillitwithtobaccofromabatteredsilverbox，“isaqueerfix。Looksratherliketheinnforme！“
“Andwhomightyoube，gentleman？“
Heturnedabruptlyaroundtowardshisunseenquestioner。Awomanwasstandingbythesideoftherockuponwhichhewassitting，awomanfromthevillage，apparently，whomusthavecomewithnoiselessfootstepsalongthesandyway。Shewasdressedinrustyblack，andinplaceofahatsheworeablackwoolenscarftiedaroundherheadandunderneathherchin。Herfacewaslined，herhairofadeepbrownplentifullybesprinkledwithgrey。Shehadacurioushabitofmovingherlips，evenwhenshewasnotspeaking。
Shestoodtheresmilingathim，buttherewassomethingaboutthatsmileandaboutherlookwhichpuzzledhim。
“Iamjustavisitor，“hereplied。“Whoareyou？“
Sheshookherhead。
“IsawyoucomeoutoftheTower，“shesaid，speakingwithastronglocalaccentandyetwithacertainunusualcorrectness，“inatthewindowandoutofthedoor。You’reabraveman。“
“Whybrave？“heasked。
SheturnedherheadveryslowlytowardsSt。David’sHall。Agleamofsunshinehadcaughtoneofthewindows，whichshonelikefire。
Shepointedtowarditwithherhead。
“He’slookingatyou，“shemuttered。“Hedon’tlikestrangerspokingaroundhere，thatIcantellyou。“
“Andwhoishe？“Hamelenquired。
“SquireFentolin，“sheanswered，droppinghervoicealittle。“He’saverykind-heartedgentleman，SquireFentolin，buthedon’tlikestrangershangingaround。“
“Well，Iamnotexactlyastranger，yousee，“Hamelremarked。“Myfatherusedtostayformonthsatatimeinthatlittleshantythereandpaintpictures。It’sagoodmanyyearsago。“
“Imindhim，“thewomansaidslowly。“HisnamewasHamel。“
“Iamhisson，“Hamelannounced。
ShepointedtotheHall。“Doesheknowthatyouarehere？“
Hamelshookhishead。“Notyet。Ihavebeenabroadforsolong。“
Shesuddenlyrelapsedintohercurioushabit。Herlipsmoved，butnowordscame。Shehadturnedherheadalittleandwasfacingthesea。
“Tellme，“Hamelaskedgently，“whydoyoucomeoutherealone，sofarfromthevillage？“
Shepointedwithherfingertowherethewaveswerebreakinginathinlineofwhite，aboutfiftyyardsfromthebeach。
“It’sthecemetery，。that，“shesaid，“thevillagecemetery，youknow。Ihavethreeburiedthere:George，theeldest；James，themiddleone；andDavid，theyoungest。Threeofthem-that’swhyIcome。Ican’tputflowersontheirgraves，butIcansitandwatchandlookthroughthesea，downamongtherockswheretheirbodiesare，andwonder。“
Hamellookedathercuriously。Hervoicehadgrownlowerandlower。
“It’swhatyoulandfolksdon’tbelieve，perhaps，“shewenton，“butit’strue。It’sonlyuswholiveneartheseawhounderstandit。
Iamnotanignorantbody，either。IwasschoolmistressherebeforeImarriedDavidCox。TheythoughtI’ddonewrongtomarryafisherman，butIborehimbravesons，andIlivedthelifeawomancravesfor。No，Iamnotignorant。Ihavefancies，perhaps-theLordbepraisedforthem！-andItellyouit’strue。Youlookataspotintheseaandyouseenothing-agleamofblue，afleckofwhitefoam，oneday；agleamofgreenwithablackline，another；
andagreylittlesob，thenext，perhaps。Butyougoonlooking。
Youlookdaybydayandhourbyhour，andthechasmsoftheseawillopen，andtheirvoiceswillcometoyou。Listen！“
Sheclutchedhisarm。
“Couldn’tyouhearthat？“shehalfwhispered。
“’Thelight！’ItwasDavid’svoice！’Thelight！’“Hamelwasspeechless。Thewoman’sfacewassuddenlystrangelytransformed。
Hermood，however，swiftlychanged。Sheturnedoncemoretowardsthehall。
“You’llknowhimsoon，“shewenton，“thekindestmanintheseparts，theysay。It’snotmuchthathegivesaway，buthe’sakindheart。Youseethatgreatpostattheentrancetotheriverthere？“
shewenton，pointingtoit。“Hehadthatsetupandalamphungfromthere。Fentolin’slight，theycallit。Itwastosavemen’slives。Itwasburning，theysay，thenightIlostmylads。
Fentolin’slight！“
“Theywerewrecked？“heaskedhergently。
“Wrecked，“sheanswered。“Badsteeringitmusthavebeen。Jameswouldsteer，andtheysaythathedrankabit。Badsteering！Yes，you’llmeetSquireFentolinbeforelong。He’squeertolookat-asmallbodybutagreat，kindheart。Amiserablelife，his，butitwillbemadeuptohim。Itwillbemadeuptohim！“
Sheturnedaway。Herlipsweremovingallthetime。Shewalkedaboutadozensteps，andthenshereturned。
“You’reHamel’sson，thepainter，“shesaid。“You’llbewelcomedownhere。He’llhaveyoutostayattheHall-abraveplace。
Don’tlethimbetookindtoyou。Sometimeskindnesshurts。“
Shepassedon，walkingwithacurious，shamblinggait，andsoonshedisappearedonherwaytothevillage。HamelwatchedherforamomentandthenturnedhisheadtowardsSt。David’sHall。Hefeltsomehowthatherabruptdeparturewasduetosomethingwhichshehadseeninthatdirection。Herosetohisfeet。Hisinstincthadbeenatrueone。
>FromwhereHamelstoodaqueerobjectcamestrangelyintosight。
BelowtheterraceofSt。David’sHall-fromaspot，infact，atthebaseofthesolidwall-itseemedasthoughagatehadbeenopened，andtherecametowardshimwhatheatfirsttooktobeatricycle。Asitcamenearer，itpresentedevenaweirderappearance。Mr。Fentolin，inablackcapeandblackskullcap，satalittleforwardinhiselectriccarriage，withhishandupontheguidinglever。Hisheadcamescarcelyabovethebackofthelittlevehicle，hishandsandbodyweremotionless。Heseemedtobeprogressingwithouttheslightesteffort，personalormechanical，asthoughherode，indeed，insomeghostlyvehicle。Fromthesameplaceinthewallhadissued，amomentortwolater，amanuponabicycle，whowasalsocomingtowardshim。Hamelwasscarcelyconsciousofthissecondaryfigure。Hiseyeswerefixeduponthestrangepersonagenowrapidlyapproachinghim。Therewassomethingwhichseemedscarcelyhumaninthatshrunkenfragmentofbody，thepalefacewithitswavingwhitehair，thestrangeexpressionwithwhichhewasbeingregarded。Thelittlevehiclecametoastandstillonlyafewfeetaway。Mr。Fentolinleanedforward。Hisfeatureshadlosttheirdelicatelybenevolentaspect；hiswordswereminatory。
“Iamundertheimpression，sir，“hesaid，“thatIsawyouwithmyglassesfromthewindowattemptingtoforceanentranceintothatbuilding。“
Hamelnodded。
“InotonlytriedbutIsucceeded，“heremarked。“Igotinthroughthewindow。“
Mr。Fentolin’seyesglitteredforamoment。Hamel，whohadresumedhisplaceupontherockcloseathand，hadbeenmixedupduringhislifetimeinmanywildescapades。Yetatthatmomenthehadasuddenfeelingthatthereweredangersinlifewhichasyethehadnotfaced。