"Jack Mann - Her Ways Are Death" - читать интересную книгу автора (Mann Jack)

bottom, such as English iron fashioners seldom compass without a certain clumsiness, which betrays the
intent to combine strength with decorative effect. Here, he knew as he-gazed, was the work of an artist in
iron, one sensitive enough to be content with nothing less than perfect work.
He got back into the car, and swung it to a standstill opposite the pillared portico, over which was a
shield in low relief on the stone, bearing the initialsтАФI. R. N. and the date 1701. The panelled,
black-green, massive door was in keeping with the date, and Gees, pulling a bell-handle beside it, noted
that the door swung back as silently as easily, to reveal a parlourmaid, young and pretty, and rather
over-daintily attired for her partтАФit was a stage costume, rather than a working dress.
He asked, тАЬMr. Naylor?тАЭ And with no inquiry of any kind she asked in turn, тАЬWill you come this way,
sir?тАЭ She took, and deposited, his shabby old felt hat and shabbier overcoat, and conducted him through
the high-ceiled hall, decorated with stagsтАЩ and ramsтАЩ heads, moosesтАЩ heads and tigersтАЩ headsтАФand even
an elephantтАЩs headтАФto another door in a corridor at the back of the hall, where she halted to ask, тАЬMr.
Green, isnтАЩt it?тАЭ
He said, тАЬYes,тАЭ and on that she opened the door and announced him. Entering, he saw the reverse of
his expectation. He had looked for a beefy, Squire Westernish sort of man, and found himself facing one
thin and small and delicate, with finely shaped hands and feet, soft, appealing brown eyes, and very pale
lips. A shy, anaemic sort of man, at first sight, who greeted his caller with a charming smile, and, offering
his hand, said, тАЬMr. Green? IтАЩm so glad you were able to get here. ItтАЩs rather early for tea, butтАФshall I
ring?тАЭ
тАЬThank you, no,тАЭ Gees answered. тАЬIтАЩve lunched not long since, and donтАЩt feel like tea yet. If you
donтАЩt mind.тАЭ
тАЬWhy, certainly not. A business man, evidently, in spite of the nature of your businessтАФI speak of
that from hearsay, and you must forgive me if I trespass too far.тАЭ
Again Naylor smiled, that very charming expression of friendliness which Gees found a little
disturbing. He had an instantтАЩs memory of those entrance gates, all artistry, and yet concealed in it was
tremendous strength. So hereтАФperhaps! He was far from sure as to whether his first impressions of this
man were to be trusted. Amba gachle, as the Zulus sayтАФtread softly!
He said, тАЬI donтАЩt see where the trespass comes in. Do you mind my asking where you got those
marvellous gates at your boundary?тАЭ
тАЬPicked them up in Milan, for not merely a song, but one line of the first verse,тАЭ Naylor answered
readily, and laughed a little. тАЬIтАЩm glad you noticed them. Not many people have the seeing eye.тАЭ
тАЬVery few could miss such a pair,тАЭ Gees assured him. тАЬButтАФyou wantedтАФwhat?тАЭ He put it as
bluntly as he could, being determined not to yield to any spell this strange man could weave. For the man
was strange. He was as exotic here, as the monkey-puzzlers in front of his Hall. He was small and frail,
yet he had power. Gees felt it.
He said, тАЬAh, yes! You have not much time, perhaps. And that fee of yours for initial
consultationтАФtwo guineas. All very well if one comes to you in London, but your coming hereтАФtaking
the trouble, I mean. Shall we make that two into a ten?тАЭ
 тАЬMy own idea,тАЭ Gees assured him promptly, and saw the thin, delicate features harden slightly at his
apparent rapacity. тАЬAnd expenses, of course. Eight, sayтАФeighteen guineas for the total.тАЭ
He put it as brutally as he could, determined as he was to give this man not one inch of
advantageтАФthe prejudice against him, with which he had driven here, was growing stronger and yet
stronger. Naylor nodded a rather frigid assent to his estimate.
тАЬEighteenтАФyes. I will write you the cheque before you leave.тАЭ
тАЬVery good of you,тАЭ Gees told him. тАЬAnd nowтАФwhat is it you want of me? Something you wouldnтАЩt
put in writing, I understood from your letter.тАЭ He saw the thin, delicate hands of the man facing him quiver
as he put the blunt question, and divined that Naylor was afraidтАФof something. Though why one in his
position should fearтАФ
тАЬI am going on what HunterтАФHunter of DenlandhamтАФtold me about you,тАЭ Naylor said slowly. тАЬMr.
Green, my case is not a haunted houseтАж Do you believe in witchcraft?тАЭ