第69章

WHERE FORSYTES FEAR TO TREAD

Quivering from the defeat of his hopes,with the green morocco case still flat against his heart,Soames revolved thoughts bitter as death.A spider's web!Walking fast,and noting nothing in the moonlight,he brooded over the scene he had been through,over the memory of her figure rigid in his grasp.And the more he brooded,the more certain he became that she had a lover--her words,'Iwould sooner die!'were ridiculous if she had not.Even if she had never loved him,she had made no fuss until Bosinney came on the scene.No;she was in love again,or she would not have made that melodramatic answer to his proposal,which in all the circumstances was reasonable!Very well!That simplified matters.

'I'll take steps to know where I am,'he thought;'I'll go to Polteed's the first thing tomorrow morning.'

But even in forming that resolution he knew he would have trouble with himself.He had employed Polteed's agency several times in the routine of his profession,even quite lately over Dartie's case,but he had never thought it possible to employ them to watch his own wife.

It was too insulting to himself!

He slept over that project and his wounded pride--or rather,kept vigil.Only while shaving did he suddenly remember that she called herself by her maiden name of Heron.Polteed would not know,at first at all events,whose wife she was,would not look at him obsequiously and leer behind his back.She would just be the wife of one of his clients.And that would be true--for was he not his own solicitor?

He was literally afraid not to put his design into execution at the first possible moment,lest,after all,he might fail himself.And making Warmson bring him an early cup of coffee;he stole out of the house before the hour of breakfast.He walked rapidly to one of those small West End streets where Polteed's and other firms ministered to the virtues of the wealthier classes.Hitherto he had always had Polteed to see him in the Poultry;but he well knew their address,and reached it at the opening hour.In the outer office,a room furnished so cosily that it might have been a money-lender's,he was attended by a lady who might have been a schoolmistress.

"I wish to see Mr.Claud Polteed.He knows me--never mind my name."To keep everybody from knowing that he,Soames Forsyte,was reduced to having his wife spied on,was the overpowering consideration.

Mr.Claud Polteed--so different from Mr.Lewis Polteed--was one of those men with dark hair,slightly curved noses,and quick brown eyes,who might be taken for Jews but are really Phoenicians;he received Soames in a room hushed by thickness of carpet and curtains.It was,in fact,confidentially furnished,without trace of document anywhere to be seen.

Greeting Soames deferentially,he turned the key in the only door with a certain ostentation.

"If a client sends for me,"he was in the habit of saying,"he takes what precaution he likes.If he comes here,we convince him that we have no leakages.I may safely say we lead in security,if in nothing else.""Now,sir,what can I do for you?"Soames'gorge had risen so that he could hardly speak.It was absolutely necessary to hide from this man that he had any but professional interest in the matter;and,mechanically,his face assumed its sideway smile.

"I've come to you early like this because there's not an hour to lose"--if he lost an hour he might fail himself yet!"Have you a really trustworthy woman free?"Mr.Polteed unlocked a drawer,produced a memorandum,ran his eyes over it,and locked the drawer up again.

"Yes,"he said;"the very woman."

Soames had seated himself and crossed his legs--nothing but a faint flush,which might have been his normal complexion,betrayed him.

"Send her off at once,then,to watch a Mrs.Irene Heron of Flat C,Truro Mansions,Chelsea,till further notice.""Precisely,"said Mr.Polteed;"divorce,I presume?"and he blew into a speaking-tube."Mrs.Blanch in?I shall want to speak to her in ten minutes.""Deal with any reports yourself,"resumed Soames,"and send them to me personally,marked confidential,sealed and registered.My client exacts the utmost secrecy."Mr.Polteed smiled,as though saying,'You are teaching your grandmother,my dear sir;and his eyes slid over Soames'face for one unprofessional instant.

"Make his mind perfectly easy,"he said."Do you smoke?""No,"said Soames."Understand me:Nothing may come of this.If a name gets out,or the watching is suspected,it may have very serious consequences."Mr.Polteed nodded."I can put it into the cipher category.Under that system a name is never mentioned;we work by numbers."He unlocked another drawer and took out two slips of paper,wrote on them,and handed one to Soames.

"Keep that,sir;it's your key.I retain this duplicate.The case we'll call 7x.The party watched will be 17;the watcher 19;the Mansions 25;yourself--I should say,your firm--31;my firm 32,myself 2.In case you should have to mention your client in writing I have called him 43;any person we suspect will be 47;a second person 51.Any special hint or instruction while we're about it?""No,"said Soames;"that is--every consideration compatible."Again Mr.Polteed nodded."Expense?"

Soames shrugged."In reason,"he answered curtly,and got up.

"Keep it entirely in your own hands."

"Entirely,"said Mr.Polteed,appearing suddenly between him and the door."I shall be seeing you in that other case before long.

Good morning,sir."His eyes slid unprofessionally over Soames once more,and he unlocked the door.

"Good morning,"said Soames,looking neither to right nor left.